Tag: Michael Connelly

Waiting on Wednesday – Nightshade by Michael Connelly

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday5 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I check out the next excellent crime fiction novel from the legendary Michael Connelly with the upcoming book Nightshade.

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There are few crime fiction writers who have had the longevity and popularity of Michael Connelly, an author behind an array of cool novels and iconic series.  Featuring some impressive murder mystery and thriller storylines, I have been really getting in Connelly’s work in recent years, including such amazing books as Dark Sacred Night, The Night Fire, The Dark Hours, Desert Star, Fair Warning, The Law of Innocence and Resurrection Walk.  Due to how much fun I have had with these outstanding novels, I am always in the mood for more Connelly, and it looks like we are getting our next crime fiction instalment from the author a little early with the upcoming book Nightshade.

Nightshade, which is coming out in May 2025, looks set to be another intriguing mystery from Connelly set around a new damaged protagonist.  Featuring a compelling setting and a distinctive hook, Nightshade sounds like a fantastic and exciting book, and one loaded with potential.

 

Plot Synopsis:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly introduces a new cop relentlessly following his mission in the seemingly idyllic setting of Catalina island.

 Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Detective Stilwell has been ‘exiled’ to a low-key post, policing rustic Catalina Island, after department politics drove him off a homicide desk on the mainland. But while following up the usual drunk-and-disorderlies and petty thefts that come with his new territory, Detective Stilwell gets a report of a body found wrapped in plastic and weighed down at the bottom of the harbour. Crossing all lines of protocol and jurisdiction, he starts doggedly working the case. Soon, his investigation uncovers closely guarded secrets and a dark heart to the serene island that was meant to be his escape from the evils of the big city.

 

I really like the sound of the above plot synopsis for Nightshade, and it looks like Connelly has an interesting new novel coming out this year.  The combination of the Catalina Island setting and a new cop protagonist should ensure that Nightshade stands out from some of the author’s other recent books, especially as it’s the first new main character we’ve had from the author in a few years.  I am very curious to see how Detective Stilwell will differentiate himself from some of the Connelly’s other jaded protagonists, and I am sure that the author will come up with a moving backstory for Stilwell that will get the reader even more invested in the narrative.  Throw in dark secrets around the seemingly picturesque Catalina Island, a setting I really don’t too much about, and Nightshade has a lot going for it that is making me very excited.

Honestly, based on how impressive Michael Connelly’s last several books have been, there is no way that I will not be reading Nightshade when it comes out in a few months’ time.  The author always delivers when it comes to his excellent mysteries, and I have no doubt that this new Connelly book is going to be something very special.  This is already one of my most anticipated upcoming books of 2025, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it as soon as it comes out.

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

On 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 14th 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.

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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.

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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.

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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 14th 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Top Ten Tuesday – Oldest (aka Earliest Published) Books on my TBR

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List9 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.  For this latest Top Ten Tuesday, participants are tasked with listing the books with the earliest publication date that is currently sitting on their to-be-read (TBR) pile.

Like most book lovers, I have a huge backlog of novels out there that I want to read but I haven’t been able to fit into my schedule due to lack of time or other books I needed to get through first.  As such, this is a rather interesting list to pull together, and I hope that it inspires me a little to go back and read some books on my TBR pile.  I also love the shoutout to the older TBR books I have, especially as I am easily distracted by new and shiny things.

I must admit I struggled a little to pull together some really old titles, so my list is most made up of books from the 80s and 90s.  Still, this ended up being a rather interesting, if slightly predictable list if you know who some of my favourite authors are, although I made sure to limit myself to one inclusion from each author.  Despite these limitations, I really like how it came together, so let us see who made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

When the Bough Breaks by Jonathan Kellerman – 1985

A classic crime fiction book from an author still going strong.

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Space Marine by Ian Watson – 1993

An old-school Warhammer 40,000 novel I currently have on my shelf.  While not the first Warhammer 40,000 novel ever written, it sounds bonkers, and I’m curious to see original universe from before they established the current canon.

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Killing Floor by Lee Child – 1997

The first book in the epic Jack Reacher series.  I loved the television adaptation of this book and I’m curious to read the series from start to finish.

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Excavation by James Rollins – 2000

A fantastic older thriller I have sitting on my shelf. 

