Better Off Dead, by Lee Child & Andrew Child (Delacorte Press), is the top holds title of the week (10/25/21). LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.

“Reacher is back in the 26th entry in the long-running crime thriller series (the second collaboration by Lee and Andrew Child, after The Sentinel), and so are many tropes that fans know and love. A strong woman in need of help; a dastardly villain with an underground lair and multitudes of killable minions; fight scenes galore, clinically described; crafty rescue operations; staccato sentences; and plenty of ‘Reacher said nothing’ moments (though this novel is written in first person, so readers get a lot of ‘I said nothing’ instead). The woman is disabled veteran–turned–FBI agent Michaela Fenton, who meets Reacher in the Arizona desert. She’s searching for her twin brother, who might be involved with a weapons smuggler named Dendoncker, and she convinces Reacher to help her. They concoct a wild plan to flush Dendoncker out of hiding, but things go wrong and Fenton is captured by Dendoncker. It’s Reacher to the rescue, aided by wary locals and friends in high places. VERDICT The writing is more seamless than in the Child brothers’ previous collaboration, but the action is often perfunctorily described, and the supporting cast is thinly written. There’s less humor than in previous entries, though Reacher’s notorious Luddism is played for a few laughs. Fans of the series will enjoy.”—Liz French, Library Journal

READ-ALIKES

The Burning Room by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown; LJ starred review)
Appeared on the November 2014 LibraryReads list

“In this page-turning procedural, the veteran Harry Bosch is paired with a rising star in the cold case department. Bosch may be nearing the end of his service in the LAPD, but he still has many tricks of the trade to pass along to his young partner, who has a personal stake in one of their investigations. Another great entry in the Bosch series.”—Elizabeth Eastin, Rogers Memorial Lib., Southampton, NY

Redemption Road by John Hart (Thomas Dunne: St. Martin’s)
Appeared on the May 2016 LibraryReads list

“In Hart’s new suspense novel, we meet veteran detective Elizabeth Black, who is facing possible suspension for a suspicious shooting. At the same time, former police officer Adrian Wall is released from prison after serving time for the murder of Julia Stange. Stange’s son wants Adrian dead. Adrian has always claimed his innocence, but after his release, a couple of new bodies turn up at the church. This is a thrilling page-turner that starts at a rapid-fire pace and doesn’t let up. Great book for literary and thriller lovers alike.”—Kelly Currie, Delphi P.L., IN

The Lost Ones by Sheena Kamal (Morrow)

“Nora Watts has a sketchy past. She’s a recovering alcoholic working for a small Vancouver PI shop. When she gets a call from Everett Walsh about his missing daughter, she has no idea that the girl is hers, given up for adoption at birth, after Nora suffered a horrible assault and rape. Hesitant to open old wounds, Nora ultimately agrees to take the case and drops everything to search for her daughter. Aided by her AA sponsor, a former detective, Nora finds her search forces her to relive the hardest parts of her life; in the process, she learns painful lessons about love, trust, and resilience. And although she may not be the most likable central character, her strength and tenacity are truly admirable. VERDICT Offering an intriguing twist on the standard missing-person thriller, Kamal’s debut is raw, violent, and thought provoking. An author to watch!”—Susan Clifford Braun, Bainbridge Island, WA