Meet BTB Reviewer Teresa Brock

Background: Empty nester trying to get as many book babies into the world as possible.  

Go-To Author: The Orphan X Series by Gregg Hurwitz is something that I always look forward to.  Whatever and whenever the next book in this series comes out I will literally take a day off to read.  I found the first book in the series at a thrift store and the rest is history.  

Author People Should Discover: Robert Dugoni is actually the author that probably started this obsession back up when I read The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell.  I think that is a book that should be mandatory reading.  If you ever read it you will never forget it.  

Book You Would Recommend From 2025: My top book from 2025 is Welcome to Cottonmouth.  Imagine a town full of retired assassins and assets with secrets, skill and arthritis.  I couldn't get enough of this one.  

Most-Anticipated Book Of 2026: All the Little Houses by May Cobb was my most-anticipated pick for 2026 and for good reason.  It is devious, delicious and full of drama.  A totally over the top binge read.  May Cobb is an auto read author for me.  

Favorite Local/Indie Bookstore: A Likely Story in Midway, Kentucky and Carmichael's Bookstore

Favorite Charities: The Wounded Warrior Project.

Follow Teresa on Twitter or Instagram or contact her via the site.

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View Teresa’s Latest Reviews (book pub. dates)

Chain Reaction by Lee Child and Andrew Child (10/20/26)
Double Tap by Don Bentley (9/22/26)
Pressure Depth by Jack Stewart (9/1/26)
Heart of Glass by Jennifer Hillier (8/25/26)
The Secret Dinner by Raphael Montes (8/18/26)
The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen (8/4/26)
Before the Devil Knows by R. John Dingle (7/29/26)
Indie Darling by Lauren Nossett (7/28/26)
Three Reasons for Revenge by Dervla McTiernan (7/21/26)
Insurgent by Brian Andrews & Jeffrey Wilson (7/21/26)
Sisters of the Midnight Sun by Rebecca Wright Stevens (7/14/26)
Every Lie I Told By Hilary Davidson (6/16/26)
Choke Point by Brad Thor (6/16/26)
Tell Your Friends by Lauren Wilson (6/2/26)
The Girl in the Lake by Lauren Oliver (6/1/26)
The Tuxedo Society by Paul Rudnick (5/26/26)
The Memory Foundation by Amanda West (5/26/26)
Beneath a Broken Sky by Joshua Moehlin (5/26/26)
Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister (5/20/26)
Rules of Engagement by Ward Larsen (5/19/26)
Mist and Malice by Rachel Howzell Hall (5/19/26)
The Fourth Option by Jack Carr & MP Woodward (5/16/26)
The Pawn by John David (5/14/26)
The Anniversary by Alex Finley (5/12/26)
Dear Mother by Rea Frey (4/28/26)
The Girls in the Dark by Avery Bishop (4/24/26)
The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer (4/21/26)
Last One Out by Jane Harper (4/14/26)
A Wound that Will Not Heal by Eric Beetner (4/7/26)
Nothing Tastes as Good by Luke Dumas (3/31/26)
The Survivor by Andrew Reid (3/24/26)
Dig by J.H. Markert (3/24/26)
She Fell Away by Lenore Nash (3/10/26)
Judge Stone by James Patterson & Viola Davis (3/9/26)
Turn Off the Light by Jacquie Walters (3/3/26)
One Beautiful Year of Normal by Sandra K. Griffith (2/24/26)
Adrift by Will Dean (2/17/26)
Children of the Savage City by Elizabeth Heider (2/17/26)
Murder at 30,000 Feet by Susan Walter (2/17/26)
The Hard Line By Mark Greaney (2/17/26)
Cold Zero by Brad Thor & Ward Larsen (2/10/26)
The Better Mother by Jennifer van der Kleut (2/10/26)
Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz (2/10/26)
In Her Defense by Phillippa Malicka (2/3/26)
Impostor by L. J. Ross (02/3/26)
The Cormorant Hunt by Michael Idov (1/27/26)
Detour by Jeff Rake & Rob Hart (1/26/26)
Very Slowly All At Once by Lauren Schott (1/20/26)
All The Little Houses by May Cobb (1/20/26)
The Bourne Revenge by Brian Freeman (1/20/26)
Such Sheltered Lives by Alyssa Sheinmel (1/20/26)
Robber Barons by Rodger Carlyle (1/20/26)
Dead in the Water by John Marrs (1/20/26)
The Method by Matthew Quirk (1/20/26)
Inside Man by John McMahon (1/13/26)
Dark Sisters by Kristi DeMeester (12/9/25)
Silent Bones by Val McDermid (12/2/25)
Dead Ringer by Chris Hauty (12/2/25)
Executive Power by Andrews & Wilson (11/25/25)
Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino (11/25/25)
The Picasso Job by Avanti Centrae (11/18/25)
The Adversary by Andrews & Wilson (11/4/25)
The Secret Sand Circle By Christina M. Abt (11/3/25)
Trigger by Jennifer Stockdale (11/1/25)
The Mannequins by C. Toms-Arbel (10/31/25)
Remain by Nicholas Sparks & M. Night Shyamalan (10/24/25)
The Midnight Knock By John Fram (10/21/25)
War on the Porch by Travis Davis (10/16/25)
The Gunman Jackson Swagger by Stephen Hunter (10/14/25)
The Gallery Assistant by Kate Belli (10/14/25)
The Devouring Light by Kat Ellis (10/7/25)
Keep this for Me by Jennifer Fawcett (10/7/25)
Cry Havoc by Jack Carr (10/7/25)
Victim #8 by Traci Hunter Abramson (10/7/25)
Silent Creek by Tony Wirt (10/7/25)
Photograph by Brian Freeman (10/07/25)
