August Thrillers

Several authors are bringing us new thrillers this month.  I read this genre and these titles fascinate me. Set aside time to read some of the following.

William Kent Krueger is an award winning mystery author whose series featuring Cork O'Connor and take place mainly in Minnesot. Those who enjoy well written mysteries should give him a try. On August 21st, Mr Krueger gives us Trickster's Point. Cork is part Irish/part Native American and he is the former sheriff. Part of the charm of reading these books is Krueger's love of nature and the Native American culture.This title has Cork going hunting with Jubal Little, Minnesota's first Native American governor-elect. The two of them have a hsitory and it hasn't always been a friendly one. Little winds up with one of Cork's arrows in his heart. Cork is the prime suspect and he has to work to clear his name and find out who set him up. Exciting and suspenseful with wonderful characters.

Gregg Hurwitz was an associate producer for the television show 'V'. If any of you watched this, you know he must have unique stories in his head. Hurwitz has written several very suspenseful, critically acclaimed titles and his 2011 title, You're Next, was a Library Journal Thriller of the Year. On August 21st, The Survivor hits the shelves. A very unique lead character is forced to save the day. Nate Overbay, a former soldier, is divorced, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and dying of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (better known as Lou Gehrig's disease). Basically, you wouldn't want to be him. He has decided to kill himself and is standing 11 stories up on the ledge of a bank building when robbers break into the bank and start shooting. Nate responds and captures or kills the bank robbers. Unfortunately, apparently he had annoyed a Russian mob boss who kidnaps him and threatens to kill his daughter if he does not steal a specific document. A really compelling read and a definitely different hero.

Matthew Dunn spent years as an M16 field operative so he knows the territory his books cover. In 2011, he came out with his first novel Spycatcher and on August 7th he publishes the 2nd in the series, Sentinel: A Spycatcher Novel. Dunn's novels are all action and his main character, Will Cochrane is able to jump tall buildings in a single bound but if you are looking for some excitment in your books, this is what you need to read. In Sentinel, Cochrane is sent to Russia to find an undercover agent who  has sent a cryptic message. When he finds him, he is near death and Cochrane realizes he has work to do if he is going to prevent the next world war. If you like Lee Child's and Vince Flynn - try Matthew Dunn.

Lastly, also on August 7th, Stephen White offers us Line of Fire. This is the nineteenth and the first of a two part work that will end the Alan Gregory series. White has been writing this series since 1991 so I guess it may be time for Gregory to sail off into the sunset. Alan Gregory is a trained clinical psychologist. That probably immediately has you thinking of Kellerman's Alex Delaware. Kellerman and White actually became acquainted back in the 1980's when both were one of a dozen practicing child psychologists working with pediatric cancer patients. Unusual to say the least that 2 of that dozen became best selling authors. If you like Kellerman's Delaware series and haven't read any of White - give him a try. In this title, Alan Gregory is besieged by the weight of his world - wildfires are burning in the hills of Boulder, Colorado where Alan calls home, and Alan not only has this issue and his family’s safety to worry about, but he’s also struggling with a horrible secret that he and his friend, Police Detective Sam Purdy share - a secret that could end Sam’s police career and cost Alan his reputation. He also has problems in his personal life from the death of his neighbor to his wife’s illness, things have been more than difficult. Suddenly, out of the blue, a witness comes forward and forces police to reopen the case that has been causing Gregory to have nightmares.