Dark Ride by Lou Berney

Twenty-one year-old Hardy Reed's life changes the day he sees two children he believes are being abused. Hardy first reports his suspicions to the authorities, but he realizes they are overworked and probably won't do anything in a timely manner. Growing up in foster care and losing his own mother at a young age have made this event particularly hard for Hardy to forget. After Hardy determines that the children's mother, Tracy, and the kids (Pearl and Jack) are all in danger, he decides he must be the one to save them. But is Hardy, a stoner and underachiever, any match for someone who is truly evil? Dark Ride is a tense, unsettling story. For readers of Lee Child, Thomas Perry, and Dennis Lehane.

The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman

When Kuldesh Sharma, an old friend of Elizabeth's husband, Stephen, is killed, the Thursday Murder Club finds themselves investigating another murder. Joyce, Ron, Ibrahim, and Elizabeth want to uncover Kuldesh's killer-- but why was Kuldesh in possession of heroin that has now gone missing? As the bodies and suspects pile up, the quartet have more questions than answers. Will they again prove that they are better than the police in solving crimes? This fourth book in the series has lots of delightful scenes with a serious undertone throughout the book. The puzzle itself, however, was a bit drawn out.

The Heart of It All by Christian Kiefer

The best days of this small town in north-central Ohio are in the past, but the residents persevere. There's Tom and his wife, Sarah, who are overwhelmed by the death of their infant son. They are the parents to two teenagers, Janey and Charlie. Janey falls for Anthony, who has just moved to town and lives with his aunt, Paula, the only African-American resident. Mary Lou is Tom's co-worker at the local factory, where they make transformers. She spends her evenings with her mother, who is showing signs of dementia. The owner of the factory, Khalid, was born in Pakistan, and lives with his wife, Rafia and two teenagers. The quartet must deal with prejudice and the experience of being outsiders in the community. The Heart of It All tells these stories firsthand, intimately conveying to the reader their fears, hopes, and dreams. A great read-alike for Stewart O'Nan, Say Nice Things About Detroit by Scott Lasser, and The Road to Dalton by Shannon Bowring.

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon

Successful L.A. businesswoman Lana is forced to move in with her daughter Beth and teenage granddaughter Jack near Monterey when she has to have chemotherapy. For always-on-the-go Lana, slowing down and spending time with Beth isn't easy. Beth finds it uncomfortable, too, since they're not that close. When the body of Ricardo Cruz, a naturalist who was working for the local land trust, is found by Jack during one of her kayak tours, she becomes the prime suspect. The trio of women find themselves immersed in the search for Ricardo's killer, as well as mending the differences between them. A fine start to what looks like a new cozy mystery series, although I hope the next entry has even more character development.

Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney

On Mother's Day twenty years ago, a baby is taken from a supermarket, never to be seen again. In the present, Edith is put into a care home by her daughter, Clio. Unhappy there, Edith refuses to leave her room, talking only to Patience, a young woman employed at the facility. In another storyline, Frankie works as a librarian in a prison, missing her daughter, who disappeared a year ago. In Good Bad Girl, the reader follows the characters Edith, Clio, Patience, and Frankie as their lives slowly intersect. A psychological puzzle for people who enjoy Lisa Jewell and Erin Kelly.

The Hike by Lucy Clarke

Liz, Maggie, Helena, and Joni have been friends since childhood. Now in their early thirties, they have been taking an annual vacation together for the past ten years in different locales. This year it's a four day hike in Norway organized by Liz. Each character has emotional baggage that they are carrying with them. For Liz, it's a separation from her husband. Maggie feels the ache of having to leave her daughter with her ex-husband. For Helena, it's finding out she's pregnant. Joni, a famous singer feels that her life is going in the wrong direction. We, the reader, know that a woman is going to be found dead, but who is it? And is there someone else on the trail that wants to harm them? The Hike is a fast-paced story of survival.

A Distant Grave by Sarah Stewart Taylor

Suffolk County homicide detective Maggie D'Arcy and her partner, Dave Milich, are in charge of finding the murderer of Irish aid worker Gabriel Treacy, who was killed in the middle of the night on a Long Island beach. The investigation takes Maggie to Ireland and back, delving into Gabriel's childhood and job in order to find a motive and the person who wanted him dead. A Distant Grave is the second book in Maggie D'Arcy mystery series and is a great read-alike for those who enjoy Elly Griffiths and Deborah Crombie.

Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly

When lawyer Mickey Haller gets client Jorge Ochoa out of prison because he was innocent, it brings a contentment to Mickey that he wants to repeat. With his half-brother, Harry Bosch working as his investigator, the duo are searching for another client that they believe was wrongly imprisoned. Bosch feels that the case of Lucinda Sanz is one worth pursuing. Lucinda was convicted of killing her ex-husband Roberto--a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy. As Bosch delves into the case and Haller prepares for trial, the brothers face an uphill battle to free Lucinda, as there are many who want the truth to stay buried. It will be published in November.