Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka

On January 21, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn English Translation, Thriller2 Comments

Publisher: Harvill Secker (Trade Paperback – 12 November 2025)

English Translation: Brian Bergstrom

Series: Hitman – Book Four

Length: 291 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

One of Japan’s most entertaining thriller authors, Kotaro Isaka, presents a great new entry in his shared crime fiction universe, with the wonderfully unhinged and entertaining Hotel Lucky Seven.

Kotaro Isaka is an amazing author who has dominated the Japanese crime fiction scene for years, thanks to his amazing and over-the-top thrillers that are filled with distinctive characters and entertaining narratives. In recent years, Isaka has gained more of a Western following as several of his books have been translated and released in English. This includes his best-known novel, Bullet Train, which was adapted into a particularly entertaining film with Brad Pitt a couple of years ago. While I loved the film, I am also a major fan of the original Bullet Train novel, which is very different from its adaptation in its own awesome way. Having really enjoyed Bullet Train when it came out, I’ve tried to read the other translated Isaka novels that have come out in his Hitman series, including the cool prequel novel Three Assassins. While I did miss out on The Mantis, I made sure to grab a copy of Isaka’s latest book, Hotel Lucky Seven (released in Japan under the title 777). Serving as a direct sequel to Bullet Train, Hotel Lucky Seven follows the terminally unlucky assassin Nanao, as he finds himself in a whole new mess.

Plot Synopsis:

A luxury hotel full of assassins – what could go wrong?

Nanao ‘the unluckiest assassin in the world’ has been hired to deliver a birthday present to a guest at a luxury Tokyo Hotel. It seems like a simple assignment but by the time he leaves the guest’s room one man is dead and more will soon follow. As events spiral out of control as it becomes clear several different killers, with varying missions, are all taking a stay in the hotel at the same time. And they’re all particularly interested in a young woman with a photographic memory, hiding out on one of the twenty floors.

Will Nanao find the truth about what’s going on? And will he check out alive?

In this original, gripping and inventive follow-up to the international bestseller Bullet Train, Kotaro Isaka demonstrates his unparalleled gift for unique characters and unexpected twists.

Hotel Lucky Seven was another very impressive outing from Isaka, as he once again wows with his outrageous array of assassins, fighting for their lives amongst a complex conspiracy narrative. Slick, relentlessly entertaining and very addictive, Hotel Lucky Seven was an amazing read, and one that I powered through in less than a day.

Isaka created another very fun over-the-top story for Hotel Lucky Seven that quickly drags you in with its fantastic action. Initially focusing on the main protagonist, Nanao, who has only recently recovered from his near-death experience on the deadly bullet train, the book sees the constantly unlucky character enter a hotel for a routine delivery, only to find himself in the middle of another quickly deteriorating situation. Forced to kill someone while delivering a birthday present, Nanao soon find himself drawn into a larger confrontation involving Kamino, a young woman with an impressive memory, who is trying to escape her underworld boss. Having accidently killed or incapacitated Kamino’s bodyguards while trying to flee the hotel to save his handler, Nanao soon finds himself reluctantly helping Kamino contend with a band of assassins known as the Six. This proves to be a great central focus for Lucky Seven, which Isaka further enhances with intriguing chapters focused on other amusing characters like the killer team of Pillow and Blanket, two effective body removalists who are stalking the halls of the hotel on their own mission, as well as some interesting interludes around a famous politician in the restaurant who is being interviewed by an ambitious reporter.

These interlocking storylines come together nicely as the book continue, and I liked how well the various chapters flowed into each other. Isaka keeps loading up the action as Nanao uses his unlikely combat skills against the various members of the slowly dwindling six as he desperately tries to escape the hotel. After some very entertaining antics, as well as a couple of over-the-top deaths, the author sets up for the big conclusion, with the surviving characters coming together for a big confrontation. While the story had been very fun, if relatively straightforward, up to this point, Isaka throws in an excellent twist that makes you re-evaluate the rest of the book. There was a ton of great build-up throughout the entire story, with your perspective of one character completely changing in the best ways. This really enhanced the overall impact of the entire story, and I came away very satisfied and intrigued by this impressive piece of Japanese fiction.

I really enjoyed the great style that Isaka utilised in Hotel Lucky Seven, which is reminiscent of the rest of the books in his Hitman series. Made up of fast-paced chapters that switch between the several main characters, Isaka moves his exciting story along very effectively, quickly grabbing the reader’s attention with his complex characters, entertaining action, and great humour. Serving as both an enjoyable sequel to Bullet Train and a fun standalone crime thriller, this is a very accessible novel for any reader to get into, even with its subtle yet noticeable Japanese aesthetics. Indeed, I felt that Hotel Lucky Seven had more of a certain cinematic edge than Isaka’s previous novels, no doubt a result of the success he had with the Bullet Train film, and this help to make this book a lot easier to appreciate for new readers. It also helped that some of the characters, such as killers known as the Six, would be fun to cast in a film adaptation, and the over-the-top figures terrorising a hotel with blowguns were particularly fun.

Speaking of awesome characters, I personally loved seeing the return of the unlucky killer Nanao, who was the best part of the original Bullet Train novel (where his role was a little less central than Brad Pitt’s in the film). Serving much more a central role in this sequel, Nanao was the heart-and-soul of Hotel Lucky Seven, and it was very fun to see him continue to get in trouble while trying to do the right thing. The rest of the characters are a little more serious, well as serious as people living in a world of killers can be, and I liked the certain philosophical edge that several of them had when it comes to their actions, especially the fun killer duo of Pillow and Blanket. Throw in a couple of interesting additional villains, none of whom are really what they seem and who benefit from some layered backstories and misdirection with their intentions. This extremely unique cast really fit the light-hearted vibe that Isaka loaded this excellent thriller with, and I had a wonderful time seeing their murderous antics and complex interactions unfold.

Overall, I had a wonderful time with Hotel Lucky Seven, which was one of the more entertaining and compelling thrillers I read last year. A very worthy sequel to Bullet Train, Hotel Lucky Seven was another incredible read from Kotaro Isaka that will keep you hooked right to end with his awesome action, brilliant humour and fantastic storytelling. It honestly will be interesting to see if Hotel Lucky Seven gets a film adaptation at some point, which honestly could turn into something very fun if they get a good cast for it.

Amazon

Quick Review – Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon

On January 21, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Quick Review, Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: Century (Trade Paperback – 14 October 2025)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 340 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Amazon

The unique writing team of acclaimed author Harlan Coben and world-famous actress Reese Witherspoon present a compelling and very exciting thriller, with Gone Before Goodbye.

Gone Before Goodbye was a very interesting read, that caught my attention when it was first announced thanks to the combination of it being Reese Witherspoon’s debut novel, and my previous experiences with the always impressive Harlan Coben. I have had a great time with some of Coben’s previous novels, including I Will Find You, Think Twice and Nobody’s Fool, so I was very curious to see how this book turned out.

Plot Synopsis:

Maggie McCabe is teetering on the brink.

A highly skilled and renowned Army combat surgeon, she has always lived life at the edge, where she could make the most impact. And it was all going to plan … until it wasn’t.

Upside down after a devastating series of tragedies leads to her medical license being revoked, Maggie has lost her purpose, but not her nerve or her passion. At her lowest point, she is thrown a lifeline by a former colleague, an elite plastic surgeon whose anonymous clientele demand the best care money can buy, as well as absolute discretion.

