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Only Ann Knows
Months after losing her only son in the Virginia Tech shooting, Ann Miller remains consumed by grief. The tragedy is made all the more jarring by her profession; she works for a gun rights organization. When she receives an AK-47 to deliver to her boss, the weapon inexplicably discharges, killing 13 people in a single, horrifying moment. Ann insists it was an accident. But was it? Or did the sorrow of losing her son drive her to a calculated act of violence?
In Only Ann Knows, Baird Smart crafts a riveting crime and mystery novel that unfolds with measured intensity. The courtroom drama echoes the legal tension of John Grisham’s best work, yet Smart’s voice remains distinct. The narrative hinges on a single, devastating question: Did Ann pull the trigger on purpose?
What elevates this novel is its commitment to character. Ann is an enigma, vulnerable, composed, inscrutable. Smart reveals just enough of her inner life to make her real, while withholding enough to keep her mysterious. She is, in every way, the novel’s anchor.
Smart manipulates reader expectation with impressive precision. Just when you think you understand Ann’s motives, new details shift your perspective. This is not a story that offers easy answers.
Equally compelling are the two FBI agents assigned to the case, distinct in temperament and method, yet both indispensable to the investigation. Their dynamic adds further layers to a narrative already thick with ambiguity and moral complexity.
Timely in theme and meticulous in execution, Only Ann Knows is a masterclass in suspense. Few novels manage to maintain this level of tension without veering into melodrama. Fewer still offer a conclusion that feels both shocking and entirely earned. Smart delivers both.
Only Ann Knows is a gripping, immersive thriller that doesn’t let go. A standout in the genre, thought-provoking, emotionally charged, and impossible to predict.
Pages: 371 | ASIN : B0D8R9LRB2
Serves You Right
Orion Gregory’s Serves You Right is a dark, twisty, and deeply satisfying crime thriller centered around Sydney Livingstone, a former tennis pro turned police detective, who finds herself pulled into the aftermath of a botched murder trial, a vigilante justice campaign, and a rapidly escalating series of brutal revenge killings. At the heart of the story is the acquitted-but-clearly-guilty Frank McBride, whose smug escape from justice sets off a chain of events that rattles an entire community and sends Syd on a collision course with both a killer and her own professional limits.
Right out of the gate, I have to say the writing is gripping. Gregory wastes no time dropping readers into the chaos with a gut-punch opening that doesn’t flinch from violence or moral ambiguity. He’s got a sharp instinct for pacing. Chapters fly by, and even when things quiet down, there’s always an undercurrent of tension pulling you forward. The prose isn’t flashy, but it’s effective. I liked that. There’s no pretension. Gregory writes like he’s trying to entertain, not impress. That said, the structure can get a bit dense at times, especially when the book shifts perspectives rapidly. Still, the characters, particularly Syd, are fully realized, flawed, and human. I rooted for her hard, even when she stumbled.
I was pleasantly surprised by the book’s moral weight. This isn’t your tidy detective story with good guys and bad guys in their corners. Gregory plays in the gray, and he plays dirty. The vigilante plotline, spearheaded by a mysterious online persona known only as “The Enforcer,” hit a nerve. There’s a kind of catharsis in seeing monsters get what’s coming to them, but Gregory doesn’t let us off that easily. He asks real questions about justice, about power, about how far is too far. And while he doesn’t hand us answers, he sure knows how to make us squirm while we look for them.
I’d recommend Serves You Right to fans of gritty police procedurals, psychological thrillers, and morally tangled crime fiction. If you like your stories messy, raw, and a little uncomfortable in the best possible way, then you’ll tear through this one like I did. Gregory doesn’t serve justice on a silver platter. He drops it on your doorstep, blood-spattered and blinking.
Pages: 327 | ASIN : B0FD1ZZCCQ
TORRENT
Torrent by Anthony B. Gray is an emotionally charged psychological thriller that begins with a brutal tragedy and dives headfirst into grief, guilt, and the chaos that follows. The story centers on Samuel, a high-powered Atlanta attorney whose carefully ordered life unravels when his wife, Monica, dies by suicide following years of emotional neglect and shared trauma. The narrative takes us from opulent law offices to the hauntingly beautiful and treacherous wilderness of Canyon Park, where Samuel embarks on a trip meant to honor Monica’s memory and ends up confronting his own inner demons, dangerous strangers, and possibly something far darker than grief.
