Category: Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday – City of Others by Jared Poon

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday2 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 week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an intriguing fantasy novel coming out in early 2026 from an exciting new author with City of Others by Jared Poon.

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Readers of The Unseen Library will know that I am a big fan of promoting promising new authors and their amazing debut novels on my blog.  I love exploring an author’s first book, and it is always interesting to see what cool adventures they bring to their respective genre, as well as watching them progress as writers over the years.  I have had fun reading several outstanding debuts in 2025, and I’m already looking ahead to 2026, which is sure to feature an array of excellent novels from new authors.  I’ve already identified one that I’m particularly keen on, and that’s the focus of today’s post, City of Others by Jared Poon, which is set to release in January 2026.

City of Others is an intriguing urban fantasy novel set in Singapore, which will serve as the first book in the author’s The DEUS Files series.  Filled with creatures and lore from Southeast Asian mythology, City of Others will follow a government middleman and his overworked team as they attempt to solve a supernatural crisis impacting the city.  I love the idea of harried government officials attempting to deal with various magical and mythical creatures in a modern city, and a novel following them attempting to save the day while staying under budget is sure to result in an exceptional read.  Poon has a very awesome idea here with City of Others, and I am very keen to read an urban fantasy set in a modern Asian city.  I’m already anticipating that City of Others is going to be an exceptional novel, and I have no doubt it will end up being one of the top fantasy debuts of 2026.

Plot Synopsis:

Rivers of London meets A Master of Djinn in this warm-hearted, action-packed urban fantasy debut full of workplace found family, queer romance and supernatural creatures straight out of Southeast Asian lore.

In the sunny city of Singapore, the government takes care of everything – even the weird stuff.

Benjamin Toh is an overworked and underpaid middle manager in a government department tasked with keeping the supernatural population of Singapore happy and out of sight.

But when an entire housing estate glitches out of existence on what was meant to be a routine check-in, Ben has to scramble to keep things under control and stop the rest of the city from following in its wake. He may not have the budget or the bandwidth, but he has the best – if highly irregular – team to help him. Together, they’ll traverse secret shadow markets, scale skyscrapers, and maybe even go to the stars, all so they can just do their goddamn job.

Waiting on Wednesday – Red Empire by Jonathan Maberry

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Science Fiction, Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday2 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 examine one of my most anticipated upcoming thrillers for 2026 with the epic new Rogue Team International novel from Jonathan Maberry, Red Empire.

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I have made no secret over the years about just how much I enjoy the crazy works of author Jonathan Maberry.  A highly inventive author with a knack for awesome action sequences and a love of horror, Maberry has been writing impressive novels since 2006, with his chilling Pine Deep series.  Since then, he has gone on to write a stagging variety of novels, including the zombie apocalypse Rot & Ruin and Dead of Night series, his V-War comic series, as well as several awesome standalone novels like the disturbing Ink.  Maberry has also had fun diving into the fantasy and science fiction genre in recent years, including his exceptional Kagen the Damned dark fantasy trilogy, made up of Kagen the Damned (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022), Son of the Poison Rose (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), and The Dragon in Winter (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024), as well as the science fiction novel NeckroTek (the sequel of which, Cold War, I’m hoping to read soon).

While I’m a huge fan of all the above series, my favourite body of Maberry’s work remains his iconic and long-running Joe Ledger series.  Following the titular troubled protagonist as he works as a part of an elite government special forces team detailed to stopping terrorist attacks or criminal organisations using advanced and unusual technology, the Joe Ledger novels were impressive and complex thrillers with over-the-top science fiction or horror elements. The original series, which ran for 10 books, features some amazing novels, including Patient Zero, The Dragon Factory, Assassin’s Code, Predator One and Deep Silence just to name a few. Each of these novels were amazing reads on their own, although I also got really drawn into the ongoing storylines and recurring villains.

Following the end of the original Joe Ledger books, Maberry continued many of his storylines in the sequel Rogue Team International series, bringing back the major characters and setting them up as independent intelligence operatives working for themselves. This series was also extremely exciting, and I have appreciated the way in which the author has continued some of the complex story arcs and villainous narratives from the first series. The Rogue Team International books have so far featured Rage (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), Cave 13 (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023) and the 2025 release, Burn to Shine, each of which have been pretty damn amazing and filled with some dark and captivating narratives.

Due to how much I love this extended series, I am already quite excited about the next upcoming Rogue Team International book coming out in early 2026, Red Empire.  Set to be the fifth entry in the Rogue Team International series and the 15th overall Joe ledger novel, Red Empire has an intriguing plot that sees an old enemy of Ledger and his organization engage in a new plot to destroy the world, while shocking secrets and ancient mysteries come to light.  Set for release in March 2026, Red Empire sounds amazing, and I am already extremely eager to get my hands on it.

Plot Synopsis:

In the next novel in the Joe Ledger and Rogue Team International series by New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry, the team faces new and old enemies alike as a bioengineered version of The Black Death surfaces.

