Meg Gardiner writes thrillers set in California. The Evan Delaney novels, featuring a Santa Barbara freelance journalist, include 2009 Edgar Award winner China Lake. The Jo Beckett series features a San Francisco forensic psychiatrist. The Dirty Secrets Club won the RT Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Procedural Novel of 2008 and was chosen one of the year's Top Ten Mysteries and Thrillers by Amazon.com. Originally from Oklahoma, Gardiner practiced law in Los Angeles and taught at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She lives near London.
The Mediator (2026) (Max Ringo, book 1) Robert Bailey "Relentlessly suspenseful and full of heart, The Mediator is fresh, surprising, and packed with twists - and with fallible but gutsy characters to pull for. I couldn't put it down."
A Violent Masterpiece (2026) Jordan Harper "What a novel. Sun-flecked, blood-drenched, night-saturated, A Violent Masterpiece is page-turning Hollywood noir for an age of crime scene livestreams and billionaires without boundaries. And it's a love-and-rage letter to Los Angeles: fierce, vivid, unforgettable."
The Council (2026) Matthew Betley "With The Council, Matthew Betley puts the pedal to the metal on page one and never lets up. His trademark action is fresh, furious, and feels grounded in reality. Just as real are former Green Beret Owen Pierce and his team - raw, riven with grief, and ferocious - as they confront the powerful organization that will go to vicious lengths to achieve its goals. Packed with twists and turns, The Council is Betley's most accomplished novel yet."
Bitterfrost (2025) (Bitterfrost, book 1) Bryan Gruley "Visceral, vivid, and suspenseful, Bitterfrost immerses readers in a chilly - and chilling - world of lost dreams and deadly feuds. I was instantly and completely engrossed. Masterfully done."
Where the Bones Lie (2025) Nick Kolakowski "Sharp, gritty, and knowing, Where the Bones Lie is a road trip into California's gleaming, seething underbelly. Movie stars, mobsters, wildfires - buckle up and hold on for a heady ride."
A Very Bad Thing (2024) J T Ellison "Once again, J.T. Ellison hits it out of the park. A Very Bad Thing is twisting, juicy, suspenseful, and heartfelt - a single-sitting read. I couldn't put it down."
Heroic Measures (2024) (Death Benefits, book 1) Joel Shulkin "A powder-keg combination of military, medical, and technothriller. Buckle in for a wild and suspenseful ride."
House of Bone and Rain (2024) Gabino Iglesias "Gripping, eerie, and impossible to put down, House of Bone and Rain is a dark coming-of-age story drenched with spectral terror. And it's a page-turning dive into the cost of vengeance, loyalty, and love. Gabino Iglesias walks the electric high wire between crime and horror with breathtaking assurance."
The Bang-Bang Sisters (2024) Rio Youers "Buckle up for The Bang-Bang Sisters. The story rocks, the characters pop, the writing sizzles. You won't forget Brea, Jessie, and Flo. This rock-band vigilante novel turns it up to eleven. Strap in and hold on."
Lake County (2024) Lori Roy "Suspenseful, atmospheric, and surprising, Lake County pulls you and slowly ups the tension until you're holding your breath. Another remarkable crime novel from Lori Roy."
Missing White Woman (2024) Kellye Garrett "With Missing White Woman, Kellye Garrett raises her already sky-high game to a new level. Taut, suspenseful, and packed with heart, devious twists, and unforgettable characters, this novel grabbed me tight and wouldn't let go. A single-sitting read."
The Lock Box (2024) Parker Adams "A safecracking heroine, a devilish stew of villains, and a fiendishly deadly heist -The Lock Box has everything I love in a thriller. I couldn't put it down."
A Forgotten Kill (2024) (Daniela Vega, book 2) Isabella Maldonado "FBI agent is a heroine to cheer for-tough, inventive, and highly capable."
Baby X (2024) Kira Peikoff "Timely, smart, and suspenseful, Baby X grabbed me on page one and gripped me tight. Kira Peikoff deftly weaves a story about the implications of stolen DNA into a twisty thriller with real emotional depth."
