January’s Best New Thrillers

Never Never, by James Patterson and Candice Fox
Patterson partners up with Fox (Hades, Fall) for a twisty thriller that hits all the right beats. Harry Blue is a respected investigator in the Sex Crimes division—until her own brother is arrested for the brutal murders of three young women. Harry finds herself reassigned to the middle of nowhere and given a new partner who may be more of a watchdog than a colleague. Harry works to clear her brother’s name as her new home and job begin to take on an increasingly dark tinge. Slowly, she realizes she’s been isolated—brought to a place where she knows no one, has no friends, and could very easily disappear. With the fast pace and quick twists Patterson is known for, this is one heck of a ride—with one heck of an ending.

The Girl Before, by J.P. Delaney
A high-tech, beautifully minimalist townhouse, designed by famed, enigmatic architect Edward Monkford, is available for rent—but there are stipulations. The rental application reads more like a psychological test, the house is fully automated (and not controlled by the tenant), and Monkford has hundreds of requirements—including no throw pillows, no pets, and no books. Emma is a girl in desperate need of order and safety, and so these limitations feel like security to her. Later, Jane flees a personal tragedy to move in, making Emma the titular “girl before.” That both Emma and Jane resemble Edward’s dead wife is the first clue things are going to get messy. Told in alternating chapters from the past and present, Jane and Emma’s lives in the house take on disturbing parallels as Delaney crafts a perfect thriller for the 21st century.

Below the Belt, by Stuart Woods
Woods delivers the goods with next Stone Barrington novel. Barrington, enjoying some downtime in Santa Fe with a new friend, is called upon by the president of for a favor. A delicate situation requires a man of discretion and skill, and after all these years, Barrington is a fellow with a unique set of talents and connections. Tasked with retrieving a secure “strong case” and delivering it to the president, Barrington is prevented from keeping his appointment by an act of nature, setting off an uncontrollable series of events with implications for the country’s future. Barrington’s connections and experience turns these circumstances into a tense, wild ride instead of a disaster, making the 40th Barrington novel one of the most enjoyable of all.

The Final Day, by William R. Forstchen
Forstchen concludes his best-selling John Matherson series with an explosive, conspiracy-soaked story that sees Matherson leading the independent State of Carolina after the devastating electromagnetic pulse attack that toppled the U.S. government and nearly destroyed the country’s infrastructure. Matherson is spearheading efforts to restore technology to pre-attack levels when he’s approached by his former commanding officer, General Bob Scales, representing a reconstituted federal government. Matherson isn’t so easily fooled, and soon discovers evidence that the shadowy group of government elites claiming authority aren’t entirely what they appear. Drenched in tension and paranoia, Forstchen’s thriller alternates sharp action sequences with more philosophical sections exploring the nature of authority an the price of freedom.

Ring of Fire, by Brad Taylor
Taylor rips the Panama Papers from the headlines for the 11th Pike Logan book. When the leaked information exposes a secret shell corporation being used to fund terrorism around the world, the same information threatens to expose the Taskforce, Logan’s anti-terrorist organization. A race against time ensues as Logan and the Taskforce chase down the clues leading to a Saudi businessman’s plan to cripple America’s shipping industry with a series of attacks, code-named “the Ring of Fire.” Taylor proves to be a master at raising the stakes with every chapter, leading to an ending of unparalleled chaos.

The Prisoner, by Alex Berenson
In the 11th John Wells novel, Berenson’s popular hero may be a bit long in the tooth for international spy craft, but that doesn’t stop him from being lured out of retirement. Asked personally by the president (a former CIA colleague) to root out the CIA mole handing information to ISIS and other terrorist groups, Wells goes undercover into a Bulgarian prison with a population made up of captured terrorists. Wells’ has to use his brains to play a role and get the information he needs—and then use his brawn to stop a gas attack in Paris he uncovers along the way.

Behind Her Eyes, by Sarah Pinborough
Word of mouth about this fantastic thriller focuses on the ending, but don’t be fooled: this novel is the full package. The story starts off as pure soap opera when North Londoner Louise meets, flirts with, and kisses a man in a bar—who she later discovers is actually her new boss, married man David. They do the adult thing and agree it should never happen again, but then Louise meets David’s wife Adele, and the two hit it off, quickly becoming best friends, even as Louise and David’s flirtations resurface. Pinborough paints her characters with a fine brush, offering tantalizing details and telling clues. The shattered timeline of the story implies terrible events to come, as the story morphs from sexy, soapy thrills to something darker and more violent, masterfully twisting everything together into, yes, an ending that everyone will be talking about all year.

Fatal: A Novel, by John Lescroart
Lescroart fashions a complex setup: married Kate meets lawyer Peter at a dinner party, and invites him to a hotel room a few days later to discuss a legal matter. This turns into a one-night stand that Kate wants to leave that way, but Peter becomes obsessed. Kate later survives a terrifying experience with her friend Beth—who happens to be the homicide inspector assigned to investigate Peter’s death six months later, which is marked by a significant lack of clues. Beth’s part of the story is a satisfyingly thorough procedural, following along as she slowly works the crime from the scant bits of information she has. Lescroart uses measured pacing to his advantage, building unbelievable tension from the complicated and half-glimpsed series of relationships offered up in early chapters.

Everything You Want Me to Be, by Mindy Mejia
Mejia’s latest offers up a murder mystery in which the characters and their collective story is almost as important as the mystery itself. When high school senior Hattie Hoffman’s body is found, the question of who may have killed her isn’t immediately clear. Mejia takes the reader back over the events leading up to her death in classic style, offering Hattie’s narrative as well as those of Sheriff Del Goodman (a family friend of the Hoffmans) and teacher Peter Lund, who was having an affair with the girl. All three characters are sketched with subtle depth, becoming real people whose stories will keep eyes glued to the page. The solution to the mystery will surprise all but the most careful of readers, but the true joy in this novel are the characters Mejia has created.

Her Every Fear, by Peter Swanson
Swanson returns with a tense twist on the “house swap” theme that’s more often played for romance and humor. Londoner Kate Priddy, prone to panic attacks brought on by a recent boyfriend-turned-abusive stalker experience, agrees to swap apartments with a cousin she’s never met, Boston resident Corbin Dell. Arriving in America, Priddy quickly encounters a murdered woman in the apartment next door—and soon learns that similar murders have occurred in areas her cousin once lived. As Kate begins to suspect her cousin is more than he seems, she acquires a brand-new stalker—and begins to lose her fragile grip on herself as old wounds threaten to break open anew. Swanson ladles on the dread and tension, and the twists come fast and furious as the mystery slowly unravels along with Kate’s self-control.