November arrives with a surge of adrenaline as this month’s Thrill List spans eras, continents and every shade of suspense. Whether you crave breakneck plotting, morally tangled protagonists or atmospheric mysteries that pull you in deep, these standout titles promise to keep you turning pages long into the winter nights.
The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly
A Mickey Haller novel has truly become a literary event, which is why I so celebrated publication of The Proving Ground, the latest in Michael Connelly’s seminal series that sets the standard for legal thrillers today.
This one presents us with a new and improved version of Haller, less jaded and more idealistic as he moves his skills from criminal to federal court, taking on the interests of aggrieved clients in the role of the proverbial David taking on all manner of Goliaths. In The Proving Ground, that Goliath is a tech giant shoe whose AI bot seemingly advised a teenage boy it was a good idea to murder his girlfriend. The girl is dead, the boy is in jail, and both sets of parents are suing to make sure it doesn’t happen again, while hopefully pocketing some substantial damages.
In typical Connelly fashion, the twists, turns, and surprises abound, making this a legal thriller extraordinaire even for him. A number of Grisham titles come to mind as apt comparisons, The Rainmaker, most notably. In form and function, though, The Proving Ground most resembles Jonathan Harr’s brilliant nonfiction tome A Civil Action. That’s high praise for the new proving ground Connelly has staked out for Haller, but much deserved.
Nash Falls by David Baldacci
David Baldacci continues to amaze me, churning out bold and bracing thrillers that continue to set the bar for the genre. And his latest, Nash Falls, continues that trend while introducing us to a terrific new protagonist.
Walter Nash is a major player at Sybaritic Investments which specializes in reaping vast profits by betting on the right cutting-edge tech companies rise to the top. He’s got a great life and family, living out the American Dream amidst eighty-hour work weeks. At least until the FBI comes calling with a claim that a top client is actually laundering money through the firm under the auspices of financial, and criminal, genius Victoria Steers. That sets up a pitched battle for Nash’s very soul, threatening everything he has built for his family and maybe even his own life.
In all his books through all the years, Nash Falls represents Baldacci’s first foray into the business thriller genre, and it’s a smashing success. Combining the best of Joseph Finder and Christopher Reich with his own devilishly delightful plotting propels Baldacci to even greater literary heights, while staking out new ground in brilliant fashion.
Exit Strategy by Lee Child and Andrew Child
Something else that amazes me is, after all the accolades, movies and now a hit TV show, how much fun reading a Jack Reacher book remains, and Exit Strategy, the latest from Lee and Andrew Child is no exception.
Another stopover for another cup of coffee in another town that could be anywhere is our seemingly innocuous entry to this latest Reacher escapade which begins when a clearly advertent brush against a stranger leaves our post-modern Paladin of Have Gun, Will Travel fame with the sense he’s been pickpocketed. Quite the opposite, since it turns out something’s been left in his pocket instead of clipped in the form of a cryptic note that points Reacher in the direction of the kind of corrupt and ruthless bad guys he delights in taking down. The next bus out of a town and next cup of coffee will have to wait until he dispenses justice in his own relentless manner that leaves us satisfied and entertained every step of the way,
Like Donald Westlake’s (as Richard Stark) ornery yet honorable Parker, Reacher has emerged more a force of nature than man. If you haven’t seen Point Blank, the film version of Stark’s The Hunter, it’s worth watching just to imagine a time-traveling Lee Marvin taking a turn playing Reacher. And with Exit Strategy, the brothers Child continue to render a comparably effective male fantasy noir that has made Jack Reacher deserved of his legendary literary status.
The Gun Man Jackson Swagger by Stephen Hunter
Speaking of legendary literary status, Stephen Hunter expands the Swagger family universe by introducing us to the legendary Bob Lee’s great-great-grandfather Jackson Swagger in the sizzling and scintillating The Gun Man Jackson Swagger.
Nobody writes about gunmen in general, their mythos and lifestyles, better than Hunter, and he’s at the top of his game here, as is his latest hero. Like the Swaggers to come, Jackson is leathery and loyal, a man for whom justice is everything. A western nomad, he signs on to work the Callahan ranch and impresses immediately with his sharpshooting skills. But Jackson has ulterior motives for being there, specifically the death of a young ranch hand he’s there to investigate, turning up all manner of murderous motives behind the source of Callahan family’s wealth and power. And thriller fans know full well how the Swagger family excels at doling out retribution to those who might otherwise avoid it.
