Lisa Unger is an award-winning New York Times and international bestselling author. Her novels have sold over 1 million copies in the US and have been translated into 26 different languages.
She was born in New Haven, Connecticut but grew up in the Netherlands, England, New Jersey and New York, where she graduated from the New School for Social Research. Lisa now divides her time, along with her husband and daughter, between Florida and New York City.
Don't Let the Devil Ride (2024) Ace Atkins "Ace Atkins is the Southern noir king. I've been reading him since his debut, and I am consistently wowed by the layers and depth of his characters, the crackling authenticity of his dialogue, and the elegance of his prose. Edgy, richly atmospheric, and often darkly funny, Don't Let the Devil Ride is the work of a master storyteller at the top of his game. A must-read!"
Blood Rubies (2024) Mailan Doquang "Smart, edgy, and rocket-paced, BLOOD RUBIES is a thrill ride, packed with international intrigue, lushly drawn settings, and thrilling action. You'll be breathless as whip-smart jewel thief Rune Sarasin steals a pouch of rubies, races her motorbike through the streets of Bangkok, then jets off to the glamorous auction houses of New York City to save the people she loves. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Don't miss this fresh and exciting debut from newcomer Mailan Doquang-she's a writer to watch."
Five Bad Deeds (2023) Caz Frear "Caz Frear writes with depth, intensity and insight as she relentlessly turns the screws of suspense. An involving, layered, and thrilling story of secrets, lies, and revenge, Five Bad Deeds takes us far beneath the surface of suburban bliss into the dark heart of human desire. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Riveting!"
Dark Ride (2023) Lou Berney "Poor Hardly Reed! There he is, just peacefully floating through life on a marijuana cloud, working in a rundown amusement park, when he encounters two kids he suspects are being abused. For once in his life he realizes he can't stand by and do nothing. Obsession leads him down a heart-wrenching and twisting path, populated by a richly drawn cast of weird and lovable characters and dangerous scenarios. Dark Ride is moving, deeply involving, funny, breathless, and I loved every single page of Hardly's harrowing journey from stoner to sleuth."
Black River Orchard (2023) Chuck Wendig "An epic saga that is at once a propulsive horror novel and a parable, a thriller and a cautionary tale, Black River Orchard is the immensely talented Chuck Wendig at his finest."
Broadway Butterfly (2023) Sara DiVello "Sara DiVello transports us to a glitzy, glamorous, and dangerous 1920s New York City in this pacy, twisting mystery. Through her layered, intriguing cast of characters, DiVello boldly takes on issues of class, gender, race, and corruption, while ratcheting up the tension page after gripping page. Broadway Butterfly is classic noir suspense with a beating heart, and DiVello is a writer to watch."
Windfall (2023) Wendy Corsi Staub "A winning lottery ticket, a haunted California mansion, and raging wildfires provide the tense and atmospheric backdrop for Wendy Corsi Staub's riveting and engrossing new thriller. I devoured this novel about the price of friendship and the things we'll do for love and money in one breathless sitting. Rocket-paced and full of unexpected twists, Windfall is a knockout! A summer must-read!"
Wednesdays at One (2023) Sandra A Miller "Intriguing, atmospheric, and masterfully written - hooked me from the first scene. I'm still thinking about this layered and gripping novel."
The Block Party (2023) Jamie Day "What could be more idyllic and all-American than the gathering of neighbors, friends, and family at a holiday block party? But as this group of wealthy, gorgeous people come together to eat and drink, celebrating life and each other, beneath the beautiful serene surface is a labyrinth of betrayals, secrets, and lies. Character rich, utterly propulsive, and wise, THE BLOCK PARTY delivers an unflinching look into the painful twist of family dysfunction, infidelity, parenthood, and marriage. Jamie Day has a bone-deep knowledge of what makes us tick, what binds us together, and what tears us apart. This is a thriller with a soul, and Day is a writer to watch."
Before She Finds Me (2023) Heather Chavez "Slick, smart, layered and full of surprises, Before She Finds Me will have you hooked on page one and guessing as you breathlessly turn the pages. With her complex female characters and expert plotting, Chavez takes her readers on a wild, unpredictable ride. So grab this book and buckle up!"
