Angie Kim moved as a preteen from Seoul, South Korea to the suburbs of Baltimore. She attended Stanford University and Harvard Law School, where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review, then practiced as a trial lawyer at Williams & Connolly. Her stories have won the Glamour Essay Contest and the Wabash Prize for Fiction, and appeared in numerous publications including The New York Times, Salon, Slate, The Southern Review, Sycamore Review, Asian American Literary Review, and PANK. Kim lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and three sons. Miracle Creek is Kim's debut novel.
Under the Storm (2024) Christoffer Carlsson "Under The Storm is the quintessential crime novel - not only a brilliantly constructed whodunit about the unfolding of a murder investigation over three decades, but a profound and immersive portrait of the ripple effects of one act of crime, judgment, and doubt on a community. Christoffer Carlsson is a master at layering nail-biting suspense with psychological depth and acuity, and I can't recommend this book highly enough."
The Leftover Woman (2023) Jean Kwok "The Leftover Woman is an unforgettable, beautifully written page-turner that's about so many things at once: a courageous woman fighting to escape an abusive husband, a mother's love and sacrifice, and how culture and language dramatically change the lens through which we are seen and evaluated by others. Jean Kwok uses an intricately layered plot to ensnare and mesmerize us with fierce, complex characters. I absolutely adored this novel, from its tantalizing first pages to the poignant ending."
Deep Roots (2023) (Siobhan O'Brien, book 2) Sung J Woo "Funny and deliciously entertaining!."
Return to Valetto (2023) Dominic Smith "In this propulsive, lush, and haunting novel, Dominic Smith transports us to a near-abandoned town in Umbria and shows how the courage to voice unspeakable secrets of the past can give new life to crumbling bonds of family and community. Filled with enormous hope for the future and rich appreciation for history, Return to Valetto will make you want to race through to the end but also slow down to savor the beautiful writing and sharp insights. I couldn't put it down."
The Puzzle Master (2023) (Mike Brink, book 1) Danielle Trussoni "The Puzzle Master is an ingenious literary thriller that combines everything I want in a book: an absolutely blistering Russian nesting doll of fascinating stories that dismantle some of the most deeply engrained ideas about good, evil, and the origins of humankind. In short: The Puzzle Master = (The Da Vinci Code + The Silent Patient + sprinkle of Stephen King) - gorgeous writing."
Love Betrayal Murder (2023) Adam Mitzner "Adam Mitzner has done it again, given us another amazing legal thriller that immediately hooks you in and keeps you turning the pages late into the night. Filled with thrilling courtroom scenes, fascinating insights into the gender politics of big law firms, and shocking twists, Love Betrayal Murder is a blistering read you won't be able to put down."
Panther Gap (2023) James A McLaughlin "James McLaughlin has done it again, created a multi-layered thriller filled not only with relentless, heart-pounding suspense, but achingly beautiful writing about our deep, sometimes mystical relationship to nature and each other. You'll definitely want to clear your calendar for this one."
Hestia Strikes a Match (2023) Christine Grillo "Hestia Strikes a Match made me laugh out loud and tear up at the same time, as it combines wry satire with a moving story of how we form bonds of love and friend-ship even as the world around us is crumbling. Hestia is everything I could wish for in a character-quirky, smart, infuriating, broken, wise, and funny as hell."
The Last Beekeeper (2023) Julie Carrick Dalton "Filled with meditations on the fragile beauty of nature and the power of hope and resilience, this heartfelt novel will keep readers turning the pages late into the night."
Her Deadly Game (2023) (Keera Duggan, book 1) Robert Dugoni "Robert Dugoni has done it again - created a twisty puzzle-box story with one of the most satisfying, jaw-dropping endings I've read in a long time. Part murder mystery, part courtroom drama, and part character study of fascinating chess prodigy turned defense attorney Keera Duggan, Her Deadly Game will keep you reading late into the night."
The Dig (2023) Anne Burt "The Dig is a riveting and chilling tale that mixes family drama and corporate intrigue (a la Succession) with thought-provoking insights about immigration, adoption, and the horrors of war. I couldn't put it down."