Hundreds of years after the first waves of the bubonic plague swept through Europe, a new, more dangerous version threatens London. Joe Ledger’s old enemy the Red Empire—reborn as a far more powerful political and military group—has bioengineered a weaponized version of yersinia pestis—the bacteria responsible for The Black Death that killed tens of millions in the Middle Ages.

As Joe Ledger and Rogue Team International race against the clock to put a stop to the Red Empire’s plans, they’re sucked into the strange and mysterious past of the man called Mr. Church. Secrets come to light that make even his staunchest allies wonder who –and more precisely what—Church really is.

With whispers of an elixir vitae—or elixir of life—circling, Joe Ledger and Rogue Team International are facing the highest possible stakes in their work together yet. As the tension builds and the balance between life and death sways precariously, it seems like tragic losses among them might be inevitable.

Oh yeah, I am already very excited for this.  Based on this above synopsis, Maberry has pulled together another intriguing plot for Red Empire, and I’m looking forward to seeing it unfold.  Seeing the return of an old enemy organisation, the sinister Red Empire, is going to be amazing, especially as they attempt to unleash a deadly biological weapon upon the world.  I look forward to seeing the plot revolve around this new battle between Ledger and his foes, and I’m expecting a lot of epic action and intense carnage as a result.

While the focus on the Red Empire and their new strain of the Black Death will be awesome, the part of the synopsis that I, and most long-term Joe Ledger fans, are most interested in, is the section that talks about the secret origins of Mr Church.  Church, the founder and leader of the titular organisation and its predecessor government department, has long been an enigmatic figure, bending world leaders to his will and boasting an insane set of skills and contacts to save the day.  Maberry has strongly hinted about a supernatural origin to Mr Church over the years, including in the shocking final scene of Burn to Shine.  However, the full details of who, or what, Mr Church is, as well as his connection to his chaotic antagonist Nicodemus, has yet to be completely revealed.  From the sounds of the synopsis above, as well as some details revealed by Maberry, it looks like we are finally going to get the full origin story of Mr Church in Red Empire.  I’ve honestly been waiting for this background on one of Maberry’s best characters for years, and I cannot emphasise just how excited I am to finally find out the true tale of Mr Church and the origins of his war against evil.

I think it’s very clear from this long Waiting on Wednesday post that I’m very keen to get my hands on Red Empire next year.  This upcoming Joe Ledger/Rogue Team International novel from Jonathan Maberry sounds so damn cool, and I cannot wait to see all the carnage and trauma that the author will unleash upon his fans with this new book.  Throw in the fact that Maberry is finally going to reveal one of his series’ most intriguing and long-running secrets, and this is already one of the books I most excited to read next year.  I can guarantee that I will be listening to Red Empire the very second it comes out, and I already know I’m going to love everything about it.

Waiting on Wednesday – First Mage on the Moon by Cameron Johnston

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, 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 latest Waiting on Wednesday post, I highlight an awesome and entertaining upcoming fantasy release with First Mage on the Moon by Cameron Johnston.

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Over the last few years, one of the more unique fantasy fiction authors that I have been really enjoying is the highly inventive Cameron Johnston.  A talented writer who has created some very unique tales within the fantasy genre, Johnston has produced some amazing books over the years, including his Age of Tyranny novels, The Traitor God and God of Broken Things, the hilarious dark fantasy siege novel, The Maleficent Seven, and the brutal and intense fantasy thriller The Last Shield (one of my favourite books of 2024).  All these novels have been exceptional reads, and Johnston is one of those authors who seems to get better with every book he writes.

Due to Johnston’s continued ability to produce particularly gripping fantasy novels, he is very much an author I keep an eye on, especially as I am very curious to see what he writes next.  As such, I am currently very excited for his upcoming 2026 release, First Mage on the Moon, which frankly sounds amazing.

Set for release in April 2026, First Mage on the Moon will see Johnston produce another unique and memorable fantasy novel, this time focused on several oppressed mages trying to secretly create a rocket capable of landing on the moon.  An intriguing standalone novel, First Mage on the Moon has such a fun plot behind it, and I’m already quite excited to see how it unfolds.

Plot Synopsis:

Cameron Johnston returns in this innovative space fantasy, where wizards race to be the first on the moon – also known as the land of the gods. A fast paced read perfect for fans of Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Ella Pickering has been stuck in a never-ending cycle of debt and pain. Formerly a Unity skymage trained to make supply runs, she is now wheelchair-bound after poor maintenance led to a skyship crash, and the world makes no accommodations for her disability. To pay off her medical debt, Ella works gruelling shifts making magical weapons for the research and design workshop, thinking of the days when she was active in the war between the unreligious Unity and the Ranneas Empire.

A late night double shift means Ella witnesses a lightning strike hit on an arcane experiment by Jackan Grissom. But not all is lost – the device morphs into a crude rocket blasting straight for the moon, ultimately falling into the No Man’s Land between the feuding nations. But the initial upward motion inspires hope: if they can make a device to reach the moon – the land of the gods – then the Unity might be able to come out of the war triumphant, if not unscathed. 

