The BookBrowse Review

Published July 31, 2024

ISSN: 1930-0018

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Contents

In This Edition of
The BookBrowse Review

Highlighting indicates debut books

Editor's Introduction
Reviews
Hardcovers Paperbacks
First Impressions
Latest Author Interviews
Recommended for Book Clubs
Book Discussions

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Publishing Soon

Literary Fiction


Historical Fiction


Short Stories


Essays


Poetry & Novels in Verse


Thrillers


Romance


Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History


Graphic Novels


Biography/Memoir


History, Current Affairs and Religion


Science, Health and the Environment


True Crime


Travel & Adventure


Other


Young Adults

Mysteries


Thrillers


Romance


Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History


Graphic Novels


History, Current Affairs and Religion


Extras
  • Blog:
    The New York Times Best 100 Books of the 21st Century: How Does BookBrowse's Coverage Compare?
  • Wordplay:
    It's R C A D
  • Book Giveaway:
    Smothermoss by Alisa Alering
Book Jacket

A World of Hurt
by Mindy Mejia
6 Aug 2024
352 pages
Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press
Genre: Thrillers
Critics:

When someone dies to save your life, how do you ever forgive them?

A World of Hurt is Mindy Mejia's highly-anticipated follow-up to the "propulsive" USA Today bestselling thriller To Catch a Storm where an Iowa City police officer and a DEA informant must work together to hunt down the remains of a hidden drug empire.

Kara Johnson always knew she'd die young and violently. It didn't matter who delivered the final blow, she would deserve it—her years spent running drugs and spreading violence would guarantee it. But death doesn't always go as planned. When her girlfriend sacrifices herself to save Kara's life, Kara is left grieving and adrift. She doesn't know why she's alive until the DEA shows up and offers her a choice: go to prison or turn informant to lure out the last of the drug trafficking ring that murdered her girlfriend.

Max Summerlin is the kind of cop who needs answers—he's been shot twice in the last year while looking for them. Despite his family's objections and his struggle with chronic pain, he accepts an invitation from the DEA task force eagerly. That is, until he realizes he'll be babysitting reformed drug trafficker Kara Johnson as she goes undercover.

Max knows Kara is keeping secrets. Kara doesn't trust anyone, let alone Max. But the cop and the criminal will have to find a way to work together fast, because they aren't the only ones hunting down the remains of a drug empire. And the kingpin who lurks in the shadows will stop at nothing to win.

"[N]erve-shredding ... Mejia maintains breathless suspense as she fleshes out the combative dynamic between her captivating leads. For crime fiction fans, it's a must-read." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Readers who enjoy crime novels that are gritty and not one-sided will want to add this to their TBR piles." —Library Journal

"[A]n incredibly humane page-turner that stands on its own from its predecessor, though readers of the first will welcome appearances from psychic PI Jonah Kendrick and physicist Eve Roth. This thoroughly Midwestern thriller features well-drawn characters, a détente in a cornfield, and an ending readers won't see coming." —Booklist

Mindy Mejia is a CPA and a graduate of the Hamline University MFA program. She lives in the Twin Cities with her family, and is the author of Strike Me Down, Everything You Want Me to Be, Leave No Trace, and To Catch a Storm.

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