Hi Amy. Welcome to What your next podcast. Hey Laura, so happy to have you back. So tell us where you have an up to. Thank you for having me back. Just getting ready for fall deep into the fall reading mood. Yeah. I want either like cozy fall romances or creepy thrillers. And I'm excited to talk to you about thrillers today. Awesome. All right, so today we're talking about creepy thrillers. You gotta mix for this. For the listeners who are listening, I actually am a newish thriller reader, so I go to Amy for my recommendations of, okay, I need something that's just like creepy murder, creepy husband or something twisty. And so Amy will give me plot driven fast pace. Thrillers that I get to do. So I binge on my recent binge was Freida McFadden. I've done Kristin Modglin or K Mo, I think it is. I dunno how to say K. Yeah, that's what I always think. But her name always. So all those thrillers. But sometimes I just pick the regular thrillers and so I usually go to Amy's three account and I check out what she has read and I'm like, okay, maybe I'll try that one based on her rating. So I'm very excited to hear your recommendations 'cause you curated a list for us. I did, I tried to pick five different books with, for a little thing for everyone, and I tried to do, some traditionally published, some indie, so some I listened on audio, so I'll give you a little breakdown when we get to 'em. But yes, I tried and I tried to pick books that some of them are popular, but some of 'em I hope that are not like, oh my god, I've heard of this book 500 times already. Yeah. Something different. Yeah. Yeah. I'm excited because I feel like we, we pretty diversely, like you read a lot and read like different genres, like not just the popular bestsellers, like I can find hidden down from people that I'm like, oh, I did not know like this one existed, or this person does like, really does this really well. And so that's where I like about your reading taste. I can appreciate that. I can find someone who I trust read something that's not normally being seen. Yeah. Thank you. I appreciate that. Because like I said, I am okay. I read a lot of popular authors, like I've read like all of Riley Sagar and like a co. There's at least one of the books on this list that's been pretty popular, I think on Instagram right now. And it's a traditionally published one, so I have no problem with that. But I like to try to find other things too. I don't, I'm not one that just wants to only read a thriller that's published by the Big five or whatever. Like I want the hidden gem as well too. And I have KU too. I wanna be finding those. Those thriller gsu, it's easy to find the romance. I think it's harder for me, at least on KU to find the good thriller. Yeah, sometimes you have to really dig deep. I don't find a lot of recommendations, so I'm like, if they're not out there, then I'm gonna try to find them so I can give people recommendations because it's hard to find thriller. Ux, I think compared to, yeah, I, yeah, I, when I was in Freida and my Frida journey, that probably came to a start with a coworker. I haven't met it made it past 20%. I downloaded a bunch of thrillers that I wanted to try, and then I just was like, then my feed was like, my KU feed was all thrillers, but I was like. Yeah. But if they're not gonna be good, like it's such a, I know Twitter are hard to write, like they're not this it's not this ongoing luster. Like you have to plot it out. You have to figure out the twist. Yeah. And you have to give us clues, but not too early and not to figure it out. Because then it's like the sweet moment you're losing and you have to go blind. That's the other part like. Totally, and there's nothing worse than reading the thriller that's completely predictable all the way through. Like in a romance, we don't care. We know what we're getting with those if it's predictable, whatever. But in the thriller, you don't pick one up, so you're like, oh, I wanna know exactly what's gonna happen. Yeah, you want that shock value. You wanna at least be a little bit surprised, and I don't mind some predictability. I've read way too many thrillers to expect every author to completely blindside me. It's great when it does happen. Of course. But I still want to be like engaged and wondering what's gonna happen and not knowing, oh, this is for sure where this author's going, because there's been a couple thrillers where within 10 pages you're like, well, I already know what's gonna happen here. And then you read it and you're like, yep, that was great. That's never. Oh my gosh. All right, let's get to the recommendations. So, alright. Alright. The first one I'm bringing is the September House by Carissa Orlando. And this is a debut, it's a thriller, but I, what I really liked about this is it was like a blend of a bunch of different things. So quick synopsis, it's about Margaret and Hal and they buy their dream Victorian home at a really good price, but there's a reason for that. Every September, the house is completely haunted. Creepy shit happens. Blood on the walls, ghosts, I don't even wanna say anymore, but it's only in September. So