Halfway across the globe, sequestered in the lap of luxury and cutting-edge technology, one of the world’s most mysterious men requires unconventional medical assistance. Desperate, and one of the few surgeons in the world skilled enough to take this job, Maggie enters his realm of unspeakable opulence and fulfills her end of the agreement.

But when the patient suddenly disappears while still under her care, Maggie must become a fugitive herself—or she will be the next one who is … Gone Before Goodbye

Gone Before Goodbye proved to be an exciting and enjoyably fast-paced read that drags you in quickly thanks to its unique plot, multiple twists and compelling medical focus. Starting off with some good introductions to the key characters and highly damaged protagonist, you are soon drawn into the damaged life of Maggie and the mysterious job she chooses to accept. After some useful exposition sequences in the hidden Russian compound that help to highlight how far the protagonist is out of her depth, things inevitably go downhill, and Maggie is forced to flee with the help of some unexpected allies.

What follows is a quick paced sequence of events across the world as Maggie and her family attempt to uncover the dark conspiracy that has been woven around them. The authors do a good job of tying the current events of the book into Maggie’s complex past, including the death of her husband and their controversial medical company, and the various threads come together nicely as Gone Before Goodbye nears it ends, with lots of action and character growth thrown in for good measure. The dramatic conclusion wraps things up nicely, and I especially loved the fantastic final twist, which was a particularly dark, but clever, way to end this entire novel.

This book comes together quite nicely, and you can really see the interesting combination of styles between Coben and Witherspoon here. The fast-paced, character-focused storytelling, loaded with sudden twists, thrilling action and complex dramatic moments is classic Coben, who endeavours to quickly grab the reader’s attention and hook them early. On the other hand, the inclusion of a strong military doctor protagonist is clearly Witherspoon referencing her parents, and I liked how this new author utilised something close to her and her family in her very first novel. The resulting medical scenes are some of the best parts of the book, especially as the authors endeavoured to provide some detailed realism to the resulting sequences, and I enjoyed how they tied into Gone Before Goodbye’s larger narrative.

Gone Before Goodbye is further enhanced by some excellent and distinctive characters, including the damaged protagonist, some fun villainous figures, and the very entertaining biker character Porkchop, Maggie’s father-in-law who steals the show with every scene he’s in. I did think that Gone Before Goodbye did come off a little too cinematic at times, and you can tell that the authors are thinking ahead to the inevitable television adaptation, especially with memorable characters like Porkchop. Still, this cinematic forethought doesn’t take the reader too much out of the story, and the resulting book is a compelling thriller that is a lot of fun to get through.

The team of Harlan Coben and the debuting Reese Witherspoon’s first outing was an amazing success as Gone Before Goodbye was an entertaining and captivating thriller read that will appeal to a lot of readers. Clever, twisty and filled with some great characters, Gone Before Goodbye was a ton of fun to get through, and I cannot wait to see what both authors have to write going forward, either by themselves or as a very distinctive team.

Amazon

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

On January 18, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: Doubleday (Trade Paperback – 2 December 2025)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 275 pages

Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Amazon

First-time author Marisa Kashino provides one of the more entertaining and devious debuts of 2025, with the wonderfully twisted and deeply addictive novel Best Offer Wins.

Plot Synopsis:

How far would you go to get the perfect home?

There was a time when Margo thought she knew. But that was before a soul-destroying eighteen months of house-hunting hell.

Now she’s not sure. Her life, her marriage, her family, her career are dangerously out of control and all she needs is a new home to get them all back on track.

So when the ideal house comes up, desperate measures are called for. A little online stalking. Some sneaky surveillance of the property in question. Befriending the owner. All reasonable enough, right?

But soon it’s clear that nothing is off limits, because when your best offer might not win, then you just need to do what it takes…

Best Offer Wins was an outstanding and captivating debut novel that dives into a very relatable topic in the most insane way possible. Perfectly encapsulating the dark side of desire and desperation, Best Offer Wins was an impressive first outing from Kashino, who crafted an excellent thriller narrative that is both twisted and hilarious in equal measure.

I loved the crazy crime fiction story that Kashino envisioned for Best Offer Wins, which keeps pushing its delightfully deranged protagonist over the edge and dragging the reader along. The book starts off quick and fast with a great introduction to main character Margo, and you are soon drawn into her desperate desire to break into Washington D. C.’s housing market. Finding the perfect house, Margo attempts to ingratiate herself with its current owners, only to face backlash and humiliation when her scheme is revealed. Still desperate to obtain the house, Margo takes her obsession to the new level and soon embarks on a campaign to find dirt on the current owners and force them to sell to her.

Kashino paints a fantastic picture of the protagonist’s overwhelming obsession at this point of the book, as her need to have the house and the perfect life it represents pushes her to take greater risks to get what she wants. You honestly don’t know just how far Margo will go, as she manipulates, lies and even resorts to blackmail to get what she wants. Things continue to further devolve as, after finding out some damaging truths, she decides to go all in to get her way, which has devastating results for everyone around her. I loved how this final third of Best Offer Wins comes together in a way which is so fantastically over-the-top and crazy. While I did see the shape of Best Offer Wins’ big twist in advance, getting there is so damn fun, as is the full extent of the protagonist’s plot. I really loved how well Kashino wrapped her compelling book up, especially as she leaves the book on an excellent dark note, and readers will come away very satisfied and entertained by the entire outrageous narrative.

I have to say that I was really impressed with Kashino’s writing ability in Best Offer Wins, considering that this was her very first book. The author debuted a crisp and engaging style in this novel, expertly utilising the first-person perspective of her slowly deteriorating protagonist to fully tell her tale. The author cleverly makes obsession and desperation the central themes for Best Offer Wins, which works as they are so relatable to the reader through the housing market aspect of the novel. I’m sure I’m not the only reader that struggled with house hunting in recent years, and while I personally never resorted to murder or blackmail (I can’t speak for my wife/editor though), the feelings of despair and loss that accompanied missing out on a house your heart is set on were very understandable. Utilising the emotions behind this real-world issue in the plot and then turning it into a fast-paced and relentlessly entertaining novel that keeps you constantly on the edge of your seat thanks to perfectly escalating series of events really showcased Kashino’s excellent writing talent, and the resulting narrative was something very special. I can think of a better way to highlight just how well written this book is than to reveal that I read it in one solid reading session, as there was honestly not a single moment when I wanted to put Best Offer Wins down.

I can’t move away from discussing how good Best Offer Wins was without mentioning the main character, Margo, who was simultaneously one of the most entertaining and most despicable protagonists of 2025. Starting off as a seemingly normal figure whose early unusual quirks and behaviours can be explained away by her depression over the housing market, you soon begin to realise that Margo really isn’t a good person. Not only does she quickly start pushing the boundaries of social norms when it comes to getting her dream house, but thanks to her narration of events you realise how little she thinks of the people around her. Her casual self-discussion about how she manipulates her husband and the clear distain she has for the other people in her life is very off-putting, and even some intriguing insights into her troubled childhood that explain her obsessions really don’t raise too much sympathy for the reader. Despite this, there is never a single moment where you consider turning away from Margo’s story, mainly because of just how entertaining she is, and due to how far she is willing to take things, uncaring of the impact it has on those around her. Margo’s story is essentially a slow-motion trainwreck, and you really can’t turn away as she goes further and further to get the house she wants. However, as you near the end of the book you begin to realise just how calculating and targeted the protagonist truly is, as Margo soon gets everything she wants in a particularly diabolic manner. I had such a brilliant time following Margo in this novel, and Kashino did an amazing job writing an outstanding story around this complex and twisted protagonist.

