Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

I see we now have a release date for Justin Cronin's book three, The City of Mirrors! So I added it to the group bookshelf for May June 2016 - it was previously nominated to be a group read, but the release has moved out a couple of times..

Anne pointed out that Gillian Flynn's new book The Grownup is actually a short story; there was a hardcover version and I didn't notice the page count was 64 pages. Obviously that wouldn't take much time to read or discuss, so not a good candidate for a group read book in February 2016. Thanks, Anne!
Right now for 2016 we have
Playing with Fire (started by some already / January)
The City of Mirrors (selected last year and delayed to June 16 2016 release)
and the Stephen King Bill Hodges follow-up to Mr. Mercedes and Finders Keepers with a June release.
Let's see if we can start some ideas generating for other Group Read books in February, March, April, and May 2016!
Thanks!

I thought I'd throw in a few books for consideration for the monthly group reads that I found while perusing the new releases at Stopyourekillingme.com and The Rap Sheet.

As far as I can tell the following are all standalones or first books. I have never read any of the authors but found the descriptions interesting:

The Drifter by Nicholas Petrie
"An explosive thriller debut introducing Peter Ash, a veteran who finds that the demons of war aren’t easily left behind . . ."

The Widow by Fiona Barton
"For fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, an electrifying thriller that will take you into the dark spaces that exist between a husband and a wife."

After the Crash by Michel Bussi
"After the Crash is a jolt to the senses and a jolt to the heart--both rollicking and labyrinthine, both wildly propulsive and yet rich with grand drama, and with a cast of characters--particularly its sumptuously powerful women--you won't forget."―Megan Abbott, author of The Fever and the forthcoming You Will Know Me

The Verdict by Nick Stone
“A terrific legal thriller in which long-buried secrets acquire the force of deadly weapons. The writing is vivid and energetic, and Stone has John Grisham’s flair in the court scenes.” (The Guardian)

Also it looks like Steve Hamilton will finally have a new book out in 2016, The Second Life of Nick Mason, and it is the start of a new series.

Great list Sandi! Thanks for taking the time to gather those stellar suggestions for consideration!
I am especially excited to see the Steve Hamilton new book on the horizon!

To help with the consideration of the potential timing for the books Sandi has mentioned - see links in her post
The release for the new Steve Hamilton book is May 16 2016. This seems like a very good candidate as many of us here love his books.
**The Verdict sounds really good to me and just came out in Dec-2015
**After the Crash was released in Mar-2015 (the only one of these my library has in audio format and where I am now 6th in line)
**The Widow is a Feb 16 2016 release
**The Drifter comes out on Jan 12 2016 and also sounds really good.
They all sound intriguing to me. :)

The Hamilton book was supposed to be out this year and then he left his publisher and moved to a new one, so it was delayed. Looking forward to it.

Yow! Great suggestions, Sandi! They all sounds good, but After the Crash and The Widow rose to the top for me.

Here's another possibility for an early 2016 group read Mr. Splitfoot sounds interesting and mysterious!
After winning acclaim for her first two books, including the 2008 historical novel The Invention of Everything Else, a finalist for the Orange Prize, Hunt returns with a thrilling, gothic change of pace. Raised in a foster home where she entertained her siblings by channeling the dead, Ruth surfaces decades later to lead her pregnant niece, Cora, on a walk across the state of New York. Their creepy and mysterious journey enfolds readers in a mesmerizing world that straddles the real and the supernatural.

Sounds good Ann

I will be setting up polls for these book candidates - a couple of polls I think based on the release dates, one for the Feb book and the one with the second most votes designated for March and a separate poll to judge interest in an April book though we might wait a bit to see what new books come up between now and March.

I'm having issues with the library site. I see one of the books they have after the crash but it's out now. and I can't log in the library site from the new laptop because someone didn't write down her pin number so I'm waiting for the email to come to give it to me. all the books sound interesting. I'll vote hopefully sometime today if I get logged into the new laptop.

I just did my vote. not sure when I'll have after the crash every copy is out so don't know how long a wait it will be.

I just got the book After the crash from the library.

I have requested all of the poll choices from the library and only one is available right now. I hope the top choice for February is not too long a wait.

Justin Cronin's third Passage book, The City of Mirrors is set to release in mid-June 2016 and I admit to high anticipation for this final book.
Does anyone have interest in a group read of Joe Hill's new book coming in May, The Fireman?

Ann wrote: "Does anyone have interest in a group read of Joe Hill's new book coming in May, The Fireman?"

