WWW Wednesday – 26 March 2025

On March 28, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 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:

How to Slay on Holiday by Sarah Bonner (ebook)

I’ve started reading the very entertaining thriller, How to Slay on Holiday. The cool new book from Sarah Bonner, who previously impressed me with Her Perfect Twin and Her Sweet Revenge, How to Slay on Holiday sees a woman take her entire extended family on an exclusive vacation to set up her alibi for her husband’s upcoming murder. However, between escalating family issues, various secrets and hidden agendas, nothing goes the way she plans. I am having a lot of fun with How to Slay on Holiday and it is proving to be an excellent and twisty read. I should finish it off this weekend and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry (Audiobook)

I am still going very strong with the epic new Jonathan Maberry audiobook, Burn to Shine. The fourth book in Maberry’s Rogue Team International series (Rage, Relentless and Cave 13), Burn to Shine is a brutal and deeply intense thriller loaded with action and an elaborate plot that sees some of the worst enemies from the series return in a destructive way. Intense, dark and highly captivating, I am really enjoying this epic novel and Burn to Shine will probably end up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2025.

What did you recently finish reading?

The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison (ebook)

I ended up powering through the compelling historical thriller The White Fortress from Boyd and Beth Morrison this week. The follow-up to The Lawless Land and The Last True Templar, The White Fortress was a very exciting novel with some amazing historical details around it. Review to hopefully follow soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi

I’m hoping to start listening to the highly entertaining new novel from John Scalzi, When the Moon Hits Your Eye next. An awesome sounding novel with a unique plot behind it, When the Moon Hits Your Eye sounds like so much fun and I cannot wait to start reading it.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

I’m also hoping to start listening to the audiobook version of the new Hunger Games novel, Sunrise on the Reaping. I have had an exceptional time with Suzanne Collins’ other Hunger Games books, and I’ve heard this one is pretty amazing as well.

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.

WWW Wednesday – 19 March 2025

On March 20, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 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:

The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison (ebook)

I’ve just started reading the compelling historical thriller The White Fortress from Boyd and Beth Morrison. The follow-up to The Lawless Land and The Last True Templar, The White Fortress is an exciting novel that sees two unlikely heroes attempt to save a small town from invasion by uncovering a journal written by Marco Polo. I’ve made a bit of progress on The White Fortress, and it is proving to be an excellent addition the series and I cannot wait to finish it off.

Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry (Audiobook)

I have also started listening to the epic new Jonathan Maberry novel, Burn to Shine. The fourth book in Maberry’s Rogue Team International series (Rage, Relentless and Cave 13), Burn to Shine is a brutal and deeply intense thriller loaded with action and an elaborate plot. I have so much love for the Rogue Team International series and Burn to Shine will probably end up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2025.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers (Trade Paperback)

A fantastic and compelling Australia debut that comes very highly recommended.

Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed (Audiobook)

I managed to finish off the cool new Star Wars audiobook, The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed, which follows the early day of the Emperor’s reign. A very intriguing addition to the Star Wars canon loaded with cool lore and some compelling political commentary, this was a very excellent book to check out.

A Death in Berlin by Simon Scarrow (Trade Paperback)

An impressive and addictive piece of historical crime fiction from one of my favourite authors. Review to hopefully follow soon.

The Whisperer’s War by Jackie French (Trade Paperback)

An outstanding historical drama from one of Australia’s best authors.

What do you think you’ll read next?

How to Slay on Holiday by Sarah Bonner

I have quite a few books I want to read at the moment, but I think I might try to read the entertaining sounding thriller, How to Slay on Holiday next. The cool new book from Sarah Bonner, who previously impressed me with Her Perfect Twin and Her Sweet Revenge, How to Slay on Holiday sounds extremely fun and I look forward to checking it out.

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.

WWW Wednesday – 12 March 2025

On March 12, 2025 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:

The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading the intriguing new Australia debut, The Reunion. Set in the Blue Mountains (a location I have a lot of love for), The Reunion follows a group who return to the scene of their friend’s death and find their dark secrets coming to the surface. I haven’t made too much progress with The Reunion yet, but I am already very intrigued by the mystery and cannot wait to see how it unfolds.

Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed (Audiobook)

I am still enjoying the cool new Star Wars audiobook, The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed. The first book in the outstanding Reign of the Empire trilogy, The Mask of Fear follows the early day of the Empire’s reign, as several key supporting characters attempt to fight back against it in various ways. I am about two thirds through The Mask of Fear at the moment, and I am hoping to finish it off this week. It will be very interesting to see how this outstanding book comes together, and I am really enjoying this cool read.

