Which Thriller Should You Read Based on Your Mood?

Now that I’ve published several thrillers, readers often ask me which book to start with. Since they’re all standalones, you can read them in any order you’d like, so instead I thought it’d be fun to share my recommendations on which book to read based on what you’re in the mood for. No matter which you choose, you’ll probably be up reading WAY past your bedtime… so be warned.

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Want to go on a romantic, escapist adventure?

Join Jade Miller as she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime—11 countries in 4 months, all from the luxurious Campus on Board ship. She can’t wait to escape from heartbreak after her boyfriend dumped her for her best friend… but she’s shocked to discover they’re on board, too. And mindbogglingly, they’re furious with her, even though they’re the backstabbers. Jade becomes obsessed with finding out why, all while making new friends and falling for a brooding, mysterious boy. But then there’s a shocking murder, and everyone thinks she did it. She and her new crush must race to clear her name and find the killer they’re trapped at sea with… before anyone else winds up in body bags.

Lying in the Deep is a romantic drama slash murder mystery, like Knives Out on a cruise ship with kissing.

Character art by Chinthaka Pradeep. From left to right: Felix (Jade’s new crush), Jade, Silas (Jade’s ex-boyfriend), Lainey (Jade’s ex-best friend).

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Want revenge on your high school bully?

Live vicariously through music geek Amber Prescott as she gets revenge on her bully… though she’s in a bit of a pickle herself. She’s been locked in a room with five other classmates—the cheerleader wannabe (her former BFF), the jock (her boyfriend), the valedictorian (her crush), the queen bee (her new BFF), and the stoner (her annoyance)—along with a syringe of poison, a bomb, and a note saying they have one hour to pick one of them to kill, or else they all die.

All Your Twisted Secrets is a psychological thriller that digs deep into mental health and bullying.

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Want to feel like you’re plummeting down a roller coaster?

Go on an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride with Crystal Donovan, a girl who’s obsessed with playing video games with her best friends… an obsession that began as a way to hide from a terrible memory they share. With the annual MortalDusk tournament this weekend, she hopes she’ll win big money for her single mom and little sister before they lose their house. But when someone kidnaps her sister, Crystal must play their game instead… a game that forces her to make an impossible choice: pick off her own friends one by one, or else her sister dies.

These Deadly Games is a fun, unexpected, heart-pounding thrill ride from start to finish.

Character art for These Deadly Games by Mars Lauderbaugh. Crystal and Dylan.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Want to go on a survivalist journey in a unique locale?

Okay so… I can’t say much about Book 4 yet. WHY??? Because the official announcement must go live first! Before then, my publisher and I have to finalize the title, and I hope can announce soon. But as you may know, I’m terrible at keeping secrets, so I’ll say this: it’s the most epic book I’ve written yet. You’ll want to read it when you’re in the mood to root for a group of girls trapped in a harrowing situation in a fascinating location—and for the boy who loves one of them to find them. (It’s my first dual-POV!)

Book 4 will be a survival thriller that veers on horror with a pining romance, inspired by true events, coming summer 2024.