Tag: Scott Mariani

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

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

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

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

Honourable Mentions:

Adam Christopher – Star Wars: Master of Evil

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

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Matthew Farrer – Warhammer 40,000: Crossfire

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

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Joe Hill – King Sorrow

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

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Ryan North – Star Trek: Lower Decks

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

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Top Ten List:

Matt Dinniman – Dungeon Crawler Carl series

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

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Lamar Giles – Star Wars: Sanctuary

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

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Scott Mariani – The Pilgrim’s Revenge

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

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Adam Plantinga – The Ascent

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

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Jackson Ford – The Bone Raiders

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

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Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child – Badlands

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

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Gabriel Bergmoser – High Rise

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

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R. F. Kuang – Katabasis

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

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Edward Ashton – Mickey7

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

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Krysten Ritter (with Lindsay Jamieson) – Retreat

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

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

Book Haul – 17 November 2025

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

Tyrant of Rome by Simon Scarrow

The first recently received book I want to highlight is the awesome historical fiction novel, Tyrant of Rome by Simon Scarrow. The latest entry in the always impressive Eagles of the Empire series, Tyrant of Rome brings back Scarrow’s long-running soldier protagonists as they take on the impossible task of maintaining law and order in ancient Rome. I have been looking forward to this book for a while, and I am hoping to read it next.

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Star Wars: Master of Evil by Adam Christopher

I was very happy to receive a copy of the intriguing new Star Wars novel, Master of Evil by Adam Christopher. A chilling and complex sounding Star Wars novel that will follow the newly forged Darth Vader as he completes his journey from Jedi to Sith Lord, Master of Evil is going to be pretty damn amazing, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka

One of the more entertaining new novels I received is the amazing Japanese thriller, Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka. A follow-up to some of his previous novels, including Bullet Train and Three Assassins, Hotel Lucky Seven sees the unlucky protagonist of Bullet Train find himself trapped in hotel with several other deadly assassins. Based on the author’s previous books, Hotel Lucky Seven is going to be a ton of fun, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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The Knight’s Pledge by Scott Mariani

Scott Mariani continues his Will Bowman series with the exciting novel, The Knight’s Pledge. The sequel to Mariani’s other 2025 release, The Pilgrim’s Revenge, The Knight’s Pledge will place the author’s compelling protagonist in even more danger as part of the Third Crusade. Sure to be an exciting and intense historical read, The Knight’s Pledge sounds fantastic and I’m hoping to get to it soon.

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Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

One of the more interesting new books I recently received was Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino. A fun debut novel from a new author, Best Offer Wins will examine just how far someone will go to win their dream house in the current housing market. Sure to be a gripping, and highly relatable read, Best Offer Wins sounds amazing and I’m planning to get to it in the next few weeks.

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The Shark by Emma Styles

While I’m still mainly focused on 2025, I have received some cool 2026 novels, including The Shark by Emma Styles, an intriguing Australian thriller I only recently highlighted. Set in Western Australia, The Shark will see two teenage protagonists kidnap the person they believe are behind a series of brutal killings, resulting in mind games and uncertainty. I love the sound of this book, and I cannot wait to dive into its compelling narrative.

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How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson

Another great 2026 novel I recently received is the fantastic and funny sounding thriller, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates. The first book from Australian author Shailee Thompson, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates will feature a deadly series of murders at a speed dating event, in fun and apparently romantic, horror novel. I love the sound of this book, and I cannot wait to dive into it.

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To Cage a Wild Bird by Brooke Fast

Next, we have the excellent dystopian novel, To Cage a Wild Bird by Brooke Fast. Set in a prison where the rich hunt the inmates, To Cage a Wild Bird has a ton of potential and I’m keen to check it out.

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The Crossroads by C. J. Box

The final book I want to highlight in this Book Haul post is the awesome 2026 novel, The Crossroads. The next book in C. J. Box’s long-running Joe Pickett thriller series, The Crossroads sounds like another awesome and action-packed novel that will no doubt keep me very entertained.

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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.

The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Thriller2 Comments

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (Trade Paperback – 26 August 2025)

Series: Will Bowman – Book One

Length: 323 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Prepare for war in Scott Mariani’s compelling and action-packed historical thriller, The Pilgrim’s Revenge, an awesome read with some real heart to it.

