Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 12 June 2025.
A copy of this column also appeared on the Canberra Daily website.
Make sure to check out my extended reviews of Never Flinch, The Devils and Nightshade.
Tag: Nightshade
Nightshade by Michael Connelly
Publisher: Allen & Unwin (ebook – 20 May 2025)
Series: Detective Stilwell – Book One
Length: 351 pages
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The master of American crime fiction, Michael Connelly, introduces a cool new character with his outstanding 2025 novel, Nightshade, an incredible extremely addictive murder mystery that was a true highlight of the first half of this year.
Few authors are as consistently impressive and exciting as crime fiction legend Michael Connelly, who has continuously produced complex and captivating novels that fall across the various crime fiction sub-genres. I have had an outstanding time reading some of Connelly’s more recent books, including the outstanding Ballad and Bosche novels (Dark Sacred Night, The Night Fire, The Dark Hours and Desert Star), his Mickey Haller/Lincoln Lawyer novels (The Law of Innocence and Resurrection Walk), as well as the impressive Jack McEvoy novel Fair Warning (one of my favourite books of 2020). All these books have been highly enjoyable, and I am always eager to explore more mysteries and thrillers in Connelly’s shared universe. As such, I was very excited to get my hands on Connelly’s first 2025 release Nightshade, which introduced a new protagonist in a compelling scenario.
Plot Synopsis:
No. 1 internationally bestselling author Michael Connelly introduces Detective Stilwell: a determined cop on a purgatory beat in paradise.
Detective Stilwell of the Los Angeles County Sherriff’s department has been exiled. Once he manned a mainland homicide desk; now internal politics have relegated him to a low-key post, policing rustic Catalina Island. He’s beginning to think he could get used to it.
It’s all business as usual in his new territory, following up drunk-and-disorderlies and petty thefts, until Stilwell receives a report of a body found wrapped in plastic at the bottom of the harbour. He begins working the case, and soon he’s forced to cross all lines of protocol and jurisdiction in pursuit of justice.
But when Stilwell discovers dark secrets hidden in the shadows he must now ask: Is Catalina really the serene island it appears to be or is it brewing a deadly poison?
Nightshade was an intense and fresh new novel from Connelly, who successfully debuts a new character in a fantastic fashion. Featuring a slick mystery with a cool new location, Nightshade was an awesome read that I absolutely flew through. One of the better books from the first half of 2025, Nightshade gets a full five-star rating from me and comes very highly recommended.
Connelly produced an outstanding narrative in Nightshade that perfectly sets out a compelling series of mysteries on the picturesque Catalina Island. The plot starts off fast with new protagonist Detective Stilwell, an exiled detective turned top cop on Catalina Island, working low-level crime on the island, before discovering a murdered girl at the bottom of the harbour. Despite being instructed not to interfere in the case, Stilwell’s curiosity and rebellious nature get the best of him, and he soon engages in his own investigation, pulling strings through his island connections. Connelly sets the scene for this separate, protagonist-led enquiry nicely, and there is a compelling blend of investigation arcs and the protagonist resolving his many personal issues, including his growing connection to Catalina Island and its inhabitants. The author ratchets up the intensity of the plot, as his main enquiry brings to light several sinister secrets, while other smaller cases from the island further showcase the underlying corruption of the seemingly picturesque police posting.
The second half of Nightshade goes in some excellent directions, as Connelly keeps the intensity running high. Following a shocking yet well-set up additional death, Stilwell is forced to deal with numerous threats from all corners, including betrayal, a corrupt former partner, and a sinister assassin stalking the island. Thanks to a combination of some fantastic revelations, a powerful confession sequence, and an intense rescue, there is barely a second to stand still in the lead up to Nightshade’s conclusion, and the attempts to solve the partially interlocked cases allows for an excellent overall narrative. I felt that Connelly set up each of his major mysteries in Nightshade extremely well, and the solutions came about naturally through some excellent storytelling. While the main cases are solved, Connelly leaves a few story elements open, and I feel like the legal ramifications for a couple of arrests will be explored in any sequels that Connelly has planned for this novel.
