Maureen’s Mystery & Thriller Picks

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Looking for your next mystery & thriller read?
Check out Maureen’s staff picks!


The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie Book Cover ImageThe Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de Luce Mystery by Alan Bradley

It is the summer of 1950, and at the once-grand mansion of Buckshaw, young Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison, is intrigued by a series of inexplicable events: A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Then, hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath.

For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw. “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.”

Available in Trade Paperback, eBook, and Audio Editions.

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FOX Book Cover ImageFox: A Novel by Joyce Carol Oates

An “enthralling” (Los Angeles Times) and “remarkably engrossing” (The New York Times Book Review, Editors’ Choice) novel of literary and psychological suspense about the dark secrets that surface after the shocking disappearance of a charismatic, mercurial teacher at an elite boarding school—by legendary author Joyce Carol Oates.

“I can’t remember the last time I read something so (darkly, disconcertingly) addictive that yet bears so much realism and nuance and depth. Oates is a genius in the truest sense of the word—fearing nothing, including radical reinvention—and Fox is, to my mind, her most compelling book in her remarkable career.”Rebecca Makkai, New York Times bestselling author of I Have Some Questions For You

Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.

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THE MEDUSA PROTOCOL Book Cover ImageThe Medusa Protocol: A Novel by Rob Hart

Welcome back to Assassins Anonymous, the only twelve-step group where joining can be deadly.

“Hart strikes an incredible balance between nonstop action and unforgettable characters to examine the nature of violence and repentance. The Medusa Protocol is thrilling, funny, and heartfelt—clear your calendar before you start because it’s impossible to put down.”Mark Greaney, New York Times bestselling author of the Gray Man series

Available in Hardcover, eBook, and Audio Editions.

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Check Out the First Book in the Assassin’s Anonymous Series


THE CLEANER Book Cover ImageThe Cleaner: A Novel by Mary Watson

It’s not dust she’s looking for . . . it’s dirt.

One of the estate’s residents has ruined her life—and she’s come for revenge—in a twisty psychological thriller that reveals the danger of underestimating the seemingly powerless.

The Cleaner is the ultimate one-sitting read—a dark and visceral tale that is as much about class and privilege as it is a high-stakes game of obsession and revenge. A sinister, slow-burn of a thriller positively simmering with rage.”―Kimberly Belle, internationally bestselling author of The Paris Widow

Available July 29th in Trade Paperback, eBook, Audio, and Large Print Editions.

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