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Top Ten List:

Carrie by Stephen King – 1974

After some awesome recent experiences with Stephen King’s writing, I’ve been meaning to read more of his amazing books and there is no better place to start than his first novel, Carrie.  A classic piece of horror fiction, Carrie is a bloody and complex read that I hope to check out one day.

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Sharpe’s Eagle by Bernard Cornwell – 1981

I’m a massive fan of Bernard Cornwell, who is one of the biggest names in historical fiction.  While I have read a couple of books in his iconic Richard Sharpe series, I need to read more, including the first book he published, Sharpe’s Eagle.  A compelling historical adventure, Sharpe’s Eagle was the book that introduced the world to Richard Sharpe and Cornwell’s vision of the Napoleonic War.  Thanks to Cornwell releasing his books out of chronological order, Sharpe’s Eagle is now the eighth book in the series, but it remains a key entry.  I look forward to reading Sharpe’s Eagle one day and it sounds like a lot of fun.

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Magician by Raymond E. Feist – 1982

I am slightly cheating by including Magician here, as I have read it a couple of times before.  However, I really want to do a big re-read of Feist’s entire Riftwar Cycle and Magician is the best place to start this series.  A particularly iconic fantasy novel, Magician sees a young boy discover his destiny as a mighty mage after the kingdom he lives in is invaded by soldiers from another world.  This is a really, really good book and I cannot wait to read it again at some point.

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The Black Company by Glen Cook – 1984

I have long wanted to read the epic The Black Company fantasy series by Glen Cook, which started back in 1984 with this book of the same name.  Generally considered to be one of the best dark fantasy novels/series of all time, The Black Company follows a band of dangerous mercenaries as they find themselves drawn into a bloody and all-consuming war.  I already know that I am going to love this book, and I will hopefully be able to make time for it at some point in the future.

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The King Beyond the Gate by David Gemmell – 1985

A few years ago, I had the great pleasure of reading David Gemmell’s classic fantasy debut, Legend, which is honestly one of the best books I have every read.  Gemmell was a very skilled author, and I have been meaning to check out more examples of his work.  The obvious next step would be to read The King Beyond the Gate, which is the second novel in the series that started with Legend.  Another compelling read that follows a small band of aging heroes as they face a seemingly unbeatable foe, The King Beyond the Gate sounds awesome, and I need to dedicate some time to getting through the rest of Gemmell’s books.

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The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis – 1989

Long-term readers of this blog will know that I am a huge fan of historical fiction author Lindsey Davis, who has greatly impressed me over the years with her Flavia Albia series, which follows some deeply unique murder investigations in ancient Rome.  However, the Flavia Albia books are only the latest series from Davis, who originally started back in the 1980s with her Falco novels.  Following the father of Flavia Albia as he solves his own crimes, the Falco books have been on my radar for a while, and I fully intend to read them at some point.  The obvious starting point for this would be The Silver Pigs, which introduced the world to Falco and Davis’s distinctive style.  I have a copy of The Silver Pigs sitting on my bookshelf, and I look forward to the day when I get around to reading it.

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Star Wars: Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn – 1991

Some of my very favourite Star Wars novels were the recent Thrawn trilogies written by legendary author Timothy Zahn.  A complex and compelling collection of books, the Thrawn and Thrawn Ascendancy trilogies follow Zahn’s best original character, Grand Admiral Thrawn and help to reintroduce him into the new Disney canon.  However, Thrawn first appeared back in 1991 when Zahn released the iconic Star Wars novel, Heir to the Empire.  A sequel to Return of the Jedi, Heir to the Empire was one of the very first proper Star Wars tie-in novels, and it set the stage for the massive Star Wars Extended Universe that followed.  As a massive Star Wars fan, I have been remiss in not going back to check out this important novel, although I hope to change that in the future.  From all accounts this book is extremely epic, and I am very curious to see the novel that first introduced Grand Admiral Thrawn to the galaxy.

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The Black Echo by Michael Connelly – 1992

The next entry on this list is The Black Echo by Michael Connelly.  The very first book from Connelly to feature his famous detective character Harry Bosch, The Black Echo set up the author’s shared universe which would later expand to feature so many memorable protagonists.  I have had an exceptional time reading all of Connelly’s most recent works and I have been meaning to go back and explore his universe from the beginning, starting with The Black Echo.  Like The Silver Pigs, I have a copy of The Black Echo sitting on my bookshelf, and when my reading schedule opens up, I hope to grab it and power through it.  I have no doubt that I will love The Black Echo, and I am curious to see what Connelly’s writing style was like in this first book.

