Crime thrillers have long been the bread and butter of book lovers, but these latest releases are the crème de la crème – a thrilling quartet that defies geographical boundaries, societal norms, and even language barriers! Get ready to join the investigation into power, corruption, and the human condition as four authors deliver gripping narratives that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Abir Mukherjee's The Pinnacle (Harvill, £16.99) whisks readers away to a luxurious Mumbai apartment block where the privileged few live alongside their loyal servants in a world of stark contrasts. George Abercrombie, fading American actor and husband of superstar Sweety Sahota, finds himself at the centre of a deadly mystery when his wife is brutally murdered. As prime suspect, George must navigate a web of deceit involving his missing assistant and Sweety's long-suffering PA – both with secrets to hide.
Next up, Jordan Harper's A Violent Masterpiece (Faber, £9.99, available in paperback) takes us to the mean streets of Los Angeles, where greed runs rampant. This dark and timely tale revolves around Jake, a livestreamer milking serial killer nostalgia for clicks; Kara, who caters to the whims of LA's ultra-wealthy elite; and Gibson, a public defence lawyer with a penchant for taking on tough cases. When a wealthy predator threatens to expose the city's powerful figures, and Kara's colleague disappears, suspected victim of the 'LA Ripper', Harper unleashes an apocalyptic world of moral ambiguity.
Marcie R Rendon's debut novel, Murder on the Red River (Viper, £9.99), offers a stark contrast to the preceding two – transporting readers back in time to 1970s North Dakota/Minnesota border country. Meet Cash Blackbear, a fiercely independent 19-year-old Ojibwe woman fighting poverty and limited opportunities head-on. When an Ojibwe man is brutally murdered, Cash joins forces with Sheriff Wheaton, her sole true friend, on the perilous investigation – one that sheds light on the systemic injustices Native American people face.
Finally, Catherine Cho's The Devoted (4th Estate, £16.99) takes us to Hong Kong, where generational trauma and restricted choices define life within the powerful Triad crime syndicate. Eunha, daughter of a key Triad figure, is catapulted from pampered luxury into chaos when her young son is kidnapped – an act that shatters her world forever.