From The Booking Desk:

It’s another one of those weeks where there is something for everyone. These books couldn’t be more different and yet each of them is special in their own way. Read one, or read them all.

Carla Buckley – The Liar’s Child (Ballantine, Hardcover, $27.00, 03/12/2019)

BOLO Books Comments:

Carla Buckley not only knows how to place everyday people in extraordinary situations, but she is also skilled at using that new-found stress to explore the complexities of human nature. Her characters are never easily forgotten. This latest will please both crime fiction readers and those who simply enjoy a good family drama. There are some genuine surprises in this narrative and I fully expect this to be a reoccurring recommendation by and for readers everywhere.

Jacket Copy (Publisher’s Description):

On the outskirts of North Carolina’s Outer Banks sits the Paradise, an apartment complex where renters never stay long enough to call the place “home”—and neighbors are seldom neighborly. It’s ideal for Sara Lennox, who moved there to escape a complicated past—and even her name—and rebuild a new life for herself under the radar. But Sara cannot help but notice the family next door, especially twelve-year-old Cassie and five-year-old Boon. She hears rumors and whispers of a recent tragedy slowly tearing them apart.
 
When a raging storm threatens then slams the coastal community, Sara makes a quick, bold decision: Rescue Cassie and Boon from the storm and their broken home—without telling a soul. But this seemingly noble act is not without consequences. Some lethal.
 
Carla Buckley crafts a richly rewarding psychological portrait, combining a heart-wrenching family drama with high-stakes suspense, as the lives of three characters intertwine in an unforgettable story of fury, fate—and redemption.

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Kathleen Valenti – As Directed (Henery Press, Paperback, $15.99, 03/12/2019)

BOLO Books Comments:

Kathleen Valenti has crafted a terrifying scenario – one in which what is meant to heal becomes the source of fear. The prescription drug industry is as topical as ever and placing Maggie O’Malley right at the heart of it makes for a gripping storyline that rarely goes to expected places. The pacing and tone here are perfect and both fans and newcomers can enjoy the developments in Maggie’s personal life while the case unfolds.

Jacket Copy (Publisher’s Description):

In the shadow of a past fraught with danger and tainted by loss, former pharmaceutical researcher Maggie O’Malley is rebuilding her life, trading test tubes for pill bottles as she embarks on a new career at the corner drugstore. But as she spreads her wings, things begin to go terribly wrong. A customer falls ill in the store. Followed by another. And then more. The specter of poisoning arises, conjuring old grudges, past sins, buried secrets and new suspicions from which no one is immune. As Maggie and her best friend Constantine begin to investigate, they discover that some of the deadliest doses come from the most unexpected places.

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Glen Erik Hamilton – Mercy River (William Marrow, Hardcover, $27.00, 03/12/2019)

BOLO Books Comments:

Once again, Glen Erik Hamilton merges the story of Van Shaw with timely, of-the-moment societal issues and peppers it all with some of the best action sequences in the business. Four books into this series and readers are still learning new things about Van Shaw. For me, this evolution of character is rare to see in the thriller genre, so it’s a nice change of pace when a writer isn’t afraid to explore character depth alongside those action-oriented situations.

Jacket Copy (Publisher’s Description):

Helping a fellow veteran accused of murder, Van Shaw is drawn into a dangerous labyrinth involving smuggled opioids, ruthless mercenaries, and deadly family secrets that will challenge his notions of brotherhood and justice in this riveting thriller from Anthony, Macavity and Strand Critics Award-winning author Glen Erik Hamilton.

When his friend Leo Pak is arrested on suspicion of murder and armed robbery, Van Shaw journeys to a remote Oregon county to help his fellow Ranger. Van had been Leo’s sergeant when they served with the 75th Regiment in Afghanistan, and back in the States, Leo had helped Van when he needed it most.

Arriving in the isolated town of Mercy River, Van learns that his troubled friend had planned to join a raucous three-day party that dominates the place for one weekend each year. Attended by hundreds of former and active Rangers, the event is more than just a reunion; it’s the central celebration of a growing support network called the Rally, founded and led by a highly decorated Special Operations general named Macomber.

But there’s more going on in Mercy River than just a bunch of Army hard cases blowing off steam. The murder victim—the owner of a local gun shop where Leo worked part time—was dealing in stolen heroin-grade opiates. Worse, the town has a dark history with a community of white supremacists, growing in strength and threatening to turn Mercy River into their private enclave.

The cops have damning evidence linking Leo to the murder, and Van knows that backwaters like Mercy River are notorious for protecting their own. His quest to clear Leo’s name will stir up old grudges and dark secrets beneath the surface of this secretive small town, pit his criminal instincts against his loyalties to his brothers in arms, and force him to question his own belief in putting justice above the letter of the law.

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Deanna Raybourn – A Dangerous Collaboration (Berkley, Hardcover, $26.00, 03/12/2019)

BOLO Books Comments:

It is no secret that I have been a Deanna Raybourn for a long time. Silent in the Grave, the first in her Lady Julia Grey series, still remains one of my favorite historicals ever. I couldn’t be more thrilled that the third book in the Veronica Speedwell series is now an Edgar Nominee for Best Novel. Veronica and Stoker continue to be a crime-solving couple to watch and this new adventure may just be my favorite one yet. Few authors can compare to Deanna when it comes to crafting romantic tension amidst exquisite mystery.

Jacket Copy (Publisher’s Description):

Lured by the promise of a rare and elusive butterfly, the intrepid Veronica Speedwell is persuaded by Lord Templeton-Vane, the brother of her colleague Stoker, to pose as his fiancée at a house party on a Cornish isle owned by his oldest friend, Malcolm Romilly.

But Veronica soon learns that one question hangs over the party: What happened to Rosamund? Three years ago, Malcolm Romilly’s bride vanished on their wedding day, and no trace of her has ever been found. Now those who were closest to her have gathered, each a possible suspect in her disappearance. 

From the poison garden kept by Malcolm’s sister to the high towers of the family castle, the island’s atmosphere is full of shadows, and danger lurks around every corner.

Determined to discover Rosamund’s fate, Veronica and Stoker match wits with a murderer who has already struck once and will not hesitate to kill again.…