Scott Mariani is a veteran author whose work I have been meaning to check out for a while.  A major thriller author, Mariani is best known for his long-running Ben Hope series which features modern spy fiction narratives with the protagonist unwinding puzzles and conspiracy theories from history.  While I haven’t had the chance to read any of Mariani’s thrillers, his 2025 release, The Pilgrim’s Revenge caught my eye, especially as it is the first time that Mariani has written a full historical fiction novel.  The first book in Mariani’s new Will Bowman series, The Pilgrim’s Revenge was an intense and captivating take on the classic medieval historical fiction adventure, featuring a great revenge twist.

Plot Synopsis:

1190 – Humble layman Will Bowman lives in the countryside with his pregnant wife, when soldiers from Richard Lionheart’s army tear through his home. Will is beaten unconscious, and awakes to find his wife murdered, his farm burnt down, and his life forever changed.

In vengeance, Will infiltrates Richard’s army to find the marauding gang, and finds himself swept along in the march of the Crusades. With the help of new allies and fuelled by his loss, Will crosses Europe with the King’s army.

Can Will avenge his wife? Or will he be swept away by the unstoppable force of Richard’s Crusade?

The Pilgrim’s Revenge was an outstanding and action-packed novel from Mariani, who dives into full historic fiction with great enthusiasm.  Setting the scene quickly, with an introduction to point-of-view protagonist Will Bowman, a minor landowner and skilled hunter, the book soon takes a dark twist when a group of pillaging soldiers kill his pregnant wife, burn his farm and leave Will for dead.  Determined to get revenge, Will takes up his bow and starts following the attackers, determining them to be pilgrims on the way to join Richard the Lionheart’s attack on the Holy Lands.

After a good initial period in England, where Will encounters friendship and additional heartbreak as part of his personal journey, the protagonist soon boards a ship towards the Holy Land.  This middle section of the novel is useful for introducing several great supporting characters and provides some compelling historical context to the events that Will is a part of.  After some exciting sequences at sea, as well as a sudden action-packed siege, the plot takes the protagonist into King Richard’s orbit in Sicily as part of some established historical events.  Mariani also gives Will the first glimpses of his goal, which ends in an exciting and tense series of encounters that add some excellent drama and risk.  Following some surprising developments, Mariani continues to explore the early parts of Richard’s crusade, including his landing in Cyprus, which provides some awesome fight sequences, before setting the protagonist up for the big confrontation of the novel.  While the development of the later part of this story isn’t too surprising, it features some fantastic and exciting moments, and plays into the established historical events really well.  Wrapping up on an excellent, if unexpectedly complete, note, Mariani leaves the story open for more adventures, which we’ll probably see very soon.

I think that the author provided a strong story for The Pilgrim’s Revenge, and this proved to be an excellent piece of historical fiction with a bit of a thriller flair to it.  Loaded with action, intriguing descriptions of the period, as well as some entertaining characters, The Pilgrim’s Revenge was a great historical adventure, which Mariani ensures stands out from the various other novels set in this period thanks to its central character and he’s unique motivations.  I particularly appreciated the author’s use of the third-person perspective through the eyes of protagonist Will Bowman, which really paints a personal and insightful look at the events of the Third Crusade.  Having a simple English farmer, who has relatively little knowledge of the land outside his local community, slowly learn about the lands of the later 12th century as part of his own personal journey, really allowed new readers with less historical knowledge to dive into the events of this book a lot easier.  At the same time, Mariani clearly puts the work in describing the historical elements of the book, whether it’s the details of the crusade, interesting depictions of real-life figures, or even complex depictions of day-to-day life and the social, technological and military element of the time.  Thanks to the exciting, action-packed plot, readers can power through The Pilgrim’s Revenge quickly, but for those who stop to savour the author’s compelling writing, there are some amazing details and compelling character moments to appreciate.

Overall, The Pilgrim’s Revenge was an outstanding and captivating novel, as Scott Mariani sets up an exciting new series.  Featuring an enjoyable, action-laden plot, The Pilgrim’s Revenge was an amazing novel to get through, especially with its compelling depictions of war and life in the 12th century.  A very exciting read, I quickly flew through The Pilgrim’s Revenge and is worth checking out especially if you enjoy intense and detailed historical reads.  I look forward to continuing the Will Bowman series going forward, and I’ve already got a copy of the sequel, The Knight’s Pledge, which I am hoping to read soon.

