Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been writing crime novels and TV shows for years. For TV, I wrote for Law & Order, Pretty Little Liars, CSI: Miami, and several other crime shows. In the book world, I used to write amateur sleuth novels, and now I write thrillers. My favorite form of relaxation is to get a cup of tea, put my feet up, and read a great thriller. They inspire me. As I read, I study how they’re structured. There’s nothing I appreciate more than a twist I didn’t see coming, a morally good character who turns out to be evil, or a flawed character who ultimately turns out to be good.


I wrote

Killer Story

By Matt Witten,

Book cover of Killer Story

What is my book about?

How far will she go to catch the killer – and make her podcast a hit? Idealistic journalist Petra Kovach launches…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Who Is Maud Dixon?

Matt Witten Why did I love this book?

I loved this book so much! This is a fun, twisted novel about a lost soul who's desperate to find her way in the world.

The hero/antihero of the book is Florence Darrow, a young woman who wants to be somebody one day. She wants to be special. She wants to be great. For her, that takes the form of dreaming of becoming a bestselling novelist. She'll do anything to achieve that dream. Anything.

Maybe this shows my own moral failings as a human being, but I totally related! So when she... well, I won't say what she does because that would be a spoiler. But when she does some very bad stuff, I'm with her all the way. Couldn't stop turning the pages.

By Alexandra Andrews,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Who Is Maud Dixon? as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?


'Clever, cunning, and diabolical in the best possible way. Anyone longing for a good old-fashioned thrill need look no further' Ann Patchett

Celebrated, bestselling, elusive...who is Maud Dixon?

Florence Darrow wants to be a writer. Correction: Florence Darrow IS going to be a writer. Fired from her first job in publishing, she jumps at the chance to be assistant to the celebrated Maud Dixon, the anonymous bestselling novelist. The arrangement comes with conditions - high secrecy, living in an isolated house in the countryside . Before long, the two of them are on a research trip to Morocco, to inspire…


Book cover of Mouth to Mouth

Matt Witten Why did I love this book?

When I was a kid, I used to love W. Somerset Maugham short stories. Often they were about two strangers, usually men, meeting in a remote colonial outpost, and one of the two would then proceed to tell the other a strange, violent, heartbreaking, life-altering story that had happened to him or that he had witnessed. Mouth to Mouth, which I loved, reminded me of those stories.

I listened to it on audiobook, and the narration is pitch-perfect. This novel is about two men who meet at an airport when their plane is delayed. They go into a lounge, where one of them, a rich art dealer named Jeff, proceeds to tell the other his life story.

It’s gripping. I sat in my car after I got home so I could listen to the last twenty minutes.

By Antoine Wilson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Mouth to Mouth as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of The Soulmate

Matt Witten Why did I love this book?

This book is a gripping and timely thriller that examines mental health issues, including ADHD, in ways that feel extremely realistic and informative.

The main character lives near a cliff renowned for being a suicide spot, and her husband has talked several people out of jumping. He's a hero. But does he also have a dark side?

This is a book with more twists than one usually gets in a thriller, but they don't feel cheapthey all feel earned. The writing in this novel is excellent, with just the right touch of humor and chapter endings that pull you along.

By Sally Hepworth,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Soulmate as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Gabe is alone at the cliff's edge. His arms are outstretched, palms facing the empty air.'

He said she jumped. He wouldn't lie.

Before the woman went over the cliff, Pippa and Gabe were happy. They have the kind of marriage that everyone envies, as well as two sweet young daughters, a supportive family, and a picturesque cliff-side home - which would have been idyllic had the tall beachside cliffs not become so popular among those wishing to end their lives.

Gabe has become somewhat of a local hero since they moved to the cliff house, talking seven people down…


Book cover of The Locked Door

Matt Witten Why did I love this book?

I enjoyed this novel about a serial killer's daughter. The main character is flawed but very rootable, and the ending took me by surprise.

