John McMahon Archives | The Nerd Daily

Q&A: John McMahon, Author of ‘Head Cases’

Elise Dumpleton — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 17:00:00 +0000

We chat with author John McMahon about Head Cases, which follows an enigmatic group of FBI agents as they hunt down a murderer seeking his own justice.

Hi, John! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hi. First off, thanks for having me. I’m a Southern-California-based writer, but have lived all over. I was born in the Bronx and grew up there and in southern Arizona. Moved to California as a teenager. I still work a day job as a creative-director in advertising, which I enjoy a lot. And then write in the evenings and on weekends.

HEAD CASES is the beginning of my second series. (The first is a police thriller series based in Northern Georgia that began with THE GOOD DETECTIVE).

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I was always writing as a kid. But I didn’t grow up in a family where we knew anyone who worked in the arts. We didn’t know any painters, musicians, graphics designers, or writers. So like a lot of people, writing wasn’t on my radar as something that was a ‘real job.’ I came out of college, worked two years in finance, which wasn’t for me– then decided to go back to school and study creative writing in Tucson. That’s when I first wrote anything serious, initially just poetry and short stories.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

The first book you ever remember reading: There was a series by E.W. Hildick with a kid detective called Jack McGurk. I don’t recall the title, but it was a great ensemble and I remember there was a character called “the nose.” My mom would ‘force us’ to check out a book from the library every month, and I loved those books (and little else).
The one that made you want to become an author: Been Down So Long Looks Like Up to Me. Richard Farina’s debut (1966) – I picked it up randomly at a bookstore when I was 21.
The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Jealous Kind by James Lee Burke. Burke is my favourite author. His novels are sweeping epics that are also thrillers, family stories, love stories, etc. They have deep details and storylines. Expect a single page of description on a door. I love to read everything Burke. I also love them on audio, with Will Patton narrating. He’s such a pro.

**Your latest novel, Head Cases, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?**

Misfit FBI Agents pursue serial killer.

Okay, that’s 6 words.

What can readers expect?

As a reader myself, I get hooked on characters that pop off the page. And that’s what people seem to love about HEAD CASES.

Gardner Camden is a bit of an oddball, super-intelligent, and often oblivious to those around him. He’s surrounded by a group of agents within a team called PAR (Patterns and Recognition) at the FBI. Their job is to identify patterns or peculiarities that no one else can see… then send the file back to a field office, local cops or to Quantico.

But in this case, they are sent on the road themselves to chase a serial killer, something that PAR has never been asked to do because they are not fit to interact with the public or local cops.

Along with Gardner, PAR consists of a mathematician, a weapons expert, a computer analyst, and their leader, a career agent. So they each come to the case with a different skil setl. What advance readers seem to like is that they all appear like fleshed out people you know, not caricatures.

This is also a book full of puzzles and riddles, so to solve the identity of the killer, it’s going to take everyone on the PAR team and each of their strengths.

**Where did the inspiration for Head Cases come from?**

I was exploring this idea that sociopaths and cops might share some of the same traits. I started thinking of the extreme example of this, and drew up the main character of Gardner Camden. And at the same time, the book’s antagonist too.

I typically try to figure out an opening that makes a character uncomfortable, because like in life, it’s in those situations where we see who we actually are.

So Gardner is sent to a crime scene where he IDs the body of a serial killer that he ID’d as dead 7 years earlier. But if Gardner never makes mistakes, how is that possible? Then, when a second serial killer turns up dead, a pattern emerges. Someone is killing murderers. But to do this, they’d have to know information known only to the FBI… so someone in law enforcement is involved.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I loved writing the main character of Gardner Camden. But he was also challenging to write because he has an extremely low affect and sees the world in a very particular way.

My other favorite was Cassie Pardo, Gardner’s partner. Cassie speaks in the slang of a 20-year old (and I have a 19 and 21 year old), so I was constantly taking notes of everything that they (and their friends) would say. One early review gave the book 4 stars instead of 5, citing there was a character that sounded annoying like the reader’s daughter. Success! I thought. Made my day.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

The biggest challenge during this book was not writing-related. Early in the writing process, I flipped on a boogie board and crushed my C5/C6. Other issues followed, and I had 4 cervical spine surgeries in a period of 2 years. I am still dealing with it. Getting better is a back-and-forth thing, and hard to know if progress is happening most days. So I had to figure out the best times to write– and the best places to write. I put a board over my Jacuzzi as a desk, so I could soak in the hot water while typing away. But HEAD CASES is getting amazing reviews and no one seems to notice that it was written amidst pain. So maybe pain is part of the recipe?