By Unity standards, the plot is blasphemous, but Ella and Jackan have their own motives behind summoning the help of the gods. Imbued with new knowledge, the two begin crafting a device to take them to the moon. But as more people become involved in their plot, will they be able to keep it under wraps? Or will word of their heresy lead them to more danger than they first anticipated?

I must admit that even after all the crazy and inventive novels Johnston has previously written, a space fantasy featuring moon-seeking mages really stands out.  With steampunk-esque fantasy setting involving war, intrigue and the science of magic, the plot for First Mage on the Moon has a lot of potential, and I love the idea of a bunch of rebel mages secretly working on a magical rocket, all in aid of reaching the moon.  The potential for calamity and compelling moments as the mages try to avoid detection while also experimenting with new forms of magic is going to provide a lot of intensity to this plot, and I look forward to seeing just how crazy things can get here.  Throw in Johnston’s proven ability to create powerful scenarios loaded with wicked humour, and First Mage on the Moon is likely to be a very impressive read with some very entertaining moments behind it.

Due to the awesome plot summary above, as well as Johnston’s impressive track record of incredible fantasy novels, First Mage on the Moon is currently one of my most anticipated fantasy novels coming out in 2026.  It sounds like Johnston is planning something very special with First Mage on the Moon and I already know I’m going to love this inventive and compelling upcoming fantasy release.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Hard Line by Mark Greaney

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday2 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 week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight one of the top spy thrillers of 2026 with The Hard Line by Mark Greaney.

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Few thriller series have had me consistently enthralled these last few years as the Gray Man books by acclaimed author Mark Greaney.  Following protagonist Court Gentry, an elite assassin, fugitive and occasional government agent known as the Gray Man, the Gray Man novels are one of the absolute best current spy thriller series, and I have had an absolute blast getting through some impressive entries from Greaney.  This includes The Gray Man, Mission Critical, One Minute Out (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), Sierra Six (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022), Burner (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), The Chaos Agent (one of my favourite books of 2024) and this year’s entry, Midnight Black (one of my favourite books and audiobooks from the first half of 2025). All these great books were quite exceptional, and I have had such an incredible time getting drawn into this series.

Due to how much fun I have had with the previous Gray Man books, I always keep an eye out for Greaney’s upcoming releases, and I was very excited to find out some details for the author’s next novel, The Hard Line.  Set to be 15th book in the Gray Man series, The Hard Line is coming out in February 2026 and is sure to be a major highlight of next year’s reading schedule.  Featuring an intriguing plot that sees the protagonist and his comrade’s families come under threat, The Hard Line sounds extremely awesome, and I am very excited to see how it pans out.

Plot Synopsis:

The Gray Man, the world’s deadliest assassin and apex predator, discovers he’s really the prey in the most shocking entry of this #1 New York Times bestselling series.

Family means different things to different people, but in the Gray Man’s world, family is defined by blood—the blood you share with some and the blood you shed with others.

Court Gentry’s current family operates out of an office park in Norfolk, Virginia. The Ghost Town is an off-the-books direct action team run by Matt Hanley, former CIA Deputy Director. They take on the jobs the Agency needs handled “discretely,” and those jobs are rolling in.

Somewhere at the top of the US Intelligence apparatus, security experts and intelligence operations worldwide are threatened.

It starts with a blown safe house in Tunis. Then Court himself barely escapes from an ambush in the jungles of Nicaragua. Now key members of the U.S. counterintelligence community are being assassinated in their own neighborhoods. With the feds compromised, it’s up to Court and his team to stop the hit squads.

But eliminating professional kill teams may be the least of the Gray Man’s worries when he finds himself targeted by the legendary assassin codenamed Whetstone—a man driven out of retirement by a very personal quest to rain down hellfire on Court and everyone he’s ever loved, starting with the father he hasn’t seen in twenty years.

Ok, so it sounds like this next Gray Man novel is going to be a compelling and interesting character-focused entry in the series that should be an excellent follow-up to the bleak prison-break/war focussed previous entry, Midnight Black.  Returning to familiar ground with the protagonist working covert operations for the CIA, The Hard Line looks set to be an action-packed novel of revenge, old secrets, and complicated families, as the Gentry goes to war on multiple fronts.  I love the cool mixture of potential conspiracy elements in this novel, as well as a deadly assassin coming out of retirement specifically to kill the protagonist and everything he loves.  I’m sure that Greaney will do an exceptional job of showcasing the resulting carnage, and I have no doubt that this will be a particularly intense and continuously exciting read.

While The Hard Line will no doubt feature lots of intrigue, excitement and firefights, the part of the synopsis that has really caught my attention is the focus on family and its associated complexities.  Having the protagonist trying to save his estranged father, a figure who hasn’t appeared too much in the series up to this point, is going to make this a particularly powerful novel, and I am intrigued to see what compelling backstory around the protagonist comes to light.  At the same time, an alternate plot synopsis suggests that beloved secondary character, Zach Hightower is also going to have some family issues, when his daughter is threatened, and Gentry is dragged into save her.  Both these family-focused storylines are sure to add some extra emotional heft to the plot, and I cannot wait to see how Greaney combines it with the more action and intrigue focussed parts of the book.