Gray’s writing is bold and unflinching. The opening chapters hit like a hammer. They’re vivid, tragic, full of jagged edges. He paints Samuel with a kind of clinical coldness, showing a man addicted to control and blind to emotion. And yet, as the story unfolds, there’s an unexpected tenderness beneath the grief. Gray doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable truths: the way ambition can slowly rot relationships, how denial makes us complicit, and how even the most successful lives can be hollowed out by loneliness. The pacing is tight, with bursts of poetic introspection giving way to a fast-moving, character-driven plot. I was impressed by how Gray weaves Monica’s presence through the whole book. She’s gone, but never really absent.
There were moments when the dialogue leaned into melodrama. Some scenes felt like they were pulled from a pulpy noir film more than a grounded psychological tale. Still, that unevenness didn’t dull the emotional impact. In fact, I think it gave the story a strange rhythm. Moments of emotional realism snapped against bursts of surreal tension. The latter half of the book turns almost horror-like, not with ghosts or monsters, but with the monsters we carry and the secrets we bury. It’s weird, gripping, and sometimes hard to read, but I couldn’t look away.
If you’ve ever wrestled with guilt, if you’ve loved someone too late, or if you just like your thrillers with a side of soul-searching, Torrent is worth your time. It starts with heartbreak and ends somewhere darker, but also, strangely, with a kind of redemption. I’d recommend it for readers who appreciate layered characters, emotional messiness, and stories that don’t tidy themselves up for comfort.
Pages: 149 | ASIN : B0DRJ8LSHC
Sua Sponte: The Minneapolis ADOZ
Mikael Carlson’s Sua Sponte: The Minneapolis ADOZ is a high-octane political-military thriller that blends the grit of combat realism with the chaos of civic unrest. Set in the aftermath of a brutal ambush in Syria, the story follows Staff Sergeant Emmit “Chicago” Haskins as he reintegrates into civilian life, only to find himself caught in the spiraling tensions of post-Floyd Minneapolis. The novel weaves together threads of political intrigue, media manipulation, grassroots activism, and the enduring loyalty of a brotherhood forged in war. It’s fast-paced, cinematic, and unapologetically opinionated.
What struck me first was how Carlson plunges you into battle from page one. The prologue doesn’t ease you in; it throws you into a searing ambush near Al-Tanf, Syria. The action is visceral. The description of RPGs ripping through MRAPs and Emmit refusing to abandon his wounded Rangers was raw, heroic, and honestly had me holding my breath. Carlson writes combat like he’s lived it. The whole opening sequence could easily rival any war movie for sheer intensity. I loved that it wasn’t just about firepower. It was about values. Loyalty. Brotherhood. Carlson knows what makes soldiers tick.
The narrative then shifts sharply to Minneapolis, where the tone grows considerably more serious. The city’s social fabric is fraying, and Carlson addresses these tensions with striking candor. The character of Police Chief Vanessa Campbell is placed in a particularly precarious position, as she navigates the volatile intersections of political pressure, internal departmental conflict, and a mayor whose priorities appear driven more by public image than justice. In a particularly jarring scene, the mayor demands the immediate termination of an officer who deployed a taser on a knife-wielding suspect, well before any investigation is completed. His curt command, “Fire him. Today,” delivered while he examines his fingernails, underscores the indifference to due process. The moment is deeply unsettling. It illustrates a system more concerned with optics than with truth, and it’s difficult not to sympathize with Vanessa, who is forced to balance integrity with job security. The tension feels uncomfortably authentic.
The narrative also delves deeply into the interplay between media and activism, presenting a nuanced examination of their power and volatility. Kai, an independent journalist, emerges as one of the novel’s most compelling figures. Intelligent, jaded, and visibly fatigued by the ongoing culture wars, he nevertheless remains committed to uncovering the truth. His analysis of the gathering at Gold Medal Park deliberating whether it constitutes a peaceful protest or the beginning of something more volatile is astute. His observation, “This somehow feels…organized,” resonates strongly, and Carlson’s willingness to confront the ways in which grassroots movements can be manipulated is both bold and unsettling. Landon, the charismatic agitator, delivers speeches that are disturbingly persuasive. When he declares, “Let’s take this protest to the steps of City Hall…or burn it down,” the moment lands with alarming intensity. It captures the razor’s edge between civic expression and orchestrated unrest, and Carlson handles it with disturbing authenticity.
