This month there have been two compelling crime reads in particular which have left me sleep deprived and bleary eyed. I enjoyed these two riveting thrillers so much, I chose to sacrifice precious sleep in order to finish them in one sitting. The first is the 20th book in the long running and always excellent Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly and the second is an unexpected debut from actress Krysten Ritter!
So if you’re looking for some addictive page-turners to keep you up all night, look no further!
Reviews by Sarah McDuling
Two Kinds of Truth
by Michael Connelly
Bosch is back!
Two Kinds of Truth is the 20th book in the Harry Bosch series and it’s exactly the kind of book I have come to expect from Michael Connelly – i.e. a pitch perfect, utterly gripping, superbly paced, cleverly plotted thriller that kept me up all night, determined to stay awake until I reached the end.
It takes real talent to keep a series running for so long without losing momentum. After 20 books, you might reasonably expect a series to be getting stale but if anything the Harry Bosch series gets better and better with each new instalment. And each new book somehow manages to make me love Harry Bosch even more!
In this latest book, we find a world-weary and weathered Bosch working as a volunteer cold case detective for the San Fernando Police Department after three years away from the LAPD. Drawn into an investigation of one of his old cases, Bosch must find a way to clear himself from accusations of planting evidence and ensure that a convicted killer remains behind bars. Luckily he gets some help from his half-brother Mickey Haller (The Lincoln Lawyer).
Meanwhile, at the same time Bosch is drawn into an investigation with the DEA involving a prescription drug dealing scheme which inevitably leads him into a whole world of trouble. And so we get to follow our favourite lone wolf hero as he hunts down the truth with his usual style of dogged determination.
This is a great new addition to one of my favourite long-running series and is bound to please all the Bosch fans out there. After the launch of his new series earlier this year with The Late Show, Michael Connelly has spoiled us again with yet another top-notch, wholly engrossing thriller. Learn More.
Bonfire
by Krysten Ritter
I really can’t get enough of mystery thrillers featuring a protagonist with personal demons, returning to their hometown to investigate a crime and in the process confronting the ghosts of the past and uncovering long buried secrets. This is a setup that really works for me. I loved it in Jane Harper’s The Dry and I love it here with Krysten Ritter’s gripping debut, Bonfire.
For those who may be unfamiliar with Krysten Ritter, she is one of my favorite actors. She played Gia Goodman in Veronica Mars (a must-see show for fans of noir detective stories and wise-cracking female investigators). She also starred in the short-lived but super hilarious sitcom Don’t Trust the B___ in Apartment 23 and is probably best known for playing the lead role in Jessica Jones – a badass private investigator with super strength, a troubled past and some major anger management issues.
It’s always a gamble when an actor or musician writes a book. You can never be sure what to expect. Usually expectations start out low, but I’m such a big fan of Krysten Ritter’s work as an actress that I picked up Bonfire with pretty high expectations. And I’m pleased to say, those expectations were more than fulfilled!
Bonfire is a captivating read from start to finish. Main character Abby Williams is an environmental lawyer who must return to her small Indiana hometown to investigate Optimal Plastics – a large corporation that forms the economic backbone of the town.
Abby left home 10 years ago and has never looked back. A victim of bullying, she does not retain fond memories of her childhood and is reluctant to return to the town where she grew up. As it turns out, her investigation into Optimal Plastics is connected to the unsolved disappearance of Kaycee Mitchell – the “mean girl” who made Abby’s life so difficult in high school. Becoming more and more obsessed with uncovering the truth of what happened 10 years ago, Abby is forced to face the trauma of her past with dramatic consequences.
Bonfire is an impressive debut and an enthralling read. The characters are well-drawn and compelling, the atmosphere is fraught with tension, and the plot unfolds in a carefully measured pace that kept me thoroughly engaged from the first page. Really, I don’t think it’s fair for a person to be a talented actor and then turn around and write such an addictive book! I’m not complaining though, and I look forward to reading more from Krysten Ritter in the future. Learn More.
About the Contributor
Sarah McDuling
Sarah McDuling is Booktopia's Category Manager for Children's and Young Adult Books. She has been in the bookselling game for almost a decade and a dedicated booklover since birth (potentially longer). At her happiest when reading a book, Sarah also enjoys talking/writing/tweeting about books. In her spare time, she often likes to buy a lot of books and take photographs of books. You can follow her on Twitter and Instragram @sarahmcduling
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