A Map for the Missing (2022) Belinda Huijuan Tang "A Map for the Missing is a propulsive, lush novel that pulled me in from the first page and never let go. At once heartbreaking and hopeful, Belinda Huijuan Tang's epic debut takes us on a man's desperate search to reconnect with what he's lost, to rediscover what he's forgotten. I loved this novel."
Bookish People (2022) Susan Coll "Susan Coll's Bookish People is a delightful, hilarious, and utterly charming novel about a quirky bookstore and its motley crew--ridiculously lovable people who think way too much about words, writing, dead authors, customers' dogs, cats who torment birds, canceled author events, British ovens, readers, vacuum cleaners, and Russian tortoises. The perfect read for bookish people everywhere!"
The Work Wife (2022) Alison B Hart "Alison B. Hart has created a beautifully written, feminist page-turner. Filled with biting commentary and insights into #metoo reckoning and the invisibility of behind-the-scenes 'women's work, ' The Work Wife is a dazzling debut. I couldn't put it down."
Jackie and Me (2022) Louis Bayard "I absolutely adore this novel! It's a testament to Louis Bayard's remarkable gifts as storyteller how suspenseful it is, given that we already know this story . . . or do we? Full of Bayard's trademark charm and wit, with prose that sings and a perfect voice, Jackie & Me delighted me from beginning to end."
The Lioness (2022) Chris Bohjalian "I loved this novel so much that I blew off all my responsibilities, turned off my phone, and got lost in this mesmerizing world created by Chris Bohjalian. A masterful tapestry of heart-pounding suspense and deeply moving drama, The Lioness explores what it takes to survive the siren songs of old Hollywood glitter and the Serengeti's majestic expanse. I cannot recommend this book highly enough."
When We Fell Apart (2022) Soon Wiley "In this gorgeous, poignant meditation on identity, love, and desire, Soon Wiley illuminates the liminal state of being biracial, of belonging but not, of desperately wanting the world to let you be as you are."
I'll Be You (2022) Janelle Brown "Janelle Brown has done it again, creating a deliciously twisty page-turner you won't be able to put down. But I'll Be You is much more than a riveting thriller; it's a powerful and moving portrait of the fiercely tenacious bonds of familial love. With her trademark beautiful writing, depth of emotion, and sharp insights, Brown explores the dangers that lurk behind the seductive worlds of Hollywood child stardom and self-help culture. I loved this novel."
Good Intentions (2022) Kasim Ali "Good Intentions is a heartbreaking story of a young man caught between worlds-between youth and adulthood, between family and passion, between ambition and survival. Kasim Ali builds a quiet yet unbearable tension while examining the complexities of racial prejudice. An unbelievably gorgeous debut."
Joan is Okay (2022) Weike Wang "Joan is a character I will be thinking about for a long time to come. I could not put this book down."
Our Country Friends (2021) Gary Shteyngart "I cannot say enough how much I loved Our Country Friends. It’s a tragicomic tour de force about so many things—sex, infatuation, the pandemic, kimchi, racism, immigration, adoption, stalking, Russian writers, K-pop, Japanese reality TV, writing—but most of all, it’s about how we create, sever, and mend lifelong bonds of friendship, how we wound and heal those we love most. It’s the rare book that, when you turn to the last page, leaves you grateful to the author for creating this world and allowing you in for a time, but also a little sad, filled with regret at having to leave it."
The Savage Kind (2021) (Nightingale Trilogy, book 1) John Copenhaver "The Savage Kind is a superbly multi-layered mix of a dizzyingly twisty murder mystery, a poignant coming-of-age love story, and a psychologically astute exploration of the blurry lines between infatuation, love, and obsession. John Copenhaver is in top form, using an inventive structure to create a haunting and wonderfully atmospheric page-turner. I loved this book."
Songs in Ursa Major (2021) Emma Brodie "Emma Brodie is a gifted storyteller, taking us from exhilaration to heartbreak and back again, all the while tackling issues of sexism in the music industry, the stigma of mental illness, and the way artistry can cost us fame and vice versa. I loved this book."