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The Demon Awakens by R. A. Salvatore – 1997

I am a huge fan of R. A. Salvatore various additions to the expanded Forgotten Realms universe, having read nearly all of them over the years.  However, I am also keen to read more books in Salvatore’s original Corona universe.  I had a ton of fun reading the latest trilogy set in this world (The Coven books made up of Child of a Mad God, Reckoning of Fallen Gods and Song of the Risen God), and I felt that this was an excellent fantasy universe that I’d like to see more of.  As such, I will try to explore this series from the beginning, which means starting with The Demon Awakens.  An exciting adventure novel with some great characters, The Demon Awakens should be a ton of fun and I am keen to read it in the future.

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A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin – 1998

The final book on this list is A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin.  The second book in Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Clash of Kings doesn’t need a massive introduction.  I have been meaning to continuing this series after reading A Game of Thrones a few years ago, which means going through A Clash of Kings next.  I am sure I will deeply enjoy this major book, and I am curious to see how it differs from the television show.

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And with that, my list concluded.  I felt that this latest Top Ten Tuesday post came together well, and I like the intriguing collection of books I listed above.  It turns out there are a ton of older novels on my to-be-read list, and I hope I get the opportunity to get through them soon.  In the meantime, let me know what older books are on your TBR lists in the comments below.

WWW Wednesday – 23 October 2024

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 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:

Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading the intriguing new Naomi Novik book, Buried Deep and Other Stories.  A collection of short stories from the acclaimed fantasy author, Buried Deep and Other Stories features an intriguing array of tales from Novik’s various fantasy worlds, including the setting of her next big series.  I have already gotten through the first story and it proved to be a lot of fun.  I will hopefully get through the rest of the book pretty quickly and I look forward to seeing what other great adventures it contains

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Warhammer 40,000: Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers (Audiobook)

I was still in a massive Warhammer 40,000 mood this week, so I started listening to Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers, which I had been really looking forward to.  The sequel to one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, Outgunned, Above and Beyond places the protagonists of the first book, a disgraced propaganda expert and a legendary, if exceedingly cynical, pilot, in a new dangerous situation.  A compelling mixture of action, intrigue, and eccentric characters, all while providing a particularly dark look at the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Above and Beyond is an exceptional read and one I will hopefully knock off very soon.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Waiting by Michael Connelly (Trade Paperback)

Another outstanding novel from Connelly.  Featuring three fantastic major protagonists, The Waiting had some very clever mysteries in it, and this was one of the best crime fiction reads of 2024.

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Warhammer 40,000: Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer (Audiobook)

Another outstanding Warhammer 40,000 novel that focused on a unique faction in the game, Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer was a particularly intriguing and compelling novel that I could not get enough of.  Review to hopefully follow soon.

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How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler (Trade Paperback)

One of the funniest and most compelling fantasy novels of 2024.  I loved this comedic take on the classic heroic tale, especially as Wexler made it very over-the-top in all the right ways.

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Rebellion by Richard Cullen (ebook)

An excellent and exciting historical fiction novel that focused on an intriguing period of English history.  I had a lot of fun with Rebellion, especially as I was in the mood for a fun and entertaining historical adventure.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman

I’m planning to read the intriguing young adult fantasy novel The Heart of the World by Australian author Amie Kaufman next.  The sequel to The Isles of the Gods, The Heart of the World will take Kaufman’s teenage protagonists on a dark and intense journey as they try to stop a destructive war.

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The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne

I am also planning to start reading the new John Gwynne book, The Fury of the Gods, in the next week.  The final book in Gwynne’s epic and exceptional Bloodsworn Saga (see my reviews for The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods), The Fury of the Gods has so much awesome potential and it will probably end up being one of my favourite fantasy books of 2024.