What’s next for you?

The next book in the HEAD CASES series is with my agent already, and I will get notes any day from her and begin revising. But there’s been several gaps in time, and I have a deep need to produce words every week. So I have 200 pages of a family story- something very different than I’ve written before… which I am in love with. And I have 300 pages of a genre-bender (part psychological horror, part police procedural) that I think will be great too, but will take a lot of revisions to balance genres.

HEAD CASES is also in development at HBO MAX, and I’ve met the showrunners adapting it. So I am excited to see what happens there. Anything in Hollywood can die in a second, but MAX seems intent on pushing this forward.

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up in 2025?

I am moderating a panel at the Tucson Festival of Books, and when I do this, I always read each panelist’s books. So I am currently reading The Puzzle Box by Danielle Trussoni and really enjoying it. Beyond that, I’m careful not to build my TBR too big anymore, just because of health issues with my spine and having to keep up my page count on my own books. During this time, I have become a huge audiobook person.

Will you be picking up Head Cases? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: John McMahon, Author of ‘Head Cases’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

24 New Fiction Books Releasing In January 2025

Elise Dumpleton — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

From twisty thrillers to rich historical reads, there’s so many new books to look forward to this month! With new releases from authors such as Grady Hendrix, Alice Feeney, Liza North, Camilla Bruce, Scott Turow, Julia Bryan Thomas, and more, read on to discover just a few of our picks and tell us in the comments below if you’ll be picking up any!

Cross My Heart by Megan Collins

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She has his dead wife’s heart; the one she wants is his. The author of The Family Plot brings her signature prose to a twisty novel about a heart transplant patient who becomes romantically obsessed with her donor’s husband.

The Last Room on the Left by Leah Konen

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The caretaker at an isolated mountain hotel finds herself fighting for her life—and sanity—in this twisty, addictive thriller.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

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A group of young women in a home for unwed mothers in 1970s Florida who find a book to witchcraft—a guide which may just be the key to regaining their power or the source of their worst nightmares.

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

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A twisty domestic thriller about an author who travels to a remote Scottish island to write his next book…only to run into a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.

The Weekend Guests by Liza North

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In the vein of Lucy Foley’s chilling, atmospheric mysteries, a compulsive, psychological thriller about a group of old university friends whose seaside reunion will end in betrayal and murder.

A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young

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In this captivating atmospheric novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Unmaking of June Farrow, a woman investigates her twin brother’s mysterious death while confronting the ghosts of her own haunted past.

The Crash by Freida McFadden

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A gut-wrenching story of motherhood, survival, and twisted expectations, #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden delivers a snowbound thriller that will chill you to the bone.

A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay

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Two former serial killers trying to keep their past buried realize that old habits die hard in this “wildly original, razor-sharp thriller” (Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of All the Colors of the Dark).

Call Her Freedom by Tara Dorabji

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A sweeping family saga following one woman’s struggle to protect her culture and her family amidst the backdrop of a military occupation.

Tell Me What You Did by Carter Wilson

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From the USA Today bestselling author of The Dead Girl in 2A and The New Neighbor comes a chilling new thriller that forces the question: are murderers always the bad guys?

Head Cases by John McMahon

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Head Cases follows an enigmatic group of FBI agents as they hunt down a murderer seeking his own justice in this electrifying―and commercial―series debut.

At The Bottom of the Garden by Camilla Bruce

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A murderess becomes the guardian of two very unusual girls in this mesmerizing gothic novel from acclaimed author Camilla Bruce.

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan

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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets First Lie Wins in this electric, voice-driven debut novel about an elusive bestselling author who decides to finally confess her true identity after years of hiding from her past.

We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin

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A moving story about two very different sisters, and a love letter to childhood, growing up, and the power of imagination—from the bestselling author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead and Interesting Facts About Space.