The Tainted Cup (2024) (Shadow of the Leviathan, book 1) Robert Jackson Bennett "Original, imaginative, and suspenseful, The Tainted Cup superbly blends mystery and fantasy in this vivid, complex novel. I couldn't put it down. Give me more of this world and these characters ASAP!"
Almost Surely Dead (2024) Amina Akhtar "Twisty, chilling, and original, Almost Surely Dead is an absolutely addictive page-turner. I couldn't put it down."
The Price You Pay (2024) Jim Fusilli "With The Price You Pay, Jim Fusilli gives us a tough and heartfelt coming of age crime story - gritty, suspenseful, involving. The characters pop and ache and burn. Mickey Wright is memorable."
What Never Happened (2023) Rachel Howzell Hall "Rachel Howzell Hall does it again. What Never Happened blends blade-sharp writing and indelible characters with a suspenseful story that pulls you in and won't let go, as a seeming paradise grows dark with storms, suspicion, and murder. I couldn't put it down."
Saving Myles (2023) Carl Vonderau "Saving Myles takes readers on a tense journey into the heart of a family pushed to the limit, then beyond, to rescue their teenage son. Carl Vonderau has given us an intense and suspenseful story of love, loyalty, and danger."
Killing Me (2023) (Amber Jamison, book 1) Michelle Gagnon "I loved Killing Me. The writing snaps, crackles, and pops. The story is gripping, fresh, and flat out entertaining. Grab this book!"
You Know Her (2023) Meagan Jennett "Suspenseful and surprising, equal parts lyrical and chilling, You Know Her draws us relentlessly-and eagerly-into the cat-and-mouse duel between a young cop and a budding serial killer. A crackling debut."
No Home for Killers (2023) E A Aymar "Tough, haunting, full of surprises and vivid characters, No Home for Killers is hardboiled and thoughtful, riven with pain and spiked with humor, and never less than a pedal-to-the-floor thriller. A gripping read."
Exit Interview (2022) (a.k.a. Jayne) Dana Cameron "Exit Interview takes off like an express train and never slows down. Grab this book, buckle up and hold on for a terrific ride."
It's News to Me (2022) (Clare Carlson Mystery, book 5) R G Belsky "Clare Carlson is formidable, human and thoroughly authentic."
Blind Faith (2022) Alicia Beckman "Suspenseful and poignant, Blind Faith is a twisting, atmospheric mystery that pulled me in deep."
The Gatekeeper (2022) (Dez Limerick, book 1) James Byrne "What a ride. With vivid characters in a pulse-pounding story, The Gatekeeper feels chillingly, thrillingly real. Grab it!"
The Paradox Hotel (2022) Rob Hart "Not only a razor-sharp time-travel mystery but a moving story of love, memory, and coming to terms with loss . . . It's also hilarious and as suspenseful as hell."
Road of Bones (2022) Christopher Golden "Road of Bones is thrilling and relentless, with a wild and unsettling heart. It's a nonstop drive into terror, and you won't want to stop."
Hold Me Down (2021) Clea Simon "Gripping and intense, a darkly suspenseful dive into friendship, fame, murder, and the thrilling power of rock music. I couldn’t put it down."
Her Last Breath (2021) Hilary Davidson "Absorbing, complex, and satisfyingly twisty, Her Last Breath is an addictive page-turner. Hilary Davidson knows how to hook readers and keep them hooked."
Hummingbird Salamander (2021) Jeff VanderMeer "This gripping eco-thriller pulls readers into a world of danger, mystery, and obsession. Surprising, suspenseful, and compelling, Hummingbird Salamander is in turns insidious and explosive, heartrending and beautiful. Riveting."
All That Fall (2021) (Emma Lawson Mystery, book 1) Kris Calvin "Suspenseful, complex, and engaging."
Bone Canyon (2021) (Eve Ronin, book 2) Lee Goldberg "Lee Goldberg puts the pro in police procedural. Bone Canyon is fresh, sharp, and absorbing. Give me more Eve Ronin, ASAP."
Last Dance (2020) (Sam Carver, book 2) Jeffrey Fleishman "Last Dance pulled me in and wouldn't let go. The writing shines like broken glass. The story is fresh, sharp, and haunting."