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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 – 16 October 2024

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 Comments

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:

The Waiting by Michael Connelly (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading the new Michael Connelly novel The Waiting.  The latest book from Connelly to feature his awesome police protagonists, Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch, The Waiting sees them team up to investigate another series of intriguing cases, including an infamous cold case murder.  Set to be one of the best crime fiction reads of 2024, I have been really excited for The Waiting and I cannot wait to see how this twisty mystery unfolds.

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Warhammer 40,000: Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer (Audiobook)

I also started listening to one of the latest Warhammer 40,000 novels, Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer.  The second book from Beer following their excellent 2023 debut, The King of the Spoil, Dominion Genesis sees Beer follow the mechanical and inhuman tech priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus as they attempt to survive a devastating alien invasion.  I haven’t gotten too far into Dominion Genesis yet, but it’s so far been an interesting start.  I look forward to seeing how this entire novel comes together, and I am eager for more Warhammer awesomeness.

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What did you recently finish reading?

High Wire by Candice Fox (Trade Paperback)

An exciting and explosive Australian thriller, High Wire was an excellent read and I am hoping to write a review for it soon.

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A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

I absolutely powered through the audiobook version of the new Anthony Ryan fantasy novel A Tide of Black Steel this week.  A sequel to Ryan’s The Covenant of Steel trilogy (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor), A Tide of Black Steel was an epic read that I could not get enough of.  An outstanding novel and one of my favourite fantasy books of 2024 so far.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler

I’ve got several great books to read at the moment, but I think I’ll try to read the hilarious sounding novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler next. A comedic take on the classic tale of good vs evil, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying will follow a hero who keeps dying in a time loop as they finally snap and decide to become an evil dark lord to survive.  I love the sound of this funny and cool fantasy novel, and I know I am going to have a ton of fun reading it.

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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 – 15 October 2024

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Book Haul1 Comment

I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from local publishers and Netgalley.  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.

The Waiting by Michael Connelly

I was very happy to receive a copy of the new Michael Connelly book, The Waiting.  Bringing together some of Connelly’s best police characters into one fantastic narrative, The Waiting should be a pretty awesome crime fiction book, and I am very eager to check it out.  I’m actually hoping to start reading it this week, and I have no doubt it is going to be one of the top books of the year.

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A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan

I also recently received the epic new fantasy novel from Anthony Ryan, A Tide of Black Steel.  The first book in Ryan’s The Age of Wrath trilogy, A Tide of Black Steel is a Viking-inspired tale that serves as a sequel to the author’s previous The Covenant of Steel trilogy (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor). I am actually reading A Tide of Black Steel at the moment, and it is proving to be a particularly awesome read that takes the reader on a great adventure.  I am hoping to finish A Tide of Black Steel off in the next day or so, and I cannot wait to see how it comes together.

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Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven

The next book I recently received was the cool thriller novel, Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven.  The sequel to Craven’s previous novel, Fearless, Nobody’s Hero will take Craven excessively fearless protagonist on another bloody adventure, this time to the UK.  I had a lot of fun with Fearless last year and I am looking forward to reading Nobody’s Hero, especially as Craven’s other 2024 novel, The Mercy Chair, was so damn good.

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How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler

One of the more interesting books I received was the fun sounding fantasy novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler.  Following a doomed hero who, after dying multiple times in a time loop, decides to try and win for once by becoming the evil dark lord instead.  I love the sound of How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying and I’m hoping to read it very soon.

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In Too Deep by Lee Child and Andrew Child

I’ve always meant to dive into the epic Jack Reacher thriller series, and it looks like I’ll have the chance this year as I received a copy of the latest book in the series, In Too Deep.  Written by original author Lee Child and his brother Andrew, In Too Deep takes the titular protagonist on another dark vigilante adventure.  I’m curious to dive into this series for the first time and I am excited to explore the author’s new thrilling story.

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Midnight and Blue by Ian Rankin

The final book I recently received is the latest Ian Rankin novel, Midnight and Blue.  The final Rebus novel, Midnight and Blue sees the former detective protagonist trapped in prison and forced to investigate a murder from the inside.  This sounds like quite an interesting book, and while I’m a little apprehensive about starting this series at the very end, I am hoping to give it a try in the next few weeks, and I reckon I’ll enjoy it.

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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.