Overall, I felt that Best Offer Wins was a particularly incredible debut thriller from Marisa Kashino, who delivered something particularly special here. Combining a twisted narrative with a topic a lot of people are going to have strong feelings about; Best Offer Wins was a highly entertaining and powerful read from start to finish. Compelling, clever, and very deranged, Best Offer Wins hooked me so damn fast, and I cannot recommend this novel enough.

Amazon

Waiting on Wednesday – Paradox by Douglas Preston and Aletheia Preston

On January 17, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Science Fiction, Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday1 Comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an outstanding upcoming thriller filled with weird science and outrageous themes with the very cool sounding Paradox by the father/daughter team of Douglas and Aletheia Preston

Amazon

Back in 2024 I had the very great pleasure of reading my very first novel from Douglas Preston with the outstanding novel Extinction. A fantastic thriller that saw two very different cops try to solve a bloody disappearance that took place in an exclusive mountain resort filled with genetically modified clones of mammoths and other pre-historic creatures, Extinction was a very fun book packed full of over-the-top twists and some very chaotic moments. Thanks to Preston’s impressive and action-packed story, that featured murderous neanderthal clones amongst other entertaining moments, Extinction proved to be an extremely captivating and addictive read that I powered through so very quickly.

The awesome and frankly insane Extinction made me a big fan of Preston, and I’ve been trying out some of his other cool releases, including the amazing thriller Badlands, that Preston wrote with his long-time collaborator Lincoln Child. However, I’ve always been curious to see if the somewhat open-ended narrative of Extinction could be expanded on, especially with the murderous neanderthals now out in the wild, filled with vengeful thoughts about homo sapiens destroying their species. Well it turns out that Preston was also curious to see where his story to go, as we have a sequel to Extinction coming out soon with the very intriguing sounding Paradox.

Serving as the second book in the Cash & Colcord series, Paradox will see Preston bring on his daughter Aletheia as a writing partner, as he follows the protagonists from the first book into a new investigation, while the genetic consequences of the first book continue to lurk in the shadows. I love the sound of this awesome sequel, and if it is anywhere near as epic and excessive as the first book in the series was, then I know I’m going to love it. As such, I have very high hopes for Paradox, and I feel like it is going to be a particularly enjoyable read.

Plot Synopsis:

The new powerhouse team of Douglas Preston & Aletheia Preston are joining together to “enter the world” of the New York Times bestselling Extinction.

One of the holiest relics in Christendom, inexplicably defaced…

A paranoid old prospector, ritualistically murdered…

A controversial exobiologist, tortured and dismembered…

When a reclusive man is found dead under grisly circumstances in the Colorado wilderness, CBI Agent Frankie Cash and Eagle County Sheriff Jim Colcord, whom we met in the New York Times bestseller, Extinction, team up again on their most enigmatic and dangerous case yet. Their investigation uncovers a trail of bizarre killings, baffling money transfers, and a fanatical secret society.

And all the while, the resurrected Neanderthals, who vanished into the Colorado mountains, seem to be biding their time for something…spectacular.

The Final Vow by M. W. Craven

On January 11, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn ThrillerLeave a comment

Publisher: Constable (Trade Paperback – 12 August 2025)

Series: Washington Poe – Book Seven

Length: 390 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Amazon

One of world’s most outrageous and entertaining thriller writers, M. W. Craven, continues one of his best series in impressive fashion with The Final Vow, a captivating and highly addictive novel that I couldn’t get enough of.

M. W. Craven is an outstanding author who has written a truly interesting array of thrillers throughout his career. This includes his original Avison Fluke series, as well as the great action-focused Ben Koenig series, the latter of which I have deeply enjoyed in recent years thanks to amazing books like Fearless and Nobody’s Hero. However, his main body of work is his excellent Washington Poe series that started back in 2018 with The Puppet Show. Following a grumpy but skilled detective who gets partnered with a brilliant prodigy to solve the country’s most complex crimes, the Washington Poe novels are quite exceptional. I personally fell in love with the series when I read the dark and intense novel, The Mercy Chair. A particularly clever read loaded with an overabundance of well-thought-out twists, The Mercy Chair was an exceptional read, and it ended up being one of my favourite books of 2024. As such, I have been quite eager to continue the Washington Poe books, and the seventh entry in the series, The Final Vow, was one of my most anticipated books of 2025.

The people of England are living in a constant state of terror. A murderous sniper is stalking the nation, shooting people at random and leaving no evidence behind. This brutal shooter has so far killed over a dozen people throughout various parts of the country, never missing and always killing those who least expect it. With the entire population locked down and hiding in their homes, the police and government are so desperate for results that they turn to the unconventional team of Detective Sergeant Washington Poe and his genius partner Tilly Bradshaw.

After their last major case saw Poe reassigned to the worst position in UK law enforcement, and Bradshaw snapped up by the country’s intelligence services, the two seem like an unlikely choice to save the day. But with the help of their squad leader, Detective Chief Inspector Stephanie Flynn, there is no duo who stands a better chance of finding a killer who seems to strike completely at random.

However, as Poe and Bradshaw begin their investigation, they find themselves tracking a particularly skilled and deadly killer seemingly capable of countering all their moves. Forced to rely on unconventional methods and Bradshaw’s out-of-the-box conclusions, the duo soon finds themselves narrowing in on the shooter and identifying his sinister motives. But identifying the killer and capturing him are two very different things, and if they want to take him down, Poe knows he’ll have to make things personal, no matter what it costs him.

Craven continues to showcase why he is one of the world’s best rising thriller authors, as The Final Vow was a particularly powerful and impressive read that I had such a brilliant time with. Featuring a deeply compelling story, loaded with unique characters, complex motivations, and fitted with the author’s slick humour, The Final Vow was an incredible read from start to finish. I flew through this book in less than a day, it was that damn good, and I’m still thinking about its cool twists and reveals.

The Final Vow proved to be an extremely entertaining read, and it had one of the more unique and memorable thriller narratives of 2025. Starting off with a dark hint of events to come, Craven soon perfectly sets the terrifying scene for the novel, with the country shuttered by fear thanks to a deadly sniper. With the government desperate to stop the killing, they reluctantly bring back Detective Sergeant Washington Poe, whose reintroduction here was particularly entertaining and does a good job highlighting his unorthodox style. Once again teaming up with anti-social genius Tilly Bradshaw, Poe and his other police colleagues begin their unique investigation into the crime. Using some very interesting tactics while the body count from the sniper continues to rise, Poe and Bradshaw are soon able to determine the killer’s focus, which allows them to identify who the shooter is. However, uncovering their target’s skills, background and outrageously over-the-top motive completely changes the entire story, and forces the protagonists into a particularly deadly hunt.