The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens (10/7/25)
Denied Access by Don Bentley (9/30/25)
The Whisper Place by Mindy Mejia (9/16/25)
The Wasp Trap by Mark Edwards (9/16/25)
Scar the Sky by J. Todd Scott (9/9/25)
Family Ties by Michele Packard (9/9/25)
The Quietist by Daniel David Gothard (9/2/25)
In Deadly Company by L. S. Stratton (9/2/25)
Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley (9/2/25)
Spider to the Fly by J. H. Markert (9/2/25)
8114 by Joshua Hull (8/26/25)
Leverage by Amran Gowani (8/19/25)
The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan (8/12/25)
The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd Robinson (8/5/25)
A Noble Sin by Andrew Bridgeman (8/5/25)
The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen (8/5/25)
The Ever End by Audrey Wilson (8/5/25)
Departure 37 by Scott Carson (8/5/25)
Fade In by Kyle Mills (7/29/25)
The Confessions by Paul Bradley Carr (7/22/25)
Blood and Treasure by Ryan Pote (7/22/25)
The Red Letter by Daniel G. Miller (7/22/25)
Whatever Kills the Pain by CW Blackwell (7/18/25)
Welcome to Cottonmouth by Jay S. Bell (7/8/25)
Remote: The Five by Eric Rickstad (7/8/25)
The White Crow by Michael Robotham (7/1/25)
Edge of Honor by Brad Thor (7/1/25)
Proof by Jon Cowan (6/24/25)
Gone Dark by Ryan Steck (6/17/25)
Of Flesh and Blood By Hunter Burke & N.L. Lavin (6/10/25)
Sister Butcher Sister by KD Aldyn (6/10/25)
King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby (6/10/25)
Blood Feud by Martin Rooney (6/3/25)
The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark (6/3/25)
Be Mine by Lizzy Barber (5/27/25)
Tell Them You Lied by Laura Leffler (5/27/25)
Lay Your Armor Down by Micahel Farris Smith (5/27/25)
The Safari by Jaclyn Goldis (5/20/25)
The Palace of Sinners and Saints by Ammar Merchant (5/20/25)
Spontaneous Remission By Joel Shulkin (5/13/25)
Fog and Fury by Rachel Howzell Hall (5/13/25)
Marguerite by the Lake by Mary Dixie Carter (5/8/25)
No Man's Ghost by Jason Powell (5/6/25)
See How They Fall by Rachel Paris (04/29/25)
Bop City Swing by ME Proctor and Russell Thayer (4/22/25)
Vatican Daughter by Jonie Marie Iraci (4/15/25)
Streets of Nashville by Michael Amos Cody (4/15/25)
Remote: The Six by Eric Rickstad (4/8/25)
The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer (4/8/25)
Dark Rising by Andrews & Wilson (4/8/25)
Heartwood by Amity Gaige (4/1/25)
Flames of Deception by Travis Davis (3/25/25)
Gothictown by Emily Carpenter (3/25/25)
Nowhere by Allison Gunn by (03/25/25)
Where the Bones Lie by Nick Kolakowski (3/22/25)
The Buffalo Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones (03/18/25)
Another Try by Gene Koon (3/10/25)
The Extraterrestrial Zoo by Samantha van Leer (3/4/25)
The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica (3/4/25)
The Memory Ward by Jon Bassoff (3/4/25)
Real Bad, Real Soon by Eric Beetner (2/25/25)
Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz (2/11/25)
Not Our Daughter by Chad Zunker (2/11/25)
Dark Vector by Ward Larsen (2/4/25)
A Long Time Gone by Joshua Moehling (2/4/25)
The Department by Jacqueline Faber (2/4/25)
The Enigma Girl by Henry Porter (1/28/25)
At Dark I Become Loathsome by Eric LaRocca (1/28/25)
Penitence by Kristin Koval (1/28/25)
Johnny Careless by Kevin Wade (1/25/25)
The Spear and the Sentinel By J. L. Hancock (1/18/25)
Tell Me What You Did by Carter Wilson (1/8/25)
The Dragon the Eagle and the Jaguar by Rodger Carlyle (01/14/25)
Assume Nothing by Joshua Corin (12/10/24)
The Good Bride by Jen Marie Wiggins (12/10/24)
Nobody's Hero by M.W. Craven (12/03/24)
Baker by Michele Packard (12/01/24)
The Egyptian Enigma by David Darling (11/26/24)
Out in the Cold by Steve Urszenyi (11/12/24)
Burn This Night by Alex Kenna (11/12/24)
The Lake of Lost Girls By Katherine Greene (11/5/24)
In Too Deep by Lee Child & Andrew Child (10/22/24)
Good Looking Ugly by Rob D. Smith (10/22/24)
Origin Story by A.M. Adair (10/22/24)
The Slate by Matthew Fitzsimmons (10/8/24)
Hometown Vendetta By Traci Hunter Abramson (10/1/24)
Somewhere by Matthew Reed Williams (10/10/24)
The President's Lawyer by Lawrence Robbins (10/8/24)
Not Yours to Keep by Zelly Ruskin (10/8/24)
Fortunate Son by Andrew Bridgeman (09/24/24)
Heroic Measures by Joel Shulkin (09/17/24)
The Bachelorette Party by Sandra Block (9/3/24)
Love You Till Tuesday by M. E. Proctor (08/12/24)
The Chamber by Will Dean (8/6/24)
The Rule of Three by Sam Ripley (8/6/24)
Homecoming Queen by Chad Boudreaux (8/6/24)
Stone Creek by Kate Brandes (8/6/24)
May the Wolf Die By Elizabeth Heider (7/2/24)
Tempest North by Rodger Carlyle (7/16/24)
Show Game by Steve Anderson (7/2/24)
The Midnight Rambler by Don Carr (6/20/24)
Three Burials by Anders Lustgarten (6/18/24)
Dreams in Incarceration by Cillian Dunne (6/18/24)
The Vixen Amber Halloway By Carol LaHines (6/11/24)
The King Street Affair by Jon Sealy (6/6/24)
Moneymaker by Josh Boldt (6/5/24)
A Better World by Sarah Langan (4/9/24)
Relentless by Michael Maloof (11/17/23)
The Hollywood Con Queen by Scott C. Johnson (6/6/23)