What kept me reading, though, was the emotional heart of the story. Emmit, trying to find a purpose post-military, is such a solid anchor. His conversations with his sister Kenyala were unexpectedly touching and even funny. She’s tough, witty, and won’t let him wallow. Their back-and-forth gave the book some much-needed softness. It’s easy for stories like this to get lost in the adrenaline and outrage, but Carlson brings it back to the human level just enough to keep you invested in more than the politics.
Sua Sponte: The Minneapolis ADOZ is well-suited for readers who appreciate political thrillers that are unapologetically direct and thematically provocative. The novel confronts its subject matter without hesitation, offering a narrative that some may view as politically charged, while others may interpret it as daring and uncompromising. The story delivers a gripping and unflinching exploration of the challenges veterans face both abroad and upon returning home. For those drawn to narratives where the battlefield extends into civilian life, this book is a compelling and thought-provoking read.
Pages: 444 | ASIN : B0F6RMBYG7
Fun-Loving, Intelligent Women
The Sole Sisters follows a retired defense attorney who teams up with a quirky group of women to investigate her husband’s murder. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
For the past 10 years, I have been co-leader of The Villages True Crime Book Club. Our community is sometimes called ‘A drinking community with a golfing problem’. We have over 100 members, 70% of whom are women. Our group of women resembles Noah’s Ark; we have one of everything. I took bits and pieces of the members and developed a group of fun-loving, intelligent women, all interested in solving cold cases. Thus began The Sole Sisters.
While living in Washington, D.C., the Beltway Sniper Murders took place. Eleven died as a result. A female FBI officer was shot and killed at a location I had just left. It was an easy step to have the defense attorney husband of The Sole Sisters leader shot by a mysterious sniper. Once the local law enforcement gave up the investigation, the Sole Sisters became the force driving the investigation. The crime taking place in a fictional upscale retirement community known as ‘The Hamlets’ allowed me to tie into many of the real and imagined goings-on of my own community, The Villages, FL. The Sole Sisters, who firmly believe they do not have to follow all those ‘silly rules’ imposed upon law enforcement, begin to identify small pieces of evidence that continue to grow in size.
Which character in the novel do you feel you relate to more and why?
With this being the first of a series. I had a special relationship with each character as they entered the story. A crazy psychiatrist who did his residency at a fertility clinic (who picked up walking around money by being a sperm donor), and his knockout gorgeous fiancée-attorney, provide many opportunities for me to relate to. Of course, Kate, the group leader, is a strong, dominant character. Her husband was shot, and they are going to identify the shooter, even after local law enforcement had given up all hope.
While I can relate to all of them, I suppose my favorite is Linda, who is introduced as the dark angel of death; she ends up being a guardian angel. Who cannot love a beautiful lingerie model/designer, who owns her own very successful business, and has a side job as a professional hitwoman?
How did the mystery develop for this story? Did you plan it before writing, or did it develop organically?
I’m a planner when it comes to writing; almost everything I do is thought about prior to it happening. Many of the true crime cases our book club was reading at the time involved DNA. That allowed using DNA as key evidence. This allowed me to explore how it could be used and misused. It allowed adversaries of a suspect to wrongfully accuse and prosecute that suspect. Then the surprise ending proves that DNA is not always unique.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
The Sole Sisters celebrate their first case success and begin looking for another. The Sole Sisters Case #2, The Hydra begins with a local high school girl’s disappearance. Her kidnapping leads to a local sex trafficking ring. What began as a local case soon goes national and then international. As usual, the Sole Sisters’ rather unorthodox methods allow them to discover items overlooked by local, national, and international law enforcement. This book is currently available on Amazon.com.
Available on Amazon.com late summer 2025 is the third in a series, The Sole Sisters, Case #3: The Crape Myrtle Murders. When naked female and male bodies are discovered at the entrance of Pelican Country Club, law enforcement is stymied. There is no way they can be identified. Just when the community begins to calm down, another two bodies are found at the Bandstand across from City Hall. No fingerprint matches, no DNA matches, no Missing Persons Reports, it’s almost as if they never existed.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | LinkedIn | Reddit | Amazon
Can’t tell you much more without giving away clues, I know you will enjoy THE SOLE SISTERS..
