This week, I’m reading a couple of novels about complex crimes – killings with more to them than meets the eye and investigators who have personal agendas. Both books were written by authors who are also journalists. One of them has been on my shelves since it was published in 2012, the other was published this week. One is a debut novel by an author I haven’t read before, the other is the ninth novel by the author will be the fifth novel of hers that I’ve read.

I’m hoping for clever, twisty, fast-paced stories with some engaging characters..

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‘The Man From Primrose Lane’ by James Renner (2012)

‘The Man From Primrose Lane‘ got a lot of attention when it came out in 2012 because it was a murder novel about a true crime author, written by a well-known true crime journalist and because it added in a speculative fiction twist that made it stand out from the crowd. I snapped it up when it was released as an audiobook and then, somehow, let it sit at the bottom of my TBR pile until now.

I’m hoping that the blend of mystery and speculative fiction works for me and that the book still stands up more than a decade later.

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‘The Lies You Wrote’ by Brianna Labuskes (2024)

Brianna Lambuskes has become a Must Read thriller/crime writer for me over the past few years.

I’ve read and enjoyed her stand alone novel ‘Her Final Words‘ and her trilogy about Dr Gretchen White, psychologist, criminologist, sociopath and suspected murderer. ‘A Familiar Sight^, ‘What Can’t Be Seen‘ and ‘See It End‘ .

I love the complexity of her plots, her ability to fold in convincing psychological profiling techniques and the strength of her female characters.

I pre-ordered ’The Lies You Wrote’ as soon as I heard about it. I’m hoping it will be the beginning of another entertaining series and, who knows, I might learn a little about forensic linguistics along the way.

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