WWW Wednesday – 9 October 2024

On 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:

High Wire by Candice Fox (Trade Paperback)

I didn’t make as much progress with High Wire as I’d hoped this week.  The latest book from Candice Fox, High Wire is an exciting Australian thriller with some real bang behind it.  I’m hoping to devote a bit more time to High Wire in the next week and I’m looking forward to seeing where the story goes.

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A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

I’ve started listening to the amazing new fantasy novel A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan.  A sequel to Ryan’s The Covenant of Steel trilogy (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor), A Tide of Black Steel is an epic read that takes some great new characters on an amazing adventure.  I am absolutely powering through A Tide of Black Steel, and I should hopefully have it finished by this time next week.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Warhammer 40,000: Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by Gary Kloster (Audiobook)

I quickly finished off the awesome Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by Gary Kloster this week.  An impressive and epic read, I deeply enjoyed this exceptional audiobook, and I am hoping to get a review up for it soon.

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Warhammer 40,000: Double Eagle by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)

It turns out I was in a real Warhammer 40,000 mood this week as I also quickly listened to the awesome book Double Eagle by Dan Abnett.  A spin-off from Abnett’s Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Double Eagle is an exceptional novel about aerial combat that I couldn’t get enough off.  This was one of the best Warhammer novels I have ever read, and I will be reviewing it very soon.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Waiting by Michael Connelly

I am really hoping to read the new Michael Connelly novel The Waiting this week.  The latest book from Connelly to feature his awesome police protagonists, Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch, The Waiting will see them team up to investigate another series of intriguing cases, including an infamous cold case.  Set to be one of the best crime fiction reads of 2024, I have been really excited for The Waiting and I cannot wait to see what twisty mysteries Connelly has written this time.

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Warhammer 40,000: Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer

Finally, if I get through A Tide of Black Steel this week, I will probably start listening to one of the latest Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks, Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer.  An intriguing read that will follow a member of the Adeptus Mechanicus as they attempt to save their world from an alien invasion, I think Dominion Genesis has a lot of potential, especially as Beer really impressed me with his debut, The King of the Spoil, last year.

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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 – 2 October 2024

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 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:

High Wire by Candice Fox (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading the awesome new Australian thriller High Wire by Candice Fox.  Fox’s third book of 2024, High Wire is an exciting thriller with some real bang behind it.  I’ve only read a little of High Wire so far, but I am enjoying its high-octane narrative, and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

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Warhammer 40,000: Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by Gary Kloster (Audiobook)

I’ve spent most of this week listening to the awesome Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge by Gary Kloster.  An impressive and epic read that follows a company of the Dark Angels to a mysterious planet, Enmity’s Edge has proven to be an exceptional read, loaded with intensity, conspiracy and compelling characters.  I have deeply enjoyed this exceptional audiobook, and I am hoping to finish it off in the next day or so.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Capture or Kill by Don Bentley (ebook)

I manage to finish off the latest Mitch Rapp novel, Capture or Kill.  The first book in this long-running series written by new author Don Bentley, Capture or Kill was an intense and thrilling read that set the murderous protagonist on another dark journey.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Waiting by Michael Connelly

I am really hoping to read the new Michael Connelly novel The Waiting this week.  The latest book from Connelly to feature his awesome police protagonists, Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch, The Waiting will see them team up to investigate another series of intriguing cases, including an infamous cold case.  Set to be one of the best crime fiction reads of 2024, I have been really excited for The Waiting and I cannot wait to see what twisty mysteries Connelly has written this time.

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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 Spring 2024 To-Be-Read (TBR) List

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

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 requires participants to highlight the posts that best showcase their personality.  While this is an interesting topic, and one that I may come back to in the future, I am instead going to look at some upcoming books.  That is because today is the last Tuesday before Spring 2024, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books to read in Spring (Autumn 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 September 2024 and 30 November 2024 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 for the second half of 2024 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 2024.

Honourable Mentions:

High Wire by Candice Fox – 24 September 2024

Another exciting read from one of Australia’s top crime fiction authors.  High Wire is Candice Fox’s third book of 2024 (following The Murder Inn and Devil’s Kitchen) and looks set to be a high-octane read in the middle of the Australian outback.

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Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven – 8 October 2024

An intriguing follow-up to Craven’s 2023 novel, Fearless, Nobody’s Hero sounds like a ton of fun, and I am particularly keen to check it out after deeply loving Craven’s other 2024 novel, The Mercy Chair.

