Worst Month to be a Turkey
Hurricanes, Holiday Thrills, and Gratitude
Okay. So, what happened to October? And most of November? Between hurricanes, evacuations, clean up, deadlines, a shocking election and, of course, the business of being a human, it’s been a wild time since my last newsletter. I hope this finds you well and gearing up for a joyful holiday season. If you’re not a turkey. (If you are a turkey, I deeply apologize for the flip and insensitive nature of this headline.)
Lots to share. So, I’ll get right to it.
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS
It’s never too early to start thinking about how you’re going to survive the holidays. My suggestion: disappear in to my dark little Christmas novella about a traumatized independent bookstore owner and unethical podcaster both racing to solve the same cold case.
Maybe I’m biased, but this gift-sized novel might be the perfect stocking stuffer for the mystery lover in your life. Signed copies available to order from Mysterious Bookshop and Tombolo Books.
Awards and Honors
Tampa Bay Times Best Book of 2023
Amazon Editors' Pick
BookBub Best Mysteries and Thrillers of Fall 2023
Praise
"If you’re looking for a warm, heart-warming story of holiday cheer, this ain’t it. This book is a cold-blooded nasty thriller. I loved it!"
—R.L. Stine
"Want the secret to surviving the holidays? Sneak away from the family to read this pulse-pounding novella by Lisa Unger. CHRISTMAS PRESENTS is the perfect mix of thrills and chills to delight any suspense reader."
—Lisa Gardner
Buy Now:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Bookshop | Kobo
THE DOLL’S HOUSE
And if you’re not quite ready to move on from spooky season, here’s a binge-able short read that will hopefully have your glued to your seat, and raise the hairs on the back of your neck.
When grieving teenager Scout and her widowed mother Jules move into the family home of Jules’s new fiancé Kirin, it looks like the perfect fresh start after a time of sadness. Scout is miserable to leave her life behind, and isn’t in any rush to bond with the kind and thoughtful new man in her mother’s life.
But when she discovers a doll in a closed off wing in the sprawling house, she stumbles onto the unsolved mystery of Kirin’s missing sister Emma. As she digs deeper into the past, she starts to suspect that whatever dark forces came for Emma, might also be coming for Jules.
Buy Now (Free with Prime or Kindle Unlimited)
CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10
What would you do for a million dollars?
If you were a single mother whose husband had disappeared on the run from the law, with two teenagers to support and a job that’s barely making ends meet, then what would you do for a million dollars?
Would you sign up for a game of extreme hide and seek in an abandoned hotel on a remote island in the pacific? If you’re Adele, the devoted mom but tough-as-nails survivor protagonist of my new novel, the answer is yes. But for Adele and the other players, what starts out as game, quickly becomes a high stakes race for survival and the only prize that matters is making it out alive.
When Sarah Michelle Gellar posts on Instagram that she is reading CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10! Crazy fangirl moment!
Early Praise
BookBub Best Mysteries and Thrillers of Winter 2025
SheReads Most Anticipated Thrillers of 2025
"Lisa Unger just gets better and better! Pacy and gripping, I couldn’t read fast enough. Take it on holiday and savor every deliciously dark page.”
—Sarah Pearse, New York Times bestselling author of The Wilds
“Twisty, riveting, and emotionally intense. You will NOT close your eyes once you start reading this book.”
—Kathy Reichs, New York Times bestselling author of Fire and Bones
Pre-Order Now
Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Bookshop | Google Play | Kobo | Libro.fm
Want an Early Read?
Enter to win a galley of CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10 today, Nov. 25th!
BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE 2024
I’m so honored and thrilled that my story UNKNOWN CALLER was selected for this prestigious collection, edited by the esteemed Steph Cha and S.A. Cosby. This anthology is available everywhere books are sold. UNKNOWN CALLER also won the Thriller Award for Best Short Story last summer, and was nominated as part of the WE COULD BE HEROES collection with Lisa Scottoline, J.T. Ellison, Janelle Brown and Victor Methos for Best Anthology at Killer Nashville — I’m so grateful!
