Five Nail-Biting Reads for Summer 2018

Do you love a good suspense novel? I do! And for me, summer is a great season for reading suspense. There is something about the long, warm days that make me feel safer when the words I'm reading turn dark and sinister.

So what books do I suggest? Here is a short list of suspenseful summer reads for 2018. Some of them are romantic, some are thought-provoking and some have villains that will make you double check your locks at night, but one thing they all have in common: prose that will raise goosebumps across your sun-kissed shoulders.


1. BENEATH THE SURFACE by Jeni Grossman

Griggsberg. A Safe Place to Raise a Family.

That's what the sign into town reads, and few people have any reason to think differently. From the stately church on the hill—its magnificent stained-glass windows visible anywhere in the town—to man-made Lake Shiloh dotted by beautiful homes along the shore, an air of peaceful tranquility seems to envelop all of Griggsberg.

But things aren't always as they seem. Years earlier, Lake Shiloh had been a rock quarry—a gaping scar near the outskirts of town. Under suspicious circumstances, the quarry flooded, and Liam Bennigan lost his life. Fifteen years later, his family is still convinced that the flooding and death weren't an accident, and Liam's two militant sons are bent on revenge, prepared to go to any lengths to bring the truth to the light of day—no matter the cost, no matter who gets hurt.
This debut novel was highly-praised in this five-star Amazon review: "Few novices could possibly construct a book that so masterfully maintains the suspense, brings the characters to life and evokes numerous emotions--from laughter to tears. Her descriptions are well done and her dialog believable. It was truly a "great read."

2. ALONE by S.M. Ford

Ready for adventure in the snowy Colorado mountains, Cecelia Gage is thrilled to be employed as the live-in housekeeper for her favorite bestselling author. The twenty-five-year old doesn’t count on Mark Andrews being so prickly, nor becoming part of the small town gossip centering on the celebrity. Neither does she expect to become involved in Andrews family drama and a relationship with Simon Lindley, Mark’s oh so good-looking best friend. And certainly, Cecelia has no idea she’ll be mixed up in a murder investigation. Will Cecelia’s faith in God get her through all the troubles that lie ahead?

"SM Ford has written a wonderful romantic suspense novel...a hard-to-put-down page turner!"

3. THE INSIDER by Sian Ann Bessey

After an arduous assignment in the desert of Afghanistan, investigative journalist Ben Cooper is completely unprepared for what awaits him upon his return to Kabul. Two weeks ago, his twin brother, Jed, was killed in a car accident—and Ben was given guardianship of Jed’s daughter, Zoe. Setting aside his grief, Ben rushes to Salt Lake only to find escalating chaos—and a rising mystery. Jed’s heartless ex-wife and her powerful husband have taken Zoe, and forensic evidence indicates that Jed’s demise was no accident. Now Ben must draw on his arsenal of investigative expertise to uncover the truth about his brother’s death and to save his niece from a terrifying conspiracy more deadly than he could have imagined.
From an Amazon 5-star review: "A story as perfectly crafted as a Swiss watch; flawless timing, seamless movement, clear and accurate, precision at it's finest. I enjoyed every minute of this story."

4. SHROUDED MEMORY by Krista Wagner

What You Don’t Remember Can Hurt You. After surviving a shark attack, Rian becomes haunted by disturbing memories of a past traumatic incident and begins to suspect that her previous assailants may be those closest to her. But more chilling is her fear that they are somehow connected to the shark attack and want her dead. Rian must overcome her fear of sharks to uncover the truth of her past before the darkness pulls her under.
One five-star reviewer wrote: "This book was very thrilling and had too many twists in it to count. It definitely kept me on my toes throughout the entire thing."

5. A PLACE BETWEEN BREATHS  by Jennifer Froelich

When FBI Agent Rachel Mueller flies to Mexico’s Copper Canyon to recover the body of a missing American college student, she's partnered with Mexican federal agent Marius Suarez, a man she knew and loved years ago when he used an alias and worked undercover for the DEA. 
Working together while trying to sort out their troubled past, Rachel and Marius discover evidence of more murders – all committed by a man who sees himself as the reincarnate Tezcatlipoca, Aztec god of deception. As their investigation becomes complicated by corruption on both sides of the border, their renewed trust for each other is strained. 
Racing against a timetable that matches the Aztec calendar, their investigation leads them back through the myth of the gods, the crumbling streets of Juarez and into the deepest corners of the Copper Canyon. When the killer kidnaps his next victim, Rachel and Marius are forced to make their own choice: protect their growing love for each other, or sacrifice everything for the greatest love of all.
A Place Between Breaths was awarded an honorable mention in the highly-competitive genre fiction category in Writer's Digest's 23rd Self-Published Book competition, earning a perfect score. Writer's Digest's judge wrote: "I loved this story! It is a well-written, suspenseful, crime-investigation novel that also highlights the problems of border crossings, the Mexican drug cartels, dirty DEA officers and police officers as well as their truly courageous counterparts."