2026 & 2027 Upcoming Releases
Spoiler-free ARC reviews of the most anticipated thriller and mystery releases.
167 days
The Golden Child
Lucinda Berry
Ava is the golden child. Brilliant, driven, her future a shimmering path of success. Her Irish twin, Bentley, is the opposite: a restless spirit, always one bad choice away from disaster. Inseparable, yes, but their lives were always headed in radically different directions.
Until one night, Ava makes a mistake that can't be undone. A dark road, a devastating impact, and a desperate call to the one person who has always been her shield. Bentley doesn't hesitate. He sees the blood, the terror, the shattered dreams in his sister's eyes. And in a split second, he makes a choice that changes everything: he takes the blame.
But secrets fester. And when the truth begins to unravel, their family is forced into an impossible decision. Protect the daughter whose potential knows no bounds, or save the son whose life has always hung by a thread?
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advanced copy of this title.
Lucinda Berry has a distinct talent for unraveling complex family dynamics and exposing the darkest parts of human tragedy. The Golden Child navigates a devastating premise well by jumping between the present-day perspectives of Bentley, Ava, Danae, and Kash. The short chapters kept the narrative moving at a solid medium pace. This book is an emotional read because you watch a family fracture from the inside, seeing firsthand how a child who messes up too many times can become expendable. I appreciated how the tension builds naturally as the different viewpoints reveal the fractured reality of their situation.
While each character adds a necessary layer to the unfolding tragedy, I found Kash’s perspective to be the most compelling anchor. I viewed him as the sole voice who actually has everyone’s best interests at heart, providing a much-needed grounding element amidst Danae’s favoritism of Ava. Even though I didn't like the ending, it was well done and felt earned rather than rushed.
If you like multi-POV family dramas and emotional suspense then you will enjoy this book.
#NetGalley #TheGoldenChild
181 days
Behind Every Face
Charlie Donlea
Oliver Whitaker built an empire on uncovering truths. His "Whitaker Report" is a media juggernaut, a beacon for breaking stories across politics, crime, and pop culture. He's a legend, a multimillionaire, and utterly fearless. Until now.
A final, cryptic voicemail from his brother Lucas shatters everything. Before Oliver can act, Lucas is tortured and murdered, silenced about an explosive scandal. Now, the hunter becomes the hunted. Oliver finds himself running for his life, the target of unseen, powerful forces desperate to bury the truth.
The threads unravel into a sordid blackmail scheme linked to Lucas’s billionaire employer. At its heart: a missing flash drive holding damning secrets that could bring down dozens of the world's most rich and influential. Oliver isn't alone in this deadly race for justice. Lucas's fiancée, Andi Vonn, also possesses a piece of the puzzle, now living under a new name and a new identity, constantly looking over her shoulder. Every face hides a secret, and some secrets can kill.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for an advanced copy of this title.
Just WOW!! This is suspense writing at its absolute best. Charlie Donlea has a distinct talent for weaving a massive cast of characters into a single, cohesive narrative without ever losing the thread. The story jumps between past and present timelines and shifts across several different points of view. Usually, books that juggle this many perspectives feel disjointed, but the writing here is so sharp that I always knew I was following one interconnected story, even before I knew how all the pieces fit together.
The short chapters keep the pace moving fast, creating a completely immersive experience. The tension builds effortlessly, and despite the large cast, it is easy to keep track of who is who. I found myself emotionally invested in the outcomes for several of the characters, specifically Andi.
Everything leads to a fantastic twist near the end that caught me completely off guard. It is rare to find a thriller that executes its structure so flawlessly. The conclusion itself is brief but delivers just enough information on everyone’s ultimate fate to be perfectly satisfying.
If you like dual timelines, multiple points of view, and cleverly executed twists, then you will enjoy this book.
#NetGalley #BehindEveryFace
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What is an ARC?
An ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) is a pre-publication version of a book provided by publishers so reviewers can share early feedback. Our spoiler-free reviews help you decide which upcoming titles to add to your pre-order list!
Advance copies reviewed on SpoilThePlot are securely sourced through industry partners, including NetGalley and Inside Story.