Chain Reaction By Lee Child and Andrew Child

Gravel, solar panels, five data centers, and two guys trying to take over the world with AI walk into a bar... and they meet Jack Reacher.

Susan Turner is back, and if you've been waiting to see her again since Never Go Back, you're in for a treat. She is now a one-star Brigadier General leading the Army's CSA G-99 Section.  When a CID Special Agent turns up dead under suspicious circumstances, Turner knows in her gut it wasn't a random mugging that led to his death. With her own unit compromised by a powerful tech organization known as Everything Everywhere Forever (EEF)  operated by Axel Brill and Cameron Saxby (in my head I totally saw Pinky and The Brain) , she needs someone completely outside the system. Enter Reacher.

This one feels different from recent Reacher novels. Yes, there's plenty of action, impossible odds, gallons of coffee, enormous meals, and, of course, pie. But there are also welcome nods to classic Reacher. We get those familiar habits that longtime fans love: setting an internal clock in his head, the way he presses his clothes, and relying on his gut. At the same time, he's evolving. Reacher shows more emotion in this book than all the books combined, and it hints that bigger changes may be on the horizon.

The story moves from Colorado to California to Washington, D.C., weaving together data centers, AI, surveillance, gravel companies (yes, gravel becomes surprisingly important), and a plan to dominate the AI world that never leaves U.S. soil. It is absolutely over the top, but that's part of the fun. This is Reacher—we're not here for subtle.

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Purchase Chain Reaction
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Chapter 2 Books
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Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
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Double Tap By Don Bentley

Some characters never lose their edge, no matter how many books they've starred in. Twenty-five novels into the Mitch Rapp universe, Don Bentley somehow manages to take readers backward in time and still make the journey feel fresh. Double Tap fills another crucial chapter in Mitch's early career, proving there are still corners of his story worth exploring.

This installment was an absolute treat for longtime fans, especially those of Stan Hurley. His presence is woven throughout the novel, reminding us why he remains one of the defining forces behind the assassin Mitch Rapp is destined to become. Bentley captures Stan's grizzled, uncompromising nature with remarkable authenticity while continuing the mentor student dynamic that has always been one of the series' greatest strengths.

Mitch is exactly who readers expect him to be. Focused. Ruthless. Unrelenting. Once the mission is set, there is no hesitation and no wasted movement. This time the hunt centers on a kidnapped Pakistani chemical weapons scientist whose knowledge could reshape the balance of global security. The pursuit stretches from the streets of Verona into a dangerous web of terrorism, intelligence operations, and international politics where every decision carries enormous consequences.

This is where Mitch Rapp thrives. Deep cover operations. Split second tactical decisions. Precision planning. High risk espionage. Bentley orchestrates every moving part with confidence, delivering an adrenaline-fueled geopolitical thriller that never loses sight of the people behind the mission. While Mitch remains the unstoppable force fans love, Bentley also allows quieter moments to surface, revealing flashes of compassion and reflection that continue to shape the man he is becoming. 

Bentley's background as an Apache helicopter pilot and former FBI SWAT operator shines through in every operation. The technical details never feel like they exist simply to impress. They serve the story, grounding the action in a level of realism that has become a hallmark of his writing. More importantly, he understands the responsibility of carrying Vince Flynn's legacy. Rather than imitate Flynn, Bentley honors the foundation that was built while confidently adding his own voice to Mitch's evolving history.

I had the privilege of reading Double Tap early, and keeping quiet about its biggest moments has been far more difficult than reading it. There are scenes I cannot wait to discuss once everyone else has the chance to experience them (shout out to Irene). For now, I'll simply say this - Don Bentley continues to prove that there is still rich, compelling territory to explore in Mitch Rapp's early years, and he does so with confidence, respect for the characters, and an unwavering understanding of why readers keep coming back.

If you thought you already knew everything there was to know about Mitch Rapp, Double Tap is here to remind you that legends are not only defined by their victories, but by the stories still waiting to be told.

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Purchase Double Tap
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)

Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen

Pressure Depth By Jack Stewart

First of all, Jack Stewart is an author I truly enjoy reading, so when I heard he was stepping into the Ryanverse, I was chomping at the bit to get my hands on it.  The good news? Stewart understands exactly what makes a Jack Ryan Jr. story work.

Oh, Jack Jr! You somehow have a talent for being in the right place at the wrong time, or maybe the wrong place at the right time, because trouble seems to have your name written all over it.