The Nothing Man (2020) Catherine Ryan Howard "Gripping, beautifully written, and genuinely chilling, The Nothing Man had me from page one. Simply stellar."
Blood Relations (2019) Jonathan Moore "Blood Relations is dark, compelling, and frighteningly plausible. Every twist grabs you hard and pulls you deeper into the mystery. I absolutely could not put this novel down."
The Stranger Inside (2019) Laura Benedict "Suspenseful and moving, The Stranger Inside gripped me from the first page. Laura Benedict is at the top of her game."
Last Looks (2018) (Charlie Waldo, book 1) Howard Michael Gould "Fresh, thought-provoking, and funny, Last Looks is a wild ride through twenty-first century Hollywood—and a thriller with heart. Charlie Waldo is the best reluctant PI to hit the streets of L.A. in years."
Somebody's Daughter (2018) David Bell "Full of surprising twists, Somebody's Daughter hooks you from the start and draws you into a tale of secrets, lies, and lives haunted by the past. A suspenseful—and poignant—thriller."
What My Sister Knew (2018) Nina Laurin "Psychological suspense doesn't come much grittier or more packed with satisfying twists and turns."
Go to my Grave (2018) Catriona McPherson "Go to My Grave is a terrific mystery—sharp, devious, and suspenseful. Catriona McPherson has written another winner."
Saving Grace (2018) (Fleetwood and Sheils, book 2) Simon Wood "Suspenseful and absorbing. Saving Grace pulls you in and keeps you guessing—and holding your breath. I couldn’t put it down."
A-List (2017) (Jake Longly, book 2) D P Lyle "D. P. Lyle hits it over the fence with A-List. This mystery, featuring former Major League pitcher and reluctant PI Jake Longly, is fast-paced, slick, and funny. Bad times in the Big Easy mean a great time for readers. Head to New Orleans with Jake, and enjoy the trip."
Stalker (2016) (Detective Inspector Joona Linna, book 5) Lars Kepler "Dark, complex, and chillingly intelligent, Stalker hooks you on page one and never relents. Lars Kepler’s vivid, visceral thriller had me holding my breath to the last page."
Spare Me the Truth (2016) (Dan Forrester, book 1) C J Carver "From page one, Spare Me the Truth runs flat out on all cylinders. CJ Carver gives us everything: high-octane action, vivid characters, and thought-provoking mystery. Read it!"
Out of the Blues (2016) (Detective Sarah Alt, book 1) Trudy Nan Boyce "Grit, heart, smarts, and authenticity—Detective Sarah Alt has them, and so does Out of the Blues. A terrific mystery by [a] talented newcomer."
Romeo's Rules (2015) (Mike Romeo, book 1) James Scott Bell "Mike Romeo is a hard-boiled hero: cage fighter, philosopher, acerbic champion of the underdog. James Scott Bell's series is as sharp as a switchblade."
Hollow Man (2015) (Hollow Man, book 1) Mark Pryor "Terrific Texas noir: chilling, dark, and deadly. A psychopathic prosecutor, a mysterious beauty, and a heist gone wrong combine for a gripping story that's damn entertaining."
Little Black Lies (2015) (Zoe Goldman, book 1) Sandra Block "A darkly intriguing mystery that pills you in deep and doesn't let go."
Black Skies (2014) (Dan Morgan, book 3) Leo J Maloney "A ripping story-rough, tough, and entertaining."
The Weight of Blood (2014) Laura McHugh "The Weight of Blood pulled me in and wouldn't let go. What starts as Lucy's coming-of-age story becomes a chilling tale about the price of secrets. As the menace deepens, so does the tension. Laura McHugh has written a terrific novel."
Follow Her Home (2013) (Juniper Song Mystery, book 1) Steph Cha "Follow Her Home takes a fresh trip down the sunny, dark streets of Los Angeles, and Juniper Song is a great guide - young, sharp, and worldly-wise. Keenly observed and deeply felt, the story slowly got under my skin. I couldn't put it down."
(b.1957)
