A glam London neighbourhood. A cat that strays … and comes home with ‘help me’ scratched on its collar. A cat cam collar and a voyeuristic fascination with neighbours and the secrets they’re hiding … a fascination that turns dangerous. Catherine Steadman’s Nine Lives is a slick psychological thriller, with a wicked twist. Quercus
In Getting Away With Murder, Shari Lapena, queen of psychological thrillers, turns up the tension. Jill and Ted adore their New York brownstone. They have carefully, expensively designed it, and it’s the stuff of glossy magazines and real-estate dreams. It is their sanctuary. When Ted’s inheritance runs out and he makes a bad investment, they panic. How can they protect their beloved home and enviable lifestyle? The answer is obvious. The death of one wealthy family member could solve all their problems. Together, they will get away with murder. As long as they trust each other. Slight problem. Jill loves her husband. But she might love their house more! Bantam
Such fun from Tia Williams. The Missed Connection sees sparks flying on a flight (to Paris … obvs), no contact details exchanged, missed opportunities, accidental emails, and an international manhunt to find the chap from Seat F. Quercus
Fun and flirtatious with bubbles that burst gently on your tongue, Franschhoek Cellar Brut Rose is a Pinot Noir-led, salmon pink blush wine … fresh, crisp red berries with a creamy length and a graceful finish. R189.99 from liquor.co.za, or buy by the case from franschhoekcellar.co.za
A nineteen-year-old girl and eighty-year-old man … famous because of their unlikely but charming friendship captured the hearts of thousands of online fans. But when, during a livestream, he’s murdered, and she’s seen covered in his blood, there’s no question of who’s to blame. The video goes viral. But she won’t say a word in her defence. We Know What You Did is Kirsty Lockwood’s debut novel … a real thriller! Orion
A young woman has an affair – and then breaks up – with her boss. Then in a one-night attempt to get back together with him, she spends the night at his holiday home, waking up in the morning to find him lying next to her. Stabbed. Dead. Everyone’s going to think she did it! In Mary Watson’s The Lover, there are loads of people who could have – who wanted to – kill him, and set up Hazel for the fall. There are twists and clues and red herrings … and a final twist that leaves you breathless. Penguin
Three friends hiking … braving cougars, snakes and storms. And then there’s the podcast they’re listening to, about a serial killer who’s hunting ground is the area they’re hiking through. Add in a badly twisted ankle, no-one to help, a cabin that looks straight out of a horror movie, with an owner who’s a little too eager to invite them in, and the fact that their friendship … well, it’s twisted, too. Back Stabbers is Eliza Jabore’s debut novel … a thriller about not turning your back on your friends! Sphere
A house in a small town with big secrets. Rumours about what goes on behind closed doors. A mother is murdered, her daughter bleeding and left for dead. Everyone thinks they know what happened. Everyone is wrong. The truth is more shocking than what they could ever have imagined. You know you’re going to love The Secrets We Hide … of course you are … it’s by Karin Slaughter. HarperCollinsPublishers
This could well be Lisa Jewell’s best thriller yet. And they’ve all been spectacular. It Could Have Been Her takes dysfunctional families to a whole new, terrifying level. It starts off slowly, and the tension just ramps up page by page, until the last horrifying twist. If you like heart stopping reads, don’t miss this one! Penguin
A young bride. A wealthy husband. A honeymoon on the Amalfi Coast … a month of dazzling blue seas and boat rides and cocktails. Bliss. Until a note is slipped under the door of their luxurious honeymoon suite … He’s lying to you. Is the gorgeous groom not who he says he is? The Honeymoon Suite by Rebecca Taylor McKay is a glamorous thriller … mixing a luxury lifestyle with twisted danger. Renegade
First love. You never forget it. And for Verity and Monk, that runs true. Now, a decade after their disastrous breakup, they must work together on the set of an epic biopic. With Monk a world-class musician creating the score, Verity an award-winning screenwriter, writing the script, there’s an Oscar buzz before shooting even begins. And it’s not the only thing buzzing when the two meet again, in Score by Kennedy Ryan. Piatkus
These, and more fab reads, from Exclusive Books.