Craven keeps up the intensity and complexity of the plot into the second half of The Final Vow, as Poe uses his new information to try and find the killer. However, after some very tense scenes and some surprising tragedy, Poe decides on a risky gambit, and makes the killer very angry by publicly humiliating him in a glorious scene. This results in an interesting final third of The Final Vow, which goes in some dark directions, while also setting up for a big final confrontation. I must admit that while I did enjoy how this final third of the book came about, I saw the author’s big twist coming from a mile away, which removed a lot of the emotional impact Craven was hoping for. Still, it was very entertaining and compelling to see this twist play out the way it did, especially as Craven also utilised an extended sequence showcasing the background behind the twist. While this behind-the-scenes section of The Final Vow is a little self-indulgent, it does provide some interesting context and entertaining character interactions, while also showcasing how easy it is to control public perception. This leads up to a heartfelt final sequence of the book, which is a nice reward after the very dark narrative that makes up most of The Final Vow, and readers will come away from this book very entertained and extremely satisfied.

The Final Vow proved to be another awesome read from Craven, who manages to ensure that this book is somehow simultaneously dark and thrilling while also being highly entertaining and a little light-hearted. The entire set-up for The Final Vow is extremely shocking, with a calculating sniper killing seemingly at random, and creating a palpable atmosphere of fear across the entire country. The tension and terror that inhabit the scenes where the killer strikes are quite exceptional, as is the impact his shots have on the witnesses and the public. However, Craven matches this excellent tension with the outrageous and over-the-top, both in the actions of the protagonists and in the crazy motivation of the antagonist, which alters much of The Final Vow’s underlying feel, turning it into quite a zany book at times. This underlying lightness does disappear at key moments, especially when the antagonist strikes at the main character’s heart, and there are some dark sequences throughout that will keep the readers on the edge of their seats. Combine that with Craven’s constant fast-paced revelations, clever investigation elements and great character work, and The Final Vow turns into quite an addictive read where you never know what is going to happen next.

Despite being the seventh book in the Washington Poe series, The Final Vow works well as a standalone novel, which is how Craven generally intends his novels to be enjoyed. New readers can easily jump into The Final Vow with no prior knowledge of Craven’s previous works and still get swept up in his entertaining storytelling, and this is a very fun author to read for the first time. While a great standalone novel, established fans of Craven and this series will probably get a little more out of The Final Vow, mainly because those readers will have a little more knowledge of the damaged protagonists, and the established relationships that they have. Watching these character elements, especially between Poe and Tilly, continue in this new novel hit a little harder if you’re already familiar with it, especially during some of the darker moments of the plot. Craven also makes some compelling references to the previous novel in the series, The Mercy Chair, throughout The Final Vow, including the utilisation of a very distinctive character from this earlier book, who has a great Hannibal Lecter inspired role in the plot. I felt this character’s inclusion was very fun, and readers familiar with their interactions with Poe in The Mercy Chair will appreciate how they continue to be used here. Throw in the utilisation of a character from another one of the author’s series, and The Final Vow is a book that Craven fans are going to have a lot of fun with, while still appealing to a wider audience.

The characters of The Final Vow were also a great highlight of this novel, and I loved how entertaining and outrageous they are at times. The continued antics of maverick cop Washington Poe and his unlikely offsider and best friend Tilly Bradshaw result in most of the book’s fantastic humour, especially when the characters are forced to interact with police and characters unfamiliar with their style. However, I really do have to highlight the antagonist of The Final Vow as my favourite character of the book. The deadly sniper who has single-handedly terrorised England with their killings works well as a fantastic villain for Poe and Bradshaw, especially as you quickly become aware of how clever and deadly they are, and they prove to be a great equal to the protagonists. However, it is their underlying motivations that really showcase just how despicable they are as a villain. While I don’t want to give too much away here, as discovering their motivations is such a fantastic part of the experience of The Final Vow, the sheer pettiness behind their actions really goes to showcase just how twisted and dark they really are. Combine that with their desire for revenge at any perceived sleight, and the lengths they will go to destroy their opponent, and this killer truly is an outstanding villain for the narrative, who you can’t help but be impressed with. This great combination of wacky protagonists, an over-the-top antagonist, and an excellent collection of supporting characters, including some recurring figures from the previous books in the series, and The Final Vow’s cast added a lot to the overall impact of the book, and it is going to be interesting to see where some of these characters go next.

M. W. Craven continues to shine as one of the more inventive and entertaining thriller writers currently release awesome tales. His latest novel, The Final Vow, was a particularly fun and exciting read, that perfectly combines its tense and deadly narrative, with the fun antics of its outrageous cast. I powered through The Final Vow in no time at all, and this was such a great novel that will appeal to a wide range of readers. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next Washington Poe novel later this year, and I’m sure it’s going to be another exceptional read.

Amazon

Waiting on Wednesday – Redbelly Crossing by Candice Fox

On January 10, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday5 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this latest Waiting on Wednesday post, I check out an outstanding upcoming Australian crime fiction read with Redbelly Crossing by the always awesome Candice Fox.

Amazon

I’m always down for an epic crime fiction read from a talented local author, and few Australian authors have been as consistently impressive with their thrillers and murder mysteries then Candice Fox. Currently one of Australia’s top authors of the genre, Fox has been on a roll in recent years, providing a range of excellent novels, from complex American thrillers like The Chase, Devil’s Kitchen and Fire With Fire, to unique Australian outback thrillers such as High Wire. She has also continued her exciting partnership with the legendary James Patterson, with some recent releases including 2 Sisters Detective Agency, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations and The Murder Inn. All these books have been a ton of fun to get through, and I always make sure to keep an eye out for anything new from Fox, especially as it’s likely to be a guaranteed hit.

For 2026 it looks like Fox will be returning to Australian outback thriller fiction, with Redbelly Crossing, an intriguing, character-focused novel with a lot of interesting potential behind it. Set for release in late March 2026, Redbelly Crossing will follow two estranged cop brothers who are assigned to the same murder case in small-town, outback Australia. Fox looks set to combine a compelling mystery with some intense character moments, as these two damaged police protagonists are forced to work together. I cannot wait to see what dark family secrets and historical wounds are reopened as the story continues, and it should provide a particularly dramatic backdrop to an intriguing outback mystery. Combine that with Fox’s exciting and fast-paced writing style and Redbelly Crossing looks set to be a particularly awesome piece of Australian fiction coming out in early 2026, and it’s one I cannot wait to check out.

Plot Synopsis:

Blood is thicker than water. But too much leaves a trail . . .

Russell and Evan Powder are cops.

The brothers haven’t spoken for five years, since a violent confrontation tore their family apart.

Now they are both assigned to the murder of a young journalist, Chloe Lutz, in the small town of Redbelly Crossing (population 205).

It’s the last thing Russell wants. This is supposed to be the week he repairs things with his teenage daughter Bridie. Now he’s had to drag her on a murderous ride-along to the middle of snake-infested nowhere.

But a big case like this is just what Evan needs after a terrible mistake nearly tanked his career.

Then a dark discovery leaves Evan with only one way out; to bury the truth Russell is so determined to uncover …

The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly

On December 31, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Five-Star Books, Thriller2 Comments

Publisher: Allen & Unwin (Trade Paperback – 21 October 2025)

Series: Lincoln Lawyer – Book Eight

Length: 389 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

The always outstanding Michael Connelly continues to showcase his ability to hit all the crime fiction sub-genres with another wonderful and deeply compelling legal thriller, the new Lincoln Lawyer novel The Proving Ground.

2025 proved to be another outstanding year for acclaimed crime fiction author Michael Connelly, as he not only introduced a new protagonist in his fantastic novel Nightshade (one of my favourite books from the first half of 2025), but he also continued his very entertaining Lincoln Lawyer series with the amazing book, The Proving Ground. Entries in the Lincoln Lawyer series, which has previously featured such awesome books as The Law of Innocence and Resurrection Walk, are always a guaranteed fun read, and I was excited for The Proving Ground for a while, especially as it had a very intriguing plot.