What did you recently finish reading?

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben (Trade Paperback)

I powered through the new Harlan Coben book, Nobody’s Fool, on the weekend, and it proved to be quite an exceptional read. A captivating and brilliant novel, Nobody’s Fool comes very highly recommended, and I am hoping to have a review up for it soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison

The next book I am hoping to read is the compelling historical thriller The White Fortress from Boyd and Beth Morrison. The follow-up to The Lawless Land and The Last True Templar, The White Fortress sounds very exceptional, and I cannot wait to dive into its captivating and exciting story.

Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry

Finally, if I manage to finish off The Mask of Fear this week, I will probably start listening to the epic new Jonathan Maberry novel, Burn to Shine. The fourth book in Maberry’s Rogue Team International series (Rage, Relentless and Cave 13), Burn to Shine will probably end up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2025, and I cannot wait to see how this new devastating adventure unfolds.

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.

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

On March 5, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List2 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 character quotes, 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 of Autumn 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 Autumn (Spring 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 March 2025 and 31 May 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 my most anticipated books of 2025 lists (fantasy and science fiction and other genres), 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:

Pacific Heights by S. R. White – 25 March 2025

An interesting murder mystery novel about multiple witnesses seeing the same murder in different ways from one of the more unique authors of Australian crime fiction.

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold – 29 April 2025

An excellent new urban fantasy novel from Australian author Luke Arnold.

Tyrant by Conn Iggulden – 27 May 2025

One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Conn Iggulden, presents an awesome sequel to his 2024 novel Nero.

The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell – 27 May 2025

An exciting sequel to the hilarious fantasy novel The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien de Castell.

Top Ten List:

Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry – 4 March 2025

First up we have the next entry in one of my favourite series with Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry. The fourth book in the Rogue Team International series and the 14^th overall Joe Ledger book, Burn to Shine follows on from some outstanding books including Rage (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), and Cave 13 (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023). This latest Joe Ledger novel sounds particularly awesome, as the protagonist and his high-tech organisation will have to face off against various enemies and dangers from their past. I cannot wait to see how Maberry pulls this book together and I have a feeling it is going to be a particularly dark, if key, entry in the Rogue Team International series.

The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison – 6 March 2025

Next, we have the awesome historical fiction thriller, The White Fortress by the sibling team of Boyd and Beth Morrison. The third book in the Tales of the Lawless Land series (which previously featured The Lawless Land and The Last True Templar), The White Fortress will continue to follow two awesome protagonists, an excommunicated knight and his brilliant wife, as they become embroiled in deadly conspiracies across medieval Europe. This latest Tales of the Lawless Land book finds the protagonists in historic Croatia, attempting to stop a conquering warlord by uncovering the legacy of Marco Polo. I have deeply enjoyed the previous entries in the series, both of which have been outstanding historical thrillers, and I cannot wait to see how this great writing team will showcase medieval Croatia and its secrets.

A Death in Berlin by Simon Scarrow – 11 March 2025

One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Simon Scarrow, has another cool book coming out next week with the intense World War II thriller A Death in Berlin. Following on from the previous entries in the series, Blackout and Dead of Night, A Death in Berlin will continue to follow the last honourable detective in Nazi controlled Berlin as he attempts to investigate controversial crimes his superiors are covering up. This latest book will see the protagonist face off against Berlin gangsters and their powerful Nazi patrons and should be another bleak and intense read. I always have so much fun with Scarrow’s books, and this sounds like an awesome addition to a great series.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzane Collins – 18 March 2025

I had to include the epic new Hunger Games book from Suzzane Collins, Sunrise on the Reaping, which has really caught my attention thanks to its cool premise and connection to the excellent Hunger Games books and films. The second Hunger Games prequel novel (the other being A Ballard of Songbirds & Snakes), Sunrise on the Reaping will be a dark novel that follows the younger version of a fan favourite character as he participates in the largest and most brutal Hunger Games. This book has so much potential, and I cannot wait to see how Collins’ sets out this latest entry in her iconic series.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi – 25 March 2025

The always entertaining John Scalzi (Redshirts, The Kaiju Preservation Society and Starter Villain), returns with another hilarious and satirical science fiction novel that will pose an interesting hypothetical scenario; what if the moon turned into a cheese-like substance? Set to follow multiple people across the world impacted by this phenomenon, When the Moon Hits Your Eye has one of the more unique plot ideas of 2025, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackon Bennett – 8 April 2025

The next book on this list is the impressive and awesome upcoming fantasy novel, A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett. The sequel to Bennett’s incredible novel, The Tainted Cup (one of my favourite books of 2024), A Drop of Corruption will bring back the author’s outstanding duo of detectives as they investigate impossible crimes in a magical nation constantly besieged by giant monsters. The first book in this series was quite exceptional, and I have very high hopes for this sequel as Bennett has come up with another cool mystery that will no doubt have wider implications for the entire nation. A book with a very high ceiling that I know I will love!