The story begins with what appears to be a straightforward investigation for Jack Jr. A ship captain is trying to file a $150 million insurance claim after radioactive material goes missing, and Jack is there in his “white job” investigating the insurance angle. But Jack’s other life, his “black job” working with The Campus, is where things get much darker. The Campus operates even further off the books than the CIA, and when those two worlds collide, things get complicated fast.

The discovery of the Soviet-era underwater installation known as Siren changes everything. Carla Bennett and her crew discover it through advanced AI sonar technology, and what they find is terrifying: an abandoned Soviet underwater base designed around a tsunami-generating weapon using nuclear warheads powerful enough to create devastation on an unimaginable scale.

Can we talk about Carla Bennett? A returning character from Line of Demarcation, she is whip-smart, capable, and an absolute badass. I loved seeing her brought back into this story because she is exactly the kind of character who belongs in this world. (and she said Jack is pretty).

One of my favorite parts of this book was learning about the technology involved in underwater operations. The SRDRs, ROVs, dive equipment, and the challenges of operating in that environment were fascinating. Stewart clearly knows his subject, but more importantly, he knows how to make the reader care about the details. I found myself completely absorbed in a world I knew very little about.

There were moments when I genuinely felt claustrophobic. Jack’s underwater scenes, especially when he is trapped upside down in a volcanic crack (IYKYK), had me questioning every life choice that ever led me to enjoy books about people voluntarily going into places where humans were never meant to be.

Pressure Depth is exactly what I want from a military thriller: intelligent, detailed, high-stakes, and filled with characters who feel like they belong.

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Purchase Pressure Depth
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)

Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen

Heart Of Glass By Jennifer Hillier

Heart of Glass revisits the world of Wonderland, and while this story absolutely stands on its own, I can't imagine a better excuse to pick up its predecessor if you haven't already. Twenty-five years after the infamous Carnival Killer confessed to murdering Lorelei, a deathbed documentary changes everything when he insists she was never one of his victims. Just as Wonderland prepares to reopen, another woman's body is discovered on the shoreline, and the comfortable certainty surrounding a long-closed case begins to crack. In Seaside, everyone seems to shrug and say, "Well...it's just Seaside," but Hillier knows that beneath small-town familiarity, secrets have a way of refusing to stay buried.

Multiple timelines and shifting perspectives gradually piece together the truth, revealing characters who are wonderfully complicated rather than easily categorized as heroes or villains. Every revelation reshapes what came before, turning assumptions into questions and certainty into doubt. Friendship, survivor's guilt, memory, ambition, and the stories people create to live with impossible choices all become just as important as uncovering a killer. By the time the final pieces click into place, Heart of Glass has become far more than a serial killer mystery. It is a smart, emotionally layered novel about the consequences of a single night that continue to echo across decades. Jennifer Hillier once again delivers the kind of thriller that reminds me why she remains one of my favorite authors.

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Follow Teresa on Twitter or Instagram or contact her via the site.

Purchase Heart Of Glass
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)

Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen

The Secret Dinner By Raphael Montez

I have so much to say about The Secret Dinner because I honestly cannot remember the last time I read something this wildly original and unlike anything I have ever experienced. Let me be very clear: this is not your typical dining experience. Four childhood friends head to college together, each carrying different dreams, but sharing one car, one apartment, and the reality that adulthood is not going the way they imagined. When money disappears and desperation starts knocking, they need a way to make a lot of money quickly. Their solution? Create an exclusive dining experience unlike anything the world has seen before. The only catch? The menu is human flesh. Yes, the diners know exactly what they are being served. Yes, they want it.

Disturbing? Absolutely. Outrageous? Without question. Satirical? Surprisingly, yes. Raphael Montes takes something so horrifying and uses it to explore greed, privilege, desperation, and the darkest parts of human nature. What begins as a desperate financial solution slowly becomes something much more sinister.  This book is not for the faint of heart. It is graphic, it is uncomfortable, and that discomfort is completely intentional. It feels like Bret Easton Ellis, Quentin Tarantino, and a very dark episode of Black Mirror sat down for dinner and decided to see how far they could push the conversation.

The most fascinating part of The Secret Dinner isn't just the shocking “what.” It is the “why.” How far will someone go when desperation meets opportunity? How many times can someone justify one terrible choice before they no longer recognize themselves? Lets not forget about greed and what it feels like when money is rolling in had over fist - how far will you go for money? for praise and opportunities? Montes doesn't give us perfect heroes to root for. Instead, he gives us ordinary people making one bad decision, then another, then another, until the line between survival and depravity becomes almost impossible to see.

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Purchase The Secret Dinner
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Chapter 2 Books
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Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen

The Women In White By Sarah Pekkanen

First of all, note that Project Stargate is real: a government backed program where scientists investigated psychic phenomena, specifically remote viewing for intelligence gathering. That alone makes this story feel unsettlingly plausible. Each chapter opens with factual inserts tied to those experiments, and while this is fiction, there’s enough truth threaded through the pages to make everything feel possible. In this novel, Dr. Trimble identifies four women, Betty, Kathleen, Ivy, and Helen, who appear to possess mental abilities operating outside the known laws of physics, allowing them to sense or gather information remotely. The testing is relentless, invasive, and without clear limits… and then suddenly, the women vanish and the program is erased. Enter Riley, newly divorced and running from a dangerous ex, who takes a caretaker job with Betty, now elderly, wheelchair bound, and seemingly frozen in the 1960s. Betty has been shielded from the modern world by her late husband, and the reasons why quickly become another mystery. As Riley settles in, the questions pile up, and together they begin searching for answers, especially what happened to the other three women in white.