Plot Synopsis:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly, the Lincoln Lawyer is back with a case against an AI company whose product may have been responsible for the murder of a young girl.

Mickey Haller has moved from criminal to civil court, but murder remains in his sights—in particular, the case of a chatbot encouraging the killing of a teenage girl.

Mickey files a civil lawsuit against the artificial intelligence company responsible for the chatbot and instantly finds himself on the wild frontier of the billion-dollar AI industry. Grappling with a terrifying lack of regulation and data overload, Haller partners with journalist Jack McEvoy. But they are up against mega-forces, and even the bravest whistleblower faces grave danger.

In 1997, IBM’s Deep Blue defeated chess master Garry Kasparov with an unexpected gambit. In a Herculean new match of man vs machine, can Haller pull off a winning play for humanity?

The Proving Ground was a very impressive new novel from Connelly that cleverly set his most entertaining protagonist against a complex real-world issue. Featuring an intense and extremely thought-provoking narrative, The Proving Ground was an addictive read, and I easily got swept up in Connelly’s latest captivating tale.

Connelly pulled together an excellent and clever narrative for The Proving Ground, which quickly throws readers into the legal action and ensures you become engulfed in the complex case. Starting off in the early stages of the case, the author soon introduces you to the latest lawsuit protagonist Mickey Haller is engaged in, suing a major artificial intelligence company, for the encouraging actions of its teenage-focused chatbot. From there you watch as Mickey and his team, which now also features another major Connelly protagonist, Jack McEvoy (from The Poet, The Scarecrow and Fair Warning), attempt to pull together a suitable case of culpability against the company. At the same time, Haller continues to try and find redemption by getting a dying former client released from prison. There is also a dive into the protagonist’s personal life, with a returning love interest once again causing drama in his life after a major real-world natural disaster.

The main plot moves at a fast pace as it focuses on the case, with Mickey dealing with various pitfalls, traps and the machinations of his opponents to try and win the trial. Connelly keeps the intensity of these proceedings at a high boil the entire way through the book, and there is barely a slow moment in The Proving Ground as the protagonist utilises his trademark tricks, unique arguments and clever legal surprises to make ground. The personal nature of the case, as well as the dark implications around AI, make for very dramatic reading, and I honestly could not stop reading The Proving Ground at times, as I was very eager to see how everything came together. Connelly also got the balance right between the main case, and the side stories, with the primary focus on the AI trial proving to be a real winner. Everything comes to a very dramatic head towards the end of the novel where, after the near destruction of Haller’s case, the protagonist engages in his final clever gambit. I really loved how this main trial came together, and while it did end a little too suddenly, I appreciated that Connelly was trying to show some realism in how these sorts of legal cases usually go. I also do think that Connelly could have ditched out the secondary storyline in The Proving Ground, but the attempt to show Haller’s continued growth did ensure it had its place. Overall, this was quite a strong story, and I felt that The Proving Ground was an especially clever addition to the Lincoln Lawyer series.

I quite enjoyed how The Proving Ground came together, and Connelly worked hard to keep the book as captivating and emotionally charged as possible. Featuring a particularly compelling central legal case that dives into a major real-world concern, The Proving Ground was an interesting transition away from the criminal cases that the Lincoln Lawyer series is known for. Indeed, at times The Proving Ground felt more like a legal drama rather than a legal thriller, as there was lack of traditional criminals and high-stakes police elements that Connelly has previously featured. Still, this was very much a highly exciting read, especially in the multiple cleverly constructed courtroom sequences, where the alternating legal strategies, arguments and growing antagonism between the rival lawyers, really dragged in the readers. The excellent central focus on Haller as the first-person perspective protagonist added to the thrill of the plot, as you were constantly there when Haller encountered the many swerves and twists that defined the case. While the tone of The Proving Ground was mostly serious, Connelly did add in some fantastic bursts of humour, which helped to remind the reader that this was a Lincoln Lawyer novel. Much of this involved the over-the-top reactions that Haller’s opponents had to the protagonist’s strategies, but I also chuckled at some fantastic references and clever jokes added in throughout the book, especially those related to AI. This ended up being an accessible standalone novel that will appeal both to general legal thriller enthusiasts, as well as established fans of Connelly, and I think most readers are going to have an outstanding time with this book.

One of my favourite aspects of The Proving Ground was the way that Connelly so effectively and cleverly examined and showcased real-world issues. This primarily involves the central element of artificial intelligence, which the author uses to increase the stakes of the plot and ensure that readers are educated about a complex subject likely to impact them in the future, if it hasn’t already done so. As part of this, Connelly dives into the whole concept of AI and its potential role in society in a notably detailed manner, examining its applications, its potential for harm, and how it will likely change the way people think and interact in the future. This was a very well-balanced and thought-provoking look at a subject many people are worried in real life, and I felt that Connelly did an exceptional job examining it through a contemporary lens in this book. Many of the conclusions about the potential for AI to be abused if not carefully regulated and tailored to its intended audiences was quite troubling, and the reader comes away really thinking about how AI is being used and where it could go from here.

Connelly also takes the opportunity with The Proving Ground to dive into some more recent world issues, notably those occurring in America. The use of Los Angeles as the author’s preferred setting helped with this immensely, and there were some very interesting looks at how the city started to change in 2025. The wildfires that hit the city early this year come into play in a big way during The Proving Ground, especially for some of the secondary storylines, and Connelly tried to capture the authentic fear, anger and despair that these events would have on people caught up in them. This compelling dive into real-world events greatly enhanced the plot of The Proving Ground, and I was very impressed with how Connelly utilised them and portrayed them with his amazing writing.

The final element of The Proving Ground that I want to highlight is the great characters, who Connelly expertly writes and utilises in his compelling story. Most prominent of these is the main point-of-view protagonist, Mickey Haller, whose continues to try to move away from the grubby world of criminal defence by focusing his practice on helping those in need. This redemptive phase of Haller has been ongoing for the last couple of Lincoln Lawyer books, and I’ve enjoyed the character’s attempt at growth in his work, especially as it seems to confuse many of the other characters Haller interacts with, especially his legal opponents. Haller’s attempts to also make up for the mistakes of his past, both in his relationships and his previous defeats, were also well explored in some of The Proving Ground’s secondary storylines, and I very much enjoyed the direction that Connelly continues to take with his high-flying lawyer protagonist.

Aside from Haller, The Proving Ground also follows a compelling group of characters involved with the main case, including the recurring members of Haller’s legal team. While these characters aren’t explored as deeply in this novel as they are on the Netflix adaptation (an adaptation which is cheekily referred to in several books, including The Proving Ground), you still see some elements about how they are going and adapting to Haller’s change in legal clients and focus, with Cisco’s concerns about Haller not needing an investigator for his civil cases being a very interesting point. I also quite enjoyed how Connelly crossed over this novel with another one of his major protagonists by bringing in reporter Jack McEvoy as a major supporting character. McEvoy turned out to be an exceptional part of the book, especially as the concerns with AI really fit this character’s history of writing about controversial and potentially dangerous new technologies. The interaction between Haller and McEvoy, two characters Connelly has developed apart, felt very natural, and I liked how well he fit in as a member of Haller’s team. Throw in some other well-written and emotionally charged characters, including grieving parents, flawed and sometimes hostile witnesses, two entertainingly conniving antagonistic lawyers, and a particularly arrogant CEO, and the cast of The Proving Ground was quite exceptional, and you will love getting drawn into their personal struggles.