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie – 6 May 2025

There are few novels out in recent years that I have been as eager to read as The Devils by legendary fantasy author Joe Abercrombie. The first new book from Abercrombie since he finished his Age of Madness trilogy (A Little Hatred, The Trouble with Peace and The Wisdom of Crowds), The Devils will set up a new series in an alternate, monster-filled version of medieval Europe. Set to follow a hapless priest who will lead the worst of the worst in a daring mission to save the world from a coming apocalypse, The Devils sounds extremely cool, and I am curious to try a series from the author outside of his Third Law universe. Based on how exceptional Abercrombie has been in the past, I already know that The Devils is going to be an epic grimdark read, and I cannot wait to see what outrageous scenarios and elaborate characters will populate this incredible upcoming book.

Nightshade by Michael Connelly – 20 May 2025

One of the world’s best crime fiction authors, Michael Connelly, is spoiling us this year with the cool murder mystery Nightshade. Nightshade introduces readers to a new Connelly protagonist, Detective Sitwell, a burnt-out cop forced out town and stationed on the beautiful Catalina Island away from trouble. When he discovers a body dumped in the island’s harbour, Sitwell embarks on a dogged investigation to find the truth, no matter who he upsets. I have been having an incredible time reading Connelly’s books in recent years, and I am very excited to see how this new novel unfolds, especially if Sitwell becomes a recurring protagonist in Connelly’s wider universe.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler – 27 May 2025

Last year I had the very great pleasure of reading the hilarious fantasy novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying. This fantastic novel followed an unhinged protagonist trapped in a time loop within a fantasy world who, after centuries of torture, decides to stop trying to be the realm’s saviour and instead becomes its new dark lord. Thanks to its cool scenario, comedic protagonist, and over-the-top story elements, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was a very awesome book to read, and I had an amazing time getting through its fun plot. As such, I am extremely excited to read the sequel coming out this year, Everybody Wants to Rule Except Me, which will see the protagonist try to save the humans of the realm from an army of monsters she’s leading. Sure to be another amazing send-up of heroes and villains in fantasy fiction, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me will likely be one of the funniest books I read in 2025, and I am very excited to explore its outrageous story.

Never Flinch by Stephen King – 27 May 2025

The final book in this list has the potential to be one of the very best of the year with Never Flinch by the legendary Stephen King. Set to bring back one of King’s more unique protagonists, unlikely investigator Holly Gibney, Never Flinch will serve as a continuation of the protagonist’s storylines from Mr. Mercedes (and its sequels), The Outsider and Holly. This new book will see Holly face off against both a deadly killer and a deranged stalker, as she finds herself drawn into a new dark web. I have no doubt that Never Flinch is going to be exceptional and should end up topping my best of 2025 book lists.

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, and frankly this might be one of the strongest three-month periods in 2025. Each of the above should be extremely epic, 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 few books to get through soon and they should all be awesome.

Book Haul – 1 February 2025 – Netgalley Books

On February 1, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book Haul1 Comment

As I mentioned in my other Book Haul post tonight, I’ve had an excellent few weeks for books, especially when it comes to the haul from Netgalley. I have received a pretty awesome collection of great upcoming novels from the site, including several that have the potential to be some of my top books of the year. I cannot wait to dive into them and I am looking forward to reading all of them.

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris

The first new novel I want to highlight in this book haul post is the awesome and fun thriller, An Ethical Guide to Murder. The debut novel from Jenny Morris, An Ethical Guide to Murder sees a young woman gain the ability to transfer life from one person to another. Determined to use the ability for good, she goes about ethically taking life from bad people to gift it to those she believes deserves to live. I love this fascinating plot idea, and I have already started reading An Ethical Guide to Murder this week.

The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison

I was particularly pleased to receive an early copy of the historical fiction thriller, The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison. The third book in the authors’ Tales of the Lawless Land series, The White Fortress brings back the protagonists of the first two novels, The Lawless Land and The Last True Templar, and sees them become involved uncovering a dark plot in medieval Croatia. This sounds like such an awesome read and based on how much fun I had with the previous novels in the series, I have no doubt The White Fortress is going to be exceptional.