Pieces of Blue (2023) Holly Goldberg Sloan "Struggling with grief, daring to hope, and working to make a wild, gorgeous, and mysterious place their home, each beautifully drawn character comes alive and finds a way into your heart. Pieces of Blue is a powerful, tender novel with a mystery at its heart. Don't miss it!"
Keep Her Secret (2023) Mark Edwards "From the breathtaking first scene to the stunning conclusion, the superbly talented Mark Edwards takes readers on an almost unbearably suspenseful thrill ride in Keep Her Secret. Edwards never lets up on the throttle... With breakneck pacing, perfect plotting, and layered, flawed characters, Edwards makes sure this story will stay with you long after the book is closed. Don't miss it!"
Between Two Strangers (2023) Kate White "Kate White's formidable talent for turning the screws of suspense is on full display in this deliciously addictive chiller. With her perfect pacing and gift for simmering tension, White deftly pulls back the delicate layers of secrets and lies, page by thrilling page. Whip-smart, elegant, and utterly immersive, Between Two Strangers is as impossible to predict as it is to put down."
Ozark Dogs (2023) Eli Cranor "Raw, gritty, and darkly beautiful noir at its finest. Cranor digs deep into the hard places, the hard choices that crush and grind. And he does so with great tenderness for his flawed and broken characters as they seek revenge, cling to honor, and sacrifice everything for family. This is a writer to watch."
The House Guest (2023) Hank Phillippi Ryan "Ryan is at the top of her game in this fiendishly clever, rocket-paced thrill ride. But as in all great thrillers, the propulsive story and hairpin turns are just the beginning. THE HOUSE GUEST is also a deep dive into friendship, loyalty, and wresting back your power from a dangerous man - even when he's your husband. Another stellar outing for powerhouse Ryan."
It's One Of Us (2023) J T Ellison "J.T. Ellison is one of my favorite authors. I eagerly await everything she writes. And in IT'S ONE OF US she is at the very top of her formidable game. Don't miss this layered, emotional, and twisting thrill ride."
The Widow (2022) Kaira Rouda "What happens when 'the woman behind the man' has a dark secret of her own? Slick and rocket-paced, The Widow by Kaira Rouda is a top-notch political thriller. With hairpin twists and turns, insider knowledge, glamorous settings, and a whole cast of untrustworthy characters, Rouda expertly ratchets the tension, keeping her readers breathlessly turning the pages. And the deliciously devious Jody Asher is as cold and calculating as she is riveting. A captivating read!"
Anywhere You Run (2022) Wanda M Morris "Wise, riveting, and full of surprises, Anywhere You Run will keep you up past your bedtime and stay with you long after the book is closed."
Imposter (2022) Bradeigh Godfrey "As slick and slippery as a dark, icy road, Imposter has it all. With its rocket-paced plot, and deep dive into the abyss of family dysfunction and traumatic brain injury, Godfrey's deft debut grabs from the electric first pages and holds tight through the stunning conclusion. Tense, immersive, and smart, this is a must-read for fans of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen."
Kismet (2022) Amina Akhtar "Amina Akhtar had me at ravens! Then she kept me turning the pages with her colorful cast of characters, keen insights, and layered, engaging heroine. Kismet is darkly funny, sharply observant, and full of surprises. Don't miss this utterly original and wildly entertaining thriller."
Two Nights in Lisbon (2022) Chris Pavone "An elegantly twisting, lyrical, rocket-paced international thriller of the first order. With sterling prose, layered characters, searing insights, and gripping suspense, Chris Pavone writes with a deep knowledge of the world we live in - its many injustices, flaws, and the bending, dangerous road we sometimes must take to justice."
Dance Among the Flames (2022) Tori Eldridge "Tautly written, mystical, and action-packed DANCE AMONG THE FLAMES will take you on a wild, thrilling ride through centuries and continents. Eldridge is at the top of her game, delivering an irresistibly sweeping adventure that will linger long after the gripping story ends. Don't miss it!"
