Top Ten Tuesday – One-Word Reviews for the Last Ten Books I Read

On November 3, 2026November 3, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn ListLeave a comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly challenge that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants are tasked with reviewing the last ten books they have read with only a single word.

I must admit that this list turned out to be a bit of a challenge for me, as I’m not exactly known for doing short reviews. Regular readers of this blog will know that I tend to post excessively long reviews of books, especially if it proved to be particularly good. As such, I struggled a little to use only a single word to describe some of the recent books I have enjoyed, as I really don’t think that I’m doing them justice. Still, I gave it a good go, and I’m happy that the below descriptions of the last ten books I have had the pleasure of finishing are very fitting and will hopefully encourage people to check them out.

Top Ten List:

The French Illusion by John Grisham

Thrilling

Warhammer 40,000: Bjorn the Fell-Handed by Justin D. Hill

Epic

We Are For The Dark by Gretchen McNeil

Demonic

The Only Way Out Is Up by Django Wexler

Robots!!!

He Who Fights With Monsters – Hero by Travis Deverell

Irresistible

Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor

Spooky

Hard Town by Adam Plantinga

Cathartic

Warhammer 40,000: Voice of Command by Richard Swan

Intense

He Who Fights With Monsters – Adventurer by Travis Deverell

Exhilarating

138 Main Street by Gavin Bell

Memorable

That’s the end of my latest Top Ten list. While I’m still not entirely sure a single word review was enough, I think this list turned out pretty well, and I enjoyed the unique takes I had on this interesting range of great novels. I hope people end up checking out some of these above books for themselves, as each of them were quite exciting and impressive in their own ways. Let me know what recent books you’ve recently finished off in the comments below, and if you can do so in one word, that would be very cool.

Hard Town by Adam Plantinga

On November 1, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Throwback Thursday1 Comment

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (Paperback – 8 April 2025)

Series: Kurt Argento – Book Two

Length: 307 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Rising thriller author Adam Plantinga follows up his excellent first novel with the intense and highly addictive sequel, Hard Town, and outstanding book I read so damn quickly.

Readers of this blog may remember that at the start of 2025 I had the great pleasure of reading a particularly epic thriller novel, The Ascent. The debut novel from new author Adam Plantinga, The Ascent was a fantastic novel that followed a former cop, Kurt Argento, who finds himself stuck in the middle of a brutal prison riot, which forces him to fight through several levels of a deadly killers and criminals. I had an amazing time with The Ascent (it was one of my favourite debuts of 2024), and I have been keen to read more from Plantinga for a while, especially as he intended to write more about his original protagonist. After highlighting it as a cool upcoming novel early last year, I finally got a chance to read Hard Town and I’m glad I did.

Plot Synopsis:

When a plea for help sends retired Detroit cop Kurt Argento to the small desert town of Fenton, Arizona things immediately don’t appear to be as they seem, and he finds himself unravelling secrets that want to stay hidden and questioning his own moral compass.

After having survived a deadly prison break, ex-Detroit cop Kurt Argento is ready for some quiet. Still working through his grief over the passing of his wife, Argento finds himself house-sitting for a friend with his loyal companion, Hudson, a Chow Chow-Shepard mix. It’s a simple life, picking up odd jobs here and there, but it’s one that Argento is content to live.

Then Kristin Reed shows up with her young son, Ethan, and begs Argento to help find her missing husband… and Argento tells her he’d just be in the way. He’s no investigator, not anymore. He’s a handyman who fixes fences. But he’s not one to ignore his gut feeling when something is wrong. After an attempt to talk with Kristin more in the next town over, just to find her and her son missing as well, Argento starts to notice that Fenton, Arizona is more than meets the eye.

First there’s the large, overly equipped public safety team complete with specialized tactics and sophisticated weaponry. Then there’s the unusual financial boosting of failing small businesses by the U.S. government. And finally, there’s one man with no name who seems to have control over this town in an unprecedented way.

Argento finds himself unravelling not just the truth behind the disappearance of a family, but a conspiracy that’s taken a whole town to cover up. But Fenton, Arizona is going to push him further than he’s ever had to go. And along the way, he may just lose a part of himself as well. Because justice isn’t as black and white as Argento would like to believe.

Hard Town was a great second novel from Plantinga, who follows up his debut with a highly compelling sequel I had an outstanding time with. Loaded with striking action, an excellent over-the-top story and a gritty protagonist, Hard Town was an amazing novel that is worth checking out.

Plantinga pulls together an excellent plot for Hard Town, which I felt served as an excellent continuation of the protagonist’s personal journey, while also working well as a standalone story with its own distinctive plot. Reintroducing protagonist Kurt Argento as a battered survivor with some infamy behind him after the events of The Ascent, Hard Town sees him get dragged back into trouble when a desperate woman begs him to investigate the disappearance of her husband from the town of Fenton, Arizona. Despite his misgivings, Argento eventually agrees to help, only to discover that the woman and her young son have gone missing. Searching for answers in Fenton, he discovers a surprisingly well-equipped police force of former soldiers, while a mysterious genius is holding court in town. Plantinga sets up this unusual scene extremely well in the first third of Hard Town, and you soon become quite engrossed in uncovering the full mystery, especially as things are just about to kick off in all the wrong ways.

It’s around this point that the entire tone of Hard Town changes dramatically, and Argento finds himself caught up in a deadly battle for survival. After an intense extended sequence, you follow Argento as he attempts to uncover the true secrets of Fenton while also searching for his own brand of justice. This involves an interesting investigation arc, followed up by a dangerous plan to gain allies and resources. Plantinga perfectly paces out the second half of Hard Town, drawing you into Argento’s plans before hitting you with the big confrontation. This final part of Hard Town is extremely brutal, with multiple deadly fights and encounters. Plantinga throws in a couple of good twists here, as well as a lot of over-the-top deaths, and you will find yourself extremely hooked. Everything wraps up in a satisfying, dark ending, with the protagonist resolving the story at a cost, and thriller fans will come away happy with how Hard Town turned out. I personally loved this well-planned out and compelling narrative, and I ended up powering through the entirety of Hard Town in only a couple of days.