I really enjoyed how Nightshade came together, and Connelly produces an excellent character-driven murder mystery with a lot of compelling moving parts to it. Perfectly focused on an interesting and complex protagonist, Connelly effectively builds a great mixture of plotlines for this novel, including two central mysteries and various personal elements for the protagonist. Each of these storylines are well balanced and come together in an effective overall narrative, with the reader easily following the various cool twists and moments of excitement. This is a very sharp and constantly moving novel that proves easy to get drawn into and hard to put down. I easily powered through Nightshade in a couple of days, mainly because I was curious to see how the various mysteries unfolded, but also because of the compelling personal drama surrounding the book’s characters.
This includes new protagonist, Detective Stllwell, who is an excellent mixture of professional sheriff and occasional rogue cop. Stilwell has a similar anti-authoritarian streak to several of Connelly’s other police protagonists, especially as he is on the outs with his superiors after doing the right thing. Connelly did an effective job of setting up Stilwell as a new ongoing protagonist, and there are some interesting hanging threads for the character, including a complicated romantic relationship and a growing contentment with his new post at Catalina Island, which clashes with his sense of injustice surrounding his banishment there. Stilwell worked well as a standalone protagonist in this novel, but there is also potential for Connelly to expand on him in the future, especially with several open storylines and potential long-running feuds with crooks and corrupt cops going forward. The rest of the cast of Nightshade is also well set up, and I liked the combination of Catalina Island locals and transplants from the mainland who wander into the case. There are some strong antagonistic forces surrounding the main character during this novel, and it was fascinating to see how Stilwell worked around them to crack his cases.
The final part of Nightshade that I must highlight is the compelling new setting of Catalina Island. I must admit I had never really heard of Catalina Island until reading this book, and it proved to be a very interesting alternate Los Angeles setting to set a crime fiction novel around. Connelly paints a vivid picture of the island as part of Nightshade’s plot, and I liked the depiction of it as a holiday island with its own unique charm. The focus on the local culture versus the mainland transplants taking it over was quite fascinating, and Connelly does a great job of diving into the fascinating history of the island and working that into the book’s plot. He also develops an interesting tale of corruption and crime on the island, which ties in nicely with some of the setting’s real-life features. The extra focus on maritime elements, police diving, and the environment of the island (including its surprising bison herds), as well as the isolated nature of the setting, gave Nightshade a distinctive feel, and this proved to be quite a memorable novel in Connelly’s shared universe.
Overall, Nightshade was an outstanding new novel from Michael Connelly that proved very hard to stop reading. With an intriguing new protagonist, setting, and original murder mysteries, Nightshade was a deeply compelling and highly exciting read that I had such a wonderful time with. This book comes very highly recommended, and I cannot wait to get my hands on Connelly’s next novel, which is set to come out very soon.
Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books From the First Half of 2025
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently reside at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday involved listing books you’d like to reread. While this is an interesting topic which I might come back to later, I had already decided in advance that this week I would take this opportunity to celebrate the fact that we are into the second half of 2025 by highlighting some amazing books from the first half of the year.
2025 has already proven to be a fantastic year for books, and I have already read some incredible new releases, including impressive standalone books, amazing entries in established series and fantastic debuts. Because of this, I thought that I would take the time to work out what my top ten favourite books from the first half of 2025 were. To be eligible, a book had to be a particularly epic novel released in the first half of this year. I have excluded any books released during this period that I have not so far read, although a couple of releases I have my eye on might have appeared on this list if I had read them in time.
Coming up with this list proved to be a rather bigger task than I originally intended, as I ended up amassing nearly 20 releases, all of which I consider to be outstanding reads. I was eventually able to whittle this down to an acceptable Top Ten list, although I did include my typical generous honourable mentions section. I am rather happy with how this list turned out, although I am surprised at some of the great recent books that ended up being excluded. Still, the entries below represent what I considered to be some of the best books from the first half of 2025, and I would strongly recommend each and every one of them.
Honourable Mentions:
A clever and impressive thriller from the always outstanding Harlan Coben.