Battle Mountain by C. J. Box

An awesome thriller from acclaimed author C. J. Box, Battle Mountain is the new entry in the long-running Joe Pickett series, and it promises more bloodshed as one of the series’ protagonists sets out to get revenge. I had a ton of fun reading the last entry in the series, Three-Inch Teeth, and I look forward to seeing what craziness emerges in this cool new book.

Crusade by Richard Cullen

Another amazing upcoming historical fiction read I recently received is the fantastic novel Crusade by Richard Cullen. The sequel to Cullen’s 2024 novel, Rebellion, Crusade should be another outstanding book that will follow the author’s knight protagonist as he joins the crusades to test his mettle. Crusade looks set to be another fun and action-packed historical read, and I am hoping to read it very soon.

How to Slay on Holiday by Sarah Bonner

A fantastic and fun sounding thriller that follows a wife whose murderous plans are thrown into disarray by a chaotic holiday. I really love the sound of How to Slay on Holiday, and I am very excited to check it out, especially after having so much fun reading Bonner’s previous books Her Perfect Twin and Her Sweet Revenge.

A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde

An outstanding and massively epic upcoming fantasy debut that I think has a ton of potential.

Landfall by James Bradley

An intriguing and unique upcoming piece of Australian fiction that will follow a police officer investigating a crime in an environmentally wrecked, future Sydney.

Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

The final book I want to highlight in this post is the cool upcoming Australian murder mystery Broke Road by Matthew Spencer. The sequel to Spencer’s debut novel, Black River, Broke Road presents a cool new crime fiction story that I am very intrigued to check out.

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 – Most Anticipated Thrillers, Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction and Comics releasing in the First Half of 2025

On January 8, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Comics/Manga, Historical Fiction, List, Murder Mystery, Thriller13 Comments

Welcome to my second Top Ten Tuesday list of the week, were I look at my most anticipated thrillers, crime fiction and historical fiction novels coming out in the first half of 2025. Traditionally I usually only do one list to represent the top upcoming books for the year, however, I was inspired to separate out the fantasy and science fiction novels into my previous list, while this list will feature epic reads from the other major genres that I am interested in.

Despite only just starting, 2025 is already shaping up to be an epic and exciting year for books with a huge range of impressive and highly anticipated novels due for release in the next 12 months. This includes exciting debuts, anticipated sequels and the latest entries in beloved bestselling series. The first half of the year is looking particularly awesome, with a substantial number of incredible upcoming releases that I am deeply looking forward to.

Even though I excluded fantasy and science fiction books, this ended up being a rather difficult list to pull together due to all the awesome releases coming out in Australia or on Netgalley between 1 January 2025 and 30 June 2025. There were way too many extraordinary upcoming books that I could have included, and I ended up having to make some very tough calls and cutting several novels that have an immense amount of potential. Despite this, I am rather happy with the eventual choices that I made, and I think that this list reflects the upcoming novels and comics I am going to have the most fun reading. However, there are also some interesting new books that I am discussing for the first time here, so that should give this list a bit of variety. So let us get to my selections and find out which upcoming novels are my most anticipated releases for the first half of 2025.

Honourable Mentions:

Open Season by Jonathan Kellerman – 6 February 2025

An interesting and entertaining new murder mystery from one of my yearly must-read authors, Open Season continues the awesome Alex Delaware series and pits the detective protagonists against a killer determined to take out Hollywood hopefuls.

Pacific Heights by S. R. White – 25 March 2025

One of the more interesting authors of Australian crime fiction, S. R. White (see my reviews for Prisoner, Red Dirt Road and White Ash Ridge) is set to release a standalone whodunnit with Pacific Heights. Featuring a cool plot about detectives trying to unwind different stories about who killed someone from five separate witnesses, Pacific Heights sounds really awesome, and I cannot wait to check it out.

The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani by 24 April 2025

An exciting and intense revenge thriller set in the time of King Richard the Lionheart; The Pilgrim’s Revenge should be a very epic read.

Vanish by Shelley Burr – 30 April 2025

Rising Australian author Shelley Burr follows up her excellent first two crime fiction novels, Wake and Ripper with the intriguing third entry Vanish. Once again set in a small Australian community, Vanish will see the series’ damaged protagonist investigate a problematic commune as he attempts to find out the truth behind a long-lost missing girl. Sure to be one of the top Australian releases of 2025.

Top Ten Tuesday:

Grave Danger by James Grippando – 14 January 2025

Back in 2024 I had the pleasure of reading my first book from impressive James Grippando, Goodbye Girl, a fantastic entry in the author’s Jack Swyteck series. A compelling and twisty legal thriller, Goodbye Girl was really fun to read, and I am now quite keen to continue the series. As such, I am planning to grab the upcoming book, Grave Danger, as soon as it comes out. Featuring an intriguing case about international child custody and murder, Grave Danger has some real potential, and I know I am going to have a great time with this awesome book.

Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 40: The Crow by Stan Sakai – 4 February 2025

A very easy inclusion to this list was the next entry in one of my favourite comic book series with volume 40 of the Usagi Yojimbo series, The Crow. I only just published a review of the previous volume, Ice and Snow, a few days ago, so I am quite excited to see that a new entry is coming out very soon. Set to continue some of the author’s excellent ongoing storylines about the titular rabbit ronin, The Crow should be another awesome volume in the series, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it the first chance I get.

Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz – 11 February 2025

Early 2025 is filled with a ton of great spy thrillers from some of my favourite authors, and that includes the new Orphan X book from Gregg Hurwitz, Nemesis. Set after the events of the 2024 book, Lone Wolf, Nemesis will see the former government assassin turned vigilante protagonist square off against his best friend over secrets that were kept from him. However, other shadowy players soon reveal themselves, and Orphan X will need to fight deadly enemies and a former friend to survive. This looks set to be a particularly compelling and emotionally charged addition to the series and I cannot wait to check it out.

The Medici Return by Steve Berry – 11 February 2025

Each year I have a ton of fun with the entertaining and elaborate Cotton Malone books by Steve Berry that combine modern thriller storylines with hidden historical secrets and elaborate historical settings. Books like The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocol, The Kaiser’s Web, The Last Kingdom and The Atlas Maneuver, have all really impressed me, and the Cotton Malone books are now a must-read for me each year. This includes the early 2025 release, The Medici Return, which will see a dark conspiracy emerge in Italy when an ancient debt owed by the church threatens to destabilise everything. This sounds like another awesome thriller, and I cannot wait to dive into the history of the famous Medici family with this new fantastic book.

Midnight Black by Mark Greaney – 18 February 2025

A spy thriller book I am particularly keen to get my hands on this year is Midnight Black by Mark Greaney. The 14^th book in Greaney’s Gray Man series, Midnight Black follows on after the cliffhanger ending of The Chaos Agent and sees the titular assassin protagonist burn through Russia and Siberia to free his imprisoned love interest. This latest Gray Man book has the potential to be one of the most intense and impressive novels of 2025, and I cannot wait to see how Greaney continues his elaborate and always action-packed series.

Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry – 4 March 2025

Readers of this blog will know I am a huge fan of Jonathan Maberry, so the inclusion of his next big thriller, Burn to Shine, on this list should come as no surprise, especially after I just published reviews of his 2024 books NecroTek and The Dragon in Winter. Once again focussing on the author’s iconic protagonist, Joe Ledger, Burn to Shine will be the fourth book in the Rogue Team International series, which has previously featured such awesome books as Rage (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), and Cave 13 (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023). This new entry in the series will see Ledger and his team deal with a new world-ending threat, with old enemies returning, seeking revenge. I really love the sound of this new book, and I already know it’s going to get a five-star rating from me.

A Death in Berlin by Simon Scarrow – 13 March 2025

After wowing me last year with Revenge of Rome, one of my favourite historical fiction authors, Simon Scarrow looks set to continue one of his other cool series with the third Berlin Wartime thriller, A Death in Berlin. Following on from Blackout and Dead of Night, A Death in Berlin will once again place Scarrow’s complex protagonist, the last honest detective in Berlin, as he tries to investigate dark crimes in the shadow of World War II and the crimes of the Nazi regime. I have deeply enjoyed the previous Berlin Wartime thrillers, and I cannot wait to see what elaborate story Scarrow has for us this time.

The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison – 15 April 2025

The awesome team of thriller author Boyd Morrison and historian Beth Morrison return with the third book in their Tales of the Lawless Land series, The White Fortress. Continuing the story started in The Lawless Land and its sequel The Last True Templar, The White Fortress will once again follow the author’s excommunicated knight protagonist and his adventurous wife as they become embroiled in dangerous quests across 14^th century Europe. This time, the pair end up in Croatia, where they become involved in a deadly plot involving a prophecy and a lost codex written by Marco Polo. I have had an amazing time with the first two books in the series and I cannot wait to see how this wonderful pair of authors continue their ambitious and thrilling historical series.

Nightshade by Michael Connelly – 20 May 2025

One of my most anticipated upcoming murder mysteries is the new Michael Connelly novel, Nightshade. While the cover for Nightshade has yet to be released, the plot synopsis sounds really cool as Connelly introduces a new police protagonist assigned to the idyllic Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles who is forced to investigate a sinister murder when a body washes up on the shore of the island. I love the idea of exploring a new Connelly character, especially one based around a cool setting, and this should end up being an excellent and strong murder mystery from this always compelling author.