Due to the outstanding time I have had with all the previous Gray Man books from Mark Greaney, The Hard Line is already a must-read book of 2026 for me.  The excellent plot synopsis above sounds particularly impressive, and I am extremely curious to see how everything comes together.  Likely to be one of the top spy thrillers of next year, The Hard Line has so much potential, and I know I’m going to love it.

Waiting on Wednesday – Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday2 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 week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I check out an intriguing, upcoming murder mystery that is going to be a highlight of early 2026 with Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman.

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Of all the murder mystery authors I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing since I started my blog, few have consistently impressed me as much as Jonathan Kellerman.  A veteran of the crime fiction genre, Kellerman has written a huge array of compelling novels throughout his writing career, including some very gripping reads.  His main body of work is the iconic and long-running Alex Delaware series, which follows the titular protagonist, Alex Delaware, a child psychologist, who works with his best friend, LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis to investigate unusual or complex cases around Los Angeles.

The Alex Delaware novels are a classic and captivating crime fiction series, and Kellerman has written a huge number of them over the years.  I became a fan of the series myself a little more recently, when I was lucky enough to grab a copy of The Wedding Guest back in 2019.  A very cool novel with a great case behind it, The Wedding Guest was a fantastic introduction to the author and the Alex Delaware novels, and I ended up going back to the series the following year to read The Museum of Desire.  This great novel was also outstanding, and it impressed me enough to make the Alex Delaware series a must-read addition to my annual reading schedule.  I have since gone on to read every new Alex Delaware novel that followed, including Serpentine, City of the Dead, Unnatural History, The Ghost Orchid, and Open Season.  All these novels were extremely amazing, and I have had an exceptional time with all of them.

Due to how much fun all the previous novels were, I am always very keen to get my hands on the next Alex Delaware novel, and we already have some details about the 2026 addition to the series, Jigsaw.  Jigsaw will be the 41st book in the Alex Delaware series and will force Alex and Milo to investigate two separate, complicated murders that have an unlikely connection.

Plot Synopsis:

When a young woman is found dead at her kitchen table – with DNA belonging to her ex-boyfriend at the scene – psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis assume it’s an open-and-shut case.

But the guy has an airtight alibi. Could an enemy from his shady past have framed him?

Many miles away, a former LAPD officer is found brutally murdered in her garage. Her co-workers knew her as meticulously organized, but her house is full of junk and meaningless objects – except for the envelopes full of cash hidden within the chaos…

But as Alex and Milo dig deeper, they discover shocking links between the victims. It soon becomes clear they have a complicated – and deadly – puzzle to solve.

Based on the above synopsis, it sounds like Jigsaw is going to be another excellent entry in this great series.  I am already quite intrigued by the hinted plot, and Kellerman clearly has quite an outstanding mystery brewing for his 41st Alex Delaware novel.  Two seemingly unconnected murders with unique circumstances running at the same time is the great basis for an addictive crime fiction read, and I look forward to seeing the protagonists dive into both compelling victims with the author’s typical methodical, character-focused, style.  While I am curious about both murders, including one featuring an obvious, but clearly innocent suspect, and the other with an unlikely hoarder, the true test of this novel is how the author will bring both separate murders together into a single storyline.  I honestly have no doubt that Kellerman will come up with a clever link between both cases, and this will likely result in Jigsaw being an outstanding and very impressive addition to one of my favourite crime fiction series.

Due to how much fun I have had reading Jonathan Kellerman’s previous novels, Jigsaw is a highly anticipated book for the first half of 2026, especially with its intriguing synopsis.  Kellerman has never failed to wow me with his compelling mysteries, and Jigsaw already looks set to be an incredible read.  I honestly can’t wait to get my hands on the next Alex Delaware novel, and I already know it is going to be amazing.

Waiting on Wednesday – Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Science Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday3 Comments

Due to forgetting to post a Waiting on Wednesday up last week, I’ve decided to do a second entry today on top of my Waiting on Wednesday for The Trespassers by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez.  To make it even more interesting, I’m going to highlight a very awesome and entertaining upcoming book from one of my new favourite authors, Matt Dinniman, with the fantastic and no-doubt bonkers 2026 release, Operation Bounce House.

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Those who have been paying attention to my blog the last couple of weeks will know that I am currently obsessed with brilliant, and slightly unhinged, author Matt Dinniman.  This is because I made the ill-advised decision to try the first entry of his Dungeon Crawler Carl books, and I’ve been unable to stop reading the series since.  Set around an amazing group of characters, including a stoic former Coastguard member, Carl, and his now sentient cat Princess Donut, the Dungeon Crawler Carl starts with the destruction of every building in the world, and then follows the remnants of humanity who are forced to compete in a massive fantasy dungeon as entertainment for trillions of alien viewers across the galaxy.  A unique and amazing take on the LitRPG genre, the Dungeon Crawler Carl novels have been a constant ball of fun, and I love Dinniman’s crazy creativity, great characters, amazing humour, and the general elaborate nature of the entire story concept. 

