​A classic mystery trope: a crime in a remote spot, a killer hiding among the innocents Usually, the setting is an island or a creepy old manor. But how about a whole city living under one roof? Welcome to Point Mettier, Alaska: where body parts start washing ashore, and the big question is whether this even a crime or just a tragic accident. Cue the Anchorage PD sending in a detective, and you’ve got yourself a twisted tale.

City Under One Roof is told with three POVs, through the eyes of a detective, a teenage girl, and a mentally challenged woman—each with their own secrets and shady pasts. Spoiler: no one ends up in Point Mettier by accident. Expect quirky characters with dark secrets galore.

Yamashita’s pacing? Chef's kiss. You can tell she’s got screenwriting chops (she wrote Letters From Iwo Jima with Clint Eastwood). The action scenes? Straight out of a high-stakes thriller, complete with arctic chases and Wild West-style justice. But where she really nails it is in her character work, showing how life in the Alaskan wilderness twists people in unexpected ways. Trust me, the body parts are just the tip of the iceberg.

In Steve Urszenyi's Perfect Shot, the debut of an electrifying new series, former Army sniper turned FBI Special Agent Alexandra Martel turns to high-stakes international espionage following the mysterious death of a friend. Urszenyi, drawing on a diverse array of locales from London to Moscow, Iraq to Turkey, crafts a narrative that's as rich in geographic scope as it is in suspense. Martel's probe into the death of her friend uncovers a chilling nuclear conspiracy that tests her skills in a world where she never knows who is trying to recruit her and who is trying to kill her.

Urszenyi's narrative smoothly weaves action sequences with introspective moments that delve into Martel's complex past as both a fighter and a survivor. There are even some Da Vinci Code level puzzles as Alex races across London, and memorable characters like Gareth, an Afghanistan war veteran turned stunt driving cabbie, add warmth and texture to the storytelling.

Drawing on decades as a tactical medic with the Ontario Provincial Police, Urszenyi brings an authoritative perspective to the depiction of international law enforcement agencies, from the FBI to Interpol. His portrayal of their inner workings, bolstered by insights from various experts cited in the acknowledgements, lends an air of authenticity that enriches the reader's understanding of global intelligence power dynamics. Perfect Shot is a confident start to a new series, and I look forward to seeing how Alex’s character grows in Book 2, Out in the Cold.