Hard Contact by Cameron Curtis is a gripping thriller that hooked from the very first page and didn’t let go until the last page.

The story is about the hijacking of The Medusa, a freighter off the Greek coast and, more importantly the theft of the ship’s cargo – two billion dollars’ worth of gold bullion. The protagonist, Breed, is recruited by the CIA’s deputy director, Anya Stein, to find the Medussa and recover the gold. The story begins with Breed climbing aboard what turns out to be a pirate-ship anchored in a harbour, being discovered by its crew and him escaping underwater. Breed and Stein apply their military and spy experience (and some super-technology provided by friends in the government) to find the pirates, the ship and its cargo. The plot is well-crafted, with plenty of action, suspense and surprises. And of course, the setting, the Greek Islands and a clifftop monastery were picturesque (in my imagination). I thoroughly recommend Hard Contact to all readers of action-thrillers.

I really enjoyed reading Death at Jude’s, the latest whodunnit by Mary Grand, and all of the characters in it.

The story is very well constructed and very well written. It’s an excellent example of the ‘cozy mystery’ genre and is set on Isle of Wight. Susan, the story’s recently-divorced amateur detective is a dog-lover who thought she’d left crime-solving behind when she moved to the Bishopstone village where she is a volunteer helper at the local school and an enthusiastic member of the choir at St Jude’s Church. During a choir committee meeting the village school’s head teacher, Lawrence, has a shocking announcement that will mean the talented choir master whose contacts would help the choir generate much-needed money for the church building, will have to leave the village. Late that night, Lawrence falls from the church tower to his untimely death and when the police decide it was an accident (or perhaps suicide), Susan realizes she must assume the detective role to find the village’s murderer from among the many likely suspects. If you’re into well-written, well-constructed murder mystery/whodunnits with a small-town vibe, this one’s definitely worth a read.

I really enjoyed reading Fatal Harbor by Brendan DuBois; it was the second one I’ve read by this author about this protagonist.

The story flowed smoothly, with a plot that kept me hooked from start to finish, and I found the ending particularly satisfying. The main character is someone I really want to succeed and his powerful enemies to lose. I like that this author puts a lot of care into crafting how the story develops and then wraps up.

Lewis Cole, a columnist and retired Department of Defense analyst, finds himself on another mission to avenge his best friend, Detective Diane Woods, who was almost killed in a protest against nuclear power. Lewis followtracks down her assailant in a journey through Washington DC and a few New Hampshire towns. With a lot of material and moral support from Felix Tinios, a security consultant from Boston’s North End, Lewis faces armed enemies with their own agendas. I found it a gripping plot that tested Lewis’ sleuthing skills and his physical endurance, forcing him to ask just how far he is willing to go to seek justice for his badly injured friend. If you enjoy reading contemporary suspense stories that keep you on the edge of your seat, I highly recommend this book (and I’m certainly looking out for more by this author).

I found The Patient’s Secret by SA Falk an interesting and entertaining read.

The plot kept me engaged, moving along at a pace that kept me turning pages, and the twisty ending left me feeling satisfied. Dr Sharon Stevenson is a forensic psychiatrist engaged to assess whether an arrested suspect/the patient is mentally fit to stand trial. The patient presents a case of Dissociative Disorder with four distinct personalities, which had me scratching my head a bit as I tried to keep track of them. The whole Dissociative Disorder angle was the book’s central dilemma – is it real or just a ruse by the patient to dodge the death penalty? Meanwhile, the backdrop of serial murders, mostly of marginalized young women, adds another layer to the story, especially since Stevenson’s own daughter fits the victim profile. I wished there had been more exploration of this subplot, though. And the big question that kept nagging at me: If the patient’s so savvy as to juggle four personas, why’d they let themselves get caught? Even though Stevenson’s job isn’t to play detective, both she and I couldn’t help wonder if the patient (or any of his 4 personalities) was the real killer. And let me tell you, the best twist in the book comes right when you least expect it. If you enjoy reading suspense with a twist, this one’s definitely worth your time.

Sugar Sands by Deb Davies is set on Michigan’s sunset coast and is quite a page-turner.

When Arnie, a retired police officer, decides to skip out on knee surgery, his wife Laurel decides a relaxing trip to Lake Michigan’s Sunset Coast might do him good. Joining them are their teenage son, Sawyer, and their friends Claire and Charles. There’s an eerie bioluminescent phenomenon in the lake, giving everyone the creeps. Sawyer has a knack for joking about his family’s disasters whenever they hang out with friends, but this time, it’s no joke as trouble brews when his girlfriend takes a job as the live-in scribe for Maeve, an elderly and dying author who speaks with dead children’s ghosts. It all becomes a race against time to find Sawyer’s girlfriend. ‘Sugar Sands’ a gripping, twisting, convoluted suspense/thriller that will keep you interested and entertained from start to finish.