Halley Sutton is a writer and editor who lives in Los Angeles. She is a Pitch Wars mentor and holds a bachelor's degree in creative writing from the University of California Santa Cruz, and a master's degree in writing from Otis College of Art and Design. The Lady Upstairs is her debut novel.
Cross My Heart (2025) Megan Collins "Cross My Heart is a smart-as-a-whip thriller: electric, original, juicy, and full of clever twists and turns. Rosie Lachlan gives major Joe Goldberg vibes in the BEST way - an unhinged heroine fixated on love, with a big heart and an even bigger edge to her. Megan Collins is a master of suspense, with the ability to balance a page-turning plot with absolutely sparkling prose - I am in awe."
Society of Lies (2024) Lauren Ling Brown "Filled with secrets and collegiate scandals, Lauren Ling Brown's Society of Lies takes a deep dive into the darkest side of power - the compromises we make to acquire it, the way it warps us, and what it can take from us. I loved this twisty dark academia thriller!"
It Will Only Hurt for a Moment (2024) Delilah S Dawson "It Will Only Hurt for a Moment is a gloriously creepy and atmospheric horror thriller that smashes the patriarchy from beyond the grave."
The Hitchcock Hotel (2024) Stephanie Wrobel "The Hitchcock Hotel is the perfect fall read: atmospheric, spooky, with so many twists and turns that even Hitchcock himself would've been on the edge of his seat. And like the best of Hitchcock, Stephanie Wrobel's masterful psychological suspense keeps the 'terror in the anticipation of the bang' until the very last second."
It Had to Be You (2024) Eliza Jane Brazier "With all the sexy romance of Before Sunrise, plus the twisty, cat and mouse fun of Killing Eve, It Had to Be You is the perfect steamy summer thriller. I had so much fun following Eliza Jane Brazier's fun, sexy assassins all over Europe, I never wanted it to end. This book will get your pulse racing--for more than one reason."
Bodies to Die For (2024) Lori Brand "Bodies to Die For is a wild, twisty romp through the world of bodybuilding and murder. Brand does an excellent job of showing how diet culture really is hell--no matter the size of your body. A perfect thriller for any readers looking for Ruth Ware meets the podcast Maintenance Phase."
Hurt for Me (2024) Heather Levy "Hurt for Me is a steamy thrill ride with something for everyone: a dark, sexy romance, an exploration into the world of BDSM, a sharp, twisty thriller, and a hopeful exploration of the joy and power of chosen family. Rae Dixon is a heroine to root for!"
California Bear (2024) Duane Swierczynski "With all the wit and style of Elmore Leonard, but way more heart, California Bear is a can't-put-it-down caper, an incisive look at the dark side of true crime 'entertainment,' and a beautifully moving story of a family in crisis learning exactly how far they'll go for each other, all in one. I can't wait to see more of Jack and especially Matilda, who is the kickass twenty-first century successor to Philip Marlowe Los Angeles crime fiction needs. I loved this book!"
Close Enough to Hurt (2023) Katherine A Olson "Close Enough to Hurt is a steamy, sexy debut thriller, sharp as a knife's edge and a rollicking good time. Dylan is a wickedly wonderful protagonist to spend time with - sharp, laugh-out-loud funny, and brave - honestly, we need more like her, both in fiction and real life! I can't wait to read Katherine A. Olson's next book!"
The Night It Ended (2023) Katie Garner "Katie Garner's debut novel is a chilly, twisty ride--think dark academia meets Gillian Flynn. The Night It Ended is both a brooding Gothic mystery set at a boarding school for wayward girls and a jittery domestic thriller and just when you think you've got a handle on the story, Garner pulls the rug out from under you. I couldn't put it down."
Above the Rain (2021) Víctor del Árbol "A sweeping and devastating historical novel, full of suspense, Del Árbol's Above the Rain is a masterclass in the way that trauma is reinforced and repeated throughout generations, with deadly consequences. In Del Árbol's noir-inflected masterpiece, the past is always present, the political is always personal, and love, however fleeting, is the only redeeming grace. I loved every moment of it."
The War Widow (2019) (Billie Walker Mystery, book 1) Tara Moss "Tara Moss's The War Widow is an excellent novel and an even better springboard for its crackerjack heroine: the indomitable Billie Walker. Like a harder-boiled Phryne Fisher meets Martha Gellhorn, Billie is the best kind of heroine: fun, flawed, smart, feminist, and feisty. Even down the darkest of paths—including but not limited to Nazi war profiteers, shady mobsters, cops on the take, and more—Billie is a beacon of light, never losing her sense of justice, or her enjoyment in life (and a good coupe of champagne!). Honestly, I'd follow Billie anywhere."