Hold Me Down (2021) Clea Simon "Lyrical, layered, and full of surprises. Simon has penned a raw and emotional thriller with a heartbeat, about lost dreams and missing friends, regrets and buried memories, the final note reminding us that it’s never too late to start again. Provocative, moving, and suspenseful."
The Last Mona Lisa (2021) Jonathan Santlofer "THE LAST MONA LISA is a pacy, seductive international thriller of the first order. With its seamless blend of action, intriguing maze of family secrets, and the gripping, emotional journal entries of a long-dead art thief, this is a transporting novel, made all the more captivating because of the true story at its heart. Don't miss it!"
The Stranger Behind You (2021) Carol Goodman "Carol Goodman’s The Stranger Behind You is at once a ripped-from-the-headlines thriller, a powerful meditation on the deep bonds and power of female friendship, and a colorful glimpse of New York City old and new. In a twisting, mesmerizing story that is as beautifuly written as it is utterly propulsive, Goodman weaves a dream that blends the past and the present, takes us deep into the hearts and souls of her characters, and keeps us breathlessly turning the pages right to the shocking and poignant end. I absolutely loved this layered and moving novel!"
For Your Own Good (2021) Samantha Downing "Downing's spare prose packs a wallop as she deftly ratchets up the suspense with every hairpin turn of this lean, mean, surprising, and utterly propulsive thriller."
Closing Costs (2021) Bracken MacLeod "From the explosive first pages, through every hairpin twist and turn, and right to the shocking final scenes, Bracken MacLeod expertly ratchets up the suspense page by breathless page in this stellar home invasion thriller."
Choose Me (2021) Gary Braver and Tess Gerritsen "Don’t miss this edgy, twisting, rocket-paced story of marriage, betrayal, and the damage we do to each other in the name of love."
You Will Remember Me (2021) Hannah Mary McKinnon "Riveting, smart, and utterly diabolical. You Will Remember Me is psychological suspense of the first order. Hannah Mary McKinnon knows how to keep us gripped and gasping at each layer revealed, each twist that we never see coming. Skillfully wrought and expertly executed, this chiller will keep you mesmerized right through the jaw-dropping ending. Don't miss it!"
When the Stars Go Dark (2021) Paula McLain "Lyrical and beautiful . . . a riveting deep dive into trauma, survival, and obsession. With her deeply flawed and utterly compelling heroine, elegant prose, and layered, twisting story, Paula McLain has penned an extraordinary novel of literary suspense, as gripping as it is unique and unforgettable."
Never Far Away (2021) Michael Koryta "Michael Koryta is a powerful and masterful writer with bone-deep understanding of his characters, and a gift for perfectly- paced suspense. With its transporting sense of place, and elegantly layered but utterly breathless story, Never Far Away is the raw, emotional, and riveting work of a craftsman at the top of his game. By far one of the best books I've read this year."
Do No Harm (2021) Christina McDonald "Do No Harm is a pulse-pounding deep dive into the dark heart of addiction. The stakes couldn't be higher in this smart, breathlessly-paced, and emotional novel about love, family, and how far we'll go when our child's life hangs in the balance. Riveting, ripped from the headlines, and not to be missed."
Girls of Brackenhill (2020) Kate Moretti "A looming castle, a woman haunted by her sister’s unsolved disappearance, and long buried secrets clawing their way up to the surface—Kate Moretti deftly weaves it all together in a gripping gothic ghost story of the first order. Girls of Brackenhill is full of chills, thrills, and dark surprises. You won’t stop turning the pages until the stunning end—and even then you’ll be sleeping with the lights on. Don’t miss it!"
The Second Mother (2020) Jenny Milchman "Rich in atmosphere, expertly plotted, and populated by characters that live and breathe, The Second Mother is as much a portrait of survival and redemption as it is a harrowing deep dive into the secrets and troubles of an isolated island in Maine. Jenny Milchman writes with insight and compassion, creating a vivid sense of place, and masterfully ratcheting up the tension page by gripping page."