Due to all these awesome elements, as well as an exceptional audiobook adaptation, I have powered through the first five books in the series, including Dungeon Crawler Carl, Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Handbook, The Gate of the Feral Gods and The Butcher’s Masquerade, and I’m currently making great progress through the sixth novel, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride.  All these books have been exceptional, five-star reads, and I will probably dive into the seventh book, This Inevitable Ruin, within the week.

Naturally, after having such an incredible time with Dinniman’s main series, I have become very curious about what other books the author has written or coming out on the horizon.  While I am particularly excited for the potential eighth Dungeon Crawler Carl novel next year (which I have no doubt will be one of my most anticipated reads once I finish This Inevitable Ruin), I also noticed that Dinniman has an intriguing standalone novel coming out in early 2026, which I am very keen to get my hands on.

That book is the epically titled Operation Bounce House.  Set for release in February 2026, Operation Bounce House has an excellent science fiction plot that sees a human colony planet forced to defend itself from killer robots, piloted by bored, corporate-sanction Earth gamers.  This novel sounds really dawn awesome, and it looks set to be one of the more entertaining, and bloody, science fiction releases of early 2026.

Plot Synopsis:

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BECOME YOUR PLANET’S FINAL BOSS?

All New Sonoran colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do is run the family ranch and keep his family’s aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking.

But when his planet’s transfer gate finally opens and restores instant travel and full communication between Earth and his planet, New Sonora, there’s a complication.

The colossal Apex Corporation is hired to commence an ‘eviction action’ – exterminate all life on New Sonora in preparation for a reboot. And they charge bored Earthers for the opportunity to design their own war machines, remotely pilot them, and make it a game.

The game is called Operation Bounce House . . .

And New Sonora is its playing field.

Oliver and his friends soon find themselves fighting for their lives against these machines. But with the help of an old book from his grandfather, Oliver is determined to defend the only home he’s ever known.

 

Now this is going to be good.  I love the sound of Operation Bounce House, and it looks like Dinniman is planning to continue his trademark carnage.  Falling into a similar, anti-authoritarian plot about innocent people adapting to the dark rules of the soulless corporate entity trying to destroy them as the Dungeon Crawler Carl books, Operation Bounce House is probably going to feature similar over-the-top action, this time facilitated through various robots.  It will be very interesting to see how Operation Bounce House comes together, and I imagine that this book will be a little less LitRPG and more science fiction with some game-inspired element.  However, even if the mechanics of the novel change, I’m still expecting that Dinniman will provide an intriguing set-up, followed by a comedy-laden narrative, featuring compelling and likeable characters, complex themes, and the author’s fantastic comedic charm.  As such, this will likely be a very intense and exciting book, and I look forward to seeing how the entire awesome story comes together.

I’m going to be honest here; Operation Bounce House pretty much became a must-read book of 2026 for me the moment I started Dungeon Crawler Carl.  Matt Dinniman has shown himself to be an extremely exceptional author, and I have no doubt that his next release is going to be just as impressive as his main series of books.  Operation Bounce House sounds like a particularly amazing standalone novel, and I cannot wait to see what crazy antics and over-the-top moments Dinniman fits into this upcoming release.  One of my most anticipated science fiction books in the first half of the new year, Operation Bounce House is going to be pure, chaotic fun, and I am so there for it, especially if it has a good audiobook version.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Trespassers by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday, Young Adult2 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 week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I check out a very cool upcoming young adult thriller I know I’m going to have a great time with, The Trespassers by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez.

Amazon

Jennifer Lynn Alvarez is an interesting author who burst onto the young adult thriller scene a few years ago with her debut thriller, Lies Like Wildfire.  Following a group of teenagers accidently responsible for burning down their small town, Lies Like Wildfire was a captivating and intense read that examined how far some of the teenagers were willing to go to ensure they didn’t get sent to jail.  Lies Like Wildfire was an outstanding novel that was ideal for both older teenage readers and general thriller fans, and it ended up being one of my top debuts of 2021.

Due to how much I enjoyed Lies Like Wildfire, I made sure to grab Alvarez’s second thriller novel the following year with Friends Like These.  Focussing on the consequences of a series of bad and criminal decisions made during a drunken party in response to a teenage rivalry, Friends Like These was another exceptional novel that provided some intriguing insights into the modern teenage mind, while also showing the life-long consequences young mistakes can have.  Both Lies Like Wildfire and Friends Like These were among some of the better young adult thrillers I have had the pleasure of reading, and I have been eager to get my hands on Alvarez’s next entry to the genre.

Well, it looks like I don’t have too much longer to wait, as Alvarez has her next young adult thriller coming out in a couple of months with The Trespassers.  Set for release in October 2025, The Trespassers will once again follow a group of complex teenagers as they try to cover up a dark mistake from the past.  This time set in Alaska, The Trespassers has a very interesting plot behind it, and I firmly believe that this is going to be one of the more compelling and intense young adult novels of 2025.

