RECENT READING: NEW BOOKS BY LISA JEWELL, TOM MEAD, RILEY SAGER and ALAN PARKS
My recent reading has been a real mix of styles and criminal approaches, with three of them exploring different historical periods and places.
The only contemporary setting of the four books is provided by Lisa Jewell’s Don’t Let Him In,
(Century, 1 July 2025).
After her recent venture into the Marvel Fantasy Universe with last year’s Jessica Jones’ novel Breaking The Dark, Lisa has returned to the psychological suspense field that she is best known for with her latest book Don’t Let Him In.
Employing multiple points of view and timelines, Don’t Let Him In opens in the weeks after the death of restauranteur Paddy Swann, who was pushed into the path of an oncoming train by a local schizophrenic man. Shortly after the funeral, his widow, Nina, receives a gift in the mail from his old restaurant buddy Nick Ratcliffe. As the two begin to grow closer, Nina’s daughter Ash worries that Nick is not who he seems.
Meanwhile across town, Martha is dealing with an infant, two children from her first marriage, her struggling florist shop and an absentee husband who Martha begins to distrust. But as a connection begins to form between these two women and their relationships, they begin to realize there is something sinister at play.
Don’t Let Him In is probably more cautionary tale than straight thriller, with much of the book’s focus being on the dangers of toxic relationships. The plotting is carefully structured, with the various elements smoothly sliding into place, while a large cast of characters adds to the book’s depth. Most of the story is told through third person narrations by Martha, Ash and Nina, but there are also some first person chapters that throw light on past events and add to the tension.
The suspense mounts steadily as the story unfolds, although it is undercut by the repetitive nature of some of the elements and the accumulation of detail. Nevertheless it holds attention, and fans of Lisa’s earlier books will be keenly awaiting the twists.
With a heavy emphasis on personal relationships, Don’t Let Him In is probably more for fans of domestic suspense than straight crime thrillers.
Don’t Let Him In is released in Australia on 1 July 2025 and in the United Kingdom on 3 July 2025.
The House At Devil’s Neck, (Head of Zeus, 14 August 2025), is the fourth book by Tom Mead in his series about illusionist-turned-sleuth Joseph Spector.
It opens on the eve of World War II, with a coach slowly making its way through the rainy English countryside to visit an allegedly haunted house on a lonely island called Devil’s Neck. The house, first built by a notorious alchemist and occultist, was later used as a field hospital in the First World War before falling into disrepair. The visitors plan to hold a seance to conjure the spirit of a long-dead soldier. But when a storm floods the narrow causeway connecting Devil’s Neck to the mainland, they find themselves stranded in the haunted house. Included in the party is Spector, who is there as a skeptical observer but finds that his sleuthing skills are needed when the stranded guests start to die. Meanwhile back in London, Scotland Yard detective George Flint finds himself investigating an apparent suicide, which uncannily mirrors a similar incident from twenty-five years ago.
The House At Devil’s Neck is a very enjoyable, old styled murder mystery of the ‘locked room’ variety. The opening sections are very good, and Mead effectively evokes the mood of classic British detective stories as he assembles his cast of victims and suspects. The supposedly haunted house at Devil’s Neck is a marvellous creation and its unfortunate history as a field hospital at the end of the First World War is given extra poignancy by the pending start of a new World War.
The mystery elements are well handled and despite the cleverly planted clues, few readers will be able to solve ‘whodunit’ before Spector and Flint. Spector is an engaging character, and I really liked Mead’s use of the point view from a young woman on the coach. The revelatory monologue towards the end is perhaps too drawn out, but not enough to detract from the pleasure of the book.
The House At Devil’s Neck is released in the United Kingdom on 14 August 2025 and in the United States on 15 July 2025. Release in Australia is not until December 2025. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy of the book.
Riley Sager’s With A Vengeance, (Dutton, June 2025), also deals with the old trope of murder among an isolated group. On this occasion, however, they are not stuck in some spooky old mansion, but on a luxury train.
In 1942, six people destroyed Anna Matheson’s family. Twelve years later, she’s ready for retribution. Under false pretenses, Anna has lured those responsible for her family’s downfall onto a luxury train from Philadelphia to Chicago, an overnight journey of thirteen hours. Her goal? Confront the people who’ve wronged her, get them to confess their crimes, and deliver them into the hands of authorities waiting at the end of the line. However, Anna’s plan is quickly derailed by the murder of one of the passengers. As the train barrels through the night, it becomes clear that someone else on board is enacting their own form of revenge, and they won’t stop until everyone else is dead. In desperation Anna is forced to hunt for the killer in order to protect people she hates the most.
It is a clever, unusual concept and Sager plays it very well, with plenty of twists and a good dose of mystery. The opening sections are a little slow as Sager takes his time in establishing the background and the role that the six suspects played in the death of Anna’s family. The pace increases towards the end and there are some good ‘locked room’ mysteries to keep mystery fans entertained.
With A Vengeance is very different from Sager’s previous novels, which trod the thin line between horror and psychological suspense, but it is certainly entertaining and well worth a read.
With A Vengeance was released in most places in June 2025.
For me the pick of the four books on offer is Alan Parks’ Gunner, (Baskerville, 17 July 2025).
Set in 1941, it opens with former police detective Joseph Gunner back on the streets of Glasgow after being wounded on the front line in France. Still suffering from shock, and keeping the pain in his leg at bay with the help of morphine, Gunner is hoping to lie low as the Luftwaffe begins bombing Glasgow. But when he runs into his old boss, Drummond, he is persuaded to help examine a body found in the wreckage. When it turns out to be that of a German, mutilated to disguise his identity, Gunner reluctantly agrees to investigate. As he begins to hunt for the truth Gunner runs into old flames and bitter enemies, before finding himself embroiled in a high-level conspiracy, that somehow involves his conscientious objector brother Joe, and reaches far beyond his hometown of Glasgow.
This is a gritty slice of meticulously researched noir that vividly captures a clear sense of place and time. Parks does not hold his punches in describing the brutal effects of the German bombing of Glasgow, the horrors of the war in France, and the corruption on the Homefront, and there is a strong sense of authenticity throughout the book. The mix of local crime and broader conspiracy works very well, and allows Parks to introduce a wide breadth of interesting characters, including the local gangster head, Matthew Sellars.
Gunner is very much a man of his time, and Parks does not gloss over his faults or try to give him too many modern sensibilities. The plot is a clever mix of murder mystery, gangland violence and political thriller, that gives new life to the old Rudolph Hess conspiracy theories. The pacing is good throughout and the final chapters bristle with suspense and action. Gunner takes plenty of punishment on his way to finding out the truth, and the ending delivers the requisite twists and surprises. Strong, enjoyable stuff.
In all, a top notch crime thriller that is one of my favourites of the year so far.
Gunner is released in the United Kingdom on 17 July 2025. It is released in Australia on 29 July 2025.