Margaret, I'll deal. I will deal with this. It's my dream home. She doesn't care after I think it's four years. How is, I'm not dealing with it anymore. He is gone. He leaves. So basically it's what happened after her husband leaves and. I don't really wanna say more about the plot, but if you like the sounds of that it blends horror, a family drama. Hello. Maybe I can talk Dark humor and a psychological thrillist. So it was super unique. There was times where I was cracking up. There was some of the, like even the Little Ghost things were funny and then there's times where it's not funny, like it's not overly funny by any means, but it was just a good balance. It was probably one of the more unique books I read lately, but. That would be perfect for getting you into a spooky season mode For sure. I'm adding this one. It was a lot of fun. I'm adding this one for October, just to have some ghost stories. Yeah, it's, and it was really good. I wasn't quite sure how it was all gonna end. I liked the way, everything, and it was a five star for me, and I love the audio. I can't remember who the narrator was. But she, it's narrated by Margaret and she captured that middle aged mom kind of voice perfectly as they're talking about who this character is. I'm like, oh my God, it sounds big. She was just one of those incredible, so that one was really fun and I've been to audiobook in 24 hours because I was just having such a blast with it. Adding that as an audiobook, My next pick was the book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James. Have you ever read her, Laura? No. I have not read her all. I received a couple of her books from Berkeley just because of the relationship that I have with Berkeley, but I have not read her books. She's great. She's been consistently a solid author for me, and I picked this one just because I think it fits good for Suzie's season, but I really have liked all of her books. And this one is about she's a true crime blogger. Which I like that aspect of it. I'm always a sucker for podcasting or blogging or nice. Anything, especially with a true crime spin. Yes. Totally into that. And she ends up interviewing a woman named Beth, who was acquitted of two full case murders back in 1977. The present timeline is 2017, so it flips back and forth, which I like that if it's well done, like the past and the present, and it keeps you on your toes. Definitely. And this has a little bit of a hint of the supernatural too, and that's one thing I really like about Simone's book is that she does supernatural. I call it supernatural. Because it's like grounded in reality, like to where you think, oh, this could really happen some of that way out there. Supernatural stuff. I'm like, I can't get behind because I'm just like, no way is that gonna happen. But she does a really good job at this of keeping it, where's spooky enough to freak you out? But it freaks me out even more because I'm like, oh my God, that could really happen. Ooh. That kind of thing. And she's really good at creating a good atmosphere and there's a spooky house and all that. So that's another reason why I picked this book, like I said, because the atmosphere. The spookiness, it's just like perfect fall vibe. Adding that one too. You do so many. Yeah. But like I said, any of her books have been really good for me. Yeah. She one out in 2024 that I'm really excited about too. But she's one that's like pretty much auto read for me after I've read two or three books and I know they're good. I'm like, okay. Yep, she's good. She's really good. And you should definitely fire if you're looking for a fall thriller. Yeah. Okay, what do I have next? Oh, this was a good one. It's romantic defense. It's where the blame lies by Mia Sheridan. Have you read any of her books? No, I've heard about Archer's voice for as long as I've been a reader, a romance reader, and I, for some reason, I have avoided it. Maybe because it was, maybe it was picked by trad pub that was expensive and, but I, she's all the rave and I know she writes like really good. I think Allie brought her one of her thrillers up. So I am curious about her from that standpoint. Not from the romance, but maybe from the thriller. Yes, the suspense standpoint. I actually got this recommendation from Ally for this one because I've seen her obviously Mia's books floating around and they seem like very angsty romance. Yeah. Which I wasn't really in the mood for, but then when she told me about this one, so this is actually the first in A duet. You don't have to read both of them if you don't want to. I did because I liked the first one so much. And it's labeled as a romantic suspense. I would say it had, it was so suspenseful. It was definitely a thriller to me. Yes, there was romance and everything like that, but it wasn't like light suspense, like sometimes romantic suspense can be. It was super intense and super graphic and it was really good. But basically it's about a girl named Josie. She was kidnapped when she was 19 and she was held prisoner for 10 months in like brutal conditions. And then she escaped after those 10 months. And I won't talk about that too much 