The Perfect Home by Daniel Kenitz

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Fixer Upper meets Gone Girl in this suspenseful and witty domestic thriller set in the world of home renovation TV—featuring a woman who becomes public enemy #1 after a horrifying discovery prompts her to flee her celebrity husband with their twin babies.

Old Soul by Susan Barker

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The Historian meets Under the Skin in this searingly provocative literary horror novel about one woman’s determination to stay alive at any terrifying cost.

We Rip the World Apart by Charlene Carr

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Weaving the women’s stories across multiple timelines, We Rip the World Apart reveals the ways that simple choices, made in the heat of the moment and with the best of intentions, can have deep and lasting repercussions―especially when people stay silent.

The Lotus Shoes by Jane Yang

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An empowering, uplifting tale of two women from opposite sides of society, and their extraordinary journey of sisterhood, betrayal, love and triumph.

The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha

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A billionaire is primed to announce the succession plan for his company to his family at a lavish reunion, but at least one person won’t make it through the week alive. . . Most family reunions end in tears. This one will end in murder.

The Girls of the Glimmer Factory by Jennifer Coburn

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From the author of Cradles of the Reich comes a poignant and inspiring tale for fans of The Forest of Vanishing Stars and The German Wife about resistance, friendship, and the dangers of propaganda, based on the real story of the Nazi “show camp” Theresienstadt.

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

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From New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis, an utterly addictive new novel that will transport you from New York City’s most glamorous party to the labyrinth streets of Cairo and back.

Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow

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New from the author of Presumed Innocent, the #1 bestseller that redefined the legal thriller and is the basis for Apple TV+’s most-watched drama series ever.

Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton

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Written in the same enchanting style and raucous humor that defines Hollow Kingdom and Feral Creatures, Tartufo is a reflection on the interconnectedness of life in all its manifestations—and how holding on to harmony in the face of hardship can grow something beautiful and rare beneath the surface.

The Kennedy Girl by Julia Bryan Thomas

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From esteemed author Julia Bryan Thomas comes a novel for readers who loved the fashion and glamour of The Second Life of Mirielle West and the clandestine intrigue of The Secrets We Kept, showcasing a journey to France through the eyes of a wide-eyed American orphan who becomes embroiled in an international espionage scheme.

What January releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 24 New Fiction Books Releasing In January 2025 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Fiction Book Releases To Check Out In 2025

Elise Dumpleton — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The Nerd Daily may obtain commissions for qualifying purchases from the links included in this article, but it’s so important to remember to shop local and indie!

Get ready to look forward to some great fiction book releases in 2025! We’ve rounded up just a few fiction books releasing between January and June from thrillers and historical fiction, to stories of friendship and family, and more. With releases from Megan Collins, Scott Turow, Kate Alice Marshall, Jojo Moyes, Elle Cosimano, Stephen Graham Jones, Alex North, Fredrik Backman, Maggie Stiefvater, and many more, plus those making their debut.

Read on to discover new books hitting shelves in the first half of the year and be sure to check out our other 2025 round-ups too, including our Most Anticipated, Romance, Fantasy & Sci-Fi and Young Adult lists.

JANUARY 2025 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

Old Soul by Susan Barker

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org
The Historian meets Under the Skin in this searingly provocative literary horror novel about one woman’s determination to stay alive at any terrifying cost.

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay

Tell Me What You Did by Carter Wilson

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org
From the USA Today bestselling author of The Dead Girl in 2A and The New Neighbor comes a chilling new thriller that forces the question: are murderers always the bad guys?

The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha

Head Cases by John McMahon

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org
Head Cases follows an enigmatic group of FBI agents as they hunt down a murderer seeking his own justice in this electrifying―and commercial―series debut.

We Rip the World Apart by Charlene Carr

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan

Cross My Heart by Megan Collins

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org
She has his wife’s heart; the one she wants is his. The author of The Family Plot brings her signature “taut, emotionally charged, and propulsive” (Jeneva Rose, New York Times bestselling author) prose to a twisty novel about a heart transplant patient who becomes romantically obsessed with her donor’s husband.

We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org
A moving story about two very different sisters, and a love letter to childhood, growing up, and the power of imagination—from the bestselling author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead and Interesting Facts About Space.

Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org
New from the author of Presumed Innocent, the #1 bestseller that redefined the legal thriller and is the basis for Apple TV+’s most-watched drama series ever.

The Crash by Freida McFadden

FEBRUARY 2025 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall

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A woman invited to her wealthy fiance’s family retreat realizes they are hiding a terrible secret―and that she’s been there before, by the bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods.

Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine

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A young girl must face a life-altering decision after awakening her sister’s ghost, navigating truths about love, friendship, and power as the Civil War looms.

Maya & Natasha by Elyse Durham

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This stunning debut novel set in the fascinating world of Cold War Soviet ballet follows the fates of twin sisters whose bond is competitive, complicated, but never broken.

The Garden by Nick Newman

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An eerie, hypnotic, darkly beautiful novel about two elderly sisters living alone at the edge of the world and how their lives unravel when their sanctum is breached, for fans of Piranesi and The Testaments.

The Lamb by Lucy Rose

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From an incendiary new talent, a contemporary queer folktale about a mother and daughter living in the woods, for fans of Angela Carter, Margaret Atwood, and Julia Armfield.

Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff

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A Parisian department store, a mysterious necklace and a woman’s quest to unlock a decade-old mystery are at the center of this riveting novel of love and survival, from New York Times bestselling author Pam Jenoff.

We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes

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The #1 New York Times bestselling author, whose books so many love, brings us a fresh, contemporary story of a woman and her unruly blended family.

Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray

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She found the literary voices that would inspire the world…. The extraordinary story of the woman who ignited the Harlem Renaissance, written by Victoria Christopher Murray, New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Personal Librarian.

You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

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An exclusive thriller writer’s retreat hosted on a private island turns lethal when one of the authors is found murdered.

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn

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An immersive historical drama about a young mother who starts a new life with her son in New York after faking their deaths on the Titanic—the U.S. debut of acclaimed British novelist Frances Quinn.

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler

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A new Anne Tyler novel destined to be an instant classic: a socially awkward mother of the bride navigates the days before and after her daughter’s wedding.

Isola by Allegra Goodman

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A young woman and her lover are marooned on an island in this breathtaking saga, an epic story of love, faith, and defiance from the bestselling author of Sam

MARCH 2025 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

The King’s Messenger by Susanna Kearsley

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New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author Susanna Kearsley explores romance, court alliances, and the limits of one’s duty in this rich story of an honorable man in service to a treacherous king, and the mission that brings him to love and his true calling.

Broken Country by Clare Hall

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A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley

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Date night goes off the rails in this hilariously insightful take on midlife and marriage when one unhappy couple find themselves at the heart of a crime in progress, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise.

This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead

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From the national bestselling author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife and Midnight is the Darkest Hour comes a chilling, compulsive story of five amateur sleuths, whose hunt for an elusive killer catapults them into danger as the world watches.

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry

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Inspired by a true literary mystery, New York Times bestselling author of the mesmerizing The Secret Book of Flora Lea returns with the sweeping story of a legendary book, a lost mother, and a daughter’s search for them both.

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano

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From New York Times bestseller and Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave―the hugely anticipated next installment in the fan-favorite Finlay Donovan series.

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

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A novel of breathtaking twists, dizzying beauty, and ferocious love, Wild Dark Shore is about the impossible choices we make to protect the people we love, even as the world around us disappears.

Count My Lies by Sophie Stava

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A read-in-one-night suspense thriller narrated by a compulsive liar whose little white lies allow her to enter into the life and comfort of a wealthy married couple who are harboring much darker secrets themselves. For the millions of us still chasing those gone girls, this is perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Lucy Foley, and Laura Dave.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones

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A chilling historical horror novel set in the American west in 1912 following a Lutheran priest who transcribes the life of a vampire who haunts the fields of the Blackfeet reservation looking for justice.

Retreat by Krysten Ritter

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A beautiful con artist insinuates herself into a wealthy socialite’s life . . . with deadly consequences, in this serpentine thriller about identity and obsession, from actress, director and bestselling author Krysten Ritter.