Secrets of the Shield
Secrets of the Shield by D.M. Currie is a raw, pulse-pounding crime thriller rooted deep in real-world law enforcement. Told through the lens of a seasoned cop, the novel dives into the gritty underbelly of Los Angeles County policing, starting from a traumatizing encounter at a gas station in the protagonist’s youth all the way to tactical operations against cartel assassins. It’s part autobiography, part thriller, and 100% an unflinching look at the sacrifices, darkness, and small victories woven into a life of service.
From the very beginning, Currie’s writing seized my attention with an unrelenting grip. His opening scene, depicting a harrowing struggle in a hospital bed against imagined attackers following spinal surgery, was profoundly affecting. I could feel the panic and brokenness resonate deeply as I read. It is this brutal authenticity that distinguishes Secrets of the Shield. When Currie recounts the grueling demands of academy life, including the torment of abusive instructors, or exposes the vulnerability of rookies navigating the dangers of custody work, it becomes clear that this is no sanitized portrayal of law enforcement. It is raw, it is painful, and it is unflinchingly real. I admired Currie’s refusal to soften these realities for the reader.
Currie’s meticulous attention to detail adds a compelling depth to the narrative, particularly in chapters such as “L.A. Burns” and “And the Riots Roll,” where he vividly captures the intensity of large-scale unrest and tactical operations. His ability to immerse the reader in the operational realities of law enforcement is impressive and lends a striking authenticity to the story. Yet it is when Currie turns his focus to the emotional heart of the narrative, most notably in the heartbreaking account of Catalina Cano’s story in “Peaceful Park Apartments: Explosion of Evil,” that his writing truly shines. The emotional resonance he achieves is powerful and deeply moving, offering moments of unexpected poignancy that elevate the novel beyond traditional crime thrillers.
What hit me hardest, though, was the clear cost of the job. Currie shows better than any fiction I’ve read in a long time that wearing the badge means a slow erosion of yourself. You see it in his recounting of being physically wrecked, emotionally detached, and spiritually exhausted. The title Secrets of the Shield isn’t just clever, it’s painfully accurate. Behind the shield, behind the uniform, there’s a heavy, heavy price. I walked away from this book with more respect for what real cops endure than I ever had before.
Secrets of the Shield isn’t just a crime novel. It’s a bruised, bleeding love letter to the men and women who choose to stand between chaos and order. If you’re a fan of gritty realism, if you liked Joseph Wambaugh’s The New Centurions or Michael Connelly’s Bosch series but want something even more visceral and personal, this book will absolutely blow you away. It’s not for the faint of heart, but for those who can stomach the darkness, it’s a powerful and unforgettable ride.
Pages: 429 | ASIN : B0F2ZGYBLH
The Sole Sisters, Formerly known as The Widows Club.
R.E. Markland II’s The Sole Sisters is a cozy crime novel wrapped in the warmth of community and the grit of old-school detective work. It’s a story about Kate Elder, a retired defense attorney whose peaceful life is shattered when her husband, Tom, is shot on a golf course by an unknown sniper. What begins as a tense crime mystery soon blossoms into a charming narrative about friendship and second chances, as Kate teams up with a quirky group of women who call themselves The Sole Sisters. Each member brings her unique talents to the table, forming an unofficial, wine-fueled investigative team determined to crack the case that law enforcement has all but given up on.
The pacing here is tight. Markland wastes no time in throwing us into the heart of the action, and the emotional shock Kate experiences is palpable. What I really appreciated was how grounded the story felt despite the high stakes. The details, Kate’s sarcastic internal dialogue, the way her friend Jackie tries to keep her calm, even the ambulance tearing through sleepy neighborhoods, all felt painfully real and wonderfully human.