Plot Synopsis:

In the frozen depths of an Alaskan winter, a house party turns deadly in this tightly wound thriller packed with icy suspense and devastating secrets.

You think you can bury the past… but some truths refuse to stay hidden.

Finley, Mya, River, and Eli were inseparable as kids, running wild on Alaska’s vast wide-open spaces. Then tragedy struck, and Finley moved to the lower 48. But now it’s Senior year, and Finley’s back in Anchorage. When Mya throws a house party on a snowy Valentine’s Day night, it’s supposed to be a chance for the friends to heal old wounds. But an encounter with a mysterious stranger quickly turns the evening into a nightmare.

As the group scrambles to cover up what they’ve done, the fault lines they’ve grown so good at ignoring begin to crack as the police investigate and the media hounds them. Are they the most vicious teens in America, or deeply misunderstood? Everyone wants to know—even the teens themselves.

Fast-paced and thrillingly tense, The Trespassers explores guilt, loyalty, and the complex nature of friendship.

Waiting on Wednesday – Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday3 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 highlight an excellent upcoming piece of Australian crime fiction from one of my favourite local authors, with Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath.

Fans of over-the-top crime fiction will be quite familiar with Australian author Jack Heath, who has produced some very interesting and memorable novels over the last several years.  The author is probably known for excellent Timothy Blake series, which follows a murder-solving cannibal as he attempts to solve complex cases while also finding his next gory meal and I have deeply entries such as Hideout and Headcase.

In addition to these fun books, Heath has also written some gripping pieces of Australian crime fiction, including the outstanding novel, Kill Your Brother, which saw a damaged protagonist imprisoned and forced to choose between killing her guilty brother or dying alongside him.  This was an amazing book, and I loved the intense and twist laden story that emerged.  Kill Your Brother ended up being one of my favourite Australian novels of 2021, and I was very excited when Heath subsequently produced a sequel to it in 2023 with Kill Your Husbands.  A particularly memorable sequel to Kill Your Brother that brought back some of the novel’s original protagonists, Kill Your Husbands had a powerful plot involving brutal murders following an ill-advised bout of partner swapping.  This very entertaining sequel proved to be just as clever as Heath’s previous entry in the series, and Kill Your Husbands ended up being one of my favourite Australian novels of 2023.

Due to how impressive Heath’s last several novels have been, as well as the fact that he is consistently one of the best authors of Australian crime fiction, I am naturally keen to read any new novel he releases.  As such, I was particularly stoked to find out that he had a new book coming out later this year with Kill Your Boss.  Set for release in November 2025, Kill Your Boss will see the main police protagonist from Heath’s previous two Australian novels investigate the murder of a hated manager of the local library, who everyone had a motive to kill.

Plot Synopsis:

What would it take to turn you into a killer?

Detective Sergeant Kiara Lui has just broken up a loud brawl between two blokes in front of the Warrigal Public Library. But just as she’s about to leave the scene, a man inexplicably plummets from the sky and slams into the bike rack right in front of her, dead.

Neville Adams was the head of library services, hated by staff, borrowers, or in fact anybody who had ever met him. Kiara quickly seals the building, trapping everyone who might have pushed him off the roof. She expects to have someone in custody within minutes.

Instead, the investigation becomes the most challenging and dangerous of her career as it spirals outward, ensnaring half the town. It seems that Neville was connected to the disappearance of Emmylou Chisholm – a case that Kiara could never solve, and that has haunted her ever since.

If the killer isn’t found fast, the first two victims won’t be the last . . .

Compelling, propulsive and darkly funny, this is a perfect follow-up to Jack Heath’s bestselling Kill Your Husbands.

Very interesting! I must admit that I really like the sound of the above plot synopsis, and it looks like Heath has pulled together another twisty and complex Australian murder mystery.  Focussing the case around a very dislikeable manager figure should make this a very relatable case for the average office worker, and you just know that Heath is going to have fun turning his murder victim into a despicable figure that everyone hates for good reason.  Indeed, I get the feeling that Kill Your Boss is going to have a somewhat humorous tone to it, and it is going to be very interesting to see how Heath balances this with the more serious crime fiction elements.

Based on the synopsis above, it sounds like Kill Your Boss is going to initially become some sort of looked-room mystery with all the suspects contained in the same location.  I think this has a lot of potential, mainly because that’s not an extremely common trope in Australian crime fiction (with Benjamin Stevenson’s Ernest Cunningham books being an obvious exception), and I cannot wait to see how a bunch of likely over-the-top library staff and patrons trapped in the building will react to the whole scenario.  It looks like Heath is going to take this one step further by expanding the murder investigation to encapsulate a cold case that the protagonist has a particular connection to, which should make this quite an intense and powerful read.  The whole scenario sounds particularly intriguing, and with the highly entertaining Heath at the helm, it is likely to result in a very impressive and addictive novel.