Dissolution by Nicholas Binge

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A woman dives into her husband’s memories to uncover a decades-old feud threatening reality itself in this staggering technothriller from the bestselling author of Ascension.

Early Thirties by Josh Duboff

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A hilarious and painfully relatable debut novel about two thirtysomething best friends’ messy search for connection and love in New York, perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle, Gabrielle Zevin, and Dolly Alderton.

APRIL 2025 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

The French Honeymoon by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau

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The Paris Apartment meets A Simple Favor in an unputdownable thriller about a honeymoon gone horribly wrong.

Coram House by Bailey Seybolt

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Sharp Objects meets I Have Some Questions for You in this haunting novel—inspired by a true story—about a crime writer who risks everything as she investigates the mystery of two deaths, decades apart, at a crumbling Vermont orphanage.

Passion Project by London Sperry

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A compassionate and hopeful romantic comedy, Passion Project is a reminder that love is waiting for us to let it in.

Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

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A woman learns the astonishing truth of her family’s ties to a vanished American Kingdom in this riveting new novel from the New York Times bestselling, NAACP Image Award-winning author of Take My Hand.

Bad Nature by Ariel Courage

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Armed with a terminal diagnosis, a grudge, and a rental car, Hester sets out to fulfill her lifelong dream of killing her father in this brilliantly subversive and bleakly funny debut novel.

What If I Never Get Over You by Paige Toon

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One Day meets a contemporary Bridgerton in this high-drama, escapist wonder of a love story, Paige Toon’s best yet.

A Town with Half the Lights On by Page Getz

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For readers of J. Ryan Stradal and The Music of Bees (with a dash of FX’s The Bear) comes a quirky and refreshing epistolary novel about family of culture-shocked Brooklynites transplanted to Goodnight, Kansas and their fight for their unexpected lifeline: the legendary May Day Diner.

The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff

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One family. Four generations. A secret son. A devastating addiction. A Texas family is met with losses and surprises of inheritance, but they’re unable to shake the pull back toward each other in this big-hearted family saga perfect for readers of Mary Beth Keane and Claire Lombardo.

Bearer of Bad News by Elisabeth Dini

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A sharply funny and moving debut in which a young woman accepts a job that takes her though the Italian Dolomites and into an international mystery far greater—and more personal—than she could have ever expected.

The Strange Case of Jane O. by Karen Thompson Walker

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In this spellbinding and provocative novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Age of Miracles, a young mother is struck by sudden and puzzling psychological symptoms that illuminate the mysterious dimensions of the human mind—and of love.

The Murder Show by Matt Goldman

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The Murder Show is a pulse-racing novel about secrets, old friends, and how the past never leaves us by New York Times bestselling and Emmy Award winning author Matt Goldman.

The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner

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Powerful witchcraft. A hunt for sunken treasure. Forbidden love on the high seas. Beware the Amalfi Curse…

MAY 2025 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

Austen At Sea by Natalie Jenner

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Two pairs of siblings, devotees of Jane Austen, find their lives transformed by a visit to England and Sir Francis Austen, her last surviving brother and keeper of a long-suppressed, secret legacy.

All the Mothers by Domenica Ruta

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From New York Times bestselling author Domenica Ruta comes a heartfelt, hilarious novel about a single mom reimagining what the perfect family can look like.

Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris

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A captivating tale of resilience and hope, The Girls of Good Fortune explores the complexity of family and identity, the importance of stories that echo through generations, and the power of strength found beneath the surface.

The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs

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Three middle-aged best friends turn to murder in order to collect on their husbands’ life insurance policies…but are unaware that their husbands have a devious plan of their own, in this darkly funny debut—perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club and Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone.

The Manor of Dreams by Christina Li

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Mexican Gothic meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in Christina Li’s haunting novel about the secrets that lie in wait in the crumbling mansion of a former Hollywood starlet, and the intertwined fates of the two Chinese American families fighting to inherit it.

Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle

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What if you could have one last meal with someone you’ve loved, someone you’ve lost? Combining the magic of Under the Whispering Door with the high-stakes culinary world of Sweetbitter, Aftertaste is an epic love story, a dark comedy, and a synesthetic adventure through food and grief.

