The Noise by James Patterson and J. D. Barker (Little, Brown) is the top holds title of the week (8/16/21). LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book. 

This involving and well-conceived mix of thriller, science fiction, and horror (the second collaboration between Patterson and Barker, after The Coast-to-Coast Murders) unspools a page-turning psychological mystery that begins when two young sisters survive a strange event in an Oregon forest. 

READ-ALIKES

Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky
Appeared on the October 2019 LibraryReads list

“Christopher and his mom run from an abusive boyfriend and seek peace and quiet in a new town. Instead, Christopher becomes agitated and sneaks out at night, doing anything a ‘nice man’ tells him to do. This is pure horror, a classic battle of good and evil, and a must for fans of Stephen King, Joe Hill, and Paul Tremblay.”—Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Lib., Austin, TX

Survivor Song: A Novel by Paul Tremblay
Appeared on the July 2020 LibraryReads list

“The gripping story opens with a rampant strain of virus (in this case rabies), followed by quarantines, lockdowns, fear, and irrational behavior. It hits alarmingly close to home. For fans of Severance by Ling Ma and Contagion by Robin Cook.”—Sandra Woodbury, Burlington P.L., Burlington, MA

Rosewater by Tade Thompson (Orbit: Hachette)
Suggested by the LibraryReads Advisory Board

“A mysterious, alien object appears outside of Lagos, Nigeria: a dome that periodically opens to heal those with afflictions and create ‘sensitives,’ who have powers of the mind, including telepathy and mind control, along with access to the xenosphere, a shared dream world. A shantytown built around the dome eventually forms into Rosewater. Now in 2066, Kaaro, a sensitive who works as a bank’s ‘mental IT’ and for Section 45, a group of governmental agents who use their powers against criminals, lives in Rosewater. A strange illness is killing sensitives, and somewhere in Kaaro’s past may be the key to what is happening. The time line alternates between Kaaro’s past as a child thief and his current life, with the beautiful landscape of futuristic Nigeria as much a character as the nebulous xenosphere. VERDICT Thompson’s (The Murders of Molly Southbourne) intriguing Afrofuturistic tale features an incredible mashup of alien contact and human-centered power, delivering a stark and gritty story that will keep readers engaged.”—Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam (Ecco: HarperCollins)
Suggested by the LibraryReads Advisory Board

“This latest from Alam (That Kind of Mother) is so clever and so subtle that it draws readers into a false sense of security and understanding, much like that experienced by Amanda and Clay, who have brought their children to a lovely rental home on Long Island. Initially, the book seems to be about a modern marriage and family, priorities and choices, and how one measures success in the 21st century, and it is. But it is also much more. Their vacation bubble is abruptly burst when Ruth and G. H., the homeowners, unexpectedly come knocking late one night, bringing news of a major blackout in New York City. Electricity is on at the rental home, and all seems well, but there is no phone signal or internet access. Amanda and Clay don’t know what to believe, and Alam’s writing palpably captures their uneasiness, vulnerability, and fear for their children, with the narrative at turns riveting and disconcerting but in the best way. Readers are given clues to events in the outside world even as the characters remain unaware, but much is left unexplained, leaving the disquiet to linger long after the finish. VERDICT Highly recommended and perfectly timed for today’s uncertain world.”—Shaunna E. Hunter, Hampden-Sydney Coll. Lib., VA