You can see that Plantinga has improved as an author since his first book, as he has done a good job moving the plot away from the prison setting of the first book into a sprawling adventure throughout Arizona. Hard Town initially had a bit of a slower pace to it, which I felt helped to build tension and allowed for a stronger, more character-focused read. The use of an underlying mystery to drive the initial plot and increase tension and interest was a great choice by Plantinga, and it allowed the author to take his time to set up the story. Once things do kick off, Plantinga does not hold back, bringing in a series of intense confrontations and over-the-top moments to raise the stakes and sate the action fans. Plantinga makes sure there is a gritty realism to all the action, as Plantinga provides detailed depictions of event, amping up the impact of events. I also quite enjoyed the multiple realistic depictions of police techniques and procedure, as Plantinga pulls from his own extensive personal knowledge of law enforcement to enhance his story. All this results in a powerful tone for Hard Town, which intensifies the action and the fantastic focus on the characters.

While there is a lot of carnage in this thriller, Hard Town isn’t all action, as Plantinga adds some nuance to the plot, especially around protagonist Kurt Agento’s motivations and the morality of the antagonists. Argento, who the author expertly reintroduces in this sequel, continues to develop from the angry figure we were introduced to at the start of The Ascent. Now somewhat calmer, Argento is forced back into the life of violence when pushed in the most dramatic of ways, although Plantinga continues to portray him as having a little more restraint, while also moralising a little more over his actions and desire for revenge. The author works in some interesting flaws and personal concerns for the protagonist to deal with. Despite certain moral quandaries Plantinga includes in the plot, there is not a moment that you aren’t on the side of the protagonist as he seeks justice, especially after a certain scene. The clever and usually over-the-top ways that Argento attempted to resolve the situations he found himself in also draws the reader to his side, and there were some very memorable moments in this plot as Argento attempted to get justice.

While most of the book’s focus was on Argento as protagonist, Plantinga does include some interesting supporting characters, especially in the book’s antagonists. These antagonists are a group of mysterious soldiers who have taken over policing in the small town of Fenton as part of a larger mission. Employed to ruthlessly defend their objective and keep the town in order, these characters do some terrible things and there are some true monsters amongst them. However, Plantinga includes a couple of conflicted figures in their midst, and their varied morality becomes an interesting plot point, especially when Argento seeks his revenge. The objective of these soldiers and their government agent handler adds in some interesting moral conflicts to the plot, especially as they try to balance the need for dark actions with the overall objective of the mission they believe in. I enjoyed how Plantinga balanced these morally grey characters by also including a completely irredeemable character as Hard Town’s main antagonist. The sinister mastermind behind the whole operation in Fenton, this initially unnamed antagonist was delightfully over-the-top, and Plantinga had fun writing in his sense of superiority and evil nature. If anything, the author made him too outrageously evil, as this character came across as a parody of an arrogant intellectual, but I still had fun seeing this antagonist in action, especially when confronted by the more serious Argento. All these characters add a lot to Hard Town’s story, and I felt that Plantinga’s character work was a lot more impactful in this sequel.

Adam Plantinga showcases his improvement as a writer in this excellent second novel, Hard Town. An amazing and nuanced thriller novel that balances an emotionally charged plot with some outstanding action, Hard Town was a highly addictive read that I found near impossible to put down. I really had an amazing time with this sequel, and I look forward to reading more from Plantinga going forward, especially as the third book in this series, Dark Country, just came out.

WWW Wednesday – 7 October 2026

On October 9, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor (Trade Paperback)

I was in a horror mood this week, so I decided to check out the new C. J. Tudor novel Serenity Falls. An intriguing read that explores the dark side of a seemingly perfect community, Serenity Falls has an excellent plot behind it, backed up by the very talented writing of Tudor. I’ve only made a little progress on Serenity Falls so far, but it has already captured my interest and I cannot wait to see where the story goes next.

Warhammer 40,000: Voice of Command by Richard Swan (Audiobook)

After having an incredible time with Richard Swan’s other science fiction novel of 2026, The Infinite State, I just had to listen to his recently released Warhammer 40,000 novel, Voice of Command. Swan’s first full Warhammer 40,000 novel, Voice of Command follows a demoralised regiment as they encounter betrayal, dissent and corruption, putting down a manipulative rebellion. One of the darker Warhammer novels of 2026, Voice of Command is proving to be pretty damn incredible, and I am hoping to finish it off in the next few days.

What did you recently finish reading?

We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman (Audiobook)

I managed to finish off the highly entertaining murder mystery, We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman this week. One of my most anticipated novels for the second half of 2026, We Chase Shadows is the sequel to Osman’s previous exceptional novel, We Solve Murders and follows some of Osman’s more unique protagonists as they attempt to solve another international mystery. An exceptional read with some real heart and brilliant humour behind it; this book comes very highly recommended.

Scion by James Islington (Trade Paperback)

I also recently got through the cool science fiction thriller, Scion by Australian author James Islington. A futuristic thriller that sees an enhanced assassin try to protect her target rather than kill him, Scion was an excellent read that I had a lot of fun with.

138 Main Street by Gavin Bell (Hardcover)

An intense and compelling thriller with a brilliant story hook behind it, 138 Main Street was a fantastic novel, and I’m hoping to review it soon.

He Who Fights With Monsters – Adventurer by Travis Deverell (Trade Paperback)

After falling in love with the first He Who Fights With Monsters novel, Outworlder, I made sure to also read the recently re-released second novel, Adventurer. A highly entertaining and addictive fantasy novel, I powered through the massive volume of Adventurer in no time at all. I will be publishing a review up for Adventurer this weekend with a full five-star rating.

Hard Town by Adam Plantinga (Trade Paperback)

An intense and brutal thriller that I got through extremely quickly. Highly recommended.

What do you think you’ll read next?

He Who Fights With Monsters – Hero by Travis Deverell

My plan for this week is to dive into the next volume of He Who Fights With Monsters the very second I finish off Serenity Falls. This next volume, Hero, will continue to follow the adventures of a complex protagonist as he explores a cool LitRPG world, and I cannot wait to see what carnage and insanity he unleashes in this third volume. An epic read I already know I am going to love.

