Shari Lapena was a lawyer and English teacher before turning to writing fiction. Her work has been shortlisted for the CBC Literary Awards and in 2004 she won the Great Toronto Literary Project. Things Go Flying was shortlisted for the 2009 Sunburst Award. She has been featured in The Dalhousie Review, The Globe and Mail and is an alumnus of the Humber School for Writers. She makes her home in Toronto.
The Burning Library (2025) Gilly MacMillan "Dr. Anya Brown becomes an unwitting pawn between two secretive, warring, and dangerous factions of women in search of a priceless medieval manuscript. Fresh, fun, and full of thrills, The Burning Library is dark academia with a sly, feminist twist - deliciously entertaining! Highly recommended!"
The Deepest Fake (2025) Daniel Kalla "When Liam Hirsch finds his life under attack on multiple fronts, he realizes he can trust no one, not even the novel, untested AI that he created. A gripping thriller--you won't be able to look away."
Death of a Diplomat (2025) Eliza Reid "An intriguing mystery, an exotic setting, and a Christie vibe-what's not to love?"
Death at the White Hart (2025) (Nicola Bridge, book 1) Chris Chibnall "Fans of Broadchurch are going to LOVE Death at the White Hart! With its compelling pair of detectives and tense, creepy atmosphere, once you start reading, I defy you to stop."
The Frozen People (2025) (Ali Dawson Mystery, book 1) Elly Griffiths "Fresh and exciting with both humour and thrills, Griffiths' first book in her new series knocks it out of the park."
Someone in the Attic (2024) Andrea Mara "Someone is getting inside your house. . . It's a chilling premise, and Andrea Mara executes it brilliantly. This one is an absolute page turner!"
Will Dean "A highly original thriller set in the claustrophobic, high-risk world of saturation diving. The tension is almost unbearable. A masterclass in suspense - I absolutely loved it!"
A Man Downstairs (2024) Nicole Lundrigan "A gripping story of troubled relationships, mental illness and buried secrets with a murder at its heart--who really killed young mother Edie Wynters in the small town of Aymes almost forty years ago? Her now grown daughter is about to find out. . . . A Man Downstairs is a clever, twisty and chilling read."
Local Gone Missing (2022) (Elise King, book 1) Fiona Barton "Fiona Barton is a brilliant storyteller, a master of plot and character. I absolutely loved this smart, twisty novel!"
The Damage (2021) Caitlin Wahrer "A complex, suspenseful story about the shocking and unexpected consequences of a sexual assault... a brilliant debut. One of the best books you'll read this year."
The Finder (2020) Will Ferguson "Ferguson’s trademark wit abounds in this exuberant, entertaining and unconventional novel."
The Other Passenger (2020) Louise Candlish "A smart, twisty thriller that explores how money can warp relationships and destroy lives. A compulsive read that builds to an unimaginable climax. I couldn’t put it down!"
Seven Lies (2020) Elizabeth Kay "A dark, gripping story with one of the most interesting and compelling narrators I've ever encountered. Highly recommended."
The Second Wife (2020) Rebecca Fleet "An engrossing tale of sexual obsession, secrets and lies. . . . Chilling."
The Memory Wood (2020) Sam Lloyd "I was pulled into The Memory Wood from the very first page?it grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let you go. It’s an intense, atmospheric, and truly original thriller. Put everything else aside when you enter the Memory Wood, including your expectations…"
Framed (2020) S L McInnis "Fast, twisty and totally unexpected. A riveting read."
Their Little Secret (2019) (Tom Thorne, book 16) Mark Billingham "Their Little Secret is a cracking read! It features one of the most twisted relationships I've ever read. I couldn't put it down!"
The Island (2019) (Hulda, book 2) Ragnar Jónasson "Dark, chilling and utterly gripping, The Island is Nordic noir at its best, and is destined to become a classic of the genre. I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to read the rest of the Hulda series!"
The Paris Diversion (2019) (Expats, book 2) Chris Pavone "I tore through The Paris Diversion, completely caught up in the thrilling story of one remarkable day in Paris. With its twisting, high-stakes plot, all-too-human characters, and unrelenting tension, I couldn’t read it fast enough! I absolutely loved it—highly recommended!"
Need to Know (2018) Karen Cleveland "I raced through this gripping tale of domesticity and deceit. Cleveland deliciously ratchets up the tension at every turn . . . you won’t be able to put it down until the final, stunning page!"
Gin Phillips "Fierce Kingdom is a bold exploration of the ferocity of a mother’s love - riveting and beautiful, and all too real. You’ll find yourself asking, what would I do? It’s brilliant."