The Mountains Wild (2020) (Maggie D'arcy, book 1) Sarah Stewart Taylor "Atmospheric and lyrical, THE MOUNTAINS WILD is that rare thing -- a riveting thriller with a beating heart. In this beautifully wrought portrait of love and family, secrets and lies, Sarah Stewart Taylor dives deep into character, all the while ratcheting up the suspense, page by gripping page, through to the stunning end."
(Faye Adelheim, book 1) Camilla Läckberg "The Golden Cage is a twisting, brutal tale of betrayal and revenge. Lackberg paints a vivid portrait of a dark and complicated anti-heroine who is both the abused and abuser, victim and victimizer. A chilling, timely read sure to thrill her international legion of fans!"
All Your Twisted Secrets (2020) Diana Urban "In her smart and gripping debut, Diana Urban crafts a classic Agatha Christie-style mystery with a thoroughly modern twist. Cleverly plotted and full of surprises, All Your Twisted Secrets marks the arrival of an exciting new voice in YA suspense."
Last Day (2020) (Detective Conor Reid, book 1) Luanne Rice "A dark family history. A deeply flawed marriage. The complicated tangle of the ties that bind. Luanne Rice writes with authenticity and empathy, unflinchingly exploring her characters and diving into the shadowy spaces where they hide their secrets. Like all great stories, Last Day is a compulsive, twisting mystery dwelling inside a searing portrait of what drives us, as riveting as it is human and true."
A Madness of Sunshine (2019) Nalini Singh "Lush, atmospheric, and addictive, A Madness of Sunshine seduces with its beautiful sense of place and layered, compelling characters, then hooks you right in with a riveting noir mystery. When a beautiful girl goes missing and a dark past collides with the brutal present, the truth is as harsh and unforgiving as the landscape in which Nalini Singh's twisting tale is set."
Saving Meghan (2019) D J Palmer "Smart, chilling, and full of hairpin turns, Saving Meghan is highwire suspense of the first order."
The Liar's Child (2019) Carla Buckley "Carla Buckley has a rare gift for character. In The Liar’s Child, she digs deep into the hearts of the troubled, flawed, and all-too-human souls who populate this beautifully written and utterly involving novel. I didn’t so much open the jacket on this book as fall inside the compelling story and get tangled up in all the lives, loves, broken dreams, and mistakes. Then I held tight, white knuckled, through the twisting inexorable ride."
Restoration Heights (2019) Wil Medearis "An atmospheric and poetic noir debut. Wil Medearis paints a vivid portrait of the changing face of New York City while crafting a compelling old-school mystery against that gritty, thoroughly modern backdrop. A Brooklyn artist turned private investigator—such a clever premise! And its stellar execution—rich with character, and sparking with the friction of all the city's hard edges of race, culture and class—is utterly immersive."
Jason Starr "A rocket-paced, propulsive, and utterly addictive thrill-ride. Jason Starr is a master of ratcheting up the suspense page-by-page, making it totally impossible to look away."
Somebody's Daughter (2018) David Bell "Somebody's Daughter is a compulsive, twisty, race-against-the-clock thriller. But it’s also a sensitive meditation on what connects us to each other--and what we’ll do to hold on when life tears us apart. Don’t miss this smart and unrelenting page-turner!"
The Disappearing (2018) Lori Roy "As dark and atmospheric as a Northern Florida summer night, The Disappearing is Lori Roy at the top of her game. Her simmering tale is, at the heart, a compelling mystery. But it’s also a deep meditation on family and the secrets and lies that can twist through our lives like a strangler fig. The powerful sense of place and a haunting cast of characters linger long after the book is closed. If you haven’t read Lori Roy, now is the time."
The Banker's Wife (2018) Cristina Alger "The Banker's Wife is a glamorous and twisting novel of international intrigue, the secrets and lies that stitch a marriage together, and a wife's desperate search to understand the husband she thought she knew. The rocket-paced plot and transporting sense of place will sweep you away, but it’s the smart, determined women at the heart of the story that keep you riveted through the breathless ending. Cristina Alger delivers on every level."
Three Days Missing (2018) Kimberly Belle "A missing child, a ticking clock-every parent's worst nightmare come true. Kimberly Belle delivers the goods-a rocket-paced story with a heart that will keep you riveted through every hairpin twist and turn. Breathless suspense!"
