Welcome to our weekly news column, where we bring you the latest crime fiction releases come rain or shine. Our journey into the genre begins with a stop in Los Angeles in the early days of the 20th century, with strife facing Japanese settlers in Pasadena. You’ll also be able to go to Rome, down a cave and to Atlantic City to gamble some illicit cash…
Crown City by Naomi Hirahara
Edgar Award winner Naomi Hirahara reaches book three in her Japantown Mystery series when Crown City arrives on 24 February. It’s 1903 and we’re in Pasadena, where Ryunosuke ‘Ryui’ Wada, aged 18 and newly orphaned, arrives on a boat from Yokohama, ready to begin a new life. He hasn’t factored in the loneliness and culture shock, but these begin to recede as Ryui settles into work as an art dealer’s apprentice, and forges a friendship with his enigmatic photographer roommate, Jack. Then a piece by Pasadena’s top Japanese artist is stolen and Toshio Aoki, hires Ryui and Jack to investigate. Ryui has fallen in love with Crown City, but as the pair begin their search, there is much hiding below its brash surface that could put them in danger.
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She Knew Too Much by Victoria Weisfeld
A travel writer’s trip to Rome takes a dangerous turn in Crime Fiction Lover contributor Victoria Weisfeld‘s She Knew Too Much, out on 15 February. Genie Clarke is enjoying the sights of the Eternal City when she happens to overhear mafia operatives discussing a secret project. The unwitting eavesdropping leaves Genie in hospital, where the police seem unwilling to believe the reason for her attack. Luckily, Detective Leo Angelini is on Genie’s side, and he moves her into hiding, where she becomes both key witness and prime target of a dangerous crime network. She was only in Italy to gather inspiration for a travel feature; now Genie must work out how to stay one step ahead of her pursuers.
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Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams
Tess is a shy, claustrophobic legal assistant so it takes all of her best friend Allie’s powers of persuasion to convince her to go on a caving expedition. After all, what could possibly go wrong? Allie is a conficent, highly-regarded travel influencer, and when she realises they aren’t alone on in the caves, she tells the guy harassing them to take a hike – and he hits back. Soon, Tess finds herself trapped in a narrow crawl space, living her worst nightmare and fighting to stay alive. A day later, she is in hospital, relating all that happened underground when the detective interviewing her reveals that Allie was not all that she seemed. Perhaps the brutal attack wasn’t so random after all? Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams is out on 17 February.
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Worse Than a Lie by Ben Crump
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump joins the crime writing community with his debut Worse Than a Lie, arriving on 17 February. Beau Lee Cooper runs his own law firm with his best friend and partner in crime Nelson ‘Nellie’ Rivers and his suave right-hand-man Brent ‘Cape’ Capers, trying to make a difference in the world. Which is why the case of Hollis Montrose — a black ex-police officer from the suburbs of Chicago – appears on his radar. Montrose, shot 10 times in cold blood by four white cops, is is given a wrongful prison sentence after the Chicago PD bend the truth. It’s enough to get Cooper on the case, but finding rock-solid evidence of what really happened is going to be a big, big challenge.
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Besties in Crime by Rob Loveless
They’ve been friends since childhood, but Jay and Gia haven’t spoken since Gia married Frank. Now that’s over, and she comes running to Jay for support. They plot a weekend in Atlantic City, funded by some cash ‘borrowed’ from Frank’s home office. All is good, until the house goes up in flames, Frank is found dead in the wreckage, and suddenly Jay and Gia are at the centre of a full-blown manhunt. And if that’s not enough, the pair have mobsters on their tail too. They claim that Frank owed them money – and guess who has to settle up? If you like your crime with a liberal splash of humour, Besties in Crime by Rob Loveless is published on 19 February.
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