Category: Waiting on Wednesday

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 Wednesday4 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.

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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.

Waiting on Wednesday – Tyrant of Rome by Simon Scarrow

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, 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.  For this latest Waiting on Wednesday post, I highlight an exceptional upcoming novel that will probably be one of my favourite historical fiction books of 2025, Tyrant of Rome by Simon Scarrow.

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Readers of this blog will know that I am a massive fan of historical fiction author Simon Scarrow, who has been producing epic and compelling historical fiction novels for 25 years.  His books cover a range of interesting topics and settings, although his current body of work involves his long-running Eagles of the Empire series, as well as his Inspector Horst Schenke thriller novels set in wartime Berlin.  Scarrow has already had a successful 2025, releasing his third Inspector Horst Schenke novel, A Death in Berlin, which proved to be an outstanding read.  However, Scarrow fans are in for another treat as he has an awesome Roman historical fiction read coming out in a few months’ time.

This new book, Tyrant of Rome, will be part of the author’s Eagles of the Empire series, which follows two veteran Roman officers, Prefect Cato and Centurion Macro, as they fight their way through the various battlefields and political intrigues of ancient Rome.  Running since 2000, the Eagles of the Empire books are still going strong, and I love the author’s interesting historical insights and ability to imagine elaborate historical battles.  I have had the great pleasure of reading all the Eagles of the Empire books over the years, and I currently have reviews for several published on my blog, including The Blood of Rome, Traitors of Rome, The Emperor’s Exile, The Honour of Rome, Death to the Emperor, Rebellion and Revenge of Rome.  Unsurprisingly, any new Eagles of the Empire novels are very high up my to-read list, and as such Tyrant of Rome is one of my most anticipated books coming out in the second half of 2025.

Set for release in November of this year, Tyrant of Rome will be the 24th book in the Eagles of the Empire series and will take the protagonists onto a whole new battlefield when Emperor Nero forces the two to take control of law and order in ancient Rome.

Plot Synopsis:

AD 63. Under the reckless and tumultuous leadership of Emperor Nero, Rome is descending into near-anarchy and conspiracy. The brutal execution of 400 slaves has led to rioting and discontent. Only the strongest soldier could maintain control. And so Nero turns to Prefect Cato to help save his reign from collapse.

Cato has been lying low after a heroic campaign to quash the Boudica uprising. Now he is called upon to serve again. As the new Prefect of the Urban Cohorts in Rome, Cato needs a loyal and proven officer by his side. Centurion Macro is willing to step up.

War and rebellion hold few fears for these seasoned veterans. But the politics and intrigue of Rome make every day as perilous as the battlefield. And the fate of both men, and of the empire, lie in the hands of the most volatile emperor of the age. Death awaits anyone who dares to defy Nero.

Cato and Macro will need to call on all their experience, native cunning and bottomless courage to survive in this epic new adventure of Roman military heroism.

I love this very interesting plot idea for Tyrant of Rome, and I feel it is going to result in a particularly epic new entry in the Eagles of the Empire series.  A book filled with intrigues, politics and general unrest in Rome is going to be a very cool change of pace following the Britannia and Boudica focussed last couple of books, and I am looking forward to seeing a whole different story for this next entry.  While Cato and Macro have been deployed to Rome before, this was mainly as Praetorian Guards in the palace, so having them take on a more citizen-focused role in the Urban Cohorts should be an excellent new story arc for them.  Throw in the unpredictable element that is Nero, and I have a feeling that Tyrant of Rome is going to be a particularly chaotic novel that will hit a lot of fun ancient history notes.

On top of the excellent story ideas featured above, I am also exceedingly curious to see how the various character-focussed storylines surrounding the protagonists are going to unfold now that the characters are back in Rome.  I imagine that all the main characters, especially Macro are going to be emotionally scarred from the dark events of the last few books, and I am hoping that Scarrow will dive into this a bit in Tyrant of Rome.  At the same time, Macro is going to have to deal with the new dynamic of having a daughter, especially one with such a dangerous heritage and whose hatred for all Romans is likely to cause problems.  Cato’s life is also likely to be quite problematic as he is currently harbouring Nero’s former mistress, Claudia, whose death they faked a few books ago.  I am extremely curious to see how Scarrow will address all these ongoing threads in Tyrant of Rome, and it should add some excellent dramatic spice to an already intrigue laden novel.