This book gave me everything I wanted. And while I’ve enjoyed everything Sarah Pekkanen writes, this one feels like she’s leveling up again. We move between 1964 and present day with multiple POVs, mainly Riley and Betty, but we also get glimpses into Kathleen, Ivy, and Helen. We see what brought them to the university, their growing friendships, the psychological toll of the experiments, and the lasting repercussions of being treated like test subjects instead of people. The emotional weight here runs deep, the bond between the women, the confusion surrounding their abilities, and the long term trauma that follows them into the future.

I loved the mix of historical fiction and domestic thriller layered with eerie psychological suspense. It is a slow burn, atmospheric, quietly creepy story that builds tension through questions; and the most unsettling part is the idea that this could have happened. Honestly, how many times can I say I loved this? Because I loved the friendships, I loved the creeping dread, I loved the emotional depth, I loved the bond between Riley and Betty and I especially loved how believable it all felt. Give me strong mysterious women, questionable science, and buried secrets any day. This one absolutely delivered.

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Follow Teresa on Twitter or Instagram or contact her via the site.

Purchase The Women In White
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)

Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen

Before The Devil Knows By R. John Dingle

R. John Dingle has officially reached the point where I will read absolutely anything he writes because this man understands suspense on a level that feels borderline dangerous. Before the Devil Knows grabs you by the throat from the first pages and never loosens its grip. This man is great at dropping a sentence at the end of the chapters that puts you in a choke hold right before the story body slams you with another twist you never saw coming. For longtime readers of the Gus Wheeler series, the payoff is even sweeter, with easter eggs and references to previous novels.  Let  me say this now - Yes, these books can stand alone. No, you should not stop at one because your attachment to Gus, Vanessa, and the entire chaos filled orbit around them only gets stronger with every book.

I need to talk about Gus and Vanessa.  These two are easily one of the best partnerships in crime fiction right now. Vanessa comes in with that younger, no bs, spunky energy while Gus moves through the world with his own rhythm.  He's got his jazz, his bass and his brilliant dyslexic mind constantly piecing together what everyone else misses. Their dynamic feels lived in now. There is trust, loyalty, frustration and humor. They know when to push and when to protect each other and that balance gives this series its heartbeat. Gus will always put his partner first and Dingle never lets readers forget that underneath the murders and madness are characters you genuinely care about. By this point in the series, they do not just feel like agents working a case. They feel real.

This investigation is dark. Rural Maine becomes its own character as Gus and Vanessa investigate suspicious deaths tied to a radical , cult-like church obsessed with punishment and morality. When bodies start showing up and a pattern emerges wtih every victim marked with a lead cross and brutal means of death, the FBI is called in. This takes place in a  town that closes ranks the second outsiders start asking questions. You've got families too afraid to talk, a  fire and brimstone preacher hanging over everything like a storm cloud and seemily there are eyes everywhere. The tension in this book is unreal because you never know who is lying, who is watching, or who is about to snap. There are moments where the story turns so sharply you practically get whiplash trying to process what just happened. Holy fright. Dingle absolutely cranked the intensity to another level this time.

What I love most about this series is how sharp the details are. Dingle notices things other writers overlook entirely and somehow turns them into moments that make the story richer and more believable. Even something as small as paying the locksmith matters. Nothing is wasted. Every page moves and every detail counts. And that ending? Those three little words? I am still recovering. I could talk about this series for days because this is exactly what crime thriller readers keep begging for - smart investigations, brutal tension, characters that matter and twists that leave you staring at the wall questioning everything you thought you knew.

If you do nothing else this summer besides watching fireworks, read this book. Better yet, read the entire Gus Wheeler series because Before the Devil Knows just launched this story into the stratosphere and I already need the next book immediately.

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Follow Teresa on Twitter or Instagram or contact her via the site.

Purchase Before The Devil Knows
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)

Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen

Indie Darling By Lauren Nossett

Lauren Nossett knew exactly what she was doing with Indie Darling. This is not just a mystery wrapped up in glitter, guitar strings, and Nashville smoke filled bars. Beneath the celebrity culture, fandom obsession, and dark twists is a story about women trying to survive industries and people that are more than willing to chew them up and spit them out.  Once you finish the author's note and get all the feels the whole story lands just a little differently (trust me) Suddenly the sharp edges feel more personal, the anger feels earned, and the story carries a weight that I was not expecting (that's a good thing). Kelly Williams is the kind of protagonist I could follow into ten more books without hesitation. She is smart, stubborn, observant, and grounded in a world full of smoke and mirrors. Her voice absolutely carries this story, and the dialogue is so natural it feels like you are sitting across from these characters hearing every secret firsthand. (question to the author... will there be more?)

Nossett captures Nashville in all its glamour and grit, where song lyrics become clues, fame becomes dangerous, and nobody is quite who they pretend to be. Once the investigation kicks into gear, this book moves fast, but it never loses the emotional undercurrent running beneath the mystery. The blend of feminist themes, dark celebrity culture, and Southern noir tension makes this feel fresh without ever losing its thriller heartbeat. Indie Darling is clever, immersive, and wildly entertaining, but it also has something to say, and by the end it says it loud.

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Purchase Indie Darling
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Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen

Three Reasons For Revenge By Dervla McTiernan

This is my first Dervla McTiernan novel and holy smokes, she just bulldozed her way onto my must-read list. Three Reasons for Revenge was tailor made for readers who love morally messy thrillers packed with psychological games, buried secrets, and characters making one disastrous decision after another. Over the span of ten years, two women come forward with eerily similar accusations against the same man, Robert Walker, but this time the story takes a deadly turn. Walker ends up murdered, other bodies begin piling up, and Detective Judith Lee suddenly finds herself tangled in a case where every answer opens the door to three more questions. The tension in this book is deliciously sharp and McTiernan knows exactly how to keep tightening the screws.