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Star Wars: The Glass Abyss by Steven Barnes – 15 October 2024

A cool and intriguing new Star Wars novel that looks set to highlight the legendary Mace Windu.

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Endgame by Sarah Barrie – 30 October 2024

Another awesome Australian thriller from impressive author Sarah Barrie.  Endgame will end the outstanding and dark Lexi Winter’s series, which has previously featured Unforgiven, Retribution and Vendetta.

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Top Ten List:

King’s Enemy by Ian Ross – 10 September 2024

The first book on this list is the awesome historical fiction release, King’s Enemy.  The third and final book in the de Norton trilogy, which has previously featured the exceptional reads Battle Song and War Cry.  King’s Enemy will see the protagonist, knight Adam de Norton, forced to turn against his king after losing a deadly civil war, resulting in one of England’s most infamous sieges.  I love the sound of this book so much, and I have a feeling it is going to be one of the top historical fiction books of 2024.

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We Solve Murders by Richard Osman – 17 September 2024

Over the last four years, Richard Osman has consistently impressed me with his incredible and exceptional crime fiction reads.  His Thursday Murder Club series, made up of The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), The Bullet That Missed (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and The Last Devil to Die (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), are so damn good, and I am always eager for more Osman.  As such, Osman’s new book, We Solve Murders, is one of my most anticipated books of 2024.  Featuring a new group of protagonists, We Solve Murders has another outstanding story behind it, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan – 24 September 2024

Probably the fantasy novel I am most looking forward to in 2024 is A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan.  The start of new series from Ryan that follows on from his Covenant of Steel trilogy (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor), A Tide of Black Steel looks set to be a powerful and compelling adventure read, following a new group of protagonists.  I love the cool sounding plot of A Tide of Black Steel, and I am eager to see how it will continue some of the open storylines from the Covenant of Steel books.

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Darkside by Michael Mammay – 24 September 2024

I was very excited to see that outstanding author Michael Mammay was returning to his Planetside series later this year.  Following a veteran, maverick solider in the future who finds himself involved in a series of genocidal plots, the Planetside books are so damn good and have been deeply impressing me since Mammay’s writing debut.  Made up of Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside, the Planetside books are extremely awesome, and I cannot wait to check out the fourth book in the series, Darkside.  Following the protagonist as he investigates a sinister missing person’s case on the dark side of an isolated moon, Darkside should be an incredible read, especially when the protagonist goes up against multiple mega-corporations he’s annoyed in the past.

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Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 39: Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai – 8 October 2024

Readers of this blog will know that I need my Usagi Yojimbo fix each year, as it is easily my favourite comic series out there.  Luckily, I don’t need to wait too much longer for the new Usagi Yojimbo comic, as the 39th volume in this incredible series, Ice and Snow, comes out in October.  This latest entry in the series sounds very awesome, as Usagi and his cousin are forced to face off against his most deadly enemy, the deadly supernatural killer Jei.  I am so excited to get my hands on this comic, and it is going to be so much fun to read.

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The Waiting by Michael Connelly – 15 October 2024

Time and time again, Michael Connelly continuously shows why he is the very best crime fiction author in the world today.  So many of his recent books have deeply impressed me, including The Night Fire, Fair Warning and Resurrection Walk, just to name a few.  As such I am always keen to grab the new Connelly book, and I am very, very happy that the new entry, The Waiting, is out very soon.  Once again focusing on his main police protagonists, Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch, The Waiting looks set to be an excellent entry in the series, as Connelly has stacked it with multiple compelling cases, as well as bringing in another Bosch for fans to enjoy.  I have no doubt that I am going to absolutely love The Waiting, and it will probably end up being one of my top books of 2024.

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Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson – 22 October 2024

Another top crime fiction book coming out in Spring that I am particularly excited for is Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Australian author Benjamin Stevenson.  Following on from Stevenson’s previous hilarious and clever books, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret, will be a Christmas themed murder mystery romp, with the protagonist forced to figure out who amongst a group of professional Christmas performers is a killer.  This will be one of the funniest books of 2024, and I look forward to seeing how this latest book in one of my favourite Australian series turns out.