Michael Connelly produces another top crime fiction read with the wonderful and highly addictive legal novel, The Proving Ground. An impressive continuation of the always entertaining Lincoln Lawyer series, The Proving Ground was an incredible read, and one that comes very highly recommended. Due to how deeply compelling I found it, The Proving Ground gets a five-star rating from me, and I will be including it on my best of 2025 list later tonight.

Amazon

Waiting on Wednesday – Dark Sanctuary by Sarah Barrie

On December 27, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller4 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I check out an outstanding upcoming piece of Australian crime fiction with the intriguing thriller Dark Sanctuary by Sarah Barrie.

Over the past through years, one of my favourite Australian authors has been the impressive Sarah Barrie. An author of excellent and compelling crime fiction with some truly dark twists to them, Barrie successfully enthralled me through her Lexi Winter series. An excellent series, the Lexi Winter books followed a former vigilante hacker turned police officer as she attempts to bring down the worst criminals in Sydney, including the leader of a murderous paedophile ring who has a sinister connection to her. This great series started with the amazing read, Unforgiven (one of my favourite Australian books of 2021), and continued with the excellent follow-ups Retribution (one of my favourite Australian books of 2022), Vendetta (one of my favourite Australian books of 2023), and Endgame one of my favourite Australian books of 2024). All four books were quite exceptional, and it has made me very curious to see what sort of intense novel Barrie would write next.

Well, it looks like I’ll once again be able to enjoy the powerful and exciting writing of Barrie soon, as she has a new novel coming out in April 2026. This new novel, Dark Sanctuary, looks set to be a particularly compelling read, as Barrie will balance several complex and dark character arcs as part of an intriguing crime fiction read. I’m very curious to see how this awesome piece of Australian crime fiction comes together, especially as the awesome combination of storylines below has so much potential. I have no doubt that Dark Sanctuary is going to be a particularly gripping read, and it is one of the Australian books I am most keen to read in 2026.

Plot Synopsis:

A mother’s worst fear, a killer on the loose, a darkness visible… A gripping page-turner for readers of Candice Fox and Karen Slaughter from an award-winning author.

Sergeant ‘Hex’ Rexford is the detective who caught the infamous serial killer Dr. Witcherton. Now, with a series of gruesome murders unfolding inside Coast Sanctuary – a hospital for the criminally insane – Witcherton claims to know who’s behind them. Hex takes the case, determined to uncover the truth, even as his own body is failing him.

Beth Thompson is desperate to keep her children safe. Her violent ex is stalking her, her son’s behaviour is growing strange, and his beloved teddy bear, Theo, might be more than just a toy. When an elderly woman offers Beth a remote cottage, it feels like a chance to breathe – but safety is an illusion.

Meanwhile, true crime podcasters Eve and Zane are chasing the story of the murders. But as Eve edges closer to the truth, the danger closes in.

As past and present collide, and the body count rises, the threads connecting them all begin to tighten – and something terrifying is watching from the dark.

Never Flinch by Stephen King

On December 17, 2025December 17, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Murder Mystery, Thriller4 Comments

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton/Simon & Schuster Audio (Audiobook – 5 September 2023)

Series: Holly Gibney – Book Two

Length: 14 hours and 44 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Legendary author Stephen King continues to dominate the horror and crime fiction genres with his brilliant 2025 release, Never Flinch, a gripping and intense thriller that brings back one of his more unique protagonists and keeps the reader constantly on the edge of their seat.

Ever since I started reviewing a wider range of fiction on my blog, I have been really drawn to the works of iconic author Stephen King. King is a truly impressive author who has impacted so many levels of world fiction with his brilliant imagination, and I have had such an epic time getting through some of his latest novels. Highlights for me so far include the fun coming-of-age story Later, the clever fantasy novel Fairy Tale, the gripping and personal thriller Billy Summers (one of my favourite books of 2021), and the impressive short story collection You Like It Darker (one of my favourite books of 2024), just to name a few.

While I have loved some of these impressive and varied reads, some of my favourite recent Stephen King books have been those where King dives into the crime fiction genre, producing some complex and particularly powerful narrative, especially when his mysteries border on horror stories. The author’s current dive into the crime fiction genre mostly originated with his 2014 novel, Mr Mercedes. The first book in the author’s Bill Hodges series, Mr Mercedes was a fantastic read that saw a gritty detective attempt to stop a deranged killer haunting his town. While the Bill Hodges books featured several compelling characters, a true standout was unusual new protagonist, Holly Gibney. An initially timid and unsocial figure, Holly grew into a competent detective as the Bill Hodges books continued and was a true standout for this clever trilogy.

King enjoyed Gibney so much as a character that she was eventually brought back for several additional books. This included the horror thriller The Outsider (one of my favourite horror novels), where Holly is brought in halfway through the book’s plot to investigate a murder conclusively proven to be committed by a man with a perfect alibi. The Outsider was an exceptional read, and King soon upgraded Holly to a sole protagonist with his 2023 novel Holly. Featuring a particularly powerful and deeply shocking story, Holly saw the protagonist take on an unlikely pair of killers with a shocking motivation for committing their crimes. Holly ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023, and I am still very impressed with where that dark story went. As such, I have been very keen to read more books from Stephen King since then, and I was particularly thrilled when I found out that the author’s 2025 release was another Holly Gibney novel. This sequel, Never Flinch, was one of my most anticipated novels of 2025, and I have been meaning to write a review about it for a while now.

Plot Synopsis:

From master storyteller Stephen King comes an extraordinary new novel with intertwining storylines—one about a killer on a diabolical revenge mission, and another about a vigilante targeting a feminist celebrity speaker—featuring the beloved Holly Gibney and a dynamic new cast of characters.

When the Buckeye City Police Department receives a disturbing letter from a person threatening to “kill thirteen innocents and one guilty” in “an act of atonement for the needless death of an innocent man,” Detective Izzy Jaynes has no idea what to think. Are fourteen citizens about to be slaughtered in an unhinged act of retribution? As the investigation unfolds, Izzy realizes that the letter writer is deadly serious, and she turns to her friend Holly Gibney for help.

Meanwhile, controversial and outspoken women’s rights activist Kate McKay is embarking on a multi-state lecture tour, drawing packed venues of both fans and detractors. Someone who vehemently opposes Kate’s message of female empowerment is targeting her and disrupting her events. At first, no one is hurt, but the stalker is growing bolder, and Holly is hired to be Kate’s bodyguard—a challenging task with a headstrong employer and a determined adversary driven by wrath and his belief in his own righteousness.

Featuring a riveting cast of characters both old and new, including world-famous gospel singer Sista Bessie and an unforgettable villain addicted to murder, these twinned narratives converge in a chilling and spectacular conclusion—a feat of storytelling only Stephen King could pull off.

Thrilling, wildly fun, and outrageously engrossing, Never Flinch is one of King’s richest and most propulsive novels.

Honestly, how the heck is King still this damn good? Never Flinch was another exceptional novel from King, who continues to impress with his elaborate narratives, slick writing and relatable characters. Featuring a particularly clever crime fiction plot that keeps the readers on their toes to the very end, Never Flinch proved near impossible to put down at times, especially as King keeps amping up the intensity and the danger. Never Flinch gets a very easy five-star rating from me, and I’m already listed it as one of the top books and audiobooks from the first half of 2025.

