2026 & 2027 Upcoming Releases
Spoiler-free ARC reviews of the most anticipated thriller and mystery releases.
6 days
The Silent Appeal
Janice Hallett
Welcome back to the theatrical world of Lower Lockwood! Sarah-Jane and Kevin MacDonald are co-chairing the Fairway Players this season, taking on Agatha Christie’s The Hollow. But as always, the real drama is happening off-book. First, Nicky-Rose—Sarah-Jane’s sister—has mysteriously vanished from her life in Barbados, ditching her cruise ship business to move back into their mother's house.
Then there's the casting headache. The troupe is desperate for male actors until newcomer Fran Elroy-Jones brings in a married couple and a cousin. Still, nobody wants the dreaded role of Gerda, leaving the directors with no choice but to invite back an old, over-eager member just to get the play off the ground. Tensions inevitably snap. After a disastrous opening night, it's up to intrepid lawyers Femi and Charlotte to dissect the fallout and discover if the person taking the blame is actually the one at fault.
It was wonderful to reunite with the Fairway Players in The Silent Appeal. I absolutely love Janice Hallett’s unique writing style, and jumping back into this familiar, mixed-media format was a treat. The fact that Sarah-Jane's sister, Nicky-Rose, appears out of the blue and becomes so important to the group added an exciting level of mystery and intrigue right from the start. Plus, the surprise return of a previous Fairway Player was a great twist - that was the moment I knew things were going to get wonderfully wacky!
However, I felt this installment wasn't quite as strong as her previous books. The correspondence and summaries sent from Femi and Charlotte to Roderick were very redundant, often bogging down the pacing. There is also a massive cast of characters to keep track of, and I found it difficult to remember everyone's roles at times, even with the handy character list at the beginning of the book. Surprisingly, the main murder ended up being overshadowed by the other events and interpersonal dramas unfolding at the same time.
I really enjoyed this book even though the ending felt a bit crammed with information. Hallett’s signature format is engaging, and seeing the theater troupe back in action was a lot of fun. If you love a good mystery, this book is well worth the read.
6 days
Heart Of Glass
Jennifer Hillier
Twenty-five years ago in Seaside, Washington, three teenage best friends crossed paths with a charming drifter at the Wonderland amusement park. Tragically, days later, one of the girls, Lorelei, was found murdered in a nearby cranberry bog. The surviving friends, Barb and Nicolette, were horrified to discover the drifter was the notorious Carnival Killer.
Following his arrest for the murders of five young women, the survivors went their separate ways to distance themselves from the trauma. Nicolette chased fame in the city, while Barb remained in Seaside to become a local journalist.
They thought the nightmare was finally over. But on the eve of Wonderland's grand reopening, the killer retracts his confession—and a fresh body washes ashore. Now, the dark secrets Barb and Nicolette have spent decades trying to bury are rapidly surfacing, jeopardizing everything they’ve built.
WOW! This was my very first book by Jennifer Hillier, and I am officially a massive fan. Heart of Glass feels less like reading a book and more like an immersive experience—it pulls you so deeply into the story that you feel like you are part of the plot. It is rare for me to become this emotionally invested in a book, but I found myself deeply attached to the entire cast. I felt incredibly strong emotions—both good and bad—toward every single character as the events unfolded.
The story is told through various POVs, which adds incredible depth. While there is a surprisingly large cast of characters, they are introduced slowly, making it easy to keep track of everyone. The short chapters keep the pacing fast, and the secrets are peeled back layer by layer, keeping the suspense high the entire time. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves a great story with depth that will have them feeling all the emotions!
#HeartOfGlass #NetGalley
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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.