A Good Mother (2021) Lara Bazelon "Lara Bazelon combines a riveting courtroom thriller with a nuanced and thought-provoking examination of gender, race, and justice. Helmed by an intelligent, complex, and flawed protagonist, A Good Mother is a beautifully written debut that kept me turning the pages late into the night."
A Million Reasons Why (2021) Jessica Strawser "A MILLION REASONS WHY is a heartbreaking, absorbing story with an irresistible premise: a random DNA test reveals you have a sister you've always wanted, a potential life-saver. Strawser skillfully explores what it means to be family, to rethink the pivotal hinge points in a person's life."
In the Quick (2021) Kate Hope Day "Kate Hope Day has given us another fascinating, beautifully written, genre-bending novel. Equal parts sci-fi mystery and coming-of-age romance, In the Quick is, at its heart, a feminist story about June, an engineering prodigy fighting to be taken seriously in the austere world of deep space. I couldn’t put it down."
Not My Boy (2021) Kelly Simmons "Kelly Simmons has created a chilling tale of suspense and intrigue. Filled with sharp insights about the fierce protectiveness and envy that define a close-knit family, Not My Boy kept me turning the pages late into the night."
Nights When Nothing Happened (2020) Simon Han "In intricately elegant prose, Simon Han explores the desire to belong—to a marriage, a family, a community, a country. Nights When Nothing Happened is about how we use words and silences to connect and wound, and how we make sacrifices for those we love. It broke my heart and gave me hope, all at the same time."
Don't Look For Me (2020) Wendy Walker "Wendy Walker has done it again, created a nail-biter that’ll keep you up all night. But DON’T LOOK FOR ME is so much more than a twisty thriller. It’s a heartbreaking portrait of a family coping with grief and an insightful study of guilt and blame, gaslighting and agency. If you love fast-paced page-turners with relatable, flawed characters, look no further!"
A Good Family (2020) A H Kim "Filled with sharp insights about the dynamics of uber-privileged communities and stark glimpses into prison life, this smart debut will keep readers turning the pages until its surprising conclusion."
The Imperfects (2020) Amy Meyerson "Amy Meyerson has created a captivating story about a hilariously dysfunctional family that comes into a shocking inheritance--a world-famous, priceless 137-carat diamond. Part expertly-plotted historical mystery, part tender family drama, and part juicy international caper, The Imperfects has it all. An absolute pleasure to read, guaranteed to have readers turning the pages late into the night."
Catherine House (2020) Elisabeth Thomas "Elisabeth Thomas is a magician of a writer who expertly blends a deeply atmospheric boarding-school story with a futuristic sci-fi mystery in Catherine House. A grown-up, sophisticated version of Lois Duncan’s Down a Dark Hall, this dazzling debut will have you turning the pages late into the night."
Take Me Apart (2020) Sara Sligar "Take Me Apart is a stunning debut. In gorgeous prose, Sara Sligar creates a haunting and decidedly feminist literary thriller that explores mental illness, violence, and the nature of obsession. I loved this novel so much that I blew off all my responsibilities, turned off my phone, and blistered through the whole thing in one sitting. Unforgettable and thought-provoking, Take Me Apart has my highest recommendation."
The Herd (2020) Andrea Bartz "Andrea Bartz has created another deliciously twisty thriller that is so much more than a page-turner. At its heart, The Herd is an ambitious novel about the complex dynamics of an exclusive all-female coworking space—empowering yet cut-throat, open yet exclusive. Filled with insights and biting social commentary about the commoditization of female ambition, The Herd is sure to be one of the spring’s buzziest must-reads."
Follow Me (2020) Kathleen Barber "Wow! What a deliciously creepy page-turner. More than just an addictive thriller, Kathleen Barber’s chilling insights about social media and privacy will stay with you long after its last nail-biting pages."
The Starless Sea (2019) Erin Morgenstern "A spellbinding novel. . . . I could not put it down, and when I finished, I turned immediately back to the first page so I wouldn't have to leave this magical world. If you believe in the power of stories to transcend time and space, to marry love and fate, read this book!"
More recommendations
Awards
Anthony Awards Best First Novel nominee (2020) : Miracle Creek
Edgar Awards Best First Novel winner (2020) : Miracle Creek
