This month's crime and thriller releases offer a diverse range of settings and tensions, from remote islands to small-town Ireland, and even the cutthroat world of property. Charlotte McConaghy's Wild Dark Shore (Canongate, £9.99) opens with Rowan washed up on Shearwater, a research outpost housing a global seed vault. Dominic Salt and his children have lived there for eight years, but rising sea levels force evacuation. The family are tight-lipped about missing scientists, and the island's communication centre has been sabotaged. McConaghy's beautiful prose and expert pacing create a powerful tale of grief, sacrifice, and moral dilemmas.
Rebecca Hannigan's debut Darkrooms (Sphere, £20) follows Caitlin, a chaotic kleptomaniac returning to her Irish hometown after her mother's death. She is welcomed by neighbours but forced to confront past traumas, including the disappearance of her friend Roisin 20 years earlier. Roisin's sister Deedee, a garda, is drinking heavily and still seeking answers. This slow-burning story of shame, guilt, and generational trauma builds to a heartbreaking conclusion.
In The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace (Orenda, £9.99), RWR McDonald's award-winning debut, 11-year-old Tippy Chan is left with her uncle Pike and his partner Devon while her mother goes on a cruise. When a teacher is found dead, Tippy and Pike, fans of Nancy Drew, form a detection club. This funny and touching mystery explores family, friendship, and loss.
Marisa Kashino's Best Offer Wins (Doubleday, £16.99) is a satirical thriller set in Washington DC's housing market. PR executive Margo and her husband Ian keep losing bidding wars for a family home. When Margo hears of a perfect house, she resorts to stalking and deception, leading to escalating chaos. This darkly funny take on millennial anxieties is inventive and entertaining.
Sam Blake's Your Every Move (Corvus, £14.99) also delves into property dealings, though the source text provides no further details. This roundup showcases a range of compelling new crime and thriller novels.