'cause that was really interesting. But it's eight years later and there's a body of a woman that was found in very similar conditions to when she was held captive and, but her captor committed suicide. So the cops are like, what is even happening here? She is dead. Why is there a woman that's so much like her? And so enter Zach, who's the detective? And that's where the romantic system side and all that comes in, but it was really dark, really gritty, really disturbing. So this is definitely one to not read if you're just only used to reading like popcorn, thrillers, and not too much porn and gut. If there's kidnapping, there's sexual abuse triggers for everything. But if that kind of stuff doesn't bother you, this was really freaking good. I need to be in the right way for this one. It sounds off my alley, but at the same time, I need to be in the right way. And if you're going to read both books, don't read the synopsis for the second one because it'll ruin stuff. So just go in blind. Don't read anymore about any of 'em and just, I did audio on these too. Yeah, both of them were really good. Excellent. Audio. And another one that I was like 24 hours done, and then I messaged Dell and was like, do I need to read the next book? Because it's not like you wanna read it 'cause it's a cliffhanger. The story's tied up so you can easily read it on its own. But she was like, oh my God, yes. And don't read who it's about. And then as soon as it started, I was like, no way. It was really good. She did a really good job with that. But it really made me think, okay, I need to read more from this author. I know she, she writes a little bit across the romance genre, but I'm excited to read some more of her stuff. I don't know if it'll be arch's voice, but I'm definitely gonna try some more of them. That for sure. Yeah. Okay, let's see what I have next. Oh, this one is a, I think it's a under the radar kind of hidden d It's called, we're All Lying by Marie still. Okay. I can, I think it came out like in March, so it's been out a little while. I don't think that it's on ku, but I think it was an indie publisher. I can't remember. Yeah, this is a good popcorn domestic spoiler. It's out Cats. She's married, mother of two, and she gets this email from this woman named Emma. And finds out that her husband has an re and Emma starts taunting her, stalking her, and then Emma disappears. And guess who's the number one suspect cast? So that's pretty much all you need to know about that one. Yeah, and I loved this because it's, again, I remember talking to Ally and we're like, oh my God, I love that this book is called We're All Lying. 'cause it's like it's upfront with who's telling the truth, right? Yeah. 'cause you hear from all these different people and the whole time it's multiple point of view. You're trying to figure out like. What happened? Is Emma even dead? Did she just go into hiding, like his cast lying? Obviously we know Hus, the husband, I think his name was Ethan's lying because he has a mistress, so you can't trust him. But it was just one of those really fun popcorn. Juicy. Yeah, unbelievable. But just fun, twisty. Sit on the couch and one day and read it. Kind of fun read. Yeah. Oh, you have me a popcorn thriller and this one is just, has all the domestic, the mistress, the who's lying, who's doing this. It's just, it's, it has all the goodness, all the drama that I'm looking for. The drama. Yes. And I know people get sick of domestic or neighborhood thrillers with the cheating husband and the mistress, but I don't get sick of it. If the author can put her own little unique twist on it. I am so in, and I felt like she did a pretty dang good job. Of putting her own spin on it here, but yeah, I'm not, I don't think I'll ever be sick of that. It's Real Housewives like I'm never sick of their drama. No. Same kind of thing. It feeds that drama for me. I'm so into it. No, it's just like I, I think it feeds into this, I love gossip. And You like gossip. Yes. Like I love, there's something to be said about gossip, other people's gossip, other people's drama. Like I just wanna consume it. This is my passion, my, I grew up in a place where gossip was worship, and so absolutely I am all of that. And so I find books like popcorn thrillers, like about cheating this, cheating that. I just gobble them. 'cause I'm like, I just wanna know. No, same. I eat that stuff up too, because if I don't want Don in my own life, no, absolutely not. But if it's someone else's and I can be nosy and find out all the details, I am all about that. Even if it's some big characters. Yep. Give it to me. Yep. It's just like my take on TikTok. I like TikTok, but I feel like sometimes I waste hours and learning all people's drama. 