From The Booking Desk:

Things have been a little slower than normal around here this past week; but that certainly hasn’t been the case in my blogging life in general. Last Thursday night I was awarded the Raven Award by the Mystery Writers of America during the annual Edgar Awards Banquet.  That was a thrill beyond words.  More about that – with pictures – can be found on my Facebook page. Right on the heels of this was the annual Malice Domestic convention, which was, as always, a wonderful experience. I was once again humbled that many attendees told me that the panel I moderated on Darkness in Mystery was their favorite of the weekend.  Needless to say, I haven’t had a ton of time for actual blogging, but things should get back to normal herd quickly.  For now, here are a few books you must check out this week!

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Kristen Lepionka – What You Want To See (Minotaur, Hardcover, $26.99, 05/01/2018)

BOLO Books Comments:

The BOLO Books Review of What You Want To See ran early, so be sure to check that out to find out why you simply must read what is no doubt one of the best of the new PI novels available on the market. Don’t miss it or the first in the series The Last Place You Look?

Jacket Copy (Publisher’s Description):

The thrilling follow up to The Last Place You Look, starring troubled and determined private investigator, Roxane Weary

Marin Strasser has a secret. Her fiancé thinks her secret is that she’s having an affair, and he hires P.I. Roxane Weary to prove it. Then, just days into the case, Marin is shot to death on a side street in an apparent mugging. But soon enough the police begin to focus on Roxane’s client for Marin’s death, so she starts to dig deeper into Marin’s life―discovering that the elegant woman she’s been following has a past and a half, including two previous marriages, an adult son fresh out of prison, and a criminal record of her own. The trail leads to a crew of con artists, an ugly real estate scam that defrauds unsuspecting elderly homeowners out of their property, and the suspicious accident of a wealthy older woman who lives just down the street from where Marin was killed.

With Roxane’s client facing a murder indictment, the scammers hit close to home to force Roxane to drop the case, and it becomes clear that the stakes are as high as the secrets run deep.

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Brian Freeman – Alter Ego (Quercus, Hardcover, $26.99, 05/01/2018)

BOLO Books Comments:

Brain Freeman has proved readers with another stunning ensemble piece with his latest Jonathan Stride novel. Freeman manages to be both topical and heartfelt in ways that most authors can only dream of. This new novels has so many threads running though it, that you might as well take a vacation day because you are going to be up all night finishing this one. And wow, what a finish it is.  Another one you simply can’t miss.

Jacket Copy (Publisher’s Description):

When a freak auto accident kills a driver on the remote roads outside Duluth, Jonathan Stride is disturbed to discover that the victim appears to be a “ghost,” with a false identity and no evidence to suggest who he really was. Alarmingly, a gun is found in the car–and the gun has recently been fired.

The next day, Stride learns that a Duluth college student has also vanished, and he worries that the two incidents are related. But what would have put an ordinary young woman in the crosshairs of a man who has all the hallmarks of an assassin for hire?

Stride’s investigation of the girl’s disappearance leads him into the midst of a film crew in Duluth, where a movie is being made based on a case in Stride’s own past. The actor playing Stride is Hollywood royalty, an award-winning icon who has charmed his way to the top of the box office.

But Stride soon hears whispers that his cinematic alter ego has a dark side . . . and in trying to expose the truth, he makes a powerful enemy who will stop at nothing to protect his reputation.

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Jenny Milchman – Wicked River (Soucebooks, Paperback, $15.80, 05/01/2018)

BOLO Books Comments:

Jenny Milchman’s first thriller for Soucebooks is a gripping read that reminded me of The River Wild, an older film with Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon. Edge of your seat adventure as a man against nature against man plot travels at breakneck speed until an epic finish. Perfect vacation reading, unless you are going camping and white water rafting.

Jacket Copy (Publisher’s Description):

Six million acres of Adirondack forest separate Natalie and Doug Larson from civilization. For the newlyweds, an isolated backcountry honeymoon seems ideal-a chance to start their lives together with an adventure. But just as Natalie and Doug begin to explore the dark interiors of their own hearts, as well as the depths of their love for each other, it becomes clear that they are not alone in the woods.

Because six million acres makes it easy for the wicked to hide. And even easier for someone to go missing for good.

As they struggle with the worst the wilderness has to offer, a man watches them, wielding the forest like a weapon. He wants something from them more terrifying than death. And once they are near his domain, he will do everything in his power to make sure they never walk out again.

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Susan C. Shea – Dressed for Death in Burgundy (Minotaur, Hardcover, $26.99, 05/01/2018)

BOLO Books Comments:

Another ensemble piece, reading Susan Shea is like sipping your favorite win out on the veranda of a luxury villa. This is the second in a wonderful traditional mystery series with characters you will grow to love, mystery that will keep you guessing, and such a strong sense of place that you just might find yourself booking an immediate vacation to Burgundy by the time you complete the last chapter.

Jacket Copy (Publisher’s Description):

After finding herself mixed up in a murder investigation the previous Summer, Katherine Goff’s life simply has not been the same. Her husband has been in the US recording a new album, the Burgundy region locals are finally starting to see her as a real neighbor, and Katherine has even started helping out with “tourist” excursions. It seems she’s finally found her place in the small community of Reigny-sur-Canne.

But when Katherine stumbles across a body in the local museum during a tour, she finds herself caught up once again in a whirlwind of gossip and speculation. When the police zero in on her friend Pippa as a suspect, Pippa and Katherine team up to find the real killer and clear her name.

However, the more clues they discover, the more the real killer wants them off the trail. When Katherine and Pippa start receiving threats, they must decide what they are more afraid of―the police getting it wrong, or possibly becoming the killer’s next targets.

Find out what happens next in the second installment in the French countryside murder mystery series the New York Times calls “a pleasant getaway.”