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WWW Wednesday – 5 November 2025

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly (Trade Paperback)

I’ve started reading the awesome new Lincoln Lawyer novel from acclaimed crime fiction author Michael Connelly, The Proving Ground.  Connelly’s second novel of 2025 after Nightshade, The Proving Ground sees two iconic protagonists from Connelly’s shared universe team up to take on a corrupt AI company.  I’m about halfway through The Proving Ground at the moment and it’s a pretty outstanding legal thriller that really dives into the risks behind AI. I am honestly really loving The Proving Ground, which is likely to be one of my top books of the year, and I am hoping to finish it off in the next couple of days.

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Cold War by Jonathan Maberry (Audiobook)

I have also started listening to the dark and twisted science fiction audiobook, Cold War by Jonathan Maberry.  The second novel from Maberry in 2025 after Burn to Shine, Cold War is the compelling sequel to last year’s awesome novel, NecroTek, and continues to follow a group of humans transported across the universe to fight Lovecraftian monsters. A clever, terrifying and deeply addictive read, Cold War already has me hooked, and I am currently flying through its audiobook format, especially with the legendary Ray Porter narrating it.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani (Trade Paperback)

I ended up powering through the exciting historical fiction read, The Pilgrim’s Revenge this week. An awesome release from thriller author Scott Mariani, The Pilgrim’s Revenge was an intense read that all fans of historical action are going to love.

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The Feeding by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

I also quickly finished off the excellent horror novel from Anthony Ryan, The Feeding.  Featuring an intriguing post-apocalyptic vampire narrative, The Feeding was a deeply compelling book that comes very highly recommended. Review to follow soon.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

King Sorrow by Joe Hill

I hoping to read the excellent sounding horror novel, King Sorrow, in the next week. A particularly epic sounding novel that will follow a group of friends who make a dark deal with an ancient evil, King Sorrow has a ton of potential, and it sounds like it is going to be a twisted and impressive read.

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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 – 29 October 2025

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani (Trade Paperback)

I’ve started reading the exciting historical fiction read, The Pilgrim’s Revenge. An awesome release from thriller author Scott Mariani, The Pilgrim’s Revenge follows a young man who joins the crusades to hunt down the knights that killed his family. Filled with plenty of action and adventure, I’m about halfway through The Pilgrim’s Revenge at the moment, and I look forward to seeing this fantastic story comes together.

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The Feeding by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

After already impressing this year with his fantasy release, Born of an Iron Storm, acclaimed author Anthony Ryan showcases his variety by also releasing a horror novel, The Feeding.  Featuring an intriguing post-apocalyptic vampire narrative, The Feeding is a deeply compelling book I am having a ton of fun reading it.  I’ve absolutely powered through the audiobook version of The Feeding the last couple of days, and I’m probably going to end up finishing it off very soon.  An outstanding novel that comes very highly recommended.

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What did you recently finish reading?

High Rise by Gabriel Bergmoser (Trade Paperback)

An excellent and deeply intense Australian thriller from a very fun author.  High Rise was a great read, and I really enjoyed getting through it.

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Warhammer 40,000: The Remnant Blade by Mike Vincent (Audiobook)

I managed to finish off the incredible Warhammer 40,000 novel, The Remnant Blade by Mike Vincent this week. An excellent debut novel that follows the infamous Night Lords as they deal with brutal treachery and infighting amongst a fractious alliance of Chaos Space Marines, The Remnant Blade was extremely impressive, and this was probably one of the best debuts I’ve read so far this year.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly

The next book that I am hoping to get into is The Proving Ground from acclaimed crime fiction author, Michael Connelly.  The latest novel in his Lincoln Lawyer series, The Proving Ground will see two iconic protagonists from Connelly’s shared universe team up to take on a corrupt AI company.  Sure to be an outstanding legal thriller, I have very high hopes for The Proving Ground and I know I’m going to love 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.

WWW Wednesday – 22 October 2025

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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:

High Rise by Gabriel Bergmoser (Trade Paperback)

I’ve started reading the awesome Australian thriller High Rise by Gabriel Bergmoser.  A fast-paced thrill ride that sees a former cop forced to fight his way through an apartment block filled with gangsters and hitman trying to claim a bounty on his head, High Rise is proving to be a lot of fun and I’m hoping to power through it this weekend.