Cards on the table, there is practically nothing that is going to stop me getting my hands on Tyrant of Rome later this year, especially after the years and years of fun I have had with the Eagles of the Empire series.  However, I am particularly taken with the plot synopsis above, and based on this epic description, I am extremely confident that Tyrant of Rome is going to be one of Scarrow’s more awesome novels.  Likely to be one of my very favourite historical fiction novels of 2025 no matter what, I am so damn excited for Tyrant of Rome and November cannot come soon enough.

Waiting on Wednesday – Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday4 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 jump way ahead and look at one of top thrillers releasing in the start of 2026 with the powerful and intense read, Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz.

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Last week I had a lot of fun examining my most anticipated books for the second half of 2025 (one for fantasy/science fiction and one for other genres).  While there are still some other great books coming out this year that I intend to highlight in future Waiting on Wednesday posts, for a bit of variety this week I’m going to look at one of my most anticipated books from early 2026 with the next intriguing entry in Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series.

Hurwitz is a highly talented thriller author who excels at creating complex, character-driven thrillers that often feature some brilliant, unique elements to them.  I am a particular fan of the author’s Orphan X books, which has become a must-read series for me each year.  Following Evan Smoak, a former elite government assassin turned infamous vigilante of last resort, the Orphan X novels are a ton of fun, and I love the great blend of intense action and dramatic character interactions that Hurwitz envisions each book.

There have been some truly outstanding entries in this series so far, including (Out of the Dark, Into the Fire, Prodigal Son, Dark Horse, The Last Orphan and Lone Wolf), all of which are very impressive in their own way.  However, I must give particularly attention to the latest entry in the series, Nemesis, which was one of the better books I read in the first half of 2025.  Nemesis ended on an exceptionally powerful and tragic note (which I may never forgive Hurwitz for), and I felt this was one of the most impressive entries in the series.  As such, I am extremely eager to see how the series will continue going forward.

Luckily for me and other Hurwitz fans, we’ve got some early details about the next Orphan X book, Antihero.  Set for release in February 2026, Antihero will be the 11th book in the Orphan X series and will set the protagonist on another compelling and intense mission.  This time, Evan will need to show utmost restraint and mercy while he tries to help a young woman in trouble, all while dealing with intense grief and anger following the events of Nemesis.

Plot Synopsis:

In the latest in this New York Times best-selling series, Evan Smoak takes on his most complex mission yet–one where he has to not only protect but also avenge, and find a way to balance vengeance with mercy.

Once a black ops assassin for the government known as Orphan X, Evan Smoak broke with the program and went deep underground, using his operational rules and skills to help the truly desperate with nowhere else to turn.

When Luke Devine, one of the most powerful men in the world has a psychological crisis, Evan flies to the East Coast to meet Luke. While there, he learns of a young woman who was kidnapped off the New York City subway, clearly in danger and in need of aid.

With no name and few clues, Evan and his team track down the missing woman, who was assaulted and abandoned. Evan offers his help–and sets out tracking down the young men responsible. But the woman insists that Evan abandon his usual methods–no vengeance and, in particular, no killing. Which will prove no easy feat given the mounting incoming threats from all sides.

In a mission that takes Evan from coast to coast, from the poorest corners of society to the richest, Orphan X must figure out a way to protect the innocent, avenge the victimized, and balance justice, with a measure of mercy.

Antihero sounds like it is going to be a particularly interesting new entry in the Orphan X series, and I really appreciate the clever way in which Hurwitz is going to continue to expand on his damaged characters.  Following up the ultra-intense and revenge-focused Nemesis with a more subdued story of the protagonist attempting to find mercy and restraint at a client’s request is going to be a unique change of pace, and I very curious to see how Hurwitz pulls it off.  I’m expecting a compelling mixture of evasive action and other attempts to avoid conflict, which could turn Antihero into a very distinctive thriller.