That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

Book Haul – 27 September 2026

On September 27, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive some incredible and amazing new novels from publishers and Netgalley, plus a few purchases of my own. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including books that have the potential to be some of my top reads of the year. I cannot wait to dive into them, and I so excited to see how they all turn out.

King’s Ransom by Matthew Reilly

The first recently receive book I want to highlight in this post is the fantastic new novel from Matthew Reilly, King’s Ransom. The sequel to his 2025 novel, The Detective, King’s Ransom brings back the first book’s unique protagonist and sets him on another over-the-top case. I’ve actually already read this novel and it lived up to all my expectations, containing a particularly addictive narrative I couldn’t stop reading. A highly recommended read that I’m hoping to review soon.

138 Main Street by Gavin Bell

I was very happy to get my hands on one of the more unique thrillers of 2026, 138 Main Street by Gavin Bell. Focusing on the hunt for a serial killer murdering people who live at the titular address of the book in various towns across America, 138 Main Street sounds so damn interesting and I love the cool hook. I cannot wait to see how this novel unfolds, and I’ve heard it’s very good.

Scion by James Islington

One of Australia’s best fantasy authors, James Islington, dives into the world of cyberpunk science fiction with his cool new novel Scion. Following an enhanced assassin who finds herself forced to work a protection job for a mysterious client, Scion is a fast-paced read with an interesting story. I’ve actually just started reading Scion and I’m very curious to see how it will come to an end.

He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer by Travis Deverell

After falling in love with the first volume of Travis Deverell’s He Who Fights With Monsters series, Outworlder, I just had to grab a copy of the recently released sequel, Adventurer. Sure to continue the fantastic LitRPG hijinks of the series, this second He Who Fights With Monsters novel is going to be incredible, and I look forward to diving into it.

Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor

Another amazing new novel I recently received was the fantastic horror release from C. J. Tudor, Serenity Falls. An intriguing read set in a mysterious and seemingly perfect town, Serenity Falls has been on my radar for a while, and I cannot wait to see what dark horrors are contained within.

One of Us is Guilty by Steve Cavanagh

I had to get my hands on the latest Steve Cavanagh legal thriller, One of Us is Guilty. Part of the author’s Eddie Flynn series, One of Us is Guilty sees the protagonist forced to uncover which member of a seemingly perfectly married couple committed a murder. I’m very curious to see how this crazy case unfolds, and I have no doubt it is going to be fantastic and fun.

Hard Town by Adam Plantinga

I have been hoping to read this next entry for a while now, so I’m particularly happy to finally get my hands on Hard Town by Adam Plantinga. His second novel following his debut, The Ascent, Hard Town will see the author’s protagonist engage in another brutal confrontation as he travels the United States. I had an ton of fun with the author’s first book and I cannot wait to see what carnage unfolds in Hard Town.

SHOT by Shelley Burr

I’ve also been lucky enough to receive a copy of one of the top Australian crime fiction releases from the second half of 2026 with SHOT by Shelley Burr. An awesome new release that sees a disgraced journalist attempt to solve an impossible crime, SHOT sounds like an incredible read, and I look forward to diving into it.

The Malevolent Nine by Sebastian de Castell

One of fantasy fiction’s most compelling authors, Sebastien de Castell, continues his epic 2026 with the sure to be crazy release, The Malevolent Nine. Following on from de Castell’s insane novels The Malevolent Seven and The Malevolent Eight, The Malevolent Nine will see a group of rogue mages attempt to stop the new rulers of heaven and hell in the most destructive way possible. I have no doubt this book is going to be amazing, and I’m very excited to check it out.

The Cross by Ronni Salt

Another great Australian book I recently received is The Cross by Ronni Salt. The sequel to her debut, Gunnawah, The Cross will take the reader back to 1970’s rural Australia, and feature the crime fiction misadventures of the residents of the small town of Gunnawah. I’m very interested in seeing how Salt has improved as a writer since her first book, and I am excited to read this sequel.

The Missing Season by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

The final book I recently received was the compelling 2027 murder mystery, The Missing Season. Written by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, whose young adult crime fiction novels I have really enjoyed, The Missing Season features another thought-provoking story, as two women embark on different journeys to solve a missing person’s case. I’m already quite intrigued by this book’s mystery, and I look forward to seeing all the cool twists and turns. A fantastic final novel for this Book Haul post.

Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Meant to Read in 2025 but Didn’t Get To

On January 13, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn List7 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers creating and sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants were required to list the books they are most looking forward to in the first half of 2026. I did a list around this topic last week, so I am instead going to continue my recent trend of end of year and examining the best books released in 2025. As such I will be listening the top books I meant to read in 2025 but that I didn’t get a chance to.

2025 was an awesome year for books and I had such an outstanding time getting through a solid collection of books from new-to-me authors, exciting sequels and great older novels, most of which were fun and impressive reads. However, no matter how hard one tries there are always a couple of books each year that you don’t get the chance to read, either due to time constraints, lack of access or being too overwhelmed with other reads. As a result, this is a list loaded with regret as each book I mention below is one that I really wish I had taken the time to explore.

To complete this list, I pulled together some of the more interesting and compelling novels that I didn’t get a chance to read in 2025. Each entry was released last year and while knew that they were coming out I did not get a chance to read any of them. In many cases I have these books sitting on my shelf, silently and constantly judging me, and I will have to try and read them to stop their bookish glares. I was eventually able to cull my list of regret down to 10 entries with an honourable mentions section. This list is an interesting collection of books from across the genres and include several major 2025 releases I did not get the chance to look at.

Honourable Mentions:

Forged for Destiny by Andrew Knighton

A fun sounding fantasy novel about the downsides of destiny.

Once a Villain by Vanessa Len

The final book in a young adult fantasy trilogy I was hoping to finish off last year.

The Devil’s Knight by P. W. Finch

An intriguing historical fiction novel with an awesome plot that grabbed my attention and which I’m still hoping to read.

A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde

A very compelling 2025 fantasy debut that I regret not getting the chance to check out.