The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell
The exceedingly fun, and slightly unhinged, sequel to de Castell’s previous awesome novel, The Malevolent Seven. This second Malevolent book was particularly epic, and I look forward to seeing how this series continues, as well as de Castell’s other upcoming 2025 novel, Our Lady of Blades.
Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry
Another exciting and powerful entry in Maberry’s amazing Rogue Team International series.
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
The latest epic Hunger Games novel from Suzanne Collins, that perfectly showcased the origins of one of the series’ more iconic characters. Highly recommended and a must read for all Hunger Games fans.
Top Ten List:
A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
The first ultra-impressive novel of 2025 I want to highlight on this list is the exceptional fantasy murder mystery A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett. The second novel in the author’s Shadow of the Leviathan series, A Drop of Corruption is the brilliant sequel to The Tainted Cup (one of my favourite books of 2024). Another intricate and powerful murder mystery set within Bennett’s clever fantasy setting; A Drop of Corruption was a particularly addictive read that I honestly could not get enough of.
Midnight Black by Mark Greaney
Next on the list we have the fantastic spy thriller Midnight Black by one of my favourite authors Mark Greaney. The 14th entry in Greaney’s Gray Man series, Midnight Black was an epic read that served as a great follow-up to the cliffhanger ending of the previous novel, The Chaos Agent. Pitting the author’s legendary spy protagonist against the entire Russian state as he attempts to free the woman he loves from an internment camp, Midnight Black was a great mixture of action, espionage and character moments that proves impossible to put down. A very impressive entry in one of the best ongoing spy thriller series.
Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky
One of the world’s best fantasy and science fiction authors was in rare form with his incredible novel, Days of Shattered Faith, which serves as the third book in the author’s Tyrant Philosophers series. A gritty and captivating novel that follows on from City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds, both of which were amongst my favourite books of 2023 (with City of Last Chances being one of the best audiobooks of 2023), Days of Shattered Faith was an incredible fantasy read that continued to follow the dark expansion of an empire dedicated to perfection and correctness. This time examining the dark side of diplomacy as a new city is rocked by war, revolution and conquest, Days of Shattered Faith was a very complex read that perfectly continues the series. Easily one of Tchaikovsky’s better books, Days of Shattered Faith is a very worthy addition to this list and is really worth a read.
Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett
I had to include Interceptor City, the incredible new Warhammer 40,000 novel from Dan Abnett on this list. The long-awaited sequel to his iconic novel Double Eagle, Interceptor City brings back Abnett’s fighter ace protagonist Bree Jagdea, as she is dragged out of retirement and into the carnage of war. This time forced to fly deadly combat missions in the claustrophobic confines of a massive city, Interceptor City was a particularly impressive sequel that really highlights Abnett’s ability to write complex and gripping dogfights. One of the more outstanding Warhammer novels of 2025, Interceptor City was Abnett at his best (which is saying something), and I could not get enough of this outstanding read.
Amazing thriller author Gregg Hurwitz may have presented one of his very best books this year with his 10th Orphan X novel, Nemesis. Once again following the author’s complicated vigilante protagonist, Nemesis featured a moving and powerful story as the titular Orphan X is forced to face off against his best friend following the events of Lone Wolf. A gripping battle of personalities, Nemesis was a very powerful read, and I’m still not over the book’s shocking ending. An exceptional read that you won’t be prepared for.
Usagi Yojimbo: The Crow by Stan Sakai
I doubt anyone is too surprised that I’ve featured the new Usagi Yojimbo comic by Stan Sakai, The Crow, on this list, as I have long championed the beauty and complexity of this series. The latest volume, The Crow, had a great story as the protagonist teams up with several bounty hunters to bring down a notorious criminal, only to encounter tragedy and death. A very compelling addition to the series, The Crow was so much fun to read and comes highly recommended. I have so much love for this series, and I cannot wait to get the next volume, Ten Thousand Plums, which will likely also be a big release of 2025.
After several years out of the spotlight, the master of grim dark fantasy fiction, Joe Abercrombie, returns with a vengeance with The Devils. The first book in a new series set in an alternate version of medieval Europe populated with monsters and magic, The Devils follows a group of monsters controlled by the church who are charged with keeping a street-thief alive and placing her on the throne of Troy as empress. A particularly entertaining novel loaded with great characters, outrageous humour and constant carnage, The Devils was pure Joe Abercrombie goodness, and I loved every single second I spent reading it.