This entire focus on mercy and avoiding violence is going to be made even more difficult with the protagonist reeling emotionally from the end sequence of Nemesis.  Thanks to this grief and likely anger, I’m expecting that there are going to be some real battles for the protagonist to keep his violent inclinations in check to make his new client happy.  I have a feeling this is going to be one of the more emotionally charged novels in the Orphan X series, and I cannot wait to see how Hurwitz continues to explore the complex emotions of his damaged protagonist.

So, there is honestly no chance that I won’t be grabbing Antihero early next year, especially after how impressive the last book in the series was.  Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X books are a real highlight in my year reading schedule, and I cannot wait to see how the author will continue the series in 2026.  I have no doubt that Antihero is going to be another outstanding entry in the series, and I’m fully expecting to have my heartbroken again as Hurwitz explores his protagonist’s grief amongst another compelling thriller plot.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Widow by John Grisham

On By The Unseen LibraryIn 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, I highlight a fantastic upcoming thriller from iconic author John Grisham, The Widow.

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John Grisham is an author that needs very little introduction thanks to his awesome array of legal thrillers and complex crime fiction novels.  A best-selling author since 1989, Grisham has dominated the thriller scene for decades, creating a raft of clever and compelling novels, many of which have been turned into iconic films.

Due to my focus on other genres, I only started really reading thrillers a few years ago, which meant I’m experiencing Grisham for the first time well into his career.  However, I have ended up reading several of Grisham’s more recent books, including The Judge’s List, The Boys from Biloxi, The Exchange, Camino Ghosts and the short story collection Sparring Partners.  Each of these novels has been quite entertaining and I’ve rather enjoyed the varied array of narratives contained within.  My favourite so far is probably The Judge’s List, although a fantastic new contender from Grisham is set to be released in a few months’ time.

Grisham’s next novel is the very intriguing legal thriller, The Widow.  Set for release in October 2025, The Widow features an awesome sounding plot, as a small-town lawyer attempts to embezzle money from an elderly widow he’s taken on as his client.  However, the protagonist’s plans will go awry when he is arrested for a murder he didn’t commit and must fight to defend himself in the courtroom while also trying to discover who set him up.  I really love the sound of this new John Grisham novel, and I think The Widow has one of the author’s more interesting recent plot ideas.  I have a feeling this is going to be a very strong new novel from Grisham, and I am very excited to get my hands on The Widow in a few months’ time.

Plot Synopsis:

She needs a lawyer. He needs a payday.

Simon Latch is a small-town lawyer struggling with debt, gambling issues and an impending divorce. But when Eleanor Barnett, an 85-year-old widow, visits his office to secure a new will, it seems his luck has finally changed: she claims she’s sitting on a $20 million fortune and no one else knows about it.

She could be the ticket to his fortune.

Once he’s hooked the richest client of his career, Simon works quietly to keep her wealth under the radar, even from his own assistant. But there are complications: other lawyers are circling his client like vultures.

But when she is hospitalised after a car accident, Eleanor’s story begins to crack. Simon realises that nothing is as it seems. And as events spiral out of control, he finds himself on trial for a crime he swears he didn’t commit: murder.

The Widow is classic Grisham courtroom drama combined with a confounding murder mystery that will enthral his legion of fans.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday4 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.  I’ve already published another Waiting on Wednesday novel tonight with Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan; however, I’m also publishing a post to highlight the awesome upcoming fantasy mystery novel, The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso.

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The reason that I am choosing to highlight The Last Soul Among Wolves tonight is because I just published a review for Melissa Caruso’s fantastic 2024 novel, The Last Hour Between Worlds.  A great mystery read that saw the protagonist attempt to investigate a recuring series of magical murders amongst a dark time loop.  I had a ton of fun with The Last Hour Between Worlds, and I have been keen for the sequel for some time now.  It helps that The Last Soul Among Wolves, which is set for release in August 2025, has a particularly intriguing plot idea behind it that will cleverly follow Caruso’s previous book and initiates another dark series of events.

Plot Synopsis:

The Last Soul Among Wolves is the dazzling second instalment in Melissa Caruso’s bestselling Echo Archives series, a whip-smart fantasy adventure packed with murder, mystery and mind-bending magic.