Top Ten Tuesday:

There Will Be Bodies by Lindsey Davis

One of the books I most regret not reading in 2025 was the latest book in one of my favourite historical fiction series, There Will Be Bodies by Lindsey Davis. The latest book in the always entertaining Flavia Albia series, There Will Be Bodies sounded like an excellent historical murder mystery, when the protagonist uncovers bodies related to the Pompei volcanic eruption. I really liked the sound of this latest Flavia Albia book and I’m still hoping to read it at some point this year, especially as I’m curious to see how Davies envisions ancient Romans looking back at the volcanic event.

Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland

One of the big fantasy releases I had hoped to read at the end of 2025 was Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland. The third and final book in Corland’s Broken Blades trilogy (which previously featured Five Broken Blades and Four Ruined Realms), Three Shattered Souls sounded like an excellent end to the trilogy, with the surviving damaged killer protagonists forced to face their enemies in a final fight. I’ve got copies of Three Shattered Souls on a couple of formats and I’m planning to read it this year as I’m very curious to see how everything ends in this series.

Hard Town by Adam Plantinga

While I did manage to read Adam Plantinga’s cool 2024 debut, The Ascent, last year, I was unable to get my hands on a copy of the sequel, Hard Town. Following a rough former cop who keeps finding himself in deadly situations, Hard Town follows the protagonist as he travels to an unusual town and finds himself embroiled in a staggering conspiracy. I’m still extremely keen to read Hard Town at some point, especially as his first book was a wonderfully excessive and entertaining thriller, and I will probably try to get a copy of this sequel soon.

Tyrant by Conn Iggulden

One of the more entertaining historical novels from 2025 I regret missing was Tyrant by Conn Iggulden. The second book in Iggulden’s Nero series, Tyrant follows on from the excellent 2024 novel Nero and features the teenaged future rule of Rome and his diabolical mother, as they pave his way to the throne. I’m still keen to read Tyrant, as it sounds like an amazing read, and it should be a ton of fun to get through.

The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso

A unique fantasy novel I’m sorry to have not read last year was the new Melissa Caruso novel, The Last Soul Among Wolves. The sequel to the excellent 2024 novel, The Last Hour Between Worlds, The Last Soul Among Wolves contained a unique locked room mystery, as a several friends are magically trapped in a house after an unusual will reading. I had an outstanding time with The Last Hour Between Worlds and this sequel sounded extremely good. I might attempt to read this sequel soon, as I am curious about how Caruso will top her previous cool story.

The Medici Return by Steve Berry

Probably the most surprising inclusion on this list for me is The Medici Return by Steve Berry, as I’m usually very good at reading Berry’s books as soon as they come out. The latest book in Berry’s Cotton Malone series, The Medici Return has a very interesting plot behind it, as the protagonist attempts to unwind an elaborate conspiracy from history when the legendary Medici family apparently return to Italy with a vengeance. This book sounds extremely awesome, and I’m hoping to read it before the next Cotton Malone novel comes out.

Valour by Richard Cullen

While I did manage to read Cullen’s early 2025 novel, Crusade, I didn’t get a chance to check out his other release from last year, Valour. The third book in the author’s Chronicles of the Black Lion, Valour sounds like another very exciting novel from Cullen, as the protagonist finds himself fighting pagans hidden in a deadly and remote European mountain range. I currently have Valour loaded up to read when I have a spare moment and the need for historical adventure, and I know I’m going to have a great time with this book when I do.

Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky

There were a few books from the always impressive Adrian Tchaikovsky I regret not reading in 2025, however, the most interesting sounding was Shroud. A fantastic and tense science fiction novel that sees two crash survivors trapped beneath the dark atmosphere of a forbidden planet, Shroud had a truly outstanding plot idea behind it, and I was very curious to see how it would unfold. I have no doubt that Shroud was a particularly incredible novel, and I really do hope I get the chance to read it at some point.

The Detective by Matthew Reilly

One big end of year release I very much regret not reading was the new novel from Australian author Matthew Reilly, The Detective. An interesting and apparently clever crime fiction read set in the American south, The Detective was very high on my to-read list for the last few months of 2025. Unfortunately, I could never seem to make time for it, which was a real shame considering how much I loved Reilly’s previous novel, Mr Einstein’s Secretary. The Detective is one of the big releases from last year I will attempt to read in 2026, and I cannot wait to finally explore Reilly’s excellent new novel.

The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence

The final 2025 novel I want to highlight on this list is The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawerence. The third and final book in Lawrence’s The Library trilogy, The Book That Held Her Heart follows on from the author’s excellent previous novels The Book That Wouldn’t Burn and The Book That Broke The World. I have been meaning to read The Book That Held Her Heart for a while, especially as I am curious about how this inventive fantasy series was coming to an end, and this final book sounds very impressive. I might try to read The Book That Held Her Heart in the next month or two, especially as Lawrence has a new book coming out soon with Daughter of Crows, and I look forward to seeing how he wraps up his last complex series.

Well, that is the end of my latest list and it looks like I have a lot catch-up reading to do if I am going to make a dent in it. There are some truly amazing-sounding novels on this list, and I fully intend to get through all of them at some point, although with all the outstanding books coming out in 2026, it might take me a little time. In the meantime, let me know what books you most regret not reading in 2025 in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite New-to-Me Authors I read in 2025

On December 10, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List7 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was books set in a snowy place, which while interesting, is something I am putting aside for the moment as I want to continue with my end of year best-of lists, which I started last week when I looked at pre-2025 novels I read this year. instead, this week I will be looking at new-to-me authors I discovered in 2025. This is a list I have covered for the last couple of years (make sure to check out my 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 versions), and it is one that I always have a lot of fun doing.

Each year I am lucky enough to read a great number of awesome novels and this often includes books written by authors whose work I was previously unfamiliar with. 2025 was a particularly good example of this as I powered through an incredible collection of amazing novels written by authors who were completely new to me. Many of these new-to-me authors produced some truly exceptional novels, including one or two which I consider to be some of the best books released in 2025 (more on that later), and I really feel the need to highlight them here.

To appear on this list, the author had to be someone whose work I checked out for the first time in 2025. All new-to-me authors were eligible to appear here, although I did exclude debut authors as I am going to cover them in another list. Even with debuting authors excluded, I still had a ton of potential inclusions, as I apparently got through 21 new authors in 2025. After some hard work, I was able to whittle this down to a manageable top ten list, with my usual generous honourable mentions section. I am really surprised at some of the impressive and enjoyable authors I had to exclude, and I was honestly tempted to increase this to a top twenty list. I managed to resist and I think the below entry really highlights the absolute best new-to-me authors I enjoyed in 2025.

