Best Mysteries 2015

MYSTERY & THRILLERS covert agent, hunting and killing terrorists in Two Bronze Pennies – Chris Nickson blacklisted in America and forced to flee after the Middle East. However, he never forgets It’s Christmas 1890, and DI Tom Harper is the war. He returns to Germany because of his

Publishers Weekly his chief purpose in life: exacting retribution called to Leeds’s Jewish Quarter to investigate supposedly communist sympathies, but on those responsible for his father's downfall. the stabbing death of a young man whose eyes unknown to most is Meier’s true reason for are covered with two bronze pennies. A being in Berlin: to spy on behalf of the U.S. Dark Rooms – Lili Anolik The Verdict – Nick Stone In this suspenseful, sad, and shattering first refreshing change from typical London-based government. Multimillionaire hedge-funder Vernon James Victorian mysteries, Nickson’s historical novel, the shooting death of 16-year-old wild goes on trial for murder after the strangled An Officer and a Spy – offers a richly detailed and authentic portrait Robert Harris child Nica Baker has a devastating effect on body of a young woman is found in his luxury Politics could prove fatal in 19th-century of life for the poor and immigrants in a her year-older sister, Grace, who just can't let suite at the London hotel where, only hours France. In Robert Harris’s swift-paced novel Nica go. Grace repeatedly sees, hears, and northern English industrial city. (MYS) earlier, he accepted a major humanitarian of the Dreyfus affair, the narrator, a witty and talks with her during the grief-swamped, award. Shanghai Redemption – Qiu Xiaolong cultured army major, goes against superiors’ drug-muddled months that follow. Inspector Chen Cao loses his prestigious job orders in aiding Dreyfus and helping unmask The Cartel – Don Winslow in Shanghai during a political shake-up and the real traitor. House of the Rising Sun – James Lee Burke DEA agent Art Keller goes after his old keeps his head down by going off to do his Pleasantville – Attica Locke Former Texas Ranger Hackberry Holland sets nemesis, Adán Barrera, the leader of a ancestral duty in Suzhou by rebuilding his Jay Porter, the African-American lawyer off to find his estranged son, Ishmael, a U.S. Sinaloan cartel, who has escaped from prison father’s grave. This series presents an introduced in Attica Locke’s debut, Black Army captain, in Burke's stunning follow-up and is intent on reestablishing control of his excellent introduction to the intricacies of Water Rising, returns. The corporation that to 2014's Wayfaring Stranger. empire. This exhaustively researched novel Communist Chinese politics as well as lessons elucidates not just the Mexican drug wars but Porter sued successfully for environmental Is Fat Bob Dead Yet? – Stephen Dobyns in Chinese philosophy and a travelog. (MYS) the consequences of our own disastrous pollution a decade earlier has yet to pay a Dobyns displays his genius for dark comedy 40-year "war on drugs." cent; meanwhile, the lawyer is forced out of The Wall Street Journal in this intricate crime novel set in New Haven. semi-retirement to defend a suspect charged The death of a motorcyclist in a bizarre The Gates of Evangeline – Hester Young The Arc of the A Swallow – S. J. Gazan with murdering a young volunteer worker accident involves a host of eccentric but Journalist Charlotte "Charlie" Cate has This second novel by an imaginative Danish during a tense political campaign. plausible characters, including a group of con disturbing dreams in which unknown children writer includes a smart but insecure young artists who bilk the gullible by soliciting appeal for help. After being asked to write a *Recipes for Love and Murder – Sally police detective and his gifted scientist charitable donations for organizations like true-crime book about the never-solved 1982 Andrew girlfriend. Both get caught up in the aftermath Free Beagles from Nicotine Addiction. disappearance of a two-year-old from his The middle-aged Tannie (“Auntie”) Maria, a of the supposed suicide of an eminent family's Louisiana estate, Evangeline, a tiny, half-Afrikaans, half-English widow writing an *The Girl on the Train – professor obsessed with proving the Paula Hawkins abused boy adrift with her in a boat on a advice and cooking column for the rural Klein Emotionally fragile Rachel Watson, the dangerous inadequacies of an African vaccine bayou appears to her in a dream. Karoo Gazette, is the book’s delightful principal narrator of Hawkins's riveting debut, program. (MYS) narrator. Tannie regards food as “medicine for passes the house where she used to live with Library Journal The Drowned Boy the body and heart,” but it can no longer help her ex-husband on her train commute into – Karin Fossum Norwegian author Fossum adds another one of her readers, an abused wife found London. She often spies an attractive couple, Time’s Up – Janey Mack When Maisie McGrane flunks out of the police unusual and memorable entry to the annals of murdered in her home. (MYS) whom she imagines to be enjoying the happily academy, her next career option is to become her wily Inspector Sejer as he examines the ever after that eluded her. Then the woman The Valley – John Renehan Chicago’s best meter maid. The discovery of a death of a Down syndrome youngster who has vanishes—only to turn up on the front page of A fog-shrouded U.S. Army outpost in the dead city hall employee in a no-parking zone gets died in the pond behind his family’s house. the tabloids as missing. Maisie involved in nefarious goings-on in the remote reaches of Afghanistan is the ominous (MYS) setting of John Renehan’s combat-ready first The Mulberry Bush– Charles McCarry Windy City. Fans of comic mysteries by Janet Evanovich and Tim Dorsey will delight in getting *Leaving Berlin – Joseph Kanon novel. Lt. Black (no first name) is sent to this The unnamed narrator of this exceptional spy to know the irrepressible Maisie. An outstanding Alex Meier is confronted by a double-barreled mountainous up-country position on an novel vows to avenge his father, a disgraced debut. (MYS) dilemma: Having fled the Nazis and written a administrative investigation that soon turns secret agent. He engineers his own best-selling book about it, he finds himself into something much more strange. recruitment into the CIA, where he becomes a The Washington Post Secrets of State – Matthew Palmer The Crossing – Michael Connelly Palmer plunges into the murky world of Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch has been forced to A Banquet of Consequences – Elizabeth Washington consulting firms full of former retire. But Harry is so antsy that when his George insiders who have trouble giving up their half-brother, Mickey Haller (who is himself In her latest Inspector Lynley book, Elizabeth stock in power and influence. the hero of Connelly's "Lincoln Lawyer" George presents a wildly dysfunctional family. George’s mystery shines with great series), asks him to sign on as an investigator, Kirkus Reviews psychological depth, finely drawn characters Harry surprisingly agrees. (MYS)