Overall, Kill Your Boss sounds like quite a fantastic upcoming novel, and it’s one I pretty darn excited for.  Jack Heath has really impressed me in recent years with his elaborate and outrageous crime fiction novels, and it will be interesting to see how he continues to utilise the protagonists from Kill Your Brother and Kill Your Husbands.  Kill Your Boss will likely end up being one of the top Australian releases of 2025, and I anticipate that it will be a particularly incredible novel.

Waiting on Wednesday – Twelve Months by Jim Butcher

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday2 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 week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I showcase a book that many people have been talking about this week, with the long-anticipated next entry in the Dresden Files series, Twelve Months by Jim Butcher.

Amazon

Back in 2020, I was very lucky to receive a copy Battle Ground by Jim Butcher.  Part of the author’s long-running Dresden Files series, these books follow the many adventures and investigations of Chicago’s only wizard Harry Dresden, who engages with dark mystic conspiracies and the intricate battles between the world’s hidden magical creatures and factions.  At that point, I wasn’t too familiar with the Dresden Files series, but I was extremely intrigued by Battle Ground’s synopsis, which saw Chicago invaded by a horde of monsters and other magical creatures.  Even though it was the 17th entry in a series I hadn’t read before, I ended up absolutely loving Battle Ground, especially as it featured intense scenes of magical combat, high emotional stakes, and major tragedy.

Due to how much I enjoyed the epic Battle Ground (it ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020), it was a very easy decision to explore this series further, and I went back and listened to book one, Storm Front, the moment I finished off Battle Ground.  Storm Front proved to be an awesome initial novel in the series, and over the next couple of years, I made a huge effort to read all the Dresden Files books, finishing off this reading cycle with Peace Talks last year.  All 17 of these novels were extremely impressive, and I ended up giving well deserved five-star rating to every entry in the series.  Highlights include the werewolf filled Fool Moon, the necromancer laden Dead Beat, the intrigue filled Small Favor, the traumatising Changes, the spirited Ghost Story and the extremely cool heist novel Skin Games, just to name a few.  I really cannot emphasise how much I loved these novels, and the Dresden Files is now one of my very favourite series.

Unfortunately for my newly awakened obsession, Butcher hasn’t had the opportunity to release a new Dresden Files novel since 2020, although some novellas and short stories like The Law, have come out.  As such, I, and the many, many other Dresden Files fans, were very happy to finally have some details about the upcoming 18th book in the series, Twelve Months, which Butcher just dropped the cover for.  Set for release in January 2026 Twelve Months will serve as an intense new entry in the series that will examine the fallout of the dark events of Battle Ground with new enemies and big dangers coming for the beleaguered and grieving protagonist.

Plot Synopsis:

Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, has always managed to save the day—but, in this powerful entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling Dresden Files, can he save himself?

One year. 365 days. Twelve months.

Harry Dresden has been through a lot, and so has his city. After Harry and his allies narrowly managed to save Chicago from being razed to the ground, everything is different—and it’s not just the current lack of electricity.

In the battle, Harry lost people he cared about. And that’s the kind of loss that takes a toll. Harry being Harry, he’s doing his level best to help the city and his friends recover and rebuild. But it’s a heavy load, and he needs time.

But time is one thing Harry doesn’t have. Ghouls are prowling Chicago and taking out innocent civilians. Harry’s brother is dying, and Harry doesn’t know how to help him. And last but certainly not least, the Winter Queen of the Fae has allied with the White Court of vampires—and Harry’s been betrothed to the seductive, deadly vampire Lara Raith to seal the deal.

It’s been a tough year. More than ever, the city needs Harry Dresden the wizard—but after loss and grief, is there enough left of Harry Dresden the man to rise to the challenge?

Ok, there is a lot to unwrap with the above synopsis, but I think it’s important to start out by saying I am so damn excited for this upcoming book.  Covering all the fallout of Battle Ground is going to be extremely awesome and interesting, especially as there were a lot of powerful and important plot threads left over after this major entry in the series.  This includes Harry’s expulsion from the White Council, the fact that more people in the world are becoming aware of magic’s existence, the warring factions who will try to take advantage of the new power vacuums, his brother’s possession and many more dangerous ongoing storylines that I cannot wait to see explored and covered.

The above synopsis reveals there is going to be quite a few challenges for Harry to try and deal with this year, including ghouls, a race that the protagonist has a particularly grim history with.  I imagine that this will combine with some of the other storylines to reveal a great enemy or plot in the background, and I cannot wait to see what returning foes or great new antagonist emerges here.  There are also going to be some very emotionally heavy storylines for Harry in Twelve Months, including his upcoming marriage to the vampire Lara Raith (which is going to cause all manner of problems), as well as the need to save his dying half-brother Thomas from both his magical sickness and the consequences of the actions he undertook while controlled.  I am really curious to see how Butcher will wrap all these storylines together, and it should make for quite an elaborate narrative.