Honourable Mentions:

Adam Christopher – Star Wars: Master of Evil

A talented Star Wars author whose latest book has an interesting look at the newly created Darth Vader. I’m only a little way into Master of Evil now, else Christopher would have likely made the Top Ten list

Matthew Farrer – Warhammer 40,000: Crossfire

An author of some classic Warhammer 40,000 novels, including the exciting early Warhammer crime fiction novel Crossfire. I’m hoping to read more from Farrer next year, especially as I have the two sequels to Crossfire siting on my shelf.

Joe Hill – King Sorrow

Joe Hill is another new-to-me author I have to keep on the honourable mentions list as I’m only partway through his latest book, King Sorrow. Still, I am really enjoying my first experience with Hill’s writing, and King Sorrow is shaping up to being one of the more compelling novels of 2025.

Ryan North – Star Trek: Lower Decks

A fun author who is currently leading the Lower Decks comic series. I loved the first volume of this comic, and I’m hoping to read more soon.

Top Ten List:

Matt Dinniman – Dungeon Crawler Carl series

Without a doubt the biggest new-to-me author in 2025 had to be Matt Dinniman, especially as I fell in love with his epic Dungeon Crawler Carl series. A cool LitRPG series that sees the remnants of humanity forced to fight down multiple levels of a dungeon as a form of entertainment for the rest of the galaxy, the Dungeon Crawler Carl series is pretty damn exceptional, especially as it is loaded up with intense action, awesome mechanics, over-the-top humour, complex characters, and so many entertaining moments. I ended up chain listening to the entire series this year, and all seven books in the series, including Dungeon Crawler Carl, Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook, The Gate of the Feral Gods, The Butcher’s Masquerade, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride and This Inevitable Ruin are exceptional five-star reads, and once you start reading this series, you won’t be able to stop. Dinniman is an author I will be reading more of going forward, especially as he has two books coming out in 2026, with a new Dungeon Crawler Carl book, and his standalone novel Operation Bounce House.

Lamar Giles – Star Wars: Sanctuary

I got back into Star Wars fiction in 2025 in a big way, with my favourite book so far (noting I have only made a little progress on Master of Evil) being Sanctuary by Lamar Giles. Giles really impressed me with his first Star Wars novel, especially as Sanctuary was an entertaining addition to the Bad Batch animated series. Following several of the titular clones on another bonkers adventure, Sanctuary was a great novel from Giles, and I loved his fantastic humour, amazing take on the established characters, and the outstanding new villains who were a highlight of the book. I hope Giles writes more Star Wars fiction going forward, as his first full novel in the franchise was really incredible.

Scott Mariani – The Pilgrim’s Revenge

I started reading veteran thriller author Scott Mariani this year, primarily because he started a cool historical fiction series this year, starting with The Pilgrim’s Revenge. An exciting and detailed novel that followed a peasant who chases after King Richard’s crusade to get revenge of the men who killed his wife, The Pilgrim’s Revenge was an outstanding historical novel and a great introduction to Mariani’s writing. I’ve already got a copy of the sequel to The Pilgrim’s Revenge, and I’m hoping to read it before the end of the year.

Adam Plantinga – The Ascent

Another cool thriller author I read for the first time in 2025 was new writer Adam Plantinga, after I finally got the chance to read his debut from last year, The Ascent. A gritty and bloody thriller that sees several entertaining characters attempt to escape through several levels of an out-of-control prison, The Ascent was an extremely exciting and gripping novel that I had an absolute blast with. I’m keen to read more from Plantinga going forward, especially the sequel to The Ascent, Hard Town, and I cannot wait to see what he writes next.

Jackson Ford – The Bone Raiders

I had the very great pleasure of reading my first book from Jackson Ford this year, with The Bone Raiders. A fun author who has previously come up with some outstanding scenarios for his books, Ford is an author I have been meaning to read for a while, and there was no way I could avoid the awesome sounding The Bone Raiders. Following a group of grassland warriors who attempt to defeat an invading army by taming giant fire-breathing lizards, The Bone Raiders was an amazing read that I got really hooked on. I will be grabbing the sequel to The Bone Raiders, Sisters of the Lizard, next year, especially as it sounds just as crazy as the first book.

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child – Badlands

For the next entry on this list, I am featuring the pairing of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. While I have read something from Preston before, with last year’s exciting novel Extinction, 2025 was the first year that I read something written by both authors. This long-running writing team’s new novel was awesome crime fiction novel Badlands, which saw the protagonists investigate several suspicious deaths linked by Native American artefacts each victim was holding. Part of Preston and Child’s Nora Kelly series, Badlands was a great read, and I loved the crazy ending and entertaining twists.

Gabriel Bergmoser – High Rise

Gabriel Bergmoser provided all the Australian action I could need when I checked out his 2025 novel, High Rise. An ultra-violent read that sees a former cop and his estranged daughter try to escape from a building full of killers and bounty hunters, High Rise was a very exciting read that I powered through extremely quickly. I really loved this book, and Bergmoser is now an author I will be keeping a close eye on for new, cool novels.

R. F. Kuang – Katabasis

I finally got around to reading something from R. F. Kuang, who has been on my to-read list for a while. Kuang, who has written several very interesting previous books, presented one of the more unique fantasy novels of 2025 with Katabasis, an intriguing and complex book about two academics journey to Hell to recover their professor’s soul. I really enjoyed this impressive and inventive novel, and Kuang really lived up to the hype around her intricate books.

Edward Ashton – Mickey7

A fun road trip gave me my first experience of science fiction author Ashton Edward this year, as I read his entertaining novel, Mickey7. A fun and clever novel about an inadvertent extra clone on a space exploration mission, Mickey7 has always sounded like an amazing read, and I was very glad I got the chance to read it this year. An excellent and highly recommended novel that is worth checking out.

