On the Radar — We’re living in troubled times, and as we all struggle to come to terms with what’s happening in the here-and-now it’s mighty tempting to hark back to the past. But were the good old days really all they’re cracked up to be? Judging by this week’s crop of new releases, the answer to that is a resounding ‘no’. This week our new books column has got friends with secrets, toxic relationships and even a stray dog to contend with. Sound like the perfect ingredients for some classy crime reading in self-isolation.
Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan
Her last book, Anatomy of a Scandal (reviewed here), has already sold more than 200,000 copies, so hopes are high for Sarah Vaughan’s latest slide of domestic noir, out on 2 April. In Little Disasters, Liz and Jess are old friends but when disaster strikes that friendship begins to crumble. Liz is the doctor on call when Jess arrives at hospital with her 10-month-old baby. The infant has a head injury and Jess’s explanation is decidedly suspect. On the surface, her life is perfect, but as Liz probes deeper, all manner of dark secrets begin to emerge. How well do you really know your best friend?
Pre-order now on Amazon
Wild Dog by Serge Joncour
This is the first novel by French author and screenwriter Serge Joncour to be translated into English and it’s out 2 April. Franck and Lise rent a remote cottage in the French countryside to get away from the stresses of their hectic lives in the movie industry. It all seems so idyllic, with no phone signal and lots of peace and quiet. Then a mysterious dog comes calling, looking for a new master, and as ghosts of a dark past threaten the tranquility that Franck and Lise both long for, they are about to witness nature at it’s most brutal and unpredictable…
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We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker
CWA New Blood Dagger winner Chris Whitaker is back on 2 April with We Begin at the End, a new thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. Murderer Vincent King is released after 30 years in jail and returns to live in the town where it all happened. The residents of Cape Haven, California, aren’t happy – especially Star Radley, his ex-girlfriend and sister of the girl he killed. But it’s Star’s 13-year-old daughter, Duchess, who is about to set off a chain of events that will have tragic consequences not only for her family, but also the whole town.
Pre-order now on Amazon
The Last Crossing by Brian McGilloway
A group of old pals agree to put the past behind and travel by ferry from Northern Ireland to Scotland in this hugely anticipated book by Brian McGilloway, a master of socially-conscious storytelling. It’s 30 years since four friends went into a woodland near Glasgow and only three emerged. Ever since, Tony, Hugh and Karen have done their best to bury memories of what occurred back then, but as they endeavour to right a wrong and put ghosts to rest, the lingering legacy of the Troubles is about to threaten the present once again. The Last Crossing is out 2 April and is a standalone.
Pre-order now on Amazon
You Don’t Know Me by Sara Foster
Young Noah Carruso fell hard for Lizzie Burdett. She was his first crush, and his brother’s girlfriend. Then Lizzie disappeared and Tom Carruso left town under a cloud of suspicion. In the present, Noah meets Alice while on holiday in Thailand and the pair become an item. She reminds him so much of Lizzie! But the holiday romance must end and as Noah returns home for Lizzie’s inquest and a reunion with his estranged brother Tom, life is destined to take an unforeseen turn… This book by Aussie author Sara Foster is out on 31 March in the US and is already a hit in Australia.
Pre-order now on Amazon