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The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne – 22 October 2024

Probably the book with the best cover on this list is The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne.  The third and final book in Gwynne’s The Bloodsworn Saga, The Fury of the Gods will follow on from the amazing and inventive fantasy releases, The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods.  I have had an outstanding time with this incredible, Viking-inspired fantasy series, and I have no doubt this final battle between gods and mortals is going to be something truly special.

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Revenge of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 12 November 2024

I can’t talk about November releases without highlighting the upcoming Simon Scarrow book, Revenge of Rome.  The 23rd Eagles of the Empire novel, Revenge of Rome follows on from several recent Scarrow books set in Britannia, The Honour of Rome, Death to the Emperor and Rebellion.  Revenge of Rome will be set in the bloody aftermath of Boudica’s revolt and follows the damaged protagonists as they attempt to hunt down the fleeing Boudica.  This will no doubt be a particularly intense entry in the series, and I cannot wait to see how Scarrow will continue this epic series.  Another amazing entry in one of my absolute favourite series.

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The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso – 19 November 2024

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the cool and unique upcoming fantasy read, The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso.  Caruso, who previously deeply impressed me with her debut Sword and Fire trilogy (The Tethered Mage, The Defiant Heir and The Unbound Empire), is set to deliver an intriguing fantasy crime fiction book.  Following an odd-couple pair of investigators as they attempt to examine a mysterious set of murders driven by unusual time magic The Last Hour Between Worlds sounds extremely cool and distinctive, and I cannot wait explore this new amazing fantasy tale from Caruso.

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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.  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.

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2024 (Mystery, Thriller and Historical Fiction)

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, List, Murder Mystery, Thriller12 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.  In this list, I continue to examine my most anticipated releases for the second half of 2024.  While my other list of the night looked at the best upcoming fantasy and science fiction novels, this list will look at the crime fiction, thrillers, and historical fiction novels that I am most excited for in the next six months.

Just like with my previous article about upcoming fantasy and science fiction books, this was a bit of a difficult list to pull together.  Even after I excluded fantasy and science fiction novels from it, there were still a ton of great books I could feature, and I had a hard time deciding what to cut.  I was eventually able to whittle it down to a top ten list (with an honourable mentions section), and I am pretty happy with how it turned out.  Just like with my fantasy and science fiction list, the following list does a great job of highlighting what books I am most excited for in the second half of the year, so let us see what makes the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Confessions of the Dead by James Patterson and J. D. Barker – 2 July 2024

Confessions of the Dead Cover

An intriguing thriller from a team who previously produced the incredible novel, Death of the Black Widow.

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Capture or Kill by Don Bentley – 3 September 2024

Capture or Kill Cover

The iconic and action-packed Mitch Rapp series returns with a new author at the helm, as Don Bentley provides a compelling new adventure.

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Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven – 8 October 2024

Nobody's Hero Cover 2

An intriguing sounding follow up to Craven’s 2023 novel, Fearless, Nobody’s Hero sounds like a lot of fun.  I am looking forward to reading this book, especially as I am currently having an outstanding time reading Craven’s other 2024 book, The Mercy Chair.

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Endgame by Sarah Barrie – 30 October 2024

Endgame Cover

The fourth book in one of my favourite Australian series, Endgame will follow on from Barrie’s previous amazing reads, Unforgiven, Retribution and Vendetta.

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Top Ten List:

The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe – 3 July 2024

The Wrong Man Cover

The first book I want to highlight in this list is the excellent Australian thriller, The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe.  Following on from the author’s previous John Bailey books, The Greater Good, State of Fear, The Enemy Within and Killer Traitor Spy, The Wrong Man has a great mystery behind it that sounds extremely intriguing.  I already have a copy of this book, and I am very curious to see how it unfolds.

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Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh – 13 August 2024

Witness 8 Cover

One of my favourite legal thriller authors, Steve Cavanagh, returns with another twisty and entertaining courtroom drama, Witness 8.  The eighth book in Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series, Witness 8 will see the conman turned defence attorney protagonist try to save an innocent man implicated by a witness with her own sinister agenda.  I have had an outstanding time with Cavanagh’s last several books, including The Devil’s Advocate, The Accomplice and Kill For Me Kill For You, and Witness 8 looks set to be another incredible read.