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Warhammer 40,000: The Remnant Blade by Mike Vincent (Audiobook)

I also started the outstanding Warhammer 40,000 novel, The Remnant Blade by Mike Vincent this week. An excellent debut novel that follows the infamous Night Lords as they deal with brutal treachery and infighting amongst a fractious alliance of Chaos Space Marines, The Remnant Blade is proving to be extremely impressive, and I can’t wait to see how this excellent audiobook comes together.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Widow by John Grisham (Trade Paperback)

I managed to finish off the new John Grisham novel, The Widow this week.  An enticing legal thriller from the always reliable Grisham, The Widow was an outstanding read and I’m hoping to write something about it soon.

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Warhammer 40,000: Final Deployment by R. S. Wilt (Audiobook)

I also powered through the cool Warhammer 40,000 audiobook Final Deployment.  The debut novel of author R. S. Wilt, Final Deployment was an intense and bloody ride that I couldn’t get enough of. 

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani

The next book that I’m hoping to read is the intriguing historical thriller, The Pilgrim’s Revenge. An awesome 2025 release from thriller author Scott Mariani, The Pilgrim’s Revenge sounds particularly epic, and I’ve been hoping to read it for a while, especially as Mariani has a sequel coming out very soon.

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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 – 8 October 2025

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 Comments

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

The Widow by John Grisham (Trade Paperback)

I recently started reading the new John Grisham novel, The Widow.  An enticing legal thriller from the always reliable Grisham, The Widow follows a small-town lawyer who finds himself in big trouble when he attempts to defraud a rich, elderly widow.  I’ve made a bit of progress on The Widow so far, and I’m enjoying its intriguing narrative so far, especially as Grisham is setting up a slow-burn scenario to trap his protagonist.  I’m hoping to knock this novel off in the next few days and I cannot wait to see how The Widow unfolds. 

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Warhammer 40,000: Final Deployment by R. S. Wilt (Audiobook)

I also started to listen to the cool Warhammer 40,000 audiobook Final Deployment this week.  The debut novel of author R. S. Wilt, Final Deployment follows a small squad of elite human soldiers as they attempt to destroy the dark heart of a brutal civil war. I’ve so far gotten through a couple of hours of Final Deployment, and it is proving to be an excellent and exciting read, that will no doubt take its damaged protagonists on an intense and bloody ride. 

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman (Audiobook)

I managed to finish off the new Richard Osman novel, The Impossible Fortune this week. The fifth Thursday Murder Club novel, The Impossible Fortune was another excellent entry in this amazing series, that blends a complex mystery with classic British charm.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani

The next book that I’m hoping to read is the intriguing historical thriller, The Pilgrim’s Revenge. An awesome 2025 release from thriller author Scott Mariani, The Pilgrim’s Revenge sounds particularly epic, and I’ve been hoping to read it for a while, especially as Mariani has a sequel coming out very soon.

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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 – 17 September 2025

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I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive a huge number of 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 Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

Let’s start this Book Haul post off strong with the new Thursday Murder Club novel, The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman. Following on from all the previous exceptional Thursday Murder Club books (The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed and The Last Devil to Die), The Impossible Fortune will bring back the series’ amazing pensioner protagonists and see them attempt to solve another complex crime in their typical, funny fashion.  I have been so eager to see how this series continues, especially after the heartbreaking events of The Last Devil to Die, and I already know that this is going to be one of the top books of 2025.

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Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan

Next on this haul we have the outstanding fantasy novel, Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan. The sequel to Ryan’s previous novel, A Tide of Black Steel (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024), Born of an Iron Storm continues the epic story from the first book, as several compelling protagonists try to fight back against a mysterious, invading force. I am currently listening to Born of an Iron Storm on audiobook, and it is proving to be quite an exceptional listen that I am deeply enjoying.

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Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson

The laughs are sure to come with the new Australian crime fiction novel from Benjamin Stevenson, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief.  The fourth book in one of the funniest Australian series currently running, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief has a great plot that see’s inadvertent detective Ernest Cunningham attempt to solve a new murder, this time in the middle of a violent bank heist. I cannot wait to see how this clever book unfolds, and I already know I’m going to love it.

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Circle of Days by Ken Follett

The latest book I’ve managed to get my hands on is Circle of Days by the always impressive Ken Follett.  Another massive and deeply compelling historical fiction novel Circle of Days will chronicle the lives of several characters as they witness the creation of Stonehenge. This looks set to be an epic new read from the author and I am very excited to see Follett explore a new period of history.