As the story unfolds, the true heart of the book is revealed in the bond between the women. The Sole Sisters are hilarious, heartfelt, and so authentically drawn that I felt like I’d known them for years. Their decision to start investigating on their own is both noble and chaotic, there’s this brilliant scene where they’re drinking wine and renaming their club, and it had me laughing. But there’s more than humor here. Crystal, the forensic psychologist, brings genuine insight, while Rita’s cop instincts give the group backbone. These women aren’t caricatures, they’re layered, vulnerable, and brave. Watching them work around Lt. Brady’s constraints, using everything from AI tech to homemade tip lines, felt like watching a master class in amateur sleuthing with heart.
The writing can be overly expository at times, especially during flashbacks. And sometimes the dialogue veers into the melodramatic. Still, the charm of the characters and the clever layering of clues pulled me right back in every time. By the end, I found myself completely attached to these women. I cheered when they got closer to the truth, and I worried for their safety. Markland balances suspense with warmth, crafting a story that’s not just about solving a crime, but about reclaiming purpose after loss. That’s what stayed with me the most: the emotion, the friendships, and the quiet strength of women who refuse to be sidelined.
I’d recommend The Sole Sisters to fans of cozy mysteries, especially those who love character-driven stories with strong female leads. Think The Thursday Murder Club meets Golden Girls, with a little more heart and a lot more sass. It’s not just a mystery, it’s a reminder that it’s never too late to matter, to make a difference, or to find your tribe.
Pages: 338 | ASIN : B0CGQ5SL2B
Down and Out in the River City
Wm. Stage’s Down and Out in the River City is a gritty, no-nonsense dive into the underbelly of St. Louis, where homelessness, crime, and corruption bleed into each other under the glow of neon tavern signs. The story follows Francis, a process server whose job forces him to navigate both the seedy and bureaucratic sides of the city. What starts as a routine attempt to serve a legal document quickly turns into something much bigger as Francis gets swept into the chaos of a city-wide protest, a police crackdown, and a mystery surrounding the overdose of a troubled young man. The novel paints a vivid and often brutal picture of a city grappling with racial tension, crime, and the slow erosion of morality in the face of desperation.
Stage’s writing is sharp, fast-paced, and packed with a dark wit that makes even the bleakest moments sting with humor. Francis is a character who sees the world in shades of gray, a refreshing break from the typical hero. He’s cynical yet strangely principled, acknowledging the corruption on both sides of the law while trying to keep his head above water. One of the most compelling parts of the book is the way Francis interacts with different factions of St. Louis society like bar regulars who rib him for getting arrested with protesters, hardened cops who see him as an outsider, and the desperate people caught in the crossfire. The riot scene early in the book is electric. Its filled with tension and sharp dialogue that makes you feel like you’re right in the middle of the chaos. It’s one of the best examples of how Stage captures the raw energy of a city on edge. While the novel thrives on its gritty realism and immersive atmosphere, there are moments where I felt the story meanders. I think some of Francis’ internal monologues and interactions, especially in barroom settings, could be trimmed down to maintain the narrative’s momentum.
One of the book’s strongest aspects is its unflinching look at race relations and police violence. The story doesn’t shy away from the ugliness on both sides, whether it’s protesters eager to turn a tragedy into an opportunity for anarchy or police officers who have lost all patience and resort to brute force. The courtroom scene following the Stockley verdict is gut-wrenching, a moment where you can feel the weight of history pressing down on the city. Stage doesn’t try to push an agenda, he just presents the chaos as it is, which makes it all the more powerful. Francis’ own discomfort in navigating these tensions adds depth to the story, making him a compelling guide through this moral minefield.
Despite its heavy themes, the book doesn’t drown in its own darkness. The dialogue is lively, the humor biting, and the characters feel like people you’d run into at a South City dive bar. The subplot involving Francis being hired to investigate the death of Austin Lambert, a privileged kid who spirals into drug addiction and homelessness, adds a noir-like mystery element to the book. The scenes where Francis and his partner Cale chase leads through homeless encampments and sketchy motels are gripping, giving the novel a detective story edge that keeps you hooked.
Down and Out in the River City is for readers who like their fiction raw, real, and unpolished. Fans of Elmore Leonard or George Pelecanos will appreciate its punchy prose and morally complex characters. If you’re looking for a book that doesn’t sugarcoat reality but still delivers an entertaining and thought-provoking ride, this one’s a must-read.
Pages: 272 | ASIN : B0DZ7MJ2MK
LITERARY TITAN 