and gorgeous portraits of the English Descent – Tim Johnston Hush Hush – Laura Lippman countryside. (MYS) When 18-year-old Caitlin goes missing on a Lippman's latest installment in the Tess Monaghan series weaves an exploration of the Brush Back – Sara Paretsky family vacation in the Rocky Mountains, her joys and frustrations of motherhood with a V.I. Warshawski — the gritty P.I. who stoic father stays behind, always looking. clever and engaging mystery. (MYS) predates Lisbeth Salander and Stephanie Plum In a Dark, Dark Wood – Ruth Ware — returns in Sara Paretsky’s superb new A crime writer wakes with amnesia and the *The Nature of the Beast – Louise Penny novel. (MYS) sinking feeling that she has done something In Inspector Gamache’s 11th outing, the sheltering forest around his small village of Dark Corners – Ruth Rendell bad. There is murder, and there are also Three Pines is revealed to be a hiding place In Ruth Rendell’s final novel, all is placid for delightful tips of the pen to Agatha Christie. for unexpected evil. (MYS) 23-year-old antihero Carl Martin — until he The Last Taxi Ride – A. X. Ahmad makes a mistake. (MYS) Ex-Indian army Capt. Singh has left Martha's A Song of Shadows – John Connolly Nazis, neighbors, and a nasty hit man coalesce Rogue Lawyer – John Grisham Vineyard for the shadowy streets of around Connolly’s iconic character, Charlie Thirty novels into his nearly three-decade Manhattan. When Bollywood star Shabana Parker, who’s recovering from a near-fatal hit. career, John Grisham still makes it look easy. Shah is murdered after an encounter with In Rogue Lawyer, he introduces a new Singh, police suspect the worst — but Singh The Stranger – Harlan Coben character, a so-called street lawyer named knows something connecting the beautiful Coben can always be relied on to generate Sebastian Rudd. actor with a bizarre and lucrative underworld thrills from the simplest premises, but his industry. finest tales maintain a core of logic throughout The Whites – Richard Price (writing as the twists. This 100-proof nightmare ranks Harry Brandt) Orient – Christopher Bollen among his most potent. Veteran New York Police Department If your previous acquaintance combining detective Billy Graves is confronting two life- Long Island and thrillers is limited to the X – Sue Grafton novels of Nelson DeMille, prepare for defining challenges, but The Whites is also Grafton's endless resourcefulness in varying about his wife, father and children, and the something completely different. In the her pitches in this landmark series graced by four cops who are his closest friends. The slow-to-gentrify North Fork town of Orient, a her trademark self-deprecating humor, is one These titles were chosen by Kirkus story expands to include the criminals they series of deaths and disturbing events unites of the seven wonders of the genre. (MYS) Reviews, Library Journal, NPR, Publishers confront, the mean streets they patrol and the the community against a troubled young loner Weekly, The Wall Street Journal.and The

realities of America in the 21st century. named Mills Chevern. Washington Post

NPR (National Public Radio) Palace of Treason – Jason Matthews You can find all of them here at A beautiful Russian double agent, a jealous All the Old Knives – Olen Steinhauer boss who wants to kill her, and Vladimir Putin The Ridgefield Library Nearly the entire novel consists of a in her bedroom watching her sleep? Jason (*Designates books found on “best books” lists conversation between Henry and Celia, two Matthews has written a worthy follow-up to of more than one publication) former CIA agents at the Vienna station — his 2013 best-seller, Red Sparrow.

and former lovers, as well. (Annotations taken from publications)