Tessa Wegert is a Canadian expat, journalist, and former digital media strategist. Her business and marketing articles have appeared in such publications as Forbes, The Huffington Post, Adweek, and The Economist. Death in the Family is her first novel.
A Defiant Woman (2026) (Modern Tudor Mystery) Karen E Olson "In this riveting contemporary crime novel inspired by the Tudor era and King Henry VIII's six wives, Olson combines seamless storytelling with a cast of characters for the history books. These wives pull no punches - but defiance has consequences, and not everyone will make it out alive. A Defiant Woman is a deadly delight."
Smile for the Cameras (2025) Miranda Smith "Miranda Smith takes full command of horror tropes and the 'final girl' archetype to tell a story worthy of the big screen. Grab some popcorn and settle in for the isolation thriller of your horror-loving heart."
The Last Session (2025) Julia Bartz "A shameful secret, echoes of a past life, and the search for a dangerous truth collide in Julia Bartz's haunting and provocative THE LAST SESSION. Bartz's keen mastery of claustrophobic settings and high-tension storytelling makes for a modern psychological thriller that shimmers with sophistication and suspense. A bold new offering from an author who belongs on your auto-buy list."
Glitter in the Dark (2025) (Ginny Dugan Mystery, book 1) Olesya Lyuzna "Sisterhood and a string of suspicious disappearances take center stage in Olesya Lyuzna's magnetic historical mystery debut. Magazine writer Ginny Dugan believes she's mastered the art of living dangerously in smoky, champagne-soaked Prohibition-era New York, but a brush with the criminal underworld and a partnership with a secretive private eye will put her grit, wits, and moral code to the test. Glitter in the Dark is first-rate noir fiction that shimmers brighter than the sequins on a chorus girl's costume, and its mystery will leave you breathless."
Coram House (2025) Bailey Seybolt "When ghostwriter Alex Kelley arrives in frigid Burlington, Vermont, to write a true crime book about a notorious orphanage, she's prepared for an investigation into its dark past - but Coram House isn't done with its victims yet. The murder of a local with ties to the orphanage opens a chasm of dangerous secrets and lies that compels Alex to risk her safety and career in a hunt for the truth. Combining a high-stakes mystery with atmospheric prose and an indelible story, this debut is not to be missed."
Bitterfrost (2025) (Bitterfrost, book 1) Bryan Gruley "A riveting mix of small-town mystery, legal drama, and high-stakes crime thriller. With crisp prose and a vivid portrayal of Michigan hockey culture, Bitterfrost is slick as ice and just as chilling."
Cross My Heart (2025) Megan Collins "When Rosie Lachlan's heart transplant leads her to her donor's husband, a renowned crime fiction author, she thinks she's finally found 'the one'...but will Rosie's longing for true love blind her to the suspicious nature of his wife's death? It's rare to find a thriller that strikes a perfect balance between mystery and emotional complexity, but that's the magic of Cross My Heart. Expect relentless tension, skillful misdirection, poet-worthy prose, and one of the best binge-reading sessions of your life. Megan Collins has outdone herself, and Cross My Heart is a triumph."
The Hitchcock Hotel (2024) Stephanie Wrobel "Artful construction, shudder-inducing suspense, and cinematic sparkle make The Hitchcock Hotel the perfect weekend escape - eerie movie-themed inn not required. Wrobel's inspired treatment of the Hitchcockian motifs we know so well further secures her place as a master of premium high-concept psychological fiction. Hitch would be proud."
A Lovely Lie (2024) Jaime Lynn Hendricks "What happens when the mistakes of youth threaten to destroy the life you now live? The latest from Jaime Lynn Hendricks pulls back the curtain on a friend group with a deadly secret, and the new generation of teens desperate to know the truth. Full of tension and hairpin turns, A Lovely Lie is a no-holds-barred thriller guaranteed to make you gasp."
The Lock Box (2024) Parker Adams "Monna Locke's life as a single mother and top safecracker is far from standard fare, but when her skills make her a target and she's forced to join a team of criminals, the stakes reach new heights. Prepare to meet one of the most memorable female leads in recent history. Exhilarating and expertly plotted, The Lock Box is ace entertainment."
