Meg's Picks: February 2017, part 1

There are so many different books that find themselves in my Picks posts for so many different reasons, like sequels to stellar debuts (see today's first two titles) and debuts that catch my eye for any number of reasons (see today's third title). Read on to see some of what's made the list for February!

Under the Knife, by Kelly Parsons. Parsons debut, 2014's Doing Harm, was particularly  popular with our readers, so I would be remiss if I didn't make you aware of this new novel. Biotechnology tycoon Morgan Finney is highly intelligent but shy and emotionally fragile. When his beloved wife Jenny dies of complications during a surgery led by Dr. Rita Wu, Finney’s grief turns to rage. He vows to kill Rita just as he believes she killed his wife. But first he will systematically destroy her life. He will take what is precious to her just as she did to him. Aided by a mysterious man, Finney uses advanced medical technology to ruin Rita’s reputation and bring her to the brink of madness. Alone, fighting for her sanity and life, Rita reaches out to her to former lover, Dr. Spencer Cameron, for help. Together they must fight to uncover Finney’s horrific intentions and race to stop him before it’s too late. I'm recommending this for fans of thrillers by Robin Cook and Tess Gerritsen.

I See You, by Claire Mackintosh. Mackintosh made a major impact on US readers with last year's I Let You Go. Zoe Walker is a creature of habit. She takes the same route to the train station, stands in the same place on the platform, sits in the same seat...day after day after day. But the sheer mundanity of her routines may be the very thing that traps her instead of keeping her safe. One day, flipping through the local paper, she finds a small grainy photo of her own face, plus a phone number and a web address. Other women's photos begin to appear in the same ad each day, and Zoe realizes they've all been targets of violent crimes. Anxiety turns to full blown panic as Zoe, with the help of a determined cop, unearths the ad's purpose. Ordinary Zoe is now a walking target. Great for those looking for a tense, psychological thriller. Fans of S.J. Watson should give Mackintosh a try.

The Impossible Fortress, by Jason Rekulak. Rekulak's debut caught my eye primarily for its billing as a love story to the 1980's. But look a little deeper, and this novel is so much more. In 1987, cheerful nerd Billy Marvin's first love was a computer, but then he met Mary Zelinsky. Billy's plans to steal a copy of Playboy (featuring scandalous photos of Vanna White, no less) with two of his friends fail spectacularly time after time. Until, that is, they hatch a new plan, one that involves Billy seducing the store owner's daughter, Mary, and swiping the security code to get into the store after hours. Mary is no ordinary girl, though--she's an expert computer programmer, leaps and bounds ahead of Billy and his friends. It cannot be anything other than instant attraction, but it leaves Billy with a terrible quandary: does Billy dupe his first love, or break a promise to his best pals? My bet is this should be a must-read for nerds and 80s-lovers everywhere. (I'll let you know how it is!)