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Crossroads of Ravens by Andrzel Sapkowski

I was particularly happy to receive a copy of the new Witcher novel from Andrzej Sapkowski, Crossroads of Ravens, which is probably one of the bigger fantasy releases of 2025. A prequel book set before the other The Witcher novels, Crossroads of Ravens will follow a younger Geralt on his earliest adventures as he attempts to survive a world that hates and fears him. I am hoping to read Crossroads of Ravens really soon, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

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The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown

Dan Brown returns with an excellent new thriller with The Secret of Secrets. Bringing back his iconic protagonist for another thrilling examination of historical conspiracies, The Secret of Secrets is going to be one of the more awesome releases of 2025 and I am hoping to start reading it today.

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The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani

Probably one of the more exciting novels I’ve received is the epic historical thriller, The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani. An excellent revenge novel that sees a man join the crusades to get revenge on a group of soldiers who killed his family.  I am hoping to get to The Pilgrim’s Revenge really soon and I have no doubt it’s going to be a particularly impressive read.

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How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe

I was very happy to receive the entertaining fantasy novel, How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe.  A fun sounding book with some interesting LitRPG elements to it, this new release of How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps is going to be awesome, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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Murder On North Terrace by Lainie Anderson

The next book I want to highlight in this Book Haul post is Murder on North Terrace.  The sequel to Lainie Anderson’s 2024 novel, The Death of Dora Black, Murder on North Terrace is going to be a compelling Australian murder mystery set in Adelaide during World War I. I had an excellent time with The Death of Dora Black last year and I am looking forward to reading the sequel

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Star Trek: Lower Decks, Volume 1: Second Contact by Ryan North

I had to feature Second Contact in this haul, which is going to be so damn good. A very fun Star Trek comic that focuses on the characters of the Lower Decks animated series, this first volume of this series, Second Contact, has a fantastic sounding plot that will place your favourite Star Trek characters into all manner of whacky situations.  I have a lot of love for Lower Decks, which is such a funny Star Trek show, and I cannot wait to see its characters and unique humour comes across in comic book form.

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The Devil’s Knight by P. W. Finch

The final book I want to highlight on this post is the intriguing historical fiction novel, The Devil’s Knight by P. W. Finch. Set during the Third Crusade, The Devil’s Knight sees a deadly knight attempt to escort a potential saint back to England while every other major force involved in the war tries to stop him. I really love the sound of this book, and it is an excellent recently received novel to end this post on.

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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.

Top Ten Tuesday – Novels from the First Half of 2025 that I still Need to Read

On By The Unseen LibraryIn ListLeave a comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was to return to a previous list you’ve done as part of a Throwback Freebie.  However, I decided to instead continue my literary examination of the first half of 2025 by looking at the top books from the first half of the year that I still need to read.

While I have already enjoyed a substantial number of outstanding books in 2025, there are still quite a few impressive novels from the first half of the year that I have yet to read.  Many of these were on my most anticipated books lists for 2025 (both fantasy and other), and while I was really excited for them, I have honestly not had a chance to check all of them out yet.  Therefore, I am going to use this freebie session to shame myself in the hope that it gets me into gear to finally check out these epic reads.  This proved to be an easy list to pull together, as many of these books have been weighing on my mind for a while.  All 10 novels below (plus honourable mentions) sound really, really good, and I hope I get the chance to read all of them soon.

Honourable Mentions:

Forged for Destiny by Andrew Knighton

A fun sounding fantasy novel about a hero whose chosen-one status isn’t what he thinks it is.

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Warrior by Simon Turney

The interesting sounding sequel to Turney’s 2024 novel Invader.  I failed to get a copy of Warrior earlier in the year, so I will have to see how I go continuing the series.

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Vanguard Strike by Jarom Strong

A very exciting science fiction debut that I’m hoping to read soon, especially as Strong already has a sequel to it coming out.

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The Venetian Heretic by Christian Cameron

An awesome historical thriller that I am going to try and grab a copy of soon, as it sounds particularly epic.

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Top Ten List:

The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence

The first novel from the first half of 2025 that I want to talk about is The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence.  The third and final entry in Lawrence’s Library trilogy, The Book That Held Her Heart will finish off the elaborate story of a war within a massive, impossible library that started in The Book that Wouldn’t Burn and continued in The Book That Broke the World.  I deeply enjoyed the first two books in this series, and I really want to finish Lawrence’s trilogy off.  Hopefully I will be able to fit The book That Held Her Heart into my reading schedule soon, as this is one of the biggest releases from the first half of the year I still need to read.

