The first day of winter officially arrived Friday. If you participated in the fantastic boat parade, you felt our December weather descending.
Blessed as we are with sunny days and swaying palms, early dark evenings feel better when seated by a crackling fire, wrapped in a comfy throw and sipping a hot toddy. And it’s a perfect time for getting lost in suspense, to experience the chills of a new thriller and to discover a new author’s voice.
“Sacred Games: A Novel” by Vikram Chandra: It’s your turn to armchair travel from the separatist era of India and Pakistan to contemporary terrorism with Bombay Police Officer Sartaj Singh.This is a sprawling, hard-core tale featuring ruthless gangsters, modern criminals, the ultra-wealthy and the poverty-stricken spiraling together toward uncontrollable, sinister events. Confront ancient and modern societies dealing with conflicting concepts of justice and law in a thriller by the author of “Love and Longing in Bombay.”
“Silent in the Grave” by Deanna Raybourn: Visit Victorian London at its most enigmatic and sinister. When Lady Julia Grey’s husband dies suddenly, she seeks the aid of private detective Nicholas Brisbane. Was Edward murdered? Did he receive threats? Pull up the bedcovers and turn on the light for an adventurous, diverting evening read. “Black Sun” by James Twining: Follow Tom Kirk and an elaborate trail of clues in a gripping tale that takes World War II historical facts — such as the Hungarian Gold Train and Himmler’s SS Secret Agent’s art confiscations and pillage of masterpieces — through a modern-day hunt to find a treasure trove. Twinning’s previous suspense novel was “The Double Eagle.” “Act of Treason” by Vince Flynn: Are you re-reading W.E.B. Webb novels? Discover Vince Flynn. When terrorists kill a presidential candidate’s wife two weeks before the elections, CIA operative Mitch Rapp investigates dangerous allegations about the attack. Did the new U.S. president have a secret agenda? Who is really to blame? Is America’s stability threatened? The library has Flynn’s other thrillers if you like this one. “The Blade Itself: A Novel” by Marcus Sakey: Treat yourself to this debut novel, set in Chicago, as it explores the dynamics between two childhood friends who choose different paths. See what happens when reformed professional thief Danny encounters his criminal ex-con buddy Evan out on parole and itching for more shared, shady activity. “The Terror: A Novel” by Dan Simmons: Chill with this arctic adventure based on the true-life 1840s Northwest Passage Expedition led by Sir John Franklin. Capt. Crozier and his crew must face harsh survival tactics, shipwrecks, mutiny, treachery and even sea-monster attacks. As the terror mounts, it’s hard to put this book down. “Sliver of Truth: A Novel” by Lisa Unger: The sequel to “Beautiful Lies,” New York writer Ridley Jones discovers revealing prints at her local photography shop.Echoing the first novel, our heroine doesn’t know who to trust or where to turn as she is exposed to a global, criminal network with connections to her beloved, but supposedly dead, uncle.
Revel in psychological suspense in the East Village as the cold winds blow.
CHECK IT OUT is written Newport Beach Public Library reference librarian Mary Ellen Bowman. Use your Newport Beach Public Library card to reserve these titles at www.newportbeachlibrary.org or call (949) 717-3800 and press 2.
