Reading outside your comfort zone

Most of the titles I recommend are driven by passion, sheer interest, and the need to read a good book. These titles have been on my reading radar since I learned of their pre-order status.

I like exploring new worlds between the pages of a book. Most of my reading choices stem from the mystery/thriller/horror genre. This month, with the exception of a handful of suspenseful titles, I have indulged in a few out-of-comfort-zone reads. I would have never chosen these books except for the summary on the inside dust jackets, each blurb enticing me with its interesting, moody appeal.

British author Chris Whitaker’s spectacular new thriller (it’s so much more than that!) breathes new life into the serial killer genre. Part romance, serial killer thriller, love story, and missing person’s mystery, “All the Colors of the Dark” is a captivating masterpiece in literary fiction. Set in 1975, young girls are disappearing in the small town of Monte Clare, Missouri. When a local boy named Patch saves a girl from becoming another statistic, his efforts prove futile when his search for answers about the near abduction incident becomes a heartache for him. It is a sprawling new haunting crime story that will steal hours of your day and night and keep you hypnotized in its unique storytelling.

Since reading Julia Heaberlin’s 2015 “Black-Eyed Susans” and 2020’s “We Are All the Same in the Dark,” I have become an instant fan. “Night Will Find You” is Heaberlin’s latest psychological suspense, and you will not be able to put it down once you start it. The story involves sharp, lyrical, tactile prose and draws you into the dark underbelly of a cold-case murder inquiry involving a decades-long mystery of a missing child. A dogged psychic named Vivian explores different avenues looking for clues of the child’s disappearance, putting herself in life-threatening situations, as a rabid podcaster, conspiracy theorists, and an intimidating Texas cop muddle the search, adding more chaos to an already challenging investigation.

In her expertly paced and exciting debut mystery, CL Miller’s “The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder” brings back the immersive mysteries of Agatha Christie-themed adventures. This book is an engaging experience—an utterly precious gem of a read.

Freya Lockwood and her eccentric aunt, Carole, are invited to an isolated English manor when someone murders the estranged antique dealer and Lockwood’s mentor, Arthur Crockleford. It is up to the female duo to investigate a pool of suspects and find a cold-blooded killer in its midst. Antiques and mystery lovers can rejoice with this fast-paced whodunit.

“The Silence in Her Eyes” by Armando Lucas Correa is unforgettable in its Alfred Hitchcock-vibe delivery. Filled with suspense and a familiar Rear Window experience, fans of Paula Hawkins will consume this book in one day.

Leah lives with Akinetopsia, or motion blindness, and she thinks she has witnessed the murder of her next-door neighbor. But she needs to find out if what she saw was real or if it was a trick of her vision.

Liz Nugget’s jaw-dropping original novel, “Strange Sally Diamond,” will leave an indelible mark on you. At the start of the novel, reclusive Sally Diamond is forced out into the world when she tries to cremate her deceased father. Sally’s strange behavior catches the eye of the media, nosy, obsessive neighbors curious about her, and a voice from Sally’s past, hungry for answers about the disconcerting incident. Sally is propelled into the arms of friends, as repressed memories from her hideous early childhood resurface. It is a twisty, life-defining journey for the reader and the characters.

My end-of-the-month summer reading list also includes strong recommendations for books by Bart Yates, Riley Sager, and Josh Malerman.

Thomas Grant Bruso is a Plattsburgh resident who writes fiction and has been an avid reader of genre fiction since he was a kid. Readers and writers are invited to connect and discuss books and writing at www.facebook.com/thomasgrantbruso