Never Flinch by Stephen King – 27 May 2025

The final book I want to highlight on this list is probably the one I am most excited for this year with the new Stephen King novel, Never Flinch. I have been having such a great time getting into Stephen King’s incredible books these last few years, and some of his most recent releases, such as Later, Fairy Tale, Billy Summers and You Like It Darker, have completely enthralled me. However, my favourite Stephen King books have so far been his compelling dives into crime fiction. Starting with the dark and powerful Mr Mercedes and featuring the three outstanding Bill Hodges books, King has expanded his crime fiction works by focussing on the unique protagonist of Holly Gibney. The subsequent Holly Gibney focused books, The Outsider (one of my favourite horror novels) and Holly (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), were extremely exceptional, and I have loved the brilliant, yet shocking, narratives they contained. As such, I am very, very keen to read the upcoming Holly Gibney book, Never Flinch. Set to follow this great protagonist as she deals with two dangerous opponents, a serial killer and a stalker, Never Flinch sounds incredible, and I have no doubt this will be one of the best things I read in 2025.

That is the end of this list. I am extremely happy with how my latest Top Ten Tuesday article turned out and this list contains an intriguing collection of upcoming books that should prove to be incredible reads. I think that nearly every one of these books has the potential to get a full five-star rating from me and I cannot wait to see what amazing and exciting stories they contain. While I am waiting to get my hands on these books, why not let me know if any of the above interest you, as well as what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below. Also, make sure to check out my other Top Ten List with the top upcoming fantasy and science fiction books of 2025.

The Last True Templar – Signed Copy

On September 24, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Extras, Historical FictionLeave a comment

Recently, my fellow Canberra Weekly reviewer Jeff from the Murder Mayhem and Long Dogs blog had a wonderful time at Bouchercon 2024 in Nashville, where he was able to have fun with all things crime fiction. While there he was nice enough to pick me up a beautiful hardcover copy of The Last True Templar by Boyd and Beth Morrison. Readers of this blog may remember that I checked out The Last True Templar last year, and it proved to be an excellent historical adventure from this talented writing team.

While I would love having any hardcover copy of The Last True Templar, this one is extra special as Jeff also managed to track down Boyd Morrison at Bouchercon and got him to sign it for me. Boyd wrote in a very lovely message for me, which I can’t help but show off here.

Thanks to Jeff for the book and a special thanks to Boyd for the wonderful inscription, it was much appreciated. Remember to keep an eye out for Boyd and Beth’s next book, The White Fortress, coming out early in 2025.

Waiting on Wednesday – The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison

On August 21, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday6 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 awesome upcoming historical adventure novel with The White Fortress from the awesome writing team of Boyd and Beth Morrison.

A couple of years ago I had the very great pleasure of the fantastic historical fiction novel, The Lawless Land. Written by the sibling team of historian Beth Morrison and established thriller author Boyd Morrison, The Lawless Land was an intriguing historical adventure novel that saw an excommunicated knight and a fugitive lady take on a corrupt cardinal in 14^th century Paris. The Lawless Land ended up being one of my favourite novels of 2022, and I really got caught up in its exciting and compelling story.

After the success of their first book, the authors expanded their narrative out into the Tales of the Lawless Land series, which continued to follow the protagonists from the first book as they get involved in additional conflicts and adventures. The first sequel to The Lawless Land was the 2023 release, The Last True Templar, which saw the protagonists enter into a thrilling treasure hunt around Italy to find a stash of missing Templar treasure. This was a pretty amazing sequel to the first book, and it solidified my love for this cool new series.

As such, I am very excited to finally have details about the third book in the series, The White Fortress. Continuing to follow the two protagonists as they journey around Europe, The White Fortress will see them involved in a series of historical hijinks in Croatia. Set for release in March 2025, this sounds really intriguing read and one I know I’m going to like.

Plot Synopsis:

Croatia, 1351. Daring knight Gerard Fox and his adventurous wife Willa, fresh from a dangerous quest across Italy and Greece, soon find themselves embroiled in a new intrigue as they sail toward the walled city of Dubrovnik.

Having inadvertently hindered a rescue mission, Fox and Willa make amends by helping a desperate Croatian couple forced into a terrible dilemma: either they betray their hometown to a treacherous nobleman and the brutal warlord he serves, or their abducted child will be murdered.

