WILD PARANORMAL THRILLER is goofy, funny, but genuinely suspenseful as well. A bite from Nicolas Cage turns big fan Stanley into a “wereCage”, but he’s not the only one…. SOLID B

WERECAGE
Ian Fortey
2022

SASSY, SHARP THRILLER about an unrepentant murderer trying to beat the rap for her beloved husband’s death. Clever and witty, with an unforgettable protagonist and loads of vividly painted Miami atmosphere. B PLUS

BLOOD SUGAR
G.P. Putnam's Sons
2022

HOLLYWOOD MAGIC AND ANCIENT MAGIC entwine in this gloriously original fantasy that combines legends from the early days of the movie industry with legends of terrible faery bargains. Complex takes on race, sexuality, and class as well! A MINUS

SIREN QUEEN
Tordotcom
2022

A SONGWRITER AND A GHOST TEAM up for an unusual quest. Clever thriller with a great premise and lots of insight into the life of a working musician just trying to get by. SOLID B

KILLING ME SOFTLY (THE COMEBACK TRAIL)
Whitefox Publishing
2022

CLEVER BRITISH THRILLER keeps readers guessing throughout with a timely plot and well drawn characterizations. For fans of Daphne Du Maurier and Celia Fremlin, and for anyone who wants a wild ride of a beach read. B PLUS

MAGPIE
Simon & Schuster
2022

EDGY, INVENTIVE NOVEL starts with a literary desperado—a writer holed up to finish the book on which he has staked everything—and spins into a dazzling parable about love and race and sexuality and literature and life in general. B PLUS

GREENLAND
Amistad
2022

SLOW BURN HORROR novel starts with two lonely goth teens finding romance and witchcraft, ends up in some surprising and terrifying places. Believable characters and rural West Virginia setting heighten the shocks. B PLUS

YOU'RE MINE
French Press
2022

AFTER GRIEF, PASSION: this story of a widowed artist’s unlikely romance is sharp, witty, gorgeously told, and filled with memorable characters and locations. The strong African diaspora voice adds to the novel’s freshness and power. B PLUS

YOU MADE A FOOL OF DEATH WITH YOUR BEAUTY
Atria Books
2022

A FAMILY STORY WITH A TWIST and an international setting. A young widow is suddenly the single mother of two after her husband’s unexpected death; her journey to his native China to finalize the adoption of their son reveals some deep secrets. B PLUS

RED THREAD OF FATE
Berkley
2022

CONFLICT IN A VIRTUAL WORLD between two brothers—one alive in the physical world, one the recreation of a dead child—shakes the very structure of society. Intriguing and timely science fiction with a fascinating premise. B PLUS

IN THE SHADOW OF HUMANITY: A NOVEL
N. John Williams
2022