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Tyrant by Conn Iggulden

Another key book from early 2025 that I still need to read is the gripping Tyrant by historical fiction author Conn Iggulden.  The second book in the author’s Nero series, Tyrant will continue to follow the young life of the infamous emperor Nero, as he slowly rose to power in ancient Rome.  The first book in this series, Nero, was pretty damn good, and I cannot wait to continue Iggulden’s intriguing examination of this fascinating historical figure.  I’m hoping to get a copy of Tyrant soon, and I have no doubt this will be one of the better historical fiction books I read in 2025.

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The Medici Return by Steve Berry

One of the more surprising entries on this list is the new Cotton Malone novel from Steve Berry, The Medici Return.  In recent years I’ve made a real effort to read the new Steve Berry book each year, especially as the Cotton Malone novels feature cool thriller stories based around complex historical secrets and conspiracies.  Unfortunately, I just haven’t been able to fit The Medici Return into my 2025 reading schedule yet, which is a real shame as it has a very fun plot about the return of the legendary Medici of Florence, which could have massive impacts on modern day Italy.  Sure to be another complex and culturally rich story, The Medici Return is very high on my to-read list.

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Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky

I had really hoped to read the awesome new Adrian Tchaikovsky science fiction novel, Shroud, by this point in the year.  A complex and intense read about two people who find themselves trapped on the surface a truly inhospitable and completely dark alien planet, Shroud has a fascinating story about survival and alien contact.  I love the sound of this excellent science fiction novel, and I am determined to read Shroud in 2025.

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You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

I was happy to receive a copy of You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego earlier this year, although I unfortunately haven’t had a chance to read it yet.  Featuring the fun concept of a group of mystery writer who find themselves trapped in an isolated manor with a dangerous killer, You Are Fatally Invited sounds like an incredible read, and one sure to be loaded with fun twists and complex turns.  I really intend to explore You Are Fatally Invited by the end of the year, and I look forward to seeing how it comes together.

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The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani

One of the more exciting novels from the first half of 2025 I still must read is The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani, an excellent and intense historical thriller that sees a farmer join Richard Lionheart’s crusade to get revenge on soldiers who killed his wife.  A very cool sounding revenge novel amongst a great historical setting, I am very keen to get my hands on The Pilgrim’s Revenge, although I may have to wait until it gets a paperback release in Australia later this year.

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A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde

The next entry on this list is an ambitious and compelling fantasy debut that I had hoped to have read by now, A Song of Legends Lost.  A Song of Legends Lost is the excellent first novel from new author M. H. Ayinde, filled with war, rebellion and spirit magic.  I am still hoping to dive into this massive fantasy debut soon, and I cannot wait to see what impressive story Ayinde has started his writing career with.

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There Will be Bodies by Lindsey Davis

For the second year in a row, I am very behind in reading the new Flavia Albia book from Lindsey Davis, as I still haven’t enjoyed the latest book in the series, There Will be Bodies.  Following on from the previous entry in the series, Death on the Tiber, There Will be Bodies sees the ancient Roman detective protagonist attempt to solve a murder that occurred in the aftermath of the eruption of Vesuvius.  I love the awesome concept behind this book, and I am hoping to dive into this story soon.

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With a Vengeance by Riley Sager

One of the more intriguing novels of 2025 that I have yet to read is the fantastic historical crime fiction novel, With a Vengeance by Riley Sager.  A cool twist on the classic whodunnit, With a Vengeance sees an unforgiving woman’s plan to destroy the people responsible for her family’s downfall go off the rails when a mysterious killer starts to murder her targets while she is trapped on a train with them.  I love the sound of this complex and fun read, and I cannot wait to see how it all comes together.

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Warhammer 40,000: Hell’s Last by Justin D. Hill

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the cool Warhammer 40,000 novel, Hell’s Last by Justin D. Hill.  Set to once again follow the damaged members of the Cadian 101st as they continue to fight after the destruction of their planet, Hell’s Last sounds like an awesome piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction from a very talented author.  I’ve been a little slack in not listening to Hell’s Last yet, especially as I usually instantly snap up every Warhammer 40,000 novel that comes my way.  Much of this is because I haven’t read the rest of the books in Hill’s Cadia series, which I might try and do first before diving into this latest entry in the series.

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Well, that is the end of this latest list.  As you can see, there are a bunch of exceptional novels from the first half of the year that I need to check out.  All the above books sound incredibly epic, and I am going to have to try a lot harder to start reading through them.  In the meantime, let me know which books released in the first half of the year you most regret not reading in the comments below.

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.