Looks good. I've been meaning to read more of his work since I really liked both 20th Century Ghosts and Heart-Shaped Box.

Looking forward for the Cronin book.

Ann wrote: "Does anyone have interest in a group read of Joe Hill's new book coming in May, The Fireman? ..."

Yes on The Fireman. I requested it the first time you mentioned it.

Am also looking forward to the Justin Cronin book. They are murder to summarize for our group reads but I've enjoyed the ones of the previous two.

I've requested The Fireman as well. And somehow I missed that The Verdict was our March read, so just requested that as well!

Woo hoo! Good discussions ahead. The discussions for After the Crash have been quite lively with several new members to the group participating.
Dawn: I am still waiting for the audio of The Verdict to be available, and look forward to starting it soon!
Carol: You are right about the intensity of summarizing a Cronin book, but what fun to discuss! We'll have to dig up those links to sites where the previous books were summarized that Sherry found. (I think it was Sherry)
Sandi: Yes, Joe Hill's previous books have been stellar! I look forward to the new one too.

Ann wrote: "Carol: You are right about the intensity of summarizing a Cronin book, but what fun to discuss! We'll have to dig up those links to sites where the previous books were summarized that Sherry found. (I think it was Sherry)..."

Yes, or just go back to our group read threads, LOL! You are right to remind me that I will need to brush up on the backstory. I remember the overaching plot but have long since forgotten the details.

Fireman looks good.

Ann wrote: "Justin Cronin's third Passage book, The City of Mirrors is set to release in mid-June 2016 and I admit to high anticipation for this final book.
Does anyone have interest in a grou..."

Out of the Blues by Trudy Nan Boyce or Blackout by David Rosenfelt. I read the first several pages of each. Strong openings. Seemed like one could be a good fit as an upcoming read for this group.

Russ: Out of the Blues looks very good to me!

This reminds me I saw something very interesting in the library today.

Saturn Run

It was published in 2015 and has a futuristic bent, but has the signature Sandford humor and character development that we love in the Prey and the Virgil Flowers series.

The book jacket endorsement from Lee Child and Stephen King caught my eye. Wish I could find the endorsement from Child to repeat here, but it goes something like "I am John Sandford's number one fan, but when i picked this book up and saw it was set in the future I said 'What?' Then I read it and loved it."

The first part was my exact reaction when I saw it at the library, but now I'm intrigued. Stephen King's endorsement says fans of Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers will love it. That's all the endorsement I need.

Barry and Dan, I think this is up your alley also.

Group read, anybody?

This one also looks good Carol! ]Saturn Run
We need an April and early May book! Two very good candidates for those slots!
Carol/Bonadie wrote: "This reminds me I saw something very interesting in the library today.
Saturn Run
It was published in 2015 and has a futuristic bent, but has the si..."

I already read it.
Saturn Run: John Sanford/Ctien
Sci-fi, but of the variety that extrapolates on existing technology and politics to predict what might happen with an extraordinary mission a hundred years in the future. I see this as being eclipsed by The Martian, but still an excellent work in its own right. The USA and China race to see what they might learn from an alien civilization detected near Saturn.(B+)

Good to know you liked it Barry. It would be hard to eclipse The Martian (pun intended) LOL

Barry wrote: "I already read it. Saturn Run: John Sanford/Ctien
Sci-fi, but of the variety that extrapolates on existing technology and politics to predict what might happen with an extraordinary mission a hundr..."

Ann wrote: "This one also looks good Carol! ]Saturn Run
We need an April and early May book! Two very good candidates for those slots!"

Out of the Blues looks good to me too. I put it on hold but think it might take until May until I can get it.

Ann wrote: "Russ: Out of the Blues looks very good to me!"

This one is not in my library system, which is very unusual, but I have put it in my Audible wish list in case we decide to read it.

I am happy to put up a quick poll including Out of the Blues for our group read book for April or simply add it if there are no objections; thoughts? Do we need a poll?

Ann wrote: "I am happy to put up a quick poll including Out of the Blues for our group read book for April or simply add it if there are no objections; thoughts? Do we need a poll?"

I'm fine with just adding it!

I'm with Dawn, just go ahead and add it. I would be Ok if you add Blackout and Saturn Run to the other months we don't have a group read yet too.

Yes, I say go ahead and add it.