This is absolutely a slow burn, but every chapter adds another layer of suspicion, connection, and quiet dread until the entire thing feels ready to explode. Judith Lee is the kind of investigator I immediately wanted more time with because she is smart, persistent, and constantly balancing the pressure from the case with the growing risk to her own career. And the villain? Terrific. (how is it possible to enjoy a bad guy – I did) Calculated, patient, and playing a game that had me second guessing everybody. McTiernan carefully unravels the truth piece by piece with the confidence of a writer who knows exactly where she is taking you, even while you are busy convincing yourself you have figured it out. I already have my fingers crossed that Judith Lee becomes the center of a long running series because I would gladly sign up for every single book.

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Insurgent By Brian Andrews & Jeffrey Wilson

Andrews and Wilson continue proving why the Tier One series sits at the top of the military thriller genre with Insurgent. This book is loaded with high-octane split-second decisions, black widow assassins from North Korea, a terrorist organization operating out of Yemen, kamikaze drones culminating in a covert shadow war with Chinese Special Forces that feels alarmingly plausible in today’s geopolitical climate. Task Force Ember is compromised, the stakes are sky high, and every tactical sequence feels razor sharp and brutally authentic. The weapons, the strategy, the operational details, the pacing, all of it is executed at a level very few authors can touch. Some of the combat and tactical scenes in this installment are easily among the best the series has ever delivered…And yes, Chunk showing up absolutely counts as a highlight.

What continues to impress me most about this duo is how carefully they build this world over time. They answer lingering questions from previous books while planting seeds for what is still to come, rewarding longtime readers in a way that feels intentional and satisfying instead of forced. Their ability to foreshadow events without drawing attention to it is honestly uncanny. Connections click into place at unexpected moments and make you appreciate just how layered these stories really are. The evolving father and son dynamic between Dempsey and Jake Kemper adds an emotional depth that strengthens the story instead of slowing it down. Jake is cut straight out of Dempsey’s ass, and watching Dempsey wrestle with vulnerability and change after following him since the beginning of the series was surprisingly emotional in the best way possible. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Grimes, The Angel of Death, might be one of the coolest characters they have ever created because honestly, who would not want to be her for five minutes? Andrews and Wilson have honed this genre to a fine edged sword, and Insurgent is another reminder that they know exactly how to balance explosive action with characters readers are deeply invested in.

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Sisters Of The Midnight Sun By Rebecca Wright Stevens

There is something incredibly powerful about a true crime story told from the side we so rarely get to see. Sisters of the Midnight Sun by Rebecca Wright Stevens invites readers into the impossible position of a public defender tasked with representing the man everyone assumes is guilty. Knowing she lived this story gives every page added weight, and what unfolds is far more than a murder investigation. It is a deeply human exploration of grief, purpose, and what happens when an outsider steps into a community with its own history, traditions, and understanding of justice.

What captivated me most was the moral complexity. Stevens never offers easy answers. She examines the ethical responsibility of defending the accused while navigating prosecutors, cultural divides, and a legal system that doesn't always align with the people it is meant to serve. Set against the stark beauty of Arctic Alaska, where the endless daylight creates an atmosphere unlike anywhere else, the landscape becomes as unforgettable as the people living within it. I was lost in the details.  Everything from the purple woolly lousewort to the way buildings needed to be above the permafrost layer took me as close to this area as I have ever been.  Not only that, but all of this shapes the investigation, the relationships, and the emotional heartbeat of the story.

Stevens showcases an unwavering respect for the people and culture at the heart of the story. The  Iñupiat community is not the backdrop of a crime. Instead, she thoughtfully explores the lasting effects of historical trauma, addiction, isolation, poverty, and the complicated relationship between Indigenous communities and the American legal system. The result is a richer, more honest account that challenges assumptions and underscores how culture, history, and community shape every aspect of the pursuit of justice.

This is true crime with remarkable depth that blends memoir, courtroom drama, and cultural history into a narrative that asks bigger questions about justice, belonging, and whose voices are heard. I finished this book with a greater appreciation for the quiet burdens carried by public defenders and for the complicated truth that justice and fairness are not always the same thing.

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Choke Point By Brad Thor

Before I even get to Scot Harvath and the body count, I have to talk about just how timely Choke Point feels. Brad Thor isn't merely writing thrillers—he's playing three-dimensional chess with today's headlines. The theory of the Thucydides Trap hangs over these pages like a gathering storm, exploring what happens when an emerging superpower threatens an established one. From maritime choke points and proxy warfare to economic influence and shadow governments, the stakes feel uncomfortably real. In a world where control of strategic waterways can determine the balance of power, Thor reminds us that sometimes the winner isn't the one with the biggest army; it's the one controlling the bottleneck.

Now, let’s get to it.  Scot Harvath quickly discovers that retirement and beach chairs were never really in his DNA. When the Carlton Group calls, he's more than ready. Add a deadly hitman with ties to Harvath, corrupt politicians in Washington, and a worldwide chase, and this thing comes flying out of the gate with dead bodies and zero patience. I loved the story-within-a-story structure and the way Thor seamlessly blends pulse-pounding action with frighteningly plausible geopolitical strategy. Twenty-five books in and Harvath still refuses to slow down, and frankly, neither does Brad Thor. Choke Point is smart, relentless, and packed with the kind of "just one more chapter" energy that may include cancelling plans. In the end, everyone is fighting for the same thing, because whoever controls the choke point controls the game.