Never Flinch by Stephen King
Another amazing book from the first half of 2025 I had to include was the new Stephen King novel, Never Flinch. Once again bringing back his amazing protagonist Holly Gibney (Mr. Mercedes, The Outsider and Holly), Never Flinch sees the unlikely detective contend with two dangerous opponents, an obsessive serial killer and a relentless stalker. A very compelling and dark character-driven crime fiction read, Never Flinch had an exceptional story behind it and I deeply enjoyed seeing how this elaborate tale unfolded.
The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson
One of the more surprising entries on this list was the fantasy debut from author Anthonia Hodgson, The Raven Scholar. A massive and addictive fantasy novel that sees a tournament to crown a new emperor disrupted by murder, conspiracy, and long-hidden secrets, The Raven Scholar was a particularly awesome read that I powered through a few days. I had such an incredible time with The Raven Scholar, and I just had to feature it on this list.
Nightshade by Michael Connelly
The final book on this list is the new Michael Connelly novel Nightshade. Set on Catalina Island and featuring a new protagonist, Nightshade was an intricate and exciting murder mystery novel that combined dark island politics with several gritty murders. A very strong book from Connelly that perfectly introduced his new protagonist and scenario, Nightshade is a very impressive read and one of the better books from the first half of 2025.
Well, that’s the end of this latest list. As you can see, I have already read some amazing and epic books so far in 2025 and we are only halfway through the year. I am pretty happy with how this list turned out, and it will be interesting to see which of these books ends up being amongst my top reads of the year. All the novels above come very highly recommended, and you are guaranteed to have a wonderful time reading them. Let me know what your favourite releases for the first half of the year are in the comments below and make sure to check out my two most anticipated reads lists for the second half of 2025 (fantasy and science fiction and other).
WWW Wednesday – 11 June 2025
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:
Warhammer 40,000: Fulgrim: The Perfect Son by Jude Reid (Audiobook)
After highlighting some of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels earlier this week, I was keen to return to this awesome grimdark franchise and decided to check out one of the more intriguing recent releases from it, with Fulgrim: The Perfect Son by Jude Reid. Following members of the hedonistic and corrupt Emperor’s Children Chaos Space Marines Legion as they embark on siege on behalf of their dark master, The Perfect Son looks set to be an intriguing and entertaining Warhammer 40,000 novel loaded with secrets and betrayal. I’ve only just started listening to this audiobook, but it is so far very intense and interesting. I have no doubt I am going to have a great time with The Perfect Son, especially as some of Reid’s previous Warhammer 40,000 novels, such as Creed: Ashes of Cadia and Daemonbreaker, were a ton of fun.
What did you recently finish reading?
Nightshade by Michael Connelly (ebook)
I absolutely powered through the new Michael Connelly novel; Nightshade, last week and it was such a great read. Following an interesting new Connelly protagonist who is forced to investigate a murder on Catalina Island, Nightshade is another amazing book from Connelly that had me hooked very early one. An outstanding and highly recommend novel from one of the very best crime fiction authors.
Never Flinch by Stephen King (audiobook)
I also managed to finally finish off the new Stephen King novel, Never Flinch. Featuring one of the authors more compelling protagonists, Holly Gibney (from books like Mr. Mercedes, The Outsider and Holly), Never Flinch is a gripping novel that pits Holly against both a killer planning to murder 14 people and a disturbed stalker fixated on murdering a women’s rights activist. Easily one of my favourite books of 2025 so far, Never Flinch was such an incredible read and I’m still reeling from the tense finale.