While I am naturally particularly intrigued to see all these storylines unwind, I think that the best part of the upcoming Twelve Months is going to be the examination of Harry’s emotional state is this new book.  As the synopsis above hints, Harry has gone through a lot recently, including the destruction of his city, his loss of status as a wizard, and most importantly the death of the woman he loves.  Having to take on the suffering of the entirety of Chicago while dealing with his own grief, on top of being forced to marry someone he doesn’t love, is likely to nearly break Harry, who already has a ton of emotional baggage from his dark history and the chaotic events of the last 17 books.  I have no doubt that Butcher is going to masterfully showcase this as a central point of Twelve Months, and I fear that this emotional trauma to one of my favourite characters is going to be very hard to behold.

Honestly, at this moment I am having a very hard time thinking about any novel I am currently more excited for than Twelve Months.  Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series has been a real highlight of my reading cycle the last few years, and I am so damn invested in this epic series and the trials and tribulations of its damaged wizard protagonist.  Frankly there is no chance at all that Twelve Months won’t be one of the absolute best books of 2026 and I am planning to once again listen to it on audiobook with James Marsters (one of my favourite audiobook narrators).  Twelve Months is going to be so damn epic, and I plan to grab it the very second it comes out.

Waiting on Wednesday – Blindside by Michael Mammay

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery, 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 latest Waiting on Wednesday, I once again jump ahead to 2026 and highlight an especially awesome upcoming science fiction thriller that I am really excited for with Blindside by Michael Mammay.

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Back in 2018 I had the very great pleasure of reading the debut novel of new author Michael Mammay, Planetside. An intriguing science fiction thriller that sent a retiring military officer, Colonel Carl Butler, to an alien planet to find a missing soldier, Planetside turned into quite the clever and exciting read, and I really got attached to its complex narrative and maverick protagonist. Ending on a massive and well-written twist, Planetside was an exceptional read and was one of my favourite books of 2018. The series continued strong from that point on as Mammary released more cool additions to the Planetside series, each of which pit the protagonist against human corruption and corporate greed in the depths of space with Spaceside (one of my favourite books of 2019), Colonyside (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021) and last year’s intense read Darkside (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024).

Due to how impressive I have found them the Planetside books soon became a must-read series for me, and I eagerly grab the latest entry as soon as it comes out.  As such, I am very keen to get my hands on the recently announced next novel in the series, Blindside.  Set for release in March 2026, Blindside will once again put the protagonist in great danger as he faces the dark consequences of his past interferences.

Plot Synopsis:

Colonel Carl Butler charges back into the world of military crisis, corporate malfeasance, and intergalactic mystery in the action-packed fifth Planetside novel from science fiction master Michael Mammay.

Carl Butler has returned to his home planet from the moon Taug and is looking forward to some rest and relaxation. But following two mysterious deaths connected with the Taug mission, he realizes that the intruders that recently set off his home’s security system might be looking to add him to the death toll.

Having been Butler’s muscle on numerous missions, Mac is no stranger to getting involved with mysteries that should be none of his business. So when the daughter of one of his gym members goes missing, he offers to help. Mac assumes she’s a simple runaway, but the case turns out not to be so clear-cut. Wondering if these strange occurrences are somehow related, Butler—along with Mac, Ganos, and the rest of his small crew—once again finds himself neck deep in intrigue.

As the clues for the various cases begin to intertwine, Butler sees the hand of an old enemy at work, and…well…he’s never been one to sit back and wait for something to happen. Gathering the team, he heads off across the galaxy to confront his suspects head-on.

But this time, they’re waiting for him.

Blindside sounds like another epic entry in the Planetside series, especially as eternal busybody and constant thorn in the corrupt galaxy’s powerbrokers, Colonel Carl Butler, is once again causing trouble.  Having the enemies come after the protagonist this time, rather than having Butler visiting new locations and uncovering rampart corruption, is going to be a cool twist to the typical Planetside series, and I’m very keen to see how everything unfolds.  You have to imagine that Butler is once again facing off against a corrupt corporation who he has managed to annoy.  However, as Butler has found himself involved in quite a few dark situations throughout the course of the series, the trick is going to be finding out which specific corporation or old enemy (or perhaps multiple corporate opponents) are coming after him.  This should result in an intense and compelling narrative, especially if some of the people close to Butler get hurt as part of the attack against him.

Based on my experiences with this series, I predict that Blindside is likely to be another intense and exciting science fiction thriller, that will include some cool mystery and high-level stakes.  I’m very curious to see how Mammay will handle the investigation in this next novel, especially when it hits closer to the protagonist’s home.  From what I understand, this next book will feature more narration from major supporting character Mac, so it will be interesting to see how this changes the pace.  Mammay will likely also lay in the usual outstanding action sequences, resulting in quite an exciting and powerful read, and I cannot wait to see how everything unfolds.

Due to how damn impressive the first four Planetside books have been, Blindside is already one of my most anticipated books of 2026, and I am extremely excited to read it.  Featuring another awesome plot that will continue the deadly adventures of a terminally nosey old-soldier, Blindside looks set to be one of the stronger books in the first half of next year, and I already know I am going to love it.  I will probably once again try to check out Bindside on audiobook, primarily thanks to the narration of the legendary R. C. Bray, and I have a feeling that this new entry is going to be something really special.