I especially admired the way all the different strands of the plot came together. The author laid out some good cookie crumbs for the reader to follow, and I missed several of them in a way that was very satisfying when they were revealed to me. I also liked that the main character gets a happy ending that I found very believable.

By Freida McFadden,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Locked Door as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A twisty psychological thriller from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Housemaid and The Coworker!

Some doors are locked for a reason…

While eleven-year-old Nora Davis was up in her bedroom doing homework, she had no idea her father was killing women in the basement.

Until the day the police arrived at their front door.

Decades later, Nora's father is spending his life behind bars, and Nora is a successful surgeon with a quiet, solitary existence. Nobody knows about her past, and she'll do anything to keep it that way.

Then one of her young…


Book cover of The Serial Killer's Wife

Matt Witten Why did I love this book?

This book is an entertaining thriller about a woman who discovers, or thinks she discovers, that her husband has killed at least one woman in the past. She needs to figure out how to extricate herself and her daughter from this situation in a way that will be least damaging to the two of them.

It's difficult to talk about this novel without spoilers, but the second half of The Serial Killer's Wife has great twists, and the ending packs a wallop. It's not often that a final twist surprises me as much as this one did!

By Alice Hunter,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Serial Killer's Wife as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*Read it before you watch it - now a major TV series for Paramount+*

'The final double twist is well worth waiting for' My Weekly

'Hooks you in to the drama straight away and does not let you go, even on the last page' The Sun

Every marriage has its secrets...

Beth and Tom Hardcastle are the envy of their neighbourhood - they have the perfect marriage, the perfect house, the perfect family.

When the police knock on their door one evening, Beth panics. Tom should be back from work by now - what if he's crashed his car? She…


Explore my book 😀

Killer Story

By Matt Witten,

Book cover of Killer Story

What is my book about?

How far will she go to catch the killer – and make her podcast a hit? Idealistic journalist Petra Kovach launches a true-crime podcast to investigate the murder of an alt-right YouTuber she loved like a little sister, despite their political differences.

Petra’s passionate quest for justice rockets her to the top of the podcasting charts, but her just-barely-legal tactics backfire, and she loses everything: her job, her love, and her reputation. Now she must fight to get her life backand catch the killer.

You might also like...

The Widow Maker

By Janet Fix, Cheryl Bradshaw,

Book cover of The Widow Maker

Janet Fix Author Of The Broken Soul

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Writer, reader, editor, reviewer, publisher… those are all parts of me. With a lifetime of experience in the “words” industry, I have a pretty good handle on what makes a book not just good, but hot. I say this with the understanding that each reader brings their own histories to the reading experience, and what one person may like, another may not. Nonetheless, I offer you my professional and personal favorites in the mystery/thriller/suspense categories. It is my sincere hope that you find these books as addictive as I’d found them. Superb and clever writing, engaging characters, unpredictable plots—yes, please! Though I occasionally step outside my comfort zone, I'm consistently drawn back to these categories. 

Janet's book list on intriguing whodunits

What is my book about?

Liza O’Connell was a horror buff in every sense of the word. But there was one deadly nightmare she would never be able to talk about … her own. A friend murdered. A business in trouble. A marriage struggling to survive. And that’s just the beginning. 

When salon owner Carrie King discovers Liza dead in the back room of her shop, everyone becomes a suspect, even her. As tensions in the community rise, so does the death toll, and now the local cops believe there’s a serial killer on the loose. The question is … are the two investigations connected?…

The Widow Maker

By Janet Fix, Cheryl Bradshaw,

What is this book about?

Liza O’Connell was a horror buff in every sense of the word. But there was one deadly nightmare she would never be able to talk about … her own.

A friend murdered.

A business in trouble.

A marriage struggling to survive.

And that’s just the beginning.

When salon owner Carrie King discovers Liza dead in the back room of her shop, everyone becomes a suspect, even her. As tensions in the community rise, so does the death toll, and now the local cops believe there’s a serial killer on the loose.
The question is … are the two investigations connected?…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in serial killers, Florence, and the FBI?

Serial Killers 323 books
Florence 52 books
The FBI 127 books