Krysten Ritter (with Lindsay Jamieson) – Retreat

The final new to me author this year is actress Krysten Ritter, who presented her second novel Retreat. A wonderful and compelling thriller about a con artist who takes over a client’s rich social life, only to encounter murder, plots and snobby neighbours, Retreat was a great read with some fun twists to it. I ended up really enjoying this book from Ritter, and it will be interesting to see what other cool novels this actress/author will produce in the future.

Well, that’s the end of this latest Top Ten list. I think it turned out rather well and it encapsulates some of the best new authors I checked out in 2025. I look forward to reading more books from these authors in the future and I have no doubt they will produce more epic and incredible reads. Make sure to let me know which new authors you enjoyed in 2025 in the comments below and make sure to check back next week for another exciting end of 2025 list.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Pre-2025 Novels

On December 3, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List6 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. This week participants of Top Ten Tuesday get a freebie to list whatever topics they want. So, I am going to take this opportunity to start my annual end-of-year lists here by looking at my favourite pre-2025 novels that I read this year.

Each December I have a lot of fun looking at some of the best and most impressive books and comics that I have read throughout the year in a series of Top Ten Lists. While these lists will mostly focus on books that came out in 2025, for the last few years I have also taken the time to list out some of the best older novels that I have read in the last 12 months. There are some excellent novels that were released pre-2025 out there that I haven’t had the chance to read before and it is always fun to go back and explore them. I ended up reading a bunch of awesome older books throughout 2025, including some incredible novels that got easy five-star ratings from me and are really worth checking out.

To come up with this list I had a look at all the novels I read this year that had their initial release before 2025. While I struggled due to an overabundance of choice, I eventually managed to pull together a fantastic list that covered some of the best books I read this year released before 2025. I did have to put one restriction on my choices for this year’s list, primarily because I read quite a few novels from authors, Matt Dinniman and Terry Pratchett, and I could have filled this top ten list with books from these two alone. As such, I limited myself to three books from each author, which ensured a bit more diversity in this list. With this rule in place, I feel that this list still reflects the best pre-2025 novels I read throughout the year, so let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Warhammer 40,000: Crossfire by Matthew Farrer – 2003

An intense classic novel from the Warhammer 40,000 franchise with a great crime fiction twist.

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso – 2024

An intricate fantasy novel that makes excellent use of a clever, time-loop scenario

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis – 2024

Flavia Albia returns for another ancient Rome mystery, this time hunting down an organised crime boss that she has a dark history with.

Top Ten List:

Small Gods by Terry Pratchett – 1992

I had a lot of fun re-reading several Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett in 2025, including the impressive and thought-provoking Small Gods. One of Pratchett’s absolute best Discworld books, Small Gods provides a clever and hilarious look at religion and how it impacts the human condition, all while following two of the author’s most relatable protagonists. There is so much to love about Small Gods, and it was a pleasure to read it once again, especially with the new audiobook format that featured narration from Andy Serkis.

Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett – 1993

Another outstanding Discworld book I enjoyed in 2025 was the second entry in the City Watch sub-series, Men at Arms. The sequel to Pratchett’s earlier release, Guards! Guards!, Men at Arms sees the unlikely heroes of the Ankh-Morpork city watch attempt to stop a deranged killer wielding the Disc’s first firearm. A very impressive crime fiction novel that makes full use of the iconic city of Ankh-Morpork as a gritty background setting, Men at Arms was another early classic from Pratchett, that I will never get tired of re-reading.

Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett – 1996

The final book from Pratchett that I want to highlight on this list is the third City Watch book, Feet of Clay. Following the returning protagonists from Men at Arms as they attempt to solve a series of brutal murders connected to Ankh-Morpork’s golem population, as well as stop the poisoning of the patrician. Probably the best crime fiction novel that Pratchett ever wrote, Feet of Clay is an exceptional book that still brings me joy whenever I read it.

Warhammer 40,000: Titanicus by Dan Abnett – 2008

It wouldn’t be a reading year for me without some older Warhammer 40,000 novels thrown into the mix. One of my favourites of these was the epic novel Titanicus by the legendary Dan Abnett. A spin-off of his Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Titanicus follows a sprawling war between the gigantic Titan war machines, as they rain destruction and death across an entire planet. Massive in scope and featuring some outstanding battle sequences, Titanicus was an outstanding read and one I had such an incredible time getting through.

Warhammer 40,000: The Emperor’s Finest by Sandy Mitchell – 2010

I also continued my dive into another awesome older Warhammer 40,000 series this year with The Emperor’s Finest by Sandy Mitchell. A particularly hilarious entry in the entertaining Ciaphas Cain series, The Emperor’s Finest once again follows the galaxy’s smartest, if most cowardly, commissar, as he attempts to avoid deadly danger in space, only to inadvertently end up facing even worse monsters or deadly situations. I laughed myself silly throughout The Emperor’s Finest and it was a great entry in one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 series.

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman – 2020

Those who are familiar with this blog will already know that 2025 started my obsession with the incredible Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman, as I dove into several of these novels which were all released before 2025. I ended up powering through the entire series on audiobook in a couple of weeks, it was that damn good, and I just had to include a few entries from this series on this list as a result. This includes the very first book in the series, Dungeon Crawler Carl, which serves as a powerful introduction to the elaborate narrative and setting. I love how well Dungeon Crawler Carl sets the entire adventure up, and you get a perfect taste of the author’s unique humour and crazy imagination with this incredible read. Highly recommended, although be warned, once you start reading this book, you won’t be able to stop.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton – 2022

The highly entertaining and inventive science fiction novel, Mickey7, proved to be excellent entertainment for a road trip earlier this year. A fantastic novel that I’ve been meaning to read for a while, Mickey7 featured a great story about an expendable member of a distant space colony, who gets in trouble when an extra clone of him is created. I really enjoyed this awesome novel and it really worth going back and checking out.

The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt Dinniman – 2022

After already featuring the first Dungeon Crawler Carl novel on this list, I was spoiled for choice about which other entries from the series to feature here, especially as I read them all this year. however, in the end the choice was rather easy for me as I had to feature one of the very best books from Dinniman with the fifth book in the series, The Butcher’s Masquerade. Featuring an elaborate plot that sees the increasingly damaged protagonists transported to a new level filled with alien hunters who plan to butcher them for sport, The Butcher’s Masquerade was another exceptional entry in the series. Between its epic story, amazing humour, crazy moments, and impressive emotional depth, The Butcher’s Masquerade was a true standout amongst an already incredible series, and I just had to feature it here.

