I was leading a discussion about beach reads last week and confessed that while I appreciate and applaud the rightful pedestal that light romantic comedies and travel diaries occupy on the "Beach Read" shelves, I often find that summer is the time I want to dive into the mystery and thriller genre. I can't explain it, exactly. Sunny days don't necessarily conjure up dark and twisty reads but for me, there's nothing better than a hot day and a mystery so engrossing the pages turn themselves.

Bitter Orange is a gorgeously wrought, uncomfortable tale of the gothic sort. Frances, a somewhat socially awkward woman now on her deathbed, reminisces about a strange summer more than twenty years past when living on the grounds of a once magnificent estate. Her life became intimately intertwined with a young couple, Peter and Cara, who take up residence in the estate; obsession, of a quiet sort, ensues.

Speaking of discomfort, The Need by Helen Phillips delves deeply into the psyche of a young mother and paleobotanist Molly who finds herself caught in a complex relationship with an intruder both physically and mentally. As Molly anxiously navigates the care of two young children, an oft-absent husband, and an increasingly maddening work situation she finds herself stuck in the quicksand of motherhood. Pre-order the paperback which drops on July 7.

Full transparency, I haven't read the next pick yet but I heard about it at this year's virtual Book Expo and was my interest was peaked. Here's what I know: The Last Flight is a page-turning thriller marked by outstanding writing. It follows the plan of protagonist number one, Claire Cook, who leaves her unpredictable, possibly dangerous husband. En route to her new life, she meets a stranger at an airport bar who carries her own baggage; a (presumably) wine-fueled decision to switch plane tickets goes disastrously wrong when one plane crashes. I'll be reading to find out what happens next. Please note - this title is currently on backorder but place your hold now and we'll get it to you as soon as it arrives.

I was introduced to Andrea Camilleri by a customer last summer when he arrived to pick up a large box of books. Peeking inside when I pushed the box across the counter, I gasped a bit at the beautiful volumes within. "What are these?" I inquired. The customer proceeded to gasp in response: "You don't know Camillieri?" I shook my head, eyeing the gorgeous covers thinking how good they'd look on a shelf. Fast forward a year, I am now well-acquainted with the Inspector Montalbano series and recommend you also hop on board. The Guardian notes that "Montalbano's colleagues, chance encounters, Sicilian mores, even the contents of his refrigerator are described with such wit and gusto that make this narrator the best company in crime fiction." The Shape of Water is a good place to start.

Finally, Attica Locke is a name you should know in the mystery and thriller genre; I'm going to recommend Bluebird, Bluebird but you you wouldn't be wrong to pick up The Cutting Season or any of her other compelling works. Bluebird, Bluebird is a southern thriller that racked up a rich list of awards and honors; a racially-motivated set of murders in Lark, TX (population 178) provides the backdrop for this, a perfect summer read.

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