All Kembral Thorne wants is to finish her maternity leave in peace. But when her best friend drags her to a will reading at a decrepit island mansion – along with her once-rival, now-girlfriend Rika Nonesuch – she finds an unexpected reunion of her childhood crew . . . and a deadly curse she must now unravel.

To save her friends, Kem and Rika must once more race against the clock and descend into other realities. But the mansion is full of old secrets and new schemes, and soon the game becomes far more dangerous than they could ever have imagined.

The Last Soul Among Wolves sounds like another fantastic book from Caruso, and I look forward to the seeing how this new captivating narrative unfolds.  Setting the protagonist against another dark curse, this time around the classic scenario of a mysterious will reading at decrepit island mansion, has a lot of awesome potential, and I am very excited to see how it unfolds.  At the same time, the inclusion of several supporting characters from The Last Hour Between Worlds, should result in some fantastic character-focused moments, especially as most of the figures being included are a bunch of outrageous people from across the setting of the Echo Archives, each with their own secrets and history.  I imagine that Caruso has a very complex narrative set around uncovering all these character’s respective secrets, as well as figuring out how it connects to the curse trapping them, which should result in an impressive read.

Due to how amazing the first book in the Echo Archives was, I have very high hopes for The Last Soul Among Wolves, and it is one of my most anticipated reads for the second half of 2025.  Set to feature mystery, elaborate fantasy elements and an array of memorable central characters, The Last Soul Among Wolves will likely be one of Melissa Caruso’s strongest books yet (which is saying something), and I cannot wait to get my hands on it in a few months’ time.

Waiting on Wednesday – Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday8 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 somewhat late Waiting on Wednesday, I check out the awesome upcoming book from Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan.

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As some of you who are familiar with my blog would have seen, I just published a long-overdue review of the awesome 2024 novel, A Tide of Black Steel by Athony Ryan.  A sequel to the authors previous Covenant of Steel novels (The Pariah, The Martyr, and The Traitor), A Tide of Black Steel was one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024, and I have been meaning to put a review of it up for a while.

As I had an outstanding time finally writing up my review for A Tide of Black Steel, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to review the intriguing upcoming sequel, Born of an Iron Storm.  The second book in the author’s Age of Wrath series, Born of an Iron Storm is set for release in late August 2025 and will continue after the impressive cliffhanger that Ryan left his previous novel on.

Plot Synopsis:

From the international bestselling author Anthony Ryan comes the spectacular second novel in a new epic new fantasy trilogy inspired by Norse mythology.

The Sister Queens have fallen and Ascarlia lies naked before the storm. A Nihlvarian plan, years in the making, has seen Ascarlia’s enemy seize the capital Skar Magnol. Now the invaders look to the wealthy port city of Olversahl to complete their conquest.

But there is hope.

Elvine is trapped at the heart of the conspiracy, yet her role in the new government offers the chance to plan resistance from within. She must tread a fine line between loyalty and secret disobedience, knowing the smallest mistake will mean her death.

Meanwhile, Thera has secured the Outer Islands, but her loyalist forces alone cannot liberate Skar Magnol. She must seek allies to have any chance of defeating the Nihlvarian threat. But her greater challenge will be to overcome her own doubts and become the leader she needs to be.

If she fails, Ascarlia will fall.

And far away across the ocean, Felnir embarks on a bloody path towards kingship whilst to the north, Ruhlin seeks escape from the tyrannical realm of Nihlvar where the mysterious Vortigurn holds sway.

Continuing the epic tale begun in A Tide of Black Steel, Born of an Iron Storm is a compelling saga of bloody retribution, deadly intrigue, and desperate courage.  

This is a very awesome sounding sequel, and it looks like Ryan is going to expand on a lot of very cool plot points in Born of an Iron Storm.  Set to continue with the four same perspective characters from A Tide of Black Steel, Born of an Iron Storm will likely start with several separate narrative threads as these great characters each try to navigate on from the dark places that they finished the last book in.  I deeply enjoyed all four of these separate, character focused stories in A Tide of Black Steel, and I look forward to seeing how each character survives their last misadventures and continues to try to fight back against the mysterious new enemy.