The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman – 2023

The third Dungeon Crawler Carl novel I decided to feature on this list was the sixth book, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, which I honestly think was one of the most impressive entries in the series. Perfectly building on the plot from the previous novels, Dinniman turned what could have been a fun bridging novel into an emotionally charged and traumatic read that really dived into several of the series’ outstanding characters. Funny, exhilarating and absolutely heartbreaking, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride features some of Dinniman’s best writing, and I honestly could not get enough of the elaborate scenarios and shocking moments in this book. The crown jewel of one of the best ongoing series you need to read.

The Ascent by Adam Plantinga – 2024

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the very exciting 2024 thriller The Ascent by Adam Plantinga. A compelling read that saw a damaged former cop attempt to climb up through a chaotic and deadly rioting prison, The Ascent was a very impressive novel, and one I flew through extremely quickly. I really enjoyed this great book, and I’m hoping to read the sequel, Hard Town, sometime soon.

And that is the end of this list. As you can see, I have managed to read a huge number of epic pre-2025 releases this year. Each of the above were exceptional and fun reads and I would strongly recommend all of them, especially if you are in the mood for some fun fantasy or science fiction adventures. I look forward to reading many more older books in 2026, and it will be interesting to see what makes my next version of this list then. Make sure to check back in next week for some other end-of-year lists as I continue to highlight some of my favourite reads from 2025.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Winter 2025 To Be Read (TBR) List

On May 27, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List4 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week involved fictional animal companions, which, while interesting, isn’t something I felt I could contribute to, and I am instead going to use this post to look at some upcoming books. This is because today is the first Tuesday before Winter 2025 and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books I am looking forward to reading in Winter (Summer for folks in the Northern Hemisphere). This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.

For this list, I have come up with ten books coming out between 1 June 2025 and 31 August 2025 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section. I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles, and I think all of them will turn out to be incredible reads. I am extremely excited for these next three months and I feel that quite a few of these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2025.

Honourable Mentions:

Forged for Destiny by Andrew Knighton – 24 June 2025

An entertaining fantasy novel that will present a new take on the classic chosen-one story.

The Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford – 12 August 2025

Bone-covered, grassland raiders attempting to train giant, fire-breathing lizards as their new mounts, what’s not to love?

The Hungry Gods by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 12 August 2025

An intriguing new novel from one of the best modern authors of science fiction and fantasy.

Once a Villain by Vanessa Len- 19 August 2025

The epic conclusion to a great young adult fantasy series by Australian author Vanessa Len, Once a Villain will complete the tale started in Only a Monster and Never a Hero.

Top Ten List:

Hard Town by Adam Plantinga – 10 June 2025

First up we have the awesome sounding thriller Hard Town by Adam Plantinga. The sequel the amazing and brutal 2024 debut, The Ascent, Hard Town sounds like another impressive and over-the-top thriller and I really cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Warhammer 40,000: Grotsnik: Da Mad Dok by Denny Flowers – 1 July 2025

There are several awesome Warhammer 40,000 novels still to come in 2025, but the one I’m currently most looking forward to is the epic novel Grotsnik: Da Mad Dok. Written by the very talented Denny Flowers who has previously impressed me with books like Outgunned (one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels) and Above and Beyond (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024), Grotsnik: Da Mad Dok has a ton of hilarious potential as it dives into the most insane and diabolical “medical” practitioner amongst the brutal orks. I already know this is going to be a clever and very funny read (especially after seeing Flowers write ork characters in Da Red Gobbo Collection), and I cannot wait to see what insanity awaits in this cool upcoming book.

Stone and Sky by Ben Aaronovitch – 8 July 2025

The always outstanding Ben Aaronovitch returns to his iconic Rivers of London series with the compelling upcoming Stone and Sky. Part elaborate urban fantasy, part clever police procedural, Stone and Sky will see the series protagonist and his unusual family journey up to Scotland on a holiday, only to encounter a new supernatural mystery from the depths of the ocean. Set to feature another amazing and addictive story told in Aaronovitch’s distinctive style, Stone and Sky will likely be one of the most captivating fantasy novels of 2025 and I look forward to continuing the series.

No Body No Crime by Tess Sharpe – 15 July 2025

A great new thriller from the talented Tess Sharpe, whose previous two books, The Girls I’ve Been and The Girl in Question, were so much fun. Sharpe’s new novel, No Body No Crime will follow two young female protagonists as they face off against a dangerous crime family and the consequences a murder they committed while teenagers. I already love No Body No Crime’s awesome story and I’m hoping to read this one soon.

Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland – 15 July 2025

In the last year I have had an amazing time checking out the awesome fantasy novels of the Broken Blades trilogy by Mai Corland. Following several dangerous killers as they are forced to pull off impossible missions for a power-hungry king, the first two books, Five Broken Blades and Four Ruined Realms, have set up an outstanding story with some brilliant characters. Fans of this series will be getting a conclusion to the trilogy later this year with Three Shattered Souls, which should be particularly epic. I cannot wait to see how Corland wraps everything up, and I already know I’m going to love it, especially in its elaborate audiobook format.

Badlands by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child – 17 July 2025

After absolutely loving my first Douglas Preston novel, Extinction, last year, I’m extremely keen to see his next novel, this time written with his long-time collaborator Lincoln Child. Their new book, Badlands, will continue the authors’ Nora Kelly series and will see the titular archaeologist protagonist investigate several mysterious and disturbing deaths connected by ancient artifacts the victims were holding as they died. Set to be an extremely fun and memorable thriller with potential supernatural implications, Badlands will be a great book to check out and I cannot wait to see how crazy the story gets.

Seven Recipes for Revolution by Ryan Rose – 22 July 2025

An intriguing 2025 fantasy debut that I have had my eye on for a long time, Seven Recipes for Revolution will see a young outcast attempt to become a magical chef, only for his culinary creation to turn him into a giant kaiju. Set to combine exciting magic and unique fantasy elements with intrigue and betrayal, Seven Recipes for Revolution sounds extremely unique, and I cannot wait to see Rose’s first literary offering.