'cause TikTok gives you the story and then you go like back to the other part two, part three of the story, and you're like, I'm learning. About someone cheated on this one or someone did this, or we all dating the same guy and I'm like, I'm here for it. Like it's the same idea like in book four. I'm like, I just need that constructed in a way that I'm just like, I'm just here for that drama. Yeah, totally. You can get, yeah, TikTok, you can go down the rabbit hole. I have to watch myself sometimes and be like, how long have I been on this app? Because you can really get going and going from a couch to account and story to story. It's a lot. Yeah, so that's funny. But I'm bumping this one to number one, so that's gonna be like the one Okay. Downloading today. Okay. Let me see if this one might get your attention too. Okay. This could be up, this is my last one. It's called The Wife Before by Shanora Williams. And she has, she's a romance author too. Yeah. I've only read her thrillers. I've had really great luck with two and one, not so much, but this is. It's my favorite of the three thrillers of hers that I've written. I would like to try a romance because she's a good writer, but her thrillers are the per, like we were just saying, perfect weekend. S let me tell you what this one's about. It's Samira. She meets this guy named Roland. He's wealthy. He's a pro golfer. He totally doles her. They have a whirlwind romance and a quickie marriage, and then he finds old journals from his late wife, Melanie. She died in a tragic accident, so Sounds like we've heard that story before. Yeah, right. That is not a new plot. I remember when I first read the synopsis, I was like maybe I'll try that. But that really sounds like five other million books that we've read. I'm telling you, it is not exactly what you think. It is not as clear cut as it makes it seem. It's not, oh, I've read that thriller before. It's fast, juicy it, it reads like a soap opera. It. It was really good. I freaking loved it and I loved that. I went into it thinking like, all right, I'm gonna read this. Shelly at Shelly's book Corner had given me the recommendation. Yeah. And I was like, all right, I'm gonna read it. 'cause Shelly said it was good, and she doesn't usually steer me wrong. And the whole time, not the whole time, but like a good chunk of the time, I was like, all right, I could see what's happening here. Oh, the wife died in a tragic accident. Wonder what's going on here. And then when you, everything does come together, I was like, okay. She was right. This was good. So that those last two are my. Popcorn, domestic. If you want something quick brain candy, like I can just read this. Set out the world. Those were both excellent choices for that. So I, those will probably be up your alley out of all the ones I shared. I'm think those too are for you Laura. Yeah, I think I may just pick those two and I try to Shenora Williams, I think it was due from the library, but I may pick this one up just to make that a thing. 'cause it, she sounds similar to a Tora or I send to that, like yes. The freedom of fat, the domestic popcorn, easy to consume, easy to binge. No AR tour is a great comp for her because I've not read her romance either, but I've read a lot of her thrillers and she, that's very similar comp. If you like ar tour thrillers, then definitely try Rora Williams because she's pretty good. And I like a short book. I like a quick read. I don't want a four to 500 page book, and this woman keeps them like 300 or less. So there's something to be said that she can tie up that story that quickly. And she does the short chapters, the really short chapters where some of them are only a page or two and nothing keeps me reading, like chapters like that. I'm like, Ooh. Okay. Just one more. Just one more. Yeah. Oh, you have me at that? Yeah. I read AR Torre in romance. She actually came on the show 2018. Oh, really? Really early on. Really early on. Yeah. There's an interview and I, because I read some of her Indy Romans and I was like, and they're basically mystery. There's always like a mystery related to it. There's always a twist. Oh, for her woman. So it was like, not just like regular woman's oh, blah, blah, blah. They fall into it. No, there's always. Something overarching the story Uhhuh and it was interesting. And so when I started reading her thrillers, I will bench them in like couple hours. I was like, oh, this is just great. Yeah, I'm done. I finish a book and I'm like, entertained. Yeah, so, so I think a lot of her thrillers are on KU too, because she's with Amazon Pub for them, and a lot of times if she's with Amazon Pub, they'll be free audio too. Yep. So that's a good way to sample her workout. I can't think of the name of the one of hers that I really like. It's okay. It was out within the last couple of years. It was a thriller with Thomas and Mercer though, which is Amazon Pub or whatever though. So yeah, she's definitely another good one if you end up liking Shanora's book. Yep. She's fun. I love this. All right, Amy, tell us we can find online. You can find me on Instagram at novel gossip, and my blog is novel gossip.com. Thank you, Amy for being the shout. Thanks so much for having me. It's always so fun to chat with you. If you enjoyed this podcast, feel free to share with friends, subscribe, write, and read the show. This is the easiest way to support the podcast. For list books mentioned and other book recommendations, please visit whattoreadnextblog.com Thank you so much for your listening and happy reading all.