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers

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Two women haunted by their sisters’ unsolved disappearances band together in this captivating mystery from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of All Good People Here and host of the #1 true crime podcast Crime Junkie.

Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang

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From the author of Natural Beauty, set in the fiercely competitive art world, a novel about an obsessive friendship upended by a cutting-edge technology purported to enhance empathy and connection

My Name Is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende

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In this spellbinding historical novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea and The Wind Knows My Name, a young writer journeys to South America to uncover the truth about her father—and herself.

The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North

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With his signature shock and suspense, Alex North brings us The Man Made of Smoke. In turn emotional, introspective, and utterly terrifying, this is a story of fathers and sons, shadows and secrets, and the fight we all face to escape the trauma of the past.

Slaying You by Michelle Gagnon

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A wildly funny thriller about reluctant partners who hit the danger jackpot when they discover that a serial killer is on their heels . . . again.

The Night Birds by Christopher Golden

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The next gripping, atmospheric horror novel from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden, set in a deteriorated, half-sunken freighter ship off the coast of Galveston, TX.

JUNE 2025 FICTION BOOK RELEASES

My Friends by Fredrik Backman

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger’s life twenty-five years later.

Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

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From #1 New York Times bestseller Lisa Jewell, an author “at the very top of her game” (Lucy Foley)—three women are connected by one man in this kaleidoscopic thriller.

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater

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#1 New York Times bestselling novelist Maggie Stiefvater dazzles in this mesmerizing portrait of an irresistible heroine, an unlikely romance, and a hotel—and a world—in peril.

A Language of Limbs by Dylin Hardcastle

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A beautifully inventive, tender novel—the author’s first to be published in the U.S.—following two lives as they almost intersect over three heartbreaking yet euphoric decades

The Accidental Favorite by Fran Littlewood

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From the New York Times bestselling author of Amazing Grace Adams comes a wryly resonant and deeply moving family dramedy investigating the question so many of us have asked ourselves: do my parents have a favorite?

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel

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Kristin Harmel, the New York Times bestselling author who “is the best there is at sweeping historical drama” (Kelly Harms, author of The Seven Day Switch), returns with an electrifying new novel about two jewel thieves, a priceless bracelet that disappears in 1940s Paris, and a quest for answers in a decades-old murder.

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten

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Scream meets The Guest List in this wickedly compelling and compulsively page-turning thriller of friendship and murder from the author of The Lost Village, Camilla Sten.

Confessions of a Grammar Queen by Eliza Knight

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There are no female publishing CEOs in 1960’s New York. And that is exactly what savvy, ambitious Bernadette Swift plans to change.

Tell Me Something Good by Court Stevens

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This is a story of the rich and the very poor. This is a story of an illegal auction with dire consequences. This is a story of murders past and present. This is a story of intertwined relationships and the silent ripples they leave behind, where love becomes a guiding force, revealing the lengths one will go to protect those they cherish.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

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A blistering literary suspense novel about a ghostwriter who is hired to write the last book for her estranged father and finds herself investigating the brutal murder of both his siblings in the summer of 1975.

The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison

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A hilarious and heartfelt novel about how loves and lives are never truly lost, for fans of Rebecca Serle and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Park Avenue by Renée Ahdieh

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#1 NYT-bestselling YA author Renee Ahdieh’s adult debut novel, about a young lawyer who gets pulled in to manage a crisis with her firm’s biggest client, a family whose Korean beauty brand is worth a billion dollars, pitched as Crazy Rich Asians meets Succession.

What releases are you looking forward to? Any other recommendations for us? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Fiction Book Releases To Check Out In 2025 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Eight Outstanding Debut Thrillers You Might Have Missed

Marla Warren — Sat, 02 May 2020 18:00:00 +0000

I am unabashedly a huge proponent of debut novels, and debut THRILLERS even more so! It’s like getting in on the ground floor of something amazing. There’s no back catalogue to hunt down and catch up on, you are there from the start, and for some of us, that is truly exciting.

The following recently released debut thrillers range from traditional detective stories to dark, gritty, serial killer chases to domestic suspense novels to gothic-style tales with magical elements, and almost everything in between. Some have been written as the start to a new series and some are standalones, but all of them are highly rated and highly recommended.