Of the four I think the perspective I am most looking forward to in Born of an Iron Storm is that of Elvine, a young scribe caught up in the middle of a successful conspiracy to destroy Ascarlia from within.  A lot of the reasons I am keen to see Elvine’s perspective is her recently revealed connection to the protagonist from the original Covenant of Steel novels, and it will be interesting to see where Ryan takes her familial story going forward, especially as she tries to survive alongside her adventurous half-brother, who those familiar with Ryan’s previous series will know has quite a dark legacy behind him.  Elvine’s chapters also have the potential to be some of the more intrigue and mystery laden as the protagonist attempts to rebel while forced to live in service of those who want to destroy her people, and I cannot wait to see how that blows up in her face.

While Elvine’s chapters have a good chunk of my interest based on the synopsis above, the rest of the perspective chapters in Born of an Iron Storm have a lot of potential as well, and I can see all of them being quite impressive in their own way.  Thera’s chapters will likely be the most militarised, as she attempts to fight back a massive invading fleet, so expect a lot of cool longship-on-longship or shield wall combat there.  Felnir’s narrative will likely be the most frustrating, as the young captain seeks glory and power in all the wrong places, although I feel there will be some intricate lore in these chapters.  Finally, the young escaping pit fighter Ruhlin will likely have a dark tale of survival and finding oneself in his storylines, and it will be interesting to see how this monster survives on the run.  All four of these character perspectives sound extremely compelling, and I am anticipating that there will be some excellent crossover the further we get into Born of an Iron Storm’s story, which should make for a particularly incredible novel.

Due to how damn impressive Anthony Ryan’s last four books have been, there is no way that I will be missing out on Born of an Iron Storm later this year.  Sure to be filled with complex characters, great action and some elaborate storytelling, Born of an Iron Storm has so much potential, and I have no doubt at all that it will be another five-star read from this great author.  As such, Born of an Iron Storm is one of my most anticipated books coming out in the second half of the year, and I cannot wait to see how Ryan continues his exceptional Age of Wrath series.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Comedy/Satire, Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday7 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 Waiting on Wednesday, I look at an upcoming novel I wholeheartedly believe will be one of the best releases of 2025, with the exceptional and impressive new Thursday Murder Club novel, The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman.

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Over the last few years, I, as well as many other lovers of crime fiction, have been blown away by the works of relative newcomer Richard Osman, who has wowed the world with his Thursday Murder Club novels.  Osman, a fun British television personality, blew into the crime fiction scene back in 2020 with his debut novel, The Thursday Murder Club, an enchanting novel that followed four loveable senior citizens with an unlikely hobby, as they attempted to solve a series of murders around their retirement village.  Not only did The Thursday Murder Club have an outstanding murder mystery greatly enhanced by Osman’s subtle humour, but the author also created four incredible and memorable protagonists in Thursday Murder Club members Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim, who all brought their own distinctive charm to the story.  I ended up have an exceptional time with The Thursday Murder Club, and it ended up being one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020.

While The Thursday Murder Club was an exceptional first book from Osman, it turned out to only be the start of the magic from the author, as we soon got some outstanding new additions to the series.  This included the awesome first sequel, The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), the excellent third novel The Bullet That Missed (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and the tragic and powerful fourth novel, The Last Devil to Die (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023).  Osman also successfully branched out with the intriguing thriller novel, We Solve Murders (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024), that also greatly impressed.  All these novels were simply incredible, and getting the new Osman is now a major highlight of my reading year.

Unsurprisingly, I am extremely keen for the next book from this amazing author, and fans of Osman are apparently in for a big treat later this year with the fifth Thursday Murder Club novel, The Impossible Fortune.  Set for release in late September 2025, The Impossible Fortune will see the gang get back into action when they encounter a new criminal conspiracy threatening those close to them.

Plot Synopsis:

The unmissable new mystery in the bestselling, record-breaking Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman.

Who’s got time to think about murder when there’s a wedding to plan?

It’s been a quiet year for the Thursday Murder Club. Joyce is busy with table plans and first dances. Elizabeth is grieving. Ron is dealing with family troubles, and Ibrahim is still providing therapy to his favourite criminal.

But when Elizabeth meets a wedding guest who fears for their life, the thrill of the chase is ignited once again. A villain wants access to an uncrackable code and will stop at nothing to get it. Plunged back into their most explosive investigation yet, can the gang solve the puzzle and a murder in time?