Oh no! The Joe Hill book isn't out until the 7th June in the UK. Really wanted to be part of the discussion but looks like it's not possible:(

That stinks, Anne! The release dates often seem to move too, I better check to be sure it is still May in the US.
Real time discussions are nice, but we always have the threads available and make short summaries at the top to guide discussions even weeks after we have finished a book. I am looking forward to it and hope you can join in discussing The Fireman when you get it.
Anne wrote: "Oh no! The Joe Hill book isn't out until the 7th June in the UK. Really wanted to be part of the discussion but looks like it's not possible:("

Ann wrote: "That stinks, Anne! The release dates often seem to move too, I better check to be sure it is still May in the US.
Real time discussions are nice, but we always have the threads available and make ..."

:) Thanks, Ann. I'll keep an eye on the discussion and hopefully my comments won't be too late.

Good things often come in pairs or three at a time.
May marks the release of two anticipated books and then a third in June so the group read opportunities abound this spring / summer season.
May 17 2016 (US) The Fireman by Joe Hill and Justin Cronin's
May 24 2016 (US) The City of Mirrors will keep us busy for weeks and then Papa King brings back Bill Hodges and friends in End of Watch June 7 2016 (US)

The threads will include brief summaries of each segment to help guide the conversations across weeks as we independently get to each book, so request from your library, add to your gift wishlists, use an Audible credit, borrow or purchase your copies and settle in for some good rides!

How about Steve Hamilton's new one, The Second Life of Nick Mason? It's getting great reviews!

I hope to get in the justin Cronin book if I'm lucky and can get a copy. Since I read the other books in the series.

Melodie: Oh yes! We scheduled the new Steve Hamilton book for a group read in July I think or thereabouts. Soon anyway (scary thought that it is almost June)
So many good books coming up!
Hopefully the delay in Steve's book won't make it hard to discuss it here. When we have chapters I can start threads. I think my copy at the library is ready for pickup but I am not sure if it is the audio cd's or a hardback. I requested both to aid in the group read discussion.

Ann wrote: "Good things often come in pairs or three at a time.
May marks the release of two anticipated books and then a third in June so the group read opportunities abound this spring / summer season.
May..."

In the UK it's really tough - I'll have Hill and King arriving on the same day! Really looking forward to the King, just loved the first two books. Going to be a mad reading fest the week after next!!

Anne: both on the same day! That will be a dilemma on which to read first, and still what a treat the books look to be.

Ann wrote: "Anne: both on the same day! That will be a dilemma on which to read first, and still what a treat the books look to be."

Yeah, think it'll be the King first but I'll end up reading both at the same time:)

Anne: I would read the King first too! I imagine Joe would approve reading Dad's book first.

Melodie: both the audio and print versions of the new Steve Hamilton book await me at the library this weekend and I expect to pick them up tomorrow. I like to go on Sunday because a Farmers Market is near by the library that day.

I can use the print copy to set up chapter segments soon for that mid-summer group read for any who wants an early start. I am on the app and forgot again to lookup whether it was July, still think it is slotted then. Yay!

Ann wrote: "Anne: I would read the King first too! I imagine Joe would approve trading Dad's book first.

Melodie: both the audio and print versions of the new Steve Hamilton book await me at the library this..."

I just started it! Pretty good 50 pages in!

Yow, I am falling seriously behind, still have not started The Fireman although I have the print copy from the library for a week. I suspect I will have to break down and get the audio from Audible, there is probably a line waiting for this.

Carol: I have fallen seriously behind on posting the summaries for The Fireman but intend to go back and pick up where I left off. I was reading so fast I couldn't keep up (and sleep) so sleep won. I loved Kate Mulgrew's narration, so audio might be a good direction. I am having to supplement with print for the comments though.
It's funny, some books on audio are so so, or even painful to listen to after I have listened to such a good performance as this one where the characters come alive. I know part of it is the story itself, and part the reading performance. And part of what I find painful to listen to is a flat reading or uninteresting voice. Kate's is certainly not that.
Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Yow, I am falling seriously behind, still have not started The Fireman although I have the print copy from the library for a week. I suspect I will have to break down and get the audio from Audible..."

Sandi: I just wanted to mention that you had a home run list of books from your post back on January 1st. They didn't all become group read books, but I read each of them with the exception of but soon to be rectified Steve Hamilton book coming up soon, so wanted to thank you for recommending them!
**The Verdict
**After the Crash
**The Widow
**The Drifter
Sandi wrote: "I thought I'd throw in a few books for consideration for the monthly group reads that I found while perusing the new releases at Stopyourekillingme.com and The Rap Sheet."

We have a several upcoming books slotted so don't really need any more group read additions right now, but when did that ever stop a book reader from adding to the tbr someday pile?
These are the books lined up for 2016 through September. If anyone has any others to recommend please feel free to add them to this comment thread.
https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...