The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell (ebook)
I spent a good chunk of this week reading the sounding dark fantasy novel, The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell, and boy was it something special. The sequel to de Castell’s outstanding The Malevolent Seven, The Malevolent Eight follows the author’s unlikely band of murderous magic heroes as they inexpertly try to save the world. The result was one of the funniest and most insane books I have ever read, and I am still chuckling at some of the outrageous jokes. I’m hoping to get a review up for this book soon, but make sure to check it out if you’re in the mood for a very, very fun fantasy novel.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Battle Mountain by C. J. Box
I have several interesting books on my to-read list that I might check out next, but the one I think I’ll start with is the awesome thriller Battle Mountain by C. J. Box. The 25th entry in the author’s long-running Joe Pickett series, Battle Mountain will follow on from the tragic events of the previous book, Three-Inch Teeth and see the vengeful protagonists dragged into another deadly confrontation. I already know I’m going to have a lot of fun with Battle Mountain, and I look forward to seeing how everything turns 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 – 4 June 2025
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:
Nightshade by Michael Connelly (ebook)
I just started to read the new Michael Connelly novel; Nightshade and I have already made a descent amount of progress on it. Following an interesting new Connelly protagonist who is forced to investigate a murder on Catalina Island, Nightshade is another amazing read from Connelly, and I am already pretty hooked on its cool mystery. I fully expect to power through Nightshade in the next couple of days and I cannot wait to see how it comes together.
Never Flinch by Stephen King (audiobook)
I also still listening to the new Stephen King novel, Never Flinch. Featuring one of the authors more compelling protagonists, Holly Gibney (from books like Mr. Mercedes, The Outsider and Holly), Never Flinch is a gripping novel that pits Holly against both a killer planning to murder 14 people and a disturbed stalker fixated on murdering a women’s rights activist. I am currently halfway through Never Flinch, and I can already guarantee that this is going to be one of my favourite books of 2025.
What did you recently finish reading?
Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler (Trade Paperback)
I had a lot of fun reading the hilarious fantasy novel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler this week. The sequel to the amazing and deeply funny How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was another zany and clever read that had me laughing the entire way through. Highly recommended.
What do you think you’ll read next?
The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell
I have a few interesting books to check out at the moment, but I think I’ll probably start reading the awesome sounding dark fantasy novel, The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell. The sequel to de Castell’s outstanding The Malevolent Seven, The Malevolent Eight will follow the author’s unlikely band of murderous magic users, who are forced to play the hero in order to save the world. I had a ton of fun with The Malevolent Seven, and I cannot wait to see how de Castell continues his cool story.
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 – 28 May 2025
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:
Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler (Trade Paperback)
I just started reading the hilarious fantasy novel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler. The sequel to the amazing and deeply funny How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me sees the new titular Dark Lord try to save the humans she is supposed to conquer, all while trying to survive her own minions. I’ve only made a little progress on this book so far, but it is already quite funny, and I know I’m going to love every second I spend reading it.
Never Flinch by Stephen King (audiobook)
I also just started listening to the new Stephen King novel, Never Flinch. Featuring one of the authors more compelling protagonists, Holly Gibney (from books like Mr. Mercedes, The Outsider and Holly), Never Flinch will pit her against some dangerous new foes, as she tries to catch a killer planning to murder 14 people, while also protecting a women’s rights activist from a stalker. I have had an exceptional time with King’s recent crime fiction novels, and I have no doubt that Never Flinch is going to be one of the top books of 2025.
What did you recently finish reading?
Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold (Trade Paperback)
I ended up having a wonderful time getting through the epic urban fantasy novel, Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold this week. An exceptional addition to the author’s Fetch Phillips series, Whisper in the Wind was a brilliant novel that comes very highly recommended, especially as Arnold continues to evolve as an author and produces an outstanding mystery in his complex fantasy world.
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie (Audiobook)
I finally managed to finish off the epic and outrageous dark fantasy novel, The Devils by Joe Abercrombie, this week, and boy was it something special. One of my most anticipated fantasy novels of 2025, The Devils followed a mismatched group of monsters as they try to survive a dark and magic-filled alternate medieval Europe and place an unlikely princess on the throne of Troy. Wildy entertaining and deliciously over-the-top, The Devils was so damn good, and I loved every single second I spend listening to it.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Nightshade by Michael Connelly
The next book I am planning to check out is the new Michael Connelly novel, Nightshade. Following an interesting new protagonist who is forced to investigate a murder on an isolated and iconic Californian island, Nightshade should be another amazing read from Connelly, who has great impressed me over the years with his exceptional crime fiction novels.