This sounds like another outstanding addition to the Thursday Murder Club series, and I like the direction that Osman is taking the narrative.  Setting a deadly game of cat and mouse amongst an important and stressful wedding event is a sure to make the plot of The Impossible Fortune something really entertaining, and I am deeply intrigued to see how the entire story unfolds.  While there aren’t too many details in the above synopsis, I have no doubt that Osman has cooked up another complex and thrilling tale of deceit and murder, which her four elderly protagonists will be eager to dive into after their hiatus from crime solving.

While I love the sound of the cool story above, I think a lot of us are going to be reading The Impossible Fortune to check in on the four beloved protagonists of the book, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim, especially after all the tragic and life changing events of the fourth novel.  It is going to be particularly sad to follow Elizabeth again after the heartbreaking passing of her husband (something I still haven’t forgiven Osman for), and I imagine that her perspective scenes are going to be some of the hardest to read in the entire book.  It will be interesting to see how the rest of the cast are going, and if Osman is true to form, there will be some amazing character-focused storylines around all of them that will make you love these brilliant protagonists even more.

To be clear, there is no chance in hell that I will not be reading The Impossible Fortune later this year.  Richard Osman’s previous books have all been so damn exceptional, and I really cannot wait to get my next hit of complex mystery, amazing humour and particularly personal character stories.  Based on how incredible all the other Thursday Murder Club novels have been, there is no doubt at all that The Impossible Fortune is going to be one of the very best books of 2025, and I am going to have such an incredible time powering through the audiobook version of this novel in a few months’ time.

Waiting on Wednesday – King Sorrow by Joe Hill

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Horror, Waiting on Wednesday9 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, I check out King Sorrow, a very interesting upcoming novel from acclaimed author Joe Hill that sounds like quite an epic and compelling ride.

Amazon

We are nearly halfway through the year, but there are still a ton of awesome and memorable books to come.  One of the more unusual, but intriguing novels releasing in the second half of 2025 is a very distinctive read by horror and fantasy author Joe Hill.  Hill is an author whose work I’ve been meaning to check out for a while, especially as comes up with some very inventive scenarios to base his stories around, and it looks like I will finally get the chance later this year with King Sorrow.

King Sorrow, which is currently set for release in late October 2025, will be Hill’s first full novel since 2016, and looks to contain a bold and elaborate story about a group of friends who summon an ancient dragon to take down a group of drug dealers, only for their monster to turn on them.  I have to say that I really love this fantastic plot idea, and its one that has a lot of gritty potential.  Based on the synopsis below, King Sorrow will likely be a complex, character-driven read, that will explore an eclectic group of protagonists who are forced to live with the consequences of their dark mistake.  With the plot of King Sorrow set over four decades, this is probably going to be quite the elaborate novel, and I look forward to seeing the long-term problems associated with summoning a dragon who requires yearly sacrifices.

This sounds like such a fun and compelling upcoming novel, and I already quite curious about whatever dark, ethics-laden, character-defining horror story Joe Hill will be presenting in this cool book.  As such, King Sorrow is highly anticipated release for me, and I strongly believe that this will be one of the memorable books of the year.

Plot Synopsis:

SOME PROMISES SHOULD NEVER BE MADE…

Bookish dreamer Arthur Oakes is a student at Rackham College, Maine, renowned for its frosty winters and beautiful buildings.

But his idyll – and burgeoning romance with Gwen Underfoot – is shattered when local drug dealers force him into a terrible crime: stealing rare and valuable books from the exceptional college library.

Trapped and desperate, Arthur turns to his closest friends for help: the wealthy, irrepressible Colin Wren; brave, beautiful Alison Shiner; the battling twins Donna and Donovan McBride; and brainy, bold Gwen. Together they dream up an impossible, fantastical scheme that they scarcely imagine will work: to summon the fabled dragon King Sorrow to kill those tormenting Arthur.

But the six stumble backwards into a deadly bargain – they soon learn they must choose a new sacrifice for King Sorrow each year or one of them will become his next victim. Unleashing consequences they can neither predict nor control, this promise will, over the course of four decades, shape and endanger their lives in ways they could never expect.