A century-old prophecy and a lost codex written by fabled explorer Marco Polo are key to stopping the warlord’s conquest, which could spark a devastating war along the entire Adriatic coast. Fox and Willa race against time to devise a plan for saving a child, a town, and a country – knowing it could cost them everything if they fail…

Unsurprisingly, I love the sound of this new historical adventure from the Morrison siblings, and I am very interested in the new plot they have come up with. It sounds like The White Fortress will follow the trends set out in The Last True Templar, with the protagonists helping a new group of supporting characters attempt to stop a deadly enemy by solving a historical mystery, this time around Marco Polo. This worked really well for The Last True Templar, and I imagine this historical thriller set-up will result in another intense treasure hunt throughout a great historical setting.

Speaking of historical settings, Croatia should be a particularly interesting background for this plot, and I am looking forward to seeing it, mainly because I don’t know a lot about Croatian history. The previous two Tales of the Lawless Land books were both loaded with historical detail about the settings, and I imagine that we will get some intriguing background in The White Fortress as well. All of this, as well as the continued focus on the fun pairing of Gerard and Willa, should make for quite an exciting and captivating narrative, and I am very excited to check it out.

Based on how much I enjoyed the previous two novels in this series, there was no way that I am not going to grab a copy of The White Fortress next year. The previous Tales of the Lawless Land books by Boyd and Beth Morrison have both been extremely good, and I cannot wait to see how this series continues. I really love the sound of this new entry, and I have a feeling that The White Fortress is going to be one of the best historical fiction books of 2025.

Canberra Weekly Column – Historical Fiction – 28 September 2023

On December 21, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Canberra Weekly Column, Historical FictionLeave a comment

Canberra Weekly Column - Historical Fiction - 28 September 2023

Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 28 September 2023.

Make sure to also check out my extended reviews for He Who Drowned the World, The Last True Templar and Traitors Gate.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Sequels of 2023

On December 20, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn List10 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 required participants to list books that they hope Santa brings them. While this is a fun topic, I decided to abstain and instead continue with my annual end-of-year lists that I have been working on the last few weeks. I have already covered my favourite new-to-me authors I read in 2023, as well as the best pre-2023 novels I read this year, but in this week’s list I am going to cover a new end-of-year topic and highlight the best sequels I read in 2023.

Everyone loves a good sequel, and nearly every novelist and author has written some form of sequel in their career. I’m sure we can all name some awesome books that requires some form of continuation and each year the talented authors we follow produce interesting sequel novels that cleverly expand from outstanding first novels. I read a ton of sequels every year and I felt that it was about time that I highlighted the very best sequels of the year in a specific post.

To complete this list, I pulled together the best sequels released in 2023 that I had the pleasure of reading. I primarily focused on second novels in a series that were released this year, especially those that I felt were outstanding follow ups to an impressive first novel and which followed the same characters or storylines. For my top ten list, I prioritised those books I considered to be the best sequel, so while I might have enjoyed a specific novel more overall, if a book was a better sequel, it made the cut instead. I think the resulting top ten list turned out pretty well as a result, and definitely highlights my favourite sequels released in 2023.

Honourable Mentions:

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

He Who Drowned The World Cover

An intriguing and elaborate historical fiction/fantasy novel that serves as a wonderful sequel to the awesome She Who Became the Sun.

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose

The Mystery Guest Cover

Nita Prose brings back her atypical protagonist from her exciting debut, The Maid, for another fun adventure.

Ripper by Shelley Burr

Ripper Cover

A brilliant and addictive sequel to Burr’s outstanding first book, Wake, Ripper is an outstanding piece of Australian crime fiction that comes highly recommended.

Her Sweet Revenge by Sarah Bonner

Her Sweet Revenge Cover

A brilliant and elaborate thriller that sees a woman do everything she can to get revenge for her best friend, no matter the cost. An outstanding book that falls within the same universe as Bonner’s debut novel, Her Perfect Twin.

Top Ten List:

House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky

House of Open Wounds Cover

The first sequel I want to highlight on this list is the outstandingly clever and wildly entertaining House of Open Wounds by the always impressive Adrian Tchaikovsky. House of Open Wounds was an incredible follow-up to Tchaikovsky’s exceptional City of Last Chances, which is one of the best books and audiobooks I enjoyed in the first half of 2023. Set in the same world and featuring the best protagonist from the first book, House of Open Wounds was an awesome sequel that continued some key storylines while also introducing the readers to a bold new cast of characters who staff an unconventional military hospital. Funny and dramatic in equal measures, this was an amazing book and a truly great sequel.