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Every Lie I Told By Hilary Davidson

I'd definitely go in blind with this one. Hilary Davidson took a cast of absolute disasters, tossed them into a blender with money, drugs, power, family trauma, and enough secrets to bankrupt a therapist, and somehow turned the whole beautiful mess into one wildly addictive thriller.

Jackie Swift and her sister Madi never had a chance at a storybook childhood. Tragedy seemed to have these women on speed dial, and survival became their middle name. Jackie built a career as a PR fixer for the rich and reckless, cleaning up scandals for people with more money than morals, while Madi carved out a life as a tarot card reader and ASMR influencer with a dangerous knack for finding trouble. And because big sisters apparently come with a lifetime warranty, Jackie has spent years rescuing Madi from one drug-fueled catastrophe after another.

So when Madi sends a frantic message saying she's at Jackie's former boss's house and thinks she may have overdosed, Jackie rushes over expecting another mess to clean up. Instead, her sister has vanished but a dead body remains.

From there, the lies multiply faster than anyone can contain them.

Over the course of one chaotic week, an investigation peels back layers of corruption, revenge, old wounds, and ugly family truths. NDAs, money, drugs, and power keep secrets buried, but only as long as they serve the right people. Everyone is tangled up in this spectacularly dysfunctional web, and nobody gets to walk away with clean hands.

An unreliable narrator? Absolutely. A parade of deliciously unlikeable characters? Sign me up. Family secrets, past trauma, revenge, lies, manipulation, and enough drama to power a reality show? Oh, we're eating.

Every Lie I Told is the literary equivalent of watching privileged people make terrible decisions while clutching your popcorn and muttering, "Well, this isn't going to end well." I was completely entertained by every jaw-dropping, messy, toxic minute of it. Hilary Davidson understood the assignment and delivered one heck of a twisty, unputdownable ride.

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Tell Your Friends By Lauren Wilson

Tell Your Friends pulled me in immediately with the glossy illusion of perfection surrounding the vlog At Home With the Shaws, but the deeper I got, the more unsettling it became. Crystal has spent her entire life online, performing happiness for an audience that believed they knew everything about her family while never seeing the cracks underneath. Now at university and desperate for a life that belongs to her, Crystal is finally ready to step out from behind the carefully edited image her mother created. Opposite her is Alyssa, lonely, searching for identity, and attaching herself to anyone who makes her feel seen. Their friendship develops with this creeping intensity that feels both comforting and deeply dangerous. Lauren Wilson absolutely nails the ugly side of influencer culture and the emotional cost of growing up with every moment packaged for public consumption.

The first half of the book is deeply character driven while still building that slow burn tension in the background that takes you through to an ending that is an addictive and toxic emotional rollercoaster. The alternating POV’s between Crystal and Alyssa peel back layers so carefully that I constantly questioned who was trustworthy and who was quietly unraveling. Beneath the messy friendships, toxic relationships, and unhinged behavior is a story about identity, grief, loneliness, and the desperate need to be loved by someone, anyone, even if it destroys you in the process. Tell Your Friends is a sharp, unsettling thriller that peels back the polished filter of influencer culture to expose the loneliness, obsession, and damage hiding underneath. Filled with messy female friendships, unreliable characters, dark academia vibes, and tension that simmers until the final pages explode, this one should be on your summer reading list.

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The Girl In The Lake By Lauren Oliver

The Girl in the Lake pulled me in immediately with its chilling premise, but what completely hooked me was the way Lauren Oliver turns grief, memory, and buried trauma into something that feels almost alive on the page. Kate Willis works for the Division of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia. In this instance, she is interviewing a child who claims to remember a past life. When she arrives in Stockbridge to meet with Henley, she is thrown into a situation she was not expecting. Henley seems to be living a past life of her best friend, Becca, who died at summer camp 24 years ago. Every chapter carries this quiet sense of dread as Kate tries to remain clinical and impartial while unraveling under the weight of secrets she has spent decades trying to bury. Henley’s nightmares, drawings, and memories are genuinely unsettling, and the deeper this story digs into the blurred line between science and something far more haunting, the harder it becomes to look away.

This is an intensely character driven thriller and that is exactly why it works so well. Kate is messy, complicated, grieving, angry, and deeply human. Whether it is Henley, her exhausted mother, or the former bunkmates forced to revisit that fatal summer, every character feels layered and important. The dual timelines build tension beautifully as the truth about Becca slowly surfaces piece by piece, and I was completely locked into the eerie atmosphere surrounding Stockbridge, Lake Sauquamet and the abandoned camp (and let’s not forget The Gray Lady who still haunts me). Oliver clearly did her research into children reporting memories of previous lives, which gives the story an unsettling authenticity that makes everything hit harder. I had absolutely no idea where this book was taking me and I loved every second of it. The fact that this is only the beginning of a series makes me even more excited because there is so much left to uncover within the DOPS world. I will gladly knock down doors for the next installment.

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The Tuxedo Society By Paul Rudnick

Holy bajole, this was the funniest thing I have read in a long time. To call The Tuxedo Society by Paul Rudnick “not your typical spy thriller” feels almost criminally understated because this book is operating on its own fabulous wavelength. I do not think two pages went by without a laugh out loud moment. From the second Andrew "Drew" Birnbaum is swept into the orbit of this elite group of queer spies, the story explodes into chaos and never once slows down. Every member of the Tuxedo Society brings their own kind of brilliance to the madness, from lesbian real estate moguls to a tech genius to former operatives who feel like they walked straight out of a fever dream. It reads like a spy spoof that knows exactly what it is and leans all the way in with sparkle and attitude.

