December’s Top Picks in Thrillers

The Bone Labyrinth, by James Rollins
Rollins barnstorms back with his 11th Sigma Force novel, reacquainting readers with his elite group of scientist-soldiers led by Painter Crowe. In a story that combines a search for the origins of human intelligence with seemingly unrelated acts of violence—a doomed Chinese space mission, three murdered American astronauts, and ancient cave paintings drawn in blood—the twists and subplots quickly mount up into a dizzying tableau. The Bone Labyrinth ties together science, history, and butt-kicking into a book that will appeal to anyone who believes that action heroes can be brilliant too.

Tom Clancy: Commander in Chief, by Mark Greaney
Greaney pens another note-perfect adventure for Clancy’s most popular characters. President Jack Ryan and his son, Jack Jr. work together to thwart a Russian president elevated to the status of Bond villain. Frustrated militarily and politically, and threatened at home by the oligarchs as the Russian economy slows, President Valeri Volodin launches a shadowy plot to sponsor worldwide terror as a cover for his ambitions. Only President Ryan sees the pattern, and it’s up to him and his son to gather evidence before it’s too late. A thoroughly modern update to the Jack Ryan model, Commander in Chief continues Greaney’s winning streak in Tom Clancy’s complex world of politically-charged thrillers.

The First Hostage, by Joel C. Rosenberg
J.B. Collins, writer for The New York Times, is covering a meeting in Jordan between the president of the United States and leaders of Israel, Palestine, and the King of Jordan when an attack orchestrated by ISIS leaves the latter three leaders critically injured—and the president missing, presumably captured by terrorists. With Collins himself suspected of involvement, he has to work with the Secret Service to clear his name and locate the president before a constitutional crisis cripples the USA—all while the Kingdom of Jordan teeters on the verge of collapse, and ISIS plots their next attack. Rosenberg seeds all this chaos with healthy doses of surprise and tension, and the end result is a masterful thriller, equal parts terrifyingly believable and entertaining.

The Forgotten Soldier, by Brad Taylor
Taylor’s ninth entry in his popular Pike Logan series is more introspective and thoughtful than usual, making for a story that lands even more powerfully then usual. When the brother of Taskforce member Guy George is killed in Afghanistan while on the trail of four suspected terrorists (whose photos are found on his body), Guy goes rogue to pursue the men he assumes are responsible. Pike is sent to contain the damage and corral Guy—but he’s conflicted about the mission, as he understands perfectly Guy’s desire for revenge, and has little love for the men Guy is hunting. This conflict adds a slow-mounting tension as the reader realizes there might be no path to a “happy” ending here.

Forty Thieves, by Thomas Perry
In Sid and Ronnie Abel, married former LAPD detectives turned in-demand private investigators specializing in cold cases, Perry has created a bantering couple readers will love, and in Ed and Nicole Hoyt, sociopathic married assassins, he has created a dark mirror version of the lovable couple. When they are pitted against each other in a high-stakes investigation of a murdered scientist, the sparks fly—as do the plot twists (and the bullets). The Abels are a lot of fun to follow on this adventure, the story is twisty and satisfying, and chances are good that readers will close this one out hoping it’s the first in a series.

False Positive, by Andrew Grant
Too often the “damaged cop” character trope is just a cliché, , but in the first book in a new series, Grant’s Detective Cooper Devereaux and new partner Jan Loflin, are more deeply shaded, and their mutual pain plays directly into the story. Devereaux’s delinquent criminal past and Loflin’s devastating experiences working undercover for vice have left them ideally suited to work together to find a missing young orphan, a case that leads them to a horrifying discovery. The Alabama setting is used to great effect, drenching the story in Southern charm—and dread—as suspicionbuzzes from suspects to suspect, landing briefly even on the detectives themselves, even as the reader is given access to the kidnapper’s point of view. Crisp, fast-paced, and filled with lush detail, False Positive is a fine start to a new series.

The Night Charter, by Sam Hawken
Hawken gives Camaro Espinoza, who previously appeared in several novellas, a well-deserved full-length debut in The Night Charter. A former army medic home after several tours in the Middle East, Espinoza is steady, intense, and gifted with a unbreakable sense of right and wrong. Now the skipper of a charter boat in Miami, Espinoza is hired by Parker Story for some night fishing that is obviously not about fishing at all—as Story quickly confesses, it’s about smuggling a political activist out of Cuba. Espinoza agrees to help, but things quickly spin out of control, and she finds herself defending Story’s young daughter from blackmailers. Hawken makes Espinoza incredibly likable and human even as she deals out violence to those who deserve it.

Storm Front, by Robert Conroy
In the small town of Sheridan, a devastating snowstorm rolls in, stretching resources to their snapping point and isolating the town. Unbeknownst to officer Mike Stuart of the Sheridan PD, a pair of murderous escaped convicts have been trapped in town on their way to warmer climes, and their sadistic activities contribute to the chaos—and the death toll. One thing is certain, Stuart is heading towards a crucible that will test him to his limits as he faces down two forces of nature—one the raging storm, the other pure evil. The clever setup pays off big time with a fantastic climax that’ll keep you up late.

The Verdict, by Nick Stone
Stone offer a premise that will grab any reader by the adrenal gland:Vernon James, a wealthy businessman and winner of the “Ethical Person of the Year” award, is charged with murder when a blond woman is found dead in his hotel suite. His former best friend, Terry Flynt, who blames him for ruining his life, is assigned to the defense. Conflicted by his desire to salvage a flagging legal career and his hatred of James, Flynt’s dogged pursuit of clues gives him an increasingly bleak view of James as a human being, all awards aside. Stone’s genius here is making the accused increasingly despicable while prompting the reader to become increasingly invested in Flynt’s fate, as his efforts to find the truth threaten first his career, then his life.

The Absolution, by Jonathan Holt
Concluding Holt’s stellar Carnivia Trilogy, The Absolution spins together three storylines that don’t initially seem connected: a ritualistic murder in Venice investigated by Kat Tapo, Holly Boland’s probe into her own father’s clandestine career prompted by his sudden illness, and scarred genius Daniele Barbo’s efforts to hand off his encrypted virtual world Carnivia to his anonymous followers, only to suspect someone is attempting to subvert his life’s work for a horrific terrorist plot. Holt makes complex issues of technologies and geopolitics not only clear and concise, but also riveting, slowly tying them together into a powerfully tense story that resolves the lingering mysteries of his trilogy in ways that are surprising and satisfying.