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect Cover

One of the funniest sequels of 2023 had to be Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Australian author Benjamin Stevenson. A follow-up to Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone (one of my favourite Australian books of 2022), Everyone on this Train is a Suspect was a great piece of Australian crime fiction that saw Stevenson’s plucky protagonist attempt to solve another murder aboard a train loaded with suspicious mystery authors. Not only was this a great read, but it proved to be an excellent sequel that built on the story and writing elements of the previous release.

Dead of Night by Simon Scarrow

Dead of Night Cover

One of my favourite historical fiction authors Simon Scarrow had an excellent sequel out this year with Dead of Night. Scarrow’s second Berlin Wartime Thriller, Dead of Night was the follow up to Blackout, and presented the reader with another dark crime fiction read in Nazi controlled Berlin. This time examining a mysterious murder tied into the darkest secrets of the Nazi reign, Dead of Night was an amazing book that threw Scarrow’s protagonists into another moral quandary. An outstanding novel, I hope we get additional entries in this series soon.

Son of the Poison Rose by Jonathan Maberry

Son of the Poison Rose Cover

Another outstanding fantasy novel that got a sequel in 2023 was Jonathan Maberry’s Kagen the Damned, which was one of my favourite books and audiobooks from 2022. This sequel, Son of the Poison Rose, saw the series’ titular damned protagonist continue his struggle to get revenge after the destruction of everything he loved, while also facing all manner of eldritch horrors. A sharp, brutal and addictive read loaded with so much action, Son of the Poison Rose proved to be an exceptional continuance of a great series and I had such an epic time with this book.

Kill Your Husbands by Jack Heath

Kill Your Husbands Cover

I was very happy when I found out that Australian author Jack Heath was releasing a sequel to his exceptional novel, Kill Your Brother (one of my favourite Australian novels of 2021), this year, with the awesome and outrageous Kill Your Husbands. Kill Your Husbands was a great book that saw the protagonists from the first novel try and solve a complex murder of three couples who were experimenting in a remote bushland location. An extremely complex and clever read, Kill Your Husbands had a powerful mystery behind it, and I loved how Heath brought back two outstanding protagonists.

The Last True Templar by Boyd and Beth Morrison

The Last True Templar Cover

I had a lot of fun this year reading the second Tales of the Lawless Land novel by the team of Boyd and Beth Morrison, with The Last True Templar. A fantastic historical thriller, The Last True Templar is a sequel to the Morrison’s first novel, The Lawless Land. Set in 14^th century Europe, The Last True Templar was another bold adventure that saw the authors’ protagonists get dragged into a race to recover the lost Templar treasures. An amazing, action-packed novel, The Last True Templar did a great job continuing from The Lawless Land and I loved the awesome story it contained.

Never a Hero by Vanessa Len

Never A Hero Cover

Australian author Vanessa Len did an outstanding job of following up her debut novel, Only a Monster (one of my favourite debuts of 2022) with the emotionally charged sequel, Never a Hero. A gripping young adult fantasy novel that sees a time travelling monster being hunted by dark forces bent on changing the world alongside her monster hunter love interest. A powerful read that cleverly reimagined elements from the first book and threw its characters into new and impossible situations, Never a Hero is a very clever sequel that really showcased Len’s writing ability.

The Defector by Chris Hadfield

The Defector Cover

Astronaut Chris Hadfield did a wonderful job of following up his amazing debut novel, The Apollo Murders (one of my favourite debuts of 2021), with The Defector. An exciting and awesome thriller novel, The Defector followed a Cold War Soviet pilot who defects to the United States for his own nefarious purposes. An outstanding book that really showed Hadfield’s growth as an author, The Defector was a great sequel that is worth checking out.

The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding

The Shadow Casket Cover

One of my most anticipated sequels for 2023 was The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding. The long-awaited follow-up to his epic fantasy novel, The Ember Blade, The Shadow Casket was an exceptional novel that deepened the complex lore of the series and took his existing protagonists on another dark ride. A powerful, addictive and massive read, The Shadow Casket is one of my top books of the year and I am so glad we finally got a sequel to the first book.

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin

Dark Corners Cover 2

One of my favourite Australian authors provides an intriguing follow up to her powerful novel, The Night Swim, with Dark Corners, a clever read that examines the world of influencers and social media stars. Dark, compelling, and bringing back Goldin’s first recurring protagonist, Dark Corners was an excellent sequel from a talented author.

Well, that’s it for this list. As you can see, I have read several outstanding sequels this year and had a wonderful time doing so. Every entry above was an epic novel, and I loved how they each successfully continued impressive story threads started in the previous novel. All these books come highly recommended, and I cannot wait to see how these talented authors add to their already awesome series in the future.