The Real Michael Swann (2018) Bryan Reardon "The Real Michael Swann is a twisting, heart-wrenching journey into a marriage, a gripping thriller, and the story of a family ripped apart by terrible violence. Bryan Reardon grabs his readers on page one, then deftly ratchets the suspense page-by-page revealing slim fragments of truth until the breathless ending. A chilling, haunting read."
Jar of Hearts (2018) Jennifer Hillier "We all have embarrassing exes, right? You almost feel bad for Geo, the slippery heroine at the heart of Jennifer Hillier’s dark and twisted tale. It’s just that Geo's ex turns out to be a serial killer. And, maybe, just maybe, she had something to do with his first murder; and, oh, that first murder victim was one of Geo’s best friends. Hmm. I was hooked on page one. Hillier’s masterful story-telling and compelling voice pulled me deeper and deeper. The plot only twisted and ratcheted tighter from there until I couldn’t pull away. This is a smart, edgy thriller with lots of surprises. Buckle up."
Liar's Candle (2018) August Thomas "Tightly-plotted, well-written, and astute, Liar’s Candle is a remarkable debut. August Thomas delivers an atmospheric and twisty spy thriller that manages to be both assured and fresh. With a colorful, authentic sense of place, a rocket-paced plot full of deception and betrayal, and a young, naive heroine, Penny Kessler, at its center, this is both an exciting story of espionage and a compelling coming of age tale."
The Elizas (2018) Sara Shepard "A twisting, clever thriller with a smart, darkly funny, and totally unreliable narrator at its heart. I was rooting for the troubled, sharp-tongued Eliza, even as Shepard deftly blurred those very thin lines between lies and the truth, fact and fiction. A sizzler!"
The Take (2018) (Simon Riske, book 1) Christopher Reich "The Take is a slick, elegant, and gripping spy thriller of the first order. With a brilliant heist, a twisting web of secrets and intrigue, and an adrenaline-fueled plot, Reich whisked me out of my world and into his from the explosive first pages. Simon Riske is my favorite kind of hero--flawed, dark, and utterly intriguing. Fabulous!"
Michelle Sacks "A sinister, razor's edge of a book. I was, in turn, totally gripped, completely unsettled, and not just a little freaked out by these brutal characters and the damage they did to themselves and each other. Whatever you feel while reading this dark, twisting story, you definitely won't be able to put it down."
Not a Sound (2017) Heather Gudenkauf "This is a thrill ride to be sure, but it's also a gripping tale of tragedy and redemption. If you haven't read Heather Gudenkauf yet, now's the time."
Unreliable (2017) Lee Irby "Creepy, twisted, darkly funny, and totally riveting, Lee Irby's Unreliable kept me guessing from the first page to last. You'll be off kilter the whole ride on this tilt-a-whirl of a book, and you'll enjoy every second."
The Killing Lessons (2015) (Valerie Hart, book 1) Saul Black (Glen Duncan) "The Killing Lessons is a dark, twisted, and deeply compelling read. Saul Black perfectly inhabits each of his characters, even the most deranged among them, and weaves a breathless thriller that is as beautiful as it is terrifying."
Descent (2015) Tim Johnston "A pulse-pounding thriller of the first order...a truly captivating read."
(Kick Lannigan, book 1) Chelsea Cain "Chelsea Cain's One Kick has all the bones of a great thriller--a high-octane story that will never let you catch your breath, non-stop action, and twists galore. But it's Kick Lannigan that really gives this stellar read its heart and soul. Kick is a total badass, armed and dangerous. But you'll cheer for her, worry about her--and you'll pray that, if you ever meet anyone like her, she'll be on your side. Chelsea Cain has outdone herself -- and that's no small feat."
The Winter People (2014) Jennifer McMahon "Jennifer McMahon is a writer of exceptional talent, and The Winter People is a hypnotic, gripping and deeply moving thriller. With her beautifully drawn characters and complex, layered, and suspenseful story, McMahon has woven a dream from which I didn't want to wake--and couldn't have even if I wanted to."
(b.1970)