King pulls together an awesome and compelling story for Never Flinch, that had me hooked very early on. Starting off on an interesting note as the reader is introduced the book’s antagonist, who goes by the nickname of Trig, you are soon thrown into his desperate ploy to murder 14 random people in Buckeye City to replicate the jury who put an innocent man in prison. Serving as a very impressive start to a great story, King soon expands the narrative further by examining the police investigation into these murders, and showing protagonist Holly Gibney’s initial interest in the case. From there the plot expands even further, as another dangerous killer starts to stalk a women’s rights activist, Kate McKay, and her assistant, and Holly is eventually hired to act as Kate’s bodyguard during the rest of her book tour. King does an excellent job building up all the details of this second case, while also following the growing murders in Buckeye City, and you are soon absorbed in both cases, especially when you witness all the perspectives involved with the two scenarios, including the book’s various antagonists. There are also some fun additional personal notes added to plot, as several compelling supporting characters, including recurring Holly Gibney cast members Jerome and Barbara Robinson, the later of whom builds a connection with famous gospel singer Sista Bessie, who is performing in Buckeye City.

The author keeps the pace of Never Flinch going strong and fast as you move into the story, with interesting storylines around Holly, the police, the antagonists, and other supporting characters. There was a real interesting mixture of storylines once King had everything set up, and I really loved the various compelling character arcs and elements as the plot continued. While some of the big twists about the antagonists aren’t too surprising and are revealed relatively early in the plot, you are still very drawn into their respective crusades, as well as the protagonists’ attempts to stop them. Everything comes together nicely in the second half of the book, where both cases, as well as the more personal storylines of Never Flinch, collide violently, and various characters are forced to fight for their lives. King provides an exceedingly tense final third to Never Flinch, which sees a blow-by-blow coverage of events leading up to a dramatic and bloody final confrontation. The alternating movements of all the participants in this case, including a deranged killer, several hostages and coerced individuals, as well as the protagonists desperately trying to save the day, produced so much tension, and you really cannot turn away until all the dramatic confrontations come to an end. I frankly powered through this final part of the book in one extended session, as I was so damn keen to see what happened next, and this ended up being an extremely satisfying ending to a really impressive book.

I really enjoy King’s great writing style when it comes to his captivating crime fiction novels, and he excels at creating tense and ultra-exciting reads, driven by multiple compelling character arcs. Never Flinch was an excellent example of this, as King produces a brilliant story that quickly grabs the reader’s attention and never slows down. Featuring slick, quickfire writing and very short chapters and subchapters, the story moves along at a very fast clip, and King effectively sets up the book’s compelling scenarios very effectively. The great array of alternating character perspectives, as well as several compelling flashbacks, really works to create a layered plot, and I loved the constant switch between the many characters. Showcasing several antagonist perspectives also helped to really increase tension, especially as you got to see their various plans in action. This writing style also helped to make Never Flinch feel a lot more accessible to new readers, and while established fans of the author will probably get more out of some of the character developments that occur in the novel, I felt that Never Flinch was a book that any fan of crime fiction could easily get into and have no trouble following at all.

King also experiments with some interesting themes in this novel, which added a lot to Never Flinch’s emotional impact, while also helping to highlight character flaws in the cast. This includes a very compelling look at addiction in all its forms, with a particular focus on how it drives people. While this includes a focus on more obvious addictions like drugs and alcohol, other major addictions come to light throughout the book, including Trig’s growing desire to kill, and Kate’s addiction for the spotlight and controversy. The examination of addiction served as a key part of the book’s plot, especially as it helps to explore some of the character’s motivations, and I felt that King was putting a lot of his own personal experiences into the book. King also spends a bit of time in Never Flinch examining mentorship, as several junior characters find themselves coming under the wing of older, seemingly wiser, people. While some of these relationships are quite positive, others, such as Kate and her assistant, come across as a little more toxic at times, especially when the mentor puts their own needs ahead of their student’s safety. I liked the interesting comparisons in the mentor/mentee relationships that formed throughout Never Flinch, and it was a very compelling addition to the plot.

As with most of King’s books, the true heart of Never Flinch lies in its compelling and often larger-than-life characters, who the author meticulously brings to life. The focus of this book is once again the quirky and silently talented Holly Gibney, a skilled investigator brought into the case by her own curiosity and a desire to help a prominent women’s rights activist. Holly serves as a dependable and likeable heart to the entire novel, and it was fascinating to watch her continue to battle her own lack of confidence and lingering social issues. Her continued growth as both an investigator and a person is an excellent part of this book, and it was great to see the various relationships she continues to cultivate.

These relationships for Holly result in an excellent cast of returning characters, including detective Isabelle ‘Izzy’ James, who has a much bigger role in this novel as the main police character in the story. Izzy’s official investigation serves as a good counterpart to Holly’s more general queries into the case, and her maverick personality, especially in the face of police politics, added some extra intrigue to Never Flinch. The other two major returning characters are siblings Jerome and Barbara Robinson, who have served as Holly’s backup and friends since Mr Mercedes. While Jerome was a great emotional support to Holly and had some key roles in this book, the standout supporting figure was Barbara, whose compelling side-plot about her work with Sista Bessie helped to make Never Flinch a little more hopeful in places, especially as King has been detailing Barbara’s artistic growth in response to the darkest of encounters for the last couple of books. Of course, as this is a Stephen King novel, this hopefulness often results in greater trauma down the line, as the author must ensure you are constantly worried that bad things are going to happen to the good people in Holly’s life. Throw in some other compelling supporting characters, including the radiant and soulful Sista Bessie, the bombastic feminist icon Kate McKay, and Corrie Anderson, Kate’s young assistant who finds herself in the firing line alongside her boss despite her best judgement, and there are a lot of interesting figures in Never Flinch who you become quite attached to.

While I love the main cast, another major highlight of Never Flinch is the complex antagonists who King effortlessly works into the plot. This includes a compelling stalker figure who is hunting after Kate and Corrie for their own religious reasons. An interesting character whose deeper issues are well exploited, this stalker was an interesting alternate antagonist for Holly in this novel, and I liked how their complex actions added some additional risk to the plot. However, the best villain was the serial killer stalking Buckeye City, determined to murder 14 people in response to an innocent man dying in jail. This killer, Trig, was a truly fascinating figure, with some unique motivations and quirks. King does an excellent job mostly obscuring Trig’s identity for much of the novel, while also showcasing many compelling scenes from his perspective as continues his murderous quest. The resulting slow-burn loss of Trig’s sanity as he becomes addicted to his dark work was a particularly sinister part of Never Flinch, and King excelled at showcasing this antagonist’s changing motivations and plans. These outstanding villains served as an impressive counterpart to the main cast, and I felt that Trig was King’s best character in Never Flinch.