Lilith (2024) Eric Rickstad "Lilith is a literary dunk tank: prepare to be plunged into an unparalleled tale of pain and purpose that will leave you breathless. With taut language, raw emotion, and an unflinching eye, Eric Rickstad's expose of gun culture in America and the depths to which a mother will go in order to protect her child is sure to become one of the most talked-about novels of the year."
A Friend in the Dark (2024) Samantha M Bailey "Savage secrets and desires collide in Samantha M. Bailey's A Friend in the Dark. Bailey is a master of misdirection, spinning twists and building tension until there's nothing to do but race to the knockout finish. A Friend in the Dark is a fierce, gutsy thriller, and Bailey is unstoppable."
Lights Out (2023) (Kate Green, book 1) Elise Hart Kipness "Welcome to Connecticut's Gold Coast, where celebrity athletes rub shoulders with the locals and marriage can be murder. When basketball star Kurt Robbins is found dead in his palatial Greenwich home, suspicion immediately falls on his wife, and it's up to her best friend, disgraced sports reporter Kate Green, to unravel Kurt's secrets and lies. Part posh domestic suspense, part puzzle box, Elise Hart Kipness's Lights Out is a skillfully constructed story of female friendship, hidden truths, and the mysteries that can lurk in seemingly quiet neighborhoods. I devoured every page."
Her Father's Daughter (2023) T M Dunn "Easily one of the most original and unnerving serial killer stories I've read. Teetering on the edge of horror, Her Father's Daughter pulls no punches in its exploration of dark secrets, family loyalty, female strength, and the psychology of murder. A slick, read-in-one-sitting chiller."
Have You Seen Her (2023) Catherine McKenzie "The dangers Cassie Peters encounters while working search and rescue in Yosemite National Park can't compete with those she left behind. Have You Seen Her is a story of secrets and survival, told with breathless urgency by one of today's leading thriller writers. A skillfully-constructed stunner of a novel."
I Love It When You Lie (2023) Kristen Bird "There's no family like the Williams family - and there's no novel like I Love It When You Lie. Steeped in Southern atmosphere, this timely story of sisterhood, long-hidden secrets, and uncompromising resolve quivers with tension. Small-town suspense at its finest."
The Widowmaker (2022) (Black Harbor, book 2) Hannah Morrissey "Welcome back to Black Harbor, where the snow looks like ash and the people are darker than ever. Morrissey's latest is an electrifying and unnerving exploration of privilege, justice, and the strength it takes to tackle a city's grit and glitter in one fell swoop."
All the Dark Places (2022) Terri Parlato "From the first pages to the stunning conclusion, All the Dark Places hums with tension. With meticulous plotting and a tenacious detective, Parlato peels back the layers of Molly and Jay's seemingly ordinary life to reveal that dark secrets rarely stay hidden."
Over Her Dead Body (2022) Susan Walter "Where there's a hefty will, there's a way. With its eccentric ensemble cast and all the family drama of Knives Out, Over Her Dead Body is darkly funny and highly entertaining with more twists than a bus tour through the Hollywood Hills. Fans of Janet Evanovich and Elle Cosimano will be delighted."
The Art of the Decoy (2022) (Scandal Mountain Antiques Mystery, book 1) Trish Esden "Welcome to the world of folk art antiques, where the competition to acquire a priceless piece is so cutthroat it might just lead to murder. With its tenacious and endearing female sleuth, a mystery that captivates, and a vibrant cast of suspects, The Art of the Decoy entices from the first page. A winning start to a new mystery series that's as rare as the art Edie Brown has in her sights. I can't wait to return to Scandal Mountain."
A Deadly Bone to Pick (2022) (Molly Madison Dog Wrangler Mystery, book 1) Peggy Rothschild "Mystery fans and animal lovers alike will delight in this caper about a straight-shooting ex-cop turned dog-wrangling sleuth. With Rothschild's deft plotting, a sweeping cast of quirky characters, and an endearing canine duo, this is a book worth barking about."
The Bone Cay (2021) Eliza Nellums "Original, powerful, and haunting, with language as lush as a tropical forest and a story that won't let go. With this electrifying study of devotion and survival, Nellums takes you straight into the eye of the storm. Better hold on tight."