The brilliance of The Gun Man Jackson Swagger lies in its masterful portrayal of the Old West giving way to the new. In that respect, it’s kind of reminiscent of the classic film The Wild Bunch, while staying far truer to genre expectations. Writing a new hero breathes fresh life into Hunter’s mastery of the gunfighter, both past and present, genre. Brilliant in all respects.
Blood Oath by Steve Urszenyi
Speaking of great action, look no further than Steve Urszenyi’s Blood Oath which moves the action from the Old West to contemporary Africa.
His hero, crack CIA operative Alexandra Martel, is enjoying some downtime with her father on an African safari when she finds herself in the middle of a Civil War. And both sides, unfortunately, want the wealth of military secrets his father possesses to aid in their efforts. Summoning resources to save the day serves to complicate matters even more, as Alex is forced to confront her past even as she fights to survive the present against warring parties on both sides with trust at an absolute premium.
Urszenyi excels at marrying personal and professional motivations, layering Blood Oath with a rich emotional tapestry that’s the perfect match for its riveting pace and splendid set pieces. His latest will evoke memories of Frederick Forsyth in general and The Dogs of War in particular and he is this generation’s version of that classic master of the craft.
The Second Son by Simon Gervais and Ryan Steck
Simon Gervais and Ryan Steck join forces to bring us The Second Son, introducing former “A” list military operative turned wine expert Chase Burke in one of the year’s top thriller debuts.
Chase is the latest entry in the retired-operative-forced-to-pick-up-his-gun-again genre that owes its legacy to classic gunfighter tales of lore. In this case, the action is driven by the murder of his intelligence analyst brother which presages an attack on the restaurant where all he wants to do is help customers choose the right bottle of wine. With so much blood getting spilled as well, Chase has no choice but to return to his old world to make sure he has a new one to go back to. But, of course, like gunfighters from any age, he greets the return to his true nature with an attitude that indicates he never truly left.
The Second Son is distinguished by its Jack Reacher-like blending or the ordinary and extraordinary, thanks to homicide detective Alice Doyle whom Chase joins forces with. The result of that terrific pairing is a thriller woven across a rich emotional tapestry splattered with red not from your favorite merlot.
Only Way Out by Tod Goldberg
Tod Goldberg has fashioned a masterpiece of contemporary noir in Only Way Out that doubles as a crime tale extraordinaire.
Our dark hero is gambling debt-ridded cop Jack Biddle who’s biding his time in the sleepy Oregon town of Granite Shores, far enough off the beaten path to keep those he owes not to come calling. At least, that’s the hope. Who knew he was going to happen upon a van-load of money heisted by a comparably down-on-his-luck lawyer whose own desperate act just might offer Jack a lifeline. That is until his predilection of making bad choices at the worst times run him afoul, creating new threats while failing to vanquish the old ones.
Goldberg’s dialogue-heavy, staccato prose evokes both Elmore Leonard and George Higgins in stitching together a spontaneous tale where the characters know even less about what’s going to happen next than we do. Only Way Out really doesn’t offer much of one at all, at least not from a morally dubious morass its characters seem committed to wading through. Not to be missed.
Coyote Hills by Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman
This month’s Thrill List already celebrated a pairing of brothers, so why not a father and son? Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman are back with Coyote Hills, a psychological thriller distinguished by its superb plotting.
Their latest to feature Alameda County coroner Clay Edison actually has Clay leaving that office to strike out on his own as a private investigator. He’s pretty much done with dead bodies, until a fellow PI enlists his help in a case about the mysterious death of a wealthy family’s scion son. Finding the truth about his death means backtracking through his life along a path lined with corruption, duplicity and betrayal. Money may not be the root of all evil but it’s certainly the cause of most fictional murders.
Coyote Hills makes splendid use of both Jonathan’s clinical psychology background and Jesse’s knack for finding light in the dark stories he specializes in. I haven’t come across a lot of great mysteries this year, so it was refreshing indeed to dive into one as rich and fully realized as this from the family Kellerman.
