Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Reading Ahead: January 2013, part 3

I think January has to be one of the biggest months for suspense and thrillers for the year.  Granted, there are eleven more months for me to be proven wrong, but let's take a look at the second half of the thrillers debuting next month.  (Click here to take a look at the first half of the list.)



Footprints in the Sand, by Mary Jane Clark

The Fifth Assassin, by Brad Meltzer

Suspect, by Robert Crais

Blood Money, by James Grippando

Daddy Love, by Joyce Carol Oates

Kinsey and Me: Stories, by Sue Grafton


There's a lot to choose from here, but a couple in particular I'd like to mention.   First is Sue Grafton's offering.  Author of the Alphabet Mysteries featuring heroine Kinsey Millhone, Grafton offers nine stories covering Millhone's character origins, as well as stories of Grafton's own life after losing her mother.  While this may seem bittersweet, it offers a glimpse of how an author's own experience might affect her writing life, and also, with Grafton's typically deft touch, allow readers into the creative process.  This is an absolute must-read for fans of the long-running series.

Second is Daddy Love, by Joyce Carol Oates.  I will warn readers that this is going to be some uncomfortable subject matter, but if you're looking for a literary thriller with a deft touch regarding said subject matter, this is going to be one to try.  Oates, prolific and versatile, is getting major critical accolades for this one, and I'm willing to venture a guess that if you were a fan of Emma Donoghue's Room, this should be on your list of books to read.

See you back here on Thursday for part 4 of the list (we're not done, yet!), and in the meantime, happy reading.

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