Two Kinds of Stranger by Steve Cavanagh – 29 July 2025

I love a good legal thriller, and few examples of this sub-genre are more entertaining or memorable than the Eddie Flynn books by Steve Cavanagh. I have had an outstanding time with novels like The Devil’s Advocate, The Accomplice and Witness 8, and I am always excited to see what new craziness Cavanagh has planned for his next courtroom escapades. Luckily, we don’t have too much longer to wait for the next upcoming book in the series, Two Kinds of Stranger, which will see an innocent client dragged into a legal nightmare when she tries to help a random stranger with dark secrets. I cannot wait to read this new book, and it should be particularly entertaining and compelling.

The Final Vow by M. W. Craven – 12 August 2025

After absolutely loving the dark and twist laden novel The Mercy Chair last year, I am a major fan of all things M. W. Craven and I cannot wait to see his next epic read, The Final Vow. The new book in the author’s Washington Poe series, The Final Vow will see the series’ damaged detective and his unconventional investigation team attempt to stop a sniper terrorising the entire country. This amazing sounding book will likely be one of the very best mystery novels of 2025 and I am extremely excited to see how many complex twists and shocking turns Craven will load into this new book.

Katabasis by R. F. Kuang – 26 August 2025

The final upcoming book I want to highlight in this TBR post is the complex and fantastic sounding Katabasis by R. F. Kuang. A very intriguing novel from an author who specialises in memorable fantasy scenarios, Katabasis will see two magical academics travel to hell to save their professor’s soul after accidently killing him. Likely to be one of the most inventive books of the year, Katabasis is a very worthy book to end this list on, and I have some very high hopes for it.

Well, that is the end of my Top Ten list. I think it turned out pretty well and it does a good job of capturing all my most anticipated books for the next three months. There are some really impressive books coming out in this part of 2025, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon. Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months. In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a bit of reading to do in the near future.

Waiting on Wednesday – Hard Town by Adam Plantinga

On April 24, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn 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. For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I check out a fun, action-packed sequel set for release very soon with Hard Town by Adam Plantinga.

Earlier this year I had an awesome time reading the outstanding debut thriller, The Ascent. A fantastic and over-the-top read from new author Adam Plantinga, The Ascent followed tough former cop Kurt Argento as he was forced to fight his way to the top of a multileveled, rioting prison. A highly entertaining read, The Ascent ended up being one of my top debuts of 2024, and I was very excited to see that Argento already has a sequel coming out this year with Hard Town.

Hard Town will be the second Kurt Argento book and looks to take the author’s damaged protagonist on another intense adventure, this time in small-town Arizona. Set for release down in Australia in June 2025 (although I believe Hard Town has already been released in some formats in America), Hard Town should be another deeply exciting and outrageous read loaded with action, intrigue, and compelling characters. Due to how much Plantinga impressed me with The Ascent, I’m pretty keen to pick up Hard Town in the next couple of months, and I have no doubt it will end up being one of the more addictive thrillers I read this year.

Plot Synopsis:

From the author of the USA Today bestseller The Ascent, a retired Detroit cop must unravel the mystery of a small desert town.

After surviving a deadly prison break, ex-Detroit cop Kurt Argento is ready for some quiet. Still working through his grief over the passing of his wife, Argento finds himself house-sitting for a friend with his loyal companion, Hudson, a Chow Chow-Shepard mix. It’s a simple life, but it’s one that Argento is content to live. Then Kristin Reed shows up, begging Argento to find her missing husband and son.

Argento starts to notice that Fenton, Arizona is more than meets the eye. First there’s the large, overly equipped public safety team complete with specialized tactics and sophisticated weaponry. Then there’s the unusual financial boosting of failing small businesses by the U.S. government. Finally, there’s a man with no name with unprecedented control over the town. Argento finds himself unraveling not just the truth behind the disappearance of a family, but a conspiracy that’s taken a whole town to cover up.

Fenton, Arizona is going to push him further than he’s ever had to go. And along the way, he may just lose a part of himself. Because justice isn’t as black and white as Argento would like to believe.

WWW Wednesday – 22 January 2025

On January 24, 2025January 24, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis (Trade Paperback)

Death on the Tiber Cover

I finally managed to start reading the 2024 Lindsey Davis novel, Death on the Tiber. The latest book in Davis’ long-running Flavia Albia historical murder mystery series, Death on the Tiber sees the protagonist investigate another complex murder in ancient Rome, this time while dealing with demons from her past. I am having an exceptional time with this book, and I am hoping to knock it off tonight.

Warhammer 40,000: The Emperor’s Finest by Sandy Mitchell (Audiobook)

I was in the mood for something fun this week, so I started listening to another entertaining Warhammer 40,000 novel, The Emperor’s Finest. Part of the amazing Ciaphas Cain series, The Emperor’s Finest follows a highly pragmatic protagonist as he finds himself thrust into the horrors of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Another very awesome entry in the series, The Emperor’s Finest is very funny and I am powering through it.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton (Audiobook)

I also started listening to the entertaining science fiction novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton this week while on a road trip. An excellent book that follows the misadventure of duplicated clones who no longer want to die, Mickey7 is proving to be an outstanding book and I’m very glad I decided to check it out.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Ascent by Adam Plantinga (Paperback)

I powered through the awesome thriller The Ascent by Adam Plantinga this week. One of the more exciting debuts of 2024, The Ascent followed former cop forced to fight his way out of a rioting prison. This was an incredible and deeply thrilling novel that I had a brilliant time read, make sure to check out my review for it here.

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland (Audiobook)

I also managed to finish off the 2025 fantasy novel, Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland this week. The sequel to the awesome Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms sees a group of deadly killers and rogues once again try to work together to pull off an impossible mission. Loaded with action, fun characters, and some entertaining tension, Four Ruined Realms was a very worthy sequel to Five Broken Blades. Review to follow soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris

I have several awesome books to read next, but I think I’m going to check out the excellent thriller An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris. Set around a woman with the ability to redistribute life force, the book sees her pull together her own guide to taking life as she attempts to balance the karmic scales. I really love the sound of this book, and I cannot wait to read it.

That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.