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
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 14th 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 – 10 February 2025
I’ve had a 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.
Midnight Black by Mark Greaney
The first recently received book I want to highlight in this post is the new Mark Greaney novel, Midnight Black. The 14th entry in the author’s Gray Man series, Midnight Black follows on from the cliffhanger at the end of the previous novel, The Chaos Agent, and sees the dangerous spy protagonist attempt to rescue his love interest from a Russian prison camp. One of my most anticipated books of 2025, Midnight Black sounds really cool, and I cannot wait to see what brutal action and over-the-top chaos emerge in this amazing read.
The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers
The next book I want to highlight in this book haul post is the intriguing Australian thriller debut, The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers. Set in the iconic landscape of the Blue Mountains, The Reunion will see five former friends return to the site of a fateful incident 10 years before where one of their friends died during a hike. Set to feature old secrets and lies re-emerge, The Reunion has a ton of potential, and I think it will end up being one of my top debuts of 2025.
The Medici Return by Steve Berry
I was very happy to receive a copy of The Medici Return by Steve Berry. The latest entry in the long-running Cotton Malone series (of which I have become very fond of), The Medici Return will see the series’ titular protagonist investigate a deadly conspiracy involving an old debt owed to the historical Medici family by the Catholic church, which could impact the entire future of Italy. I cannot wait to see what elaborate narrative Berry has pulled together for The Medici Return and I know I am going to have an amazing time with this book.
The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins
One of the more intriguing novels I recently received was the cool Australian legal thriller, The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins. The sequel to Jenkin’s fun and clever first novel, How To Kill A Client (one of my favourite debuts of 2023), The Bluff looks set to be another compelling read as the big-city lawyer protagonist investigates a deadly cover-up in small-town Australia.
Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben
Easily one of the more intriguing thrillers of 2025, I was very happy to get a copy of the new Harlan Coben book, Nobody’s Fool. A follow-up to Coben’s classic novel, Fool Me Once, Nobody’s Fool will see returning character Sami Kierce forced to face his past after an old girlfriend he thought long dead returns, initiating an impossible mystery. I really like the sound of this amazing book, and I cannot wait to read another incredible novel from Coben.
You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego
A very fun and meta thriller that will see several bestselling murder mystery and thriller authors caught up in a classic whodunnit situation when they are summoned to the private of a famous and mysterious author. I love books that attempt to place their own twist on the iconic old-school mystery novels, and You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego sounds like it is going to be something very special.
Count My Lies by Sophie Stava
An intriguing upcoming debut thriller that will see a chronic liar caught up in a dark situation thanks to her bold stories. This could be a very cool read and I look forward to checking it out.
Grave Empire by Richard swan
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the new fantasy novel from Richard Swan, Grave Empire. One of the most anticipated fantasy novels of 2025, Grave Empire takes readers to a new age of the Empire of the Wolf and presents a whole different raft of threats and challenges. This sounds like a really cool book and one I hope I get the chance to check out this year, although as I still haven’t finished off the preceding The Empire of the Wolf trilogy, I worry I won’t be able to enjoy Grave Empire as much.
Barren Cape by Michelle Prak
I was very happy to get an early copy of the fantastic thriller novel, Barren Cape, from Australian author Michelle Prak. This awesome novel will see a desperate person squatting in an abandoned and isolated resort, which will backfire on her in some dark ways. I am extremely curious to see how Barren Cape turns out, and I think I am going to have a lot of fun with this book.
Nightshade by Michael Connelly
Last, but definitely not least, is the new upcoming Michael Connelly book Nightshade. I was very, very lucky to receive an early copy of Nightshade and I am very excited to check it out, especially as all my recent experiences with Connelly’s books have been extremely positive. Introducing a new Connelly protagonist who operates on Catalina Island, Nightshade looks set to be a particularly impressive book and I am very excited to check it 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.
Waiting on Wednesday – Nightshade by Michael Connelly
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.
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
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 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.
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 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.
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 Unseen Library 