Last Ditch Summer Crime Fiction Escapes

 

Summer is almost over – and if you missed out on a great summer vacation, there’s still time for one last hurrah over Labor Day week. These crime fiction titles will take you away from it all and transport you around the world! If you’re all caught up on the Alex Stone series and you finished the last Lou Mason book, then grab your beach towel and umbrella. Then, grab one of these great thrillers for a last ditch summer crime fiction escape in your own backyard.

If your ideal end of summer getaway includes intrigue and explosive action with a funny twist, dive into David Terrenoire’s Beneath a Panamanian Moon. This summer crime fiction escape follows retired spy David Harper from his posh gig as a DC piano man to a resort in Panama – where his piano skills play second fiddle to his paramilitary training. Harper is tasked with training an army and thwarting a revolution – all while making it back to DC in time for New Year’s Eve gig. Cue the fireworks! Compared to Stephen Hunter and Carl Hiassen, Terrenoire’s fast-paced crime fiction escape will keep you laughing – and keep you turning the pages.

If you were hoping for a European vacation this summer, you can still get there with No Place Like Rome, the latest in Julie Moffett’s Lexi Carmichael mystery series. In this romantic crime fiction caper, Lexi flees with her hacker-friend Slash to Italy after her love life goes belly up – only to stumble across an actual dead body. In between nearly getting kidnapped, decoding a top secret file, and tracking down the murderer, Lexi will also have to decrypt the signals she’s been getting from Slash…and figure out of if it’s forever love in the Eternal City. With a little romance and a lot of danger, No Place Like Rome is sure to get your heart racing.

Of course, the ultimate vacation involves tropical beaches and a thrilling treasure hunt, and you can count on Preston and Child to deliver. Their latest book in the Gideon Crew series, The Lost Island, finds the mastermind thief/scientist tracking a mysterious treasure on a map he discovers while stealing a page from a priceless book. Gideon teams up with a new partner named Amy and the two set sail for the Caribbean Sea – but their adventures off the Mosquito Coast may leave them once bitten, twice dead. Part adventure story, part thriller, The Lost Island is the perfect end of summer crime fiction escape.

With so many great options, a great summer vacation is still within reach. Get away with one of these great summer crime fiction escapes, and have a happy Labor Day weekend!