Southern Festival of Books
The Southern Festival of Books in Nashville was everything a festival should be — lots of laughs with longtime and new friends, great readers, a wonderful on-stage chat with the brilliant J.T. Ellison and designer cookies — what a city, an up all night honky tonk!
What I’m working on:
I just finished the final revision on my 2025 Christmas short story about a traumatized hit woman who botches a job and has to face the ghost of her own Christmas past and a very dangerous present. It will be a while before I can share this one with you, but I loved writing it. There’s something about mingling the beauty and sparkle of the holiday season with trauma and darkness that really thrills me.
I turned in my 2026 novel. I can’t talk about this one at all except to say that I can’t wait to get back to work on the next draft. I’ve had some thoughts since I turned it in, so I’m ready to take another crack at it.
I’m in the early stages of my 2027 novel, doing some research and writing and seeing how things develop for an idea that’s been kicking around for a while. I’ll keep you posted.
What I’m thinking about:
I wrote this essay and as Thanksgiving approaches I’d like to share it again because it remains true, even though this year it’s ten years old. This week I’ll celebrate by 24th wedding anniversary with the love of my life, and my mother will turn 84. My little girl almost 19 and off to college.
I was invited to chat with some of my favorite authors Mary Kay Andrews, Karin Slaughter, J.T. Ellison, Paula Hawkins and Lucy Foley about what scares us the most.
At the time I was in the middle of an evacuation, wondering if my house would be there when we returned. So, that was definitely top of mind. (Luckily, though our area has been battered from Milton and Helene, and we sustained some damage, our home is intact. We’re thankful!)
Loved hearing all of the different answers. Read it here.
What I’m reading:
SPY COAST by Tess Gerritsen. I just finished this twisty, layered, and oh-so-smart novel by the great Tess Gerritsen. Tess has long been one of my favorite writers and she is a person I greatly admire in this industry — honest, kind, and always getting better. SPY COAST is about a community of retired special agents just trying to find a little peace and quiet in their golden years. Um. No.
A VERY BAD THING by J.T. Ellison. This one grabbed me on page one and didn’t let up. Ellison is a master of character and knows just how to keep turning the screws of suspense page after page. She’s at the top of her game in this thriller about a mega bestselling writer with dark secrets come back to haunt.
NEMESIS by Gregg Hurwitz. I can’t wait to dive into this next installment in the Orphan X series. Gregg happens to be my ITW co-prez, very dear friend, and one of my all-time favorite writers. He is the rare writer who gets it all right every time — excellent writing, big adventure, cool tech, and an iconic character in Evan Smoak who grows and changes in each book.
What I’m watching:
BAD SISTERS. I’m obsessed with this show, and just rewatched season one in preparation for season two. I wondered how they could top it, to be honest. But wow. We’re only on the second episode but it’s — dare I say it — even better, diving deep into the long tail of grief, guilt, and family secrets.
SLOW HORSES. Based on the Slough House series by Mick Herron, this is a British spy drama about a group of dysfunctional MI5 agents. It’s darkly funny, brilliantly plotted and utterly immersive. I love everything about it from the stellar writing to the sharp performances from Gary Oldman, Jack Snowden, Kristin Scott Thomas, Sophie Okonedo and more.
SPEAK NO EVIL starring James McAvoy had me crawling out of my skin and yelling at the television. It was masterfully plotted, clever, and riveting. I loved the element that the couple in trouble was in a struggling marriage and had to band together to try to save themselves and their child. Tense and scary, but a cut above because of the excellent character development.
I’ll just take this moment to say how grateful I am for all of you. Thank you for reading this newsletter, for taking my characters and stories into your hearts and your minds, for all the love and support you’ve shown me over the years. A writer is nothing without her reader pals. Thank you for being the most important part of this crazy, wonderful writing life. May the week ahead, however you celebrate or if you do, be filled with laughter, love, and gratitude.
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Love that we got to cross paths so many times this fall - what a gift!!!
Love your books! Hope to see you at Bouchercon again!