While I received copies of Never Flinch on a few different formats, I decided in the end to try out the audiobook version of this novel, especially after having some very good experiences with other Stephen King audiobooks. This proved to be an outstanding choice, as the Never Flinch audiobook was an exceptional listen, with the layered and complex mystery really transforms into something special when read out. Coming in with a near 15-hour long runtime, Never Flinch is a decently long audiobook, but it’s one that listeners will generally be able to power through quickly, especially with the compelling, if relatively new narrator Jessie Mueller bringing the story to life. Now, I must admit that I was initially disappointed that Holly narrator Justine Lupe (who played Holly in the Mr Mercedes television adaptation), was not returning for Never Flinch, however Jessie Mueller quickly showed herself to be an excellent replacement. Thanks to her outstanding voice work, Mueller quickly made the Never Flinch audiobook her own, and I liked the unique flair and compelling voices she gifted to the extended cast. Several of these characters had a lot more personality thanks to Mueller’s narration, and I liked how well she voiced some of the distinctive members of the cast. However, I think Mueller’s best inclusion to this audiobook was her very impressive singing voice, as there a couple of music focused scenes around Sista Bessie and Barbara. Mueller captured these parts of the book perfectly, and her resulting singing performances were extremely good, and helped to give the audiobook more impact. As such, Never Flinch was an overall exceptional listen and one of the best audiobooks of the year, and I would strongly recommend it as the best format to enjoy this great new King novel.

Stephen King once again showcases why he the world’s top author with another exceptional and truly gripping novel. Never Flinch was an incredible read that combines a clever crime fiction narrative with some fantastic characters, to really grab the reader’s attention. With its epic tension and high stakes, King’s latest novel was so damn addictive, and I really appreciated how clever the story got. An overall exceptional read, Never Flinch was one of the best books I had the pleasure of reading in 2025, and I cannot wait to see what King writes next.

Amazon

Badlands by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

On December 9, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Thriller2 Comments

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (Audiobook – 3 June 2025)

Series: Nora Kelly – Book Five

Length: 10 hours and 45 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Prepare for a crazy and highly entertaining crime fiction thriller as the superstar team of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child continue their amazing work with the fantastic novel Badlands.

Last year I had the great pleasure of reading the awesome thriller Extinction by Douglas Preston. A cool novel that saw strange murders occur within a park filled with cloned prehistoric animals, Extinction proved to be a ton of fun, especially with some of the entertaining and over-the-top twists that Preston threw into it. As such, I was keen to read more from Preston going forward, and I decided to see what other books he wrote. Naturally that took me into the orbit of his partnership with fellow thriller author Lincoln Child. Together, the two have written an insane number of unique crime fiction reads, often featuring an exciting science fiction twist, including big series like their Agent Pendergast novels and Gideon Crew series. Due to how fun this partnership sounded, I decided to try out one of the pair’s newer works, with their 2025 release, Badlands. The fifth book in their Nora Kelly series, Badlands had a really interesting plot behind it, which panned out into an exciting and captivating read.

Plot Synopsis:

In the New Mexico badlands, the skeleton of a woman is found—and the case is assigned to FBI Agent Corrie Swanson. The victim walked into the desert, shedding clothes as she went, and then died in agony of heatstroke and thirst. Two rare artifacts are found clutched in her bony hands—lightning stones used by the ancient Chaco people to summon the gods.

Is it suicide or… sacrifice?

Agent Swanson brings in archaeologist Nora Kelly to investigate. When a second body is found—exactly like the other—the two realize the case runs deeper than they imagined. As Corrie and Nora pursue their investigation into remote canyons, haunted ruins, and long-lost rituals, they find themselves confronting a dark power that, disturbed from its long slumber, threatens to exact an unspeakable price.

Badlands proved to be a very entertaining novel from Preston and Child that I had an outstanding time getting through. Featuring a compelling and twisty mystery that went in some very fun directions, Badlands was an exciting and well-written read that was hard to put down, especially when the authors decided to make things a little crazy and over-the-top.

This new Nora Kelly book starts off strong and fast, bringing the protagonists into the case and setting them onto the course of a strange series of deaths throughout New Mexico desert. Primarily focused on FBI agent Corrie Swanson, archaeologist Nora Kelly, and Nora’s brother, who goes off on his own side quest with a rich collector, the plot soon takes shape rather nicely, especially with the case clearly tied around the mysterious artefacts the victims were holding. Preston and Child soon set up quite a compelling mystery that forces the protagonists to dive into ancient Native American myth, unhealthy academic relationships and other dark secrets, all to uncover why several young women are committing suicide out in the desert.

The plot moves along at a mostly smooth pace, minus one or two unnecessary shortcuts, and it proved fun to have Corrie examine the criminal aspect of the case while Nora dove into the myths and history that seemed to dominate the deaths. It all leads up to an outstanding final third, with the main storylines all coming together in an intense, expanded sequence, where the protagonists are forced to confront the people responsible for the mystery in a dark and violent way. While certain twists about the main antagonist and the method needed to save the day are well telegraphed, Preston and Child overcome this by making things as crazy as possible, and the sheer tension the authors manage to generate here is very impressive. I particularly loved the ending of Badlands, which nicely blended the crime fiction and more occult elements of the story together in a cleverly ambiguous way that leaves you wondering about what exactly happened well after you finish the book.

Preston and Child pulled together an outstanding novel in Badlands, and I enjoyed how their combined writing brought this entertaining story together. The plot of Badlands itself is quite fast-paced and exciting, as the primarily investigative narrative follows much of the classic crime fiction conventions. However, the authors do an outstanding job of twisting the story around, with a compelling focus on Native American history and archaeology, as well as some very amusing depictions of academic relationships. Preston and Child’s love of history and archaeology is quite evident throughout the course of Badlands, and I loved how the various myths and sites of the past played into the modern crime fiction narrative. Combine that with the vivid depictions of the New Mexico badlands as a major setting, which is loaded with hoodoos, rock spires, and other ancient secrets, and Badlands has a very distinctive feel to it that Preston and Child use to enhance the story and give it some entertaining and over-the-top tweaks.

While part of a larger series, Badlands works extremely well as a standalone novel, and new readers can come into this Nora Kelly book really easily thanks to the author’s open style. Indeed, I personally was able to slip into this series quite easily, and there wasn’t a single second that I felt I was missing out on key plot or character details from not having read the previous books. Each of the key recurring characters is expertly re-introduced in this new novel, and it honestly doesn’t take you too long to fully appreciate their respective storylines and the role they play in the book. As such, I feel that Badlands is a book that will appeal equally to new readers looking for an unusual thriller as well as established fans of either author, who are curious to see how their new novel turned out.

I ended up grabbing the audiobook version of Badlands, which I felt was an excellent format that added a lot to the reading experience. Coming in with a runtime of just under 11 hours, Badlands was a relatively quick audiobook to get through, and I liked how well the entertaining story was read out. Narrated by Cynthia Farrell, a veteran audiobook narrator with a lot of experience in the thriller space, this format of Badlands moves at a quick pace, and listeners are easily able to absorb the unique narrative and all it’s cool details. Farrell excels at showcasing all the key parts of the plot, from the intense action scenes, the dramatic investigation sequences, and even a few moments that are supernatural in nature, and I really enjoyed how easily I got drawn into this compelling audiobook. There are also some great voices for the various characters featured throughout Badlands, and Farrell ensured that each character got their own, unique and fitting voice, that allowed the listener to relate to them. This ended up being a great audiobook, and I think I will utilise this format going forward with Preston and Child’s work, especially if I decide to read more Nora Kelly novels.

With some unique twists and turns and a truly crazy ending, Badlands was an outstanding novel that I had a brilliant time with. I ended up being really impressed with the cool team of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, and their new Nora Kelly book was a fun novel with some fantastic moments behind it. A highly recommended read and one of the more distinctive thrillers of 2025.

Amazon