Molly Odintz

July’s crop of new thrillers are as brutal and scintillating as the summer heat. The following list feels a bit like an ur-list of what crime and mystery novels are—their building blocks, their structure, and above all, their consumption. These novels are variations on a theme, like all good genre fiction; dutiful to those who’ve come before, and paving new paths for those who will follow. In short, July’s new crime releases are a masterclass in, well, crime writing.

June brings a host of excellent new novels in translation, including two reissues from Japan, a scintillating Brazilian thriller, a satirical Venezuelan noir, and a quietly elegant character study from France. Thanks, as always, for reading the column! All blurbs are by me.

The CrimeReads editors make their picks for the best psychological thrillers of the month. Article continues after advertisement * Lisa Jewell, It Could Have Been Her (Atria) Lisa Jewell’s books have become some of my go-to recommendations in recent years, with their suspenseful plotting, thoughtful characterizations, and deep respect for both the chaos and kindness of humanity.