This book is unapologetically big and I could talk about it for days. Maybe it was the protein bar (a bomb) or the yoga mat masquerading as a gun, or maybe it was the fact that Drew is still afraid of his mom... I LOVED IT ALL! The satire lands, the pop culture nods hit, and the whole thing feels wild, theatrical, and delightfully ridiculous in the best possible way. This is not about realism. This is about the vibes, the one liners, the absurdity, and the joy of watching everything spiral into campy perfection. It is loud, chaotic, and an absolutely ridiculous good time. I had so much fun with this one and honestly kind of wish the Tuxedo Society were recruiting because I would sign up immediately.

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The Memory Foundation By Amanda West

The Memory Foundation delivers exactly what thriller readers show up for and then pushes it further into eerie, speculative territory. An isolated snowy facility. Avalanche warnings hanging in the background. A powerful organization promising to unlock, preserve, and possibly control human memory. Yes please. The story alternates between investigative journalist Natasha Walker, a new mother desperate for a career saving story, and Lydia Hunter, the wife of founder Wade Hunter. Together, their perspectives peel back the glossy promise of a breakthrough. The Memory Foundation claims it can capture and preserve a person’s memories before they disappear, allowing them to be experienced again in vivid detail. Marketed as hope for dementia patients, this technology promises to safeguard identity by holding onto the moments that shape who we are. But if memories can be stored, they can also be filtered, softened, or erased. What begins as compassionate science quietly raises a more dangerous possibility. If you can control memory, you can control how someone understands their past and ultimately who they become.

Tash needs this story. Her mother is fading from dementia, her career is teetering, and Wade Hunter is guarding the kind of scientific advancement that could change everything. When a mysterious Patient A offers her a way inside, the tension starts simmering immediately with secrets, paranoia and the sense that she is being watched. Patient A refuses to give real answers yet somehow feels connected to Tash in a way that raises more questions than it resolves. What follows is a locked room style thriller wrapped in speculative science, morally gray ambition, and psychological tension that keeps tightening.

This is the kind of speculative thriller that feels both chilling and addictive with memory experiments, ethical lines being crossed and characters carrying secrets heavy enough to bury them. The hype makes sense. Amanda West has been making noise, and this one shows us why. The concept is smart, the atmosphere is claustrophobic, and you will question what happens if this sort of technology becomes available, because controlling memory is not just about healing the past. It is about rewriting the future, and that is where things get dangerous.

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Beneath A Broken Sky By Joshua Moehlin

In Beneath a Broken Sky by Joshua Moehling, a violent tornado rips through the small Minnesota town of Sandy Lake, leaving behind devastation and a small community that thrives on tourism trying to recover from wildfires, downed trees and a pretty big economic downturn. When a controversial local mother is murdered after publicly challenging the school system over bullying against her gay son, Detective Ben Packard is pulled into an investigation that exposes deep divisions within the community. As tensions rise and suspicion spreads, Packard navigates a case shaped as much by prejudice and fear as by evidence. While the bodies pile up, Ben is confronting personal struggles and the complicated reality of living openly in a town that does not always welcome him.

I have loved this series from the beginning because it is so deeply character focused, and watching Ben grow into himself has been the real reward. His struggle with identity, the tension within the police force, and the push and pull of small-town life give the story an emotional core that always feels genuine. The town itself becomes a character, full of charm and contradictions, and the familiar touches make it even richer this time around. The issues among these pages are real. Whether the topic is an illegal immigrant, a broken dream or too much alcohol, Moehling’s writing makes it easy to connect with the story.

Between books I find myself looking forward to Ben’s three-legged corgi Frank and the perfectly timed banter between Ben and Jill Theilen, which offers welcome moments to smile amid the heavier themes. You do not have to read the entire series to appreciate this book, but spending time with these characters as they evolve makes the experience even more meaningful. Readers are always allowed a little more into his past and what makes him the man he is today. The mystery is always strong, but what keeps me coming back is Ben’s devotion to his work, his community, and the quiet determination to build a life where he truly belongs.  

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Caller Unknown By Gillian McAllister

Simone Seaborn travels to Texas for what is supposed to be a simple camping trip and long overdue mother daughter time with Lucy, her teenage daughter who dreams of becoming an actress. After a frustrating journey, they settle into their cabin for the night, only for Simone to wake the next morning to find Lucy gone. What follows is not a ransom demand but something far more unsettling. The kidnapper leaves strict instructions, starting with tell no one and absolutely not the police, and demands a series of tasks instead of money. From there, the story becomes a relentless cat and mouse chase that unfolds across harsh landscapes and impossible choices, delivering a tense and original thriller that never lets up and times its twists with precision.

This book hit close to home for me. My youngest just graduated college and the reality of an empty nest is settling in, which made Simone’s fear and devotion feel painfully real. Simone is shaped by a traumatic childhood, and motherhood is the one role she has always chosen with certainty and purpose. Her love for Lucy is fierce, uncompromising, and willing to cross lines most people would never consider. Is it over the top at times? Absolutely. Did I care? Not for a second. Gillian McAllister balances high stakes suspense with the emotional reckoning of a parent who would risk everything for their child, and she does it with confidence and control. This is sharp, intense, and emotionally charged storytelling, and readers should grab it immediately. McAllister remains an auto read author for me, no hesitation.

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