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Precipice by Robert Harris – 27 August 2024

Precipice Cover

Acclaimed author Robert Harris brings another infamous historical scandal to life with Precipice.  Set during World War I, Precipice will craft a spy thriller around the intriguing affair between Venetia Stanley and Prime Minister H. H. Asquith.  I am very curious to see what spin Harris puts on these events and it should be a very gripping book.

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Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 39: Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai – 10 September 2024

Usagi Yojimbo - Ice and Snow Cover

A key highlight of my reading year is always the new Usagi Yojimbo comic by Stan Sakai, which is one of my favourite comic series.  Luckily for me the new volume is nearly here with the 39th volume Ice and Snow coming out in September.  This new entry sounds particularly epic as it will pit the protagonist against his most deadly enemy, this time in the freezing snow.  I am very excited for this cool new comic, and I already know I am going to love it to death.

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King’s Enemy by Ian Ross – 12 September 2024

King's Enemy Cover

There is no way that I am missing out on the fantastic upcoming novel, King’s Enemy by historical fiction author Ian Ross.  The gripping final book in the de Norton trilogy, which has previously featured the amazing books Battle Song and War Cry, King’s Enemy will follow the now fugitive protagonist as he faces the consequences of supporting a rebellion against the crown.  This book looks to end the trilogy in an interesting way, and I cannot wait to see how this compelling adventure, set amid one of England’s more intriguing civil wars, concludes.

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We Solve Murders by Richard Osman – 17 September 2024

We Solve Murders Cover

Easily one of my most anticipated books for the second half of 2024 is the new Richard Osman book, We Solve Murders.  Osman has proven to be an exceptional author over the last few years with his Thursday Murder Club series, which includes The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), The Bullet That Missed (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and The Last Devil to Die (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023).  All these books have been incredible, and I know that Osman’s new release, We Solve Murders is going to be just as good.  Focussing on a father/daughter investigative team, We Solve Murders has so much damn potential and I cannot wait to check it out.

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High Wire by Candice Fox – 24 September 2024

High Wire Cover

A gripping and high-stakes Australian thriller from the always impressive Candice Fox, High Wire will follow two explosive-rigged strangers in the Australian outback forced to complete a series of dangerous tasks.  Fox has been on a real roll this year, releasing the intense Devil’s Kitchen and the fun thriller The Murder Inn (with James Patterson), and I have no doubt that High Wire is also going to be very impressive.

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Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson – 22 October 2024

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret Cover 1

After blowing me away with his last two novels, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, Australian author Benjamin Stevenson is producing another awesome read in 2024 with Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret.  A Christmas themed murder mystery treat that will once again showcase Stevenson’s wit and love for the mystery genre, Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret is going to be an outstanding read and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

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The Waiting by Michael Connelly – 5 November 2024

The Waiting Cover

It wouldn’t be the second half of a year without a new crime fiction read from Michael Connelly.  In this case we have The Waiting, which will once again bring together two of Connelly’s best detectives as part of the Ballard and Bosch series.  This latest book will see the protagonists investigate several murders throughout L. A., including a compelling cold case.  However, readers are also in for a treat with double the Bosch, as Connelly brings Bosch’s daughter in as a main character for the first time.  I cannot wait to see how The Waiting unfolds, and it is probably going to be one of my favourite crime fiction reads of 2024.

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Revenge of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 7 November 2024

Revenge of Rome Cover

The final book I want to highlight in this list is the epic upcoming historical fiction novel, Revenge of Rome by Simon Scarrow.  The 23rd book in one of my all-time favourite series, Revenge of Rome will follow on from the chaotic events of Scarrow’s last two books, Death to the Emperor and Rebellion, which saw the destruction levelled by Boudica’s rebellion.  This new novel will force the protagonists to hunt down the defeated Queen Boudica, which will no doubt result in another harrowing and compelling adventure, especially as one protagonist has a dark connection to the fugitive queen.  I have no doubt this is going to be an outstanding book, and I cannot wait to read it.

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Well, that’s the end of my second list.  As you can see, there are some outstanding mysteries, thrillers and historical fiction novels coming out in the next six months which should prove to be amazing reads.  Combine that with the fantasy and science fiction releases from my previous list and I know that I am going to have an incredible time in the second half of 2024.  While I am waiting to get my hands on these books, why not let me know if any of the above interest you and let me know what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below.