DEATH IN THE FAMILY by Tessa Wegert
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An impressive combination of a traditional Agatha Christie-style locked-room mystery, with a young, gifted detective who is suffering from PTSD who is still learning who to trust in her new job and environment. Tessa Weggert introduces us to Senior Investigator Shana Merchant as she works to solve a mysterious disappearance on a small private island. We learn a lot about Merchant through her work on this case, but there is plenty more of her backstory to be unfolded. Weggert has written such a dynamic character that we can’t wait to see her in her next adventure!

THE GOOD DETECTIVE by John McMahon
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P.T. Marsh really IS a good detective, but his life has been tragic in the last year. Struggling with his private life has left him not always making the best decisions, and sometimes those decisions have far-reaching consequences. Thinking he is helping a stripper get out of an abusive relationship, Marsh starts a chain of events that lead back to his job, his father-in-law, and multiple murders in the area. Likeable detectives aren’t always easy to find, but Marsh comes across as genuine, but not perfect, real, but not too-good-to-be-true, and someone who truly wants to make a difference.

BLOOD ORANGE by Harriet Tyce
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A domestic thriller that will often leave the reader feeling like a voyeur, but also unable to look away. Alison is a young, successful lawyer with an attentive husband, a precocious daughter, and seems to have it all. But she is also having an affair with one of her colleagues, and drinking too much, and she’s starting to feel things unravel. When she takes on a new client – who willingly admits to stabbing her own husband – Alison thinks this might be the opportunity to straighten out the various threads of her life that have gotten out of control. Power, jealousy, betrayal, love, and hate are all added to the mix and this disturbing tale will keep you on the edge of your seat.

HOLD YOUR TONGUE by Deborah Masson
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Fans of M.J. Arlidge’s books about DCI Helen Grace should definitely be paying attention to Deborah Masson. Similar in tone, Hold Your Tongue gives us an entirely new detective squad to get acquainted with. This dark and gritty serial killer hunt, with all its twists and turns, may not be for everybody, but for those of us that live for these twisted tales, it is a MUST! Masson also has a sequel currently scheduled to come out later this year!

MAN OF THE YEAR by Caroline Louise Walker
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Walker gives us a novel of domestic suspense set in a world where there just might not be a “good guy” to cheer for. Dr. Robert Hart has been named Citizen of the Year in his elite seaside town. His beautiful (second) wife and his son are there to celebrate with him. His son’s college roommate is also there, and the troubled young man changes the balance of power in the home. As the balance of power shifts, so does everything else in Dr. Hart’s life. Readers will hold their breath as they watch (mostly unlikable) people try to undo the damage they themselves have done.

NO BAD DEED by Heather Chavez
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Heather Chavez hits the ground running with this fast-paced, menacing story. We meet veterinarian and mother of two, Cassie Larkin on her way home from work where she witnesses a crime. She calls 911, but against the advice of the operator, she gets out of the car. From that point forward she throws her happy, suburban life into absolute paranoia and chaos! Unfortunately, the paranoia is contagious, and Chavez will definitely have you looking over your shoulder. The book, however, is fantastic, with unique characters and nerve-wracking tension!

YOU LET ME IN by Camilla Bruce
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A bit more gothic-horror than true thriller, this book quickly becomes very hard to categorise. Fans of Patrick Ness’s A Monster Calls, or Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children Series will find some similarities here. The entire book is written as a manuscript for Cassandra Tipp’s niece and nephew with instructions they are to follow upon her death or disappearance in order to obtain their inheritance. Occasionally written in second person, the reader feels very much a part of the story, as if they are being spoken to directly.

WOMAN ON THE EDGE by Samantha M. Bailey
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Told from two alternating points-of-view, Woman on the Edge is the story of Morgan Kincaid who, while waiting for the subway on her regular trip home from work has a woman thrust her baby into Morgan’s arms, and then jump in front of the oncoming train! (That’s not a spoiler – it is on the back cover and happens in the first 3 pages.) But faster than the blink of an eye, Morgan’s life, which was already going through some very trying times, is turned upside down by this seemingly random act.

Do you have any other recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Eight Outstanding Debut Thrillers You Might Have Missed appeared first on The Nerd Daily.