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.

Hi, Leah! Welcome back! How has the past 12 months been since we last spoke?

Pretty busy, actually! I had another baby and wrote another book. It seems that I’m always somehow combining baby due dates with publishing due dates, but happy to say that both experiences have gone really well

Your latest novel, Keep Your Friends Close, is out February 20^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

• Frenemies
• Motherhood
• Con-artist
• Jewel-heist
• Murder

What can readers expect?

Keep Your Friends Close is my most fun thriller yet (at least I think so!). It introduces you to Mary and Willa, playground mom-friends-turned-frenemies who must rely on each other when Mary’s toxic soon-to-be-ex-husband turns up dead and she becomes the prime suspect in his murder investigation.

Where did the inspiration for Keep Your Friends Close come from?

In 2021, my family and I moved back to Brooklyn after spending most of lockdown upstate. I found myself navigating the Park Slope parenting scene with an eighteen-month-old, and I found the dynamics fascinating. Luckily, I met a host of wonderful people (and so far none of them have turned out to be con artists), but I got to thinking: What if I could spin my own take on Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, only instead of two guys on a train, we started with two moms at a Brooklyn playground?

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

Willa (or is it Annie?) is up there with the most fun characters I’ve ever written. She doesn’t play by the rules at all and cheats, lies and steals to make her own way. But underneath all that, she does have her own moral compass (even if it lives in very gray area) and she has a lot of strong feelings especially about the mental load of parenting that almost exclusively falls to women. It was so fun to take such a wild and enigmatic character and use her to explore an issue that hits close to home for so many parents.

What interests you about writing within the thriller genre?

Whether it’s racism explored through films like Get Out and books like The Other Black Girl or expectations of womanhood as unpacked by Amy Dunne in Gone Girl, some of society’s most serious and important issues are able to explored in a very true and engaging way through these wild, wily, and even murderous plots. There can be a lot of honesty in exploring nightmares, dark fantasies, and the twists and turns of a complex suspense setup. It’s a space I feel very lucky to have a voice in.

You’ve now had books published over the last 10 years. What are some of the key lessons you’ve learned as an author and when it comes to the publishing world?

Just. Keep. Writing. The publishing business is an extremely difficult one to navigate (p.s. we should pay writers a living wage!), and there are so many ups and downs. The only way I’ve been able to surf the ebbs and flows is to continue telling stories that fascinate me and always looking ahead to the next project.

What’s next for you?

A snowy, winter-set thriller at an old motel that has been so incredibly fun to write. Cover and title reveal coming very soon, but I’ll give you a hint: It’s inspired by The Shining but with an all-women cast.

Lastly, are there any 2024 book releases that you’re looking forward to?

2024 is a Tana French year, so that automatically means it’s a great year for mystery lovers. I can’t wait to get my hands on The Hunter. And in another genre, Lindsay Hameroff has a delightfully sweet and hilarious rom-com set in the restaurant world of NYC, Till There Was You—I was lucky to read an early version and it’s absolutely delicious.

Will you be picking up Keep Your Friends Close? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Leah Konen, Author of ‘Keep Your Friends Close’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

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

Hi, there! I’m a writer splitting my time between Brooklyn and upstate New York. I’m a mom (to one dog and one human), and I’m obsessed with both reading and writing thrillers, horror movies, and lately, playing World of Warcaft (my favorite winter hobby).

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

I think it was always there. My parents read to me religiously and told me lots of stories, as well. It felt very natural for me to make up my own, and once we got our first computer (this was the mid-90s), I was in Word a lot, writing stories.

Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!

My first chapter book was The Boxcar Children, which I read right before Kindergarten. Many thanks to my Great Aunt Alice for explaining to me that reading a book with that many words was no different than reading a picture book—it would just take me more time. Can’t point to a specific book, but the entire Nancy Drew series, at least all the ones I could get my hands on at the library in my small hometown, really made me want to be a storyteller. Currently, I can’t stop thinking about Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister. I adore the way she was able to weave time travel into a classic domestic thriller.

Your latest novel, You Should Have Told Me, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Motherhood Mysterious Woman Missing Husband

What can readers expect?

I think you’ll see the plot twists, pacing and classic mystery elements you’d find in all of my thrillers, but with an additional explortation of the pressures society puts on mothers.

Where did the inspiration for You Should Have Told Me come from?

Like so many, I never truly understood the dark side of motherhood until I went through it myself. After a complicated pregnancy and a traumatic birth, my daughter burst onto the scene just a few months ahead of a global pandemic. In those early weeks and months, like so many new mothers, I found myself struggling to adapt to sleepless nights and the trials of new motherhood, and was at a loss trying to feel all the feelings I knew I was “supposed” to have. A writer through and through, I was determined to turn these feelings into my next book.

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

I loved writing Liana. She’s a single, childfree woman who leads a semi-successful band, and she’s happy—not miserable. I really enjoyed trying to put a different spin on that trope.

Do you have any advice for those who may have set some writing resolutions for the new year?

I think it’s best to focus on frequency of writing sessions rather than actual output. Even trying to open your computer and draft for five minutes three-to-five times a week is a great way to get a routine going.

What’s next for you?

I’m currently revising a thriller about two moms who meet by chance—only one of them isn’t who she says she is. It’s a bit inspired by Strangers on a Train, only the “train” is a playground in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Lastly, are there any 2023 releases our readers should look out for?

I can’t wait for The Writing Retreat, by Julia Bartz, releasing in February. It’s a thriller about a woman who enters a writing put on by a famous novelist, only to get far more horrors than she ever bargained for. And this summer, I’m super excited for Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine—a horror novel about pregnancy and the way the medical establishment fails women.

Will you be picking up You Should Have Told Me? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Leah Konen, Author of ‘You Should Have Told Me’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.