This column was submitted by Evangeline Cessna, Local History Librarian at the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library.

This week’s column features mystery/thriller titles from our New Adult Fiction collection.

The latest Hamish Macbeth title from M.C. Beaton is titled “Death of a Smuggler.” It seems that Hamish will never get the quiet life and peaceful home he desires. When his newly assigned constable arrives, he presents Hamish with a surprise and a secret. Getting to the bottom of this secret gets put on the back burner, however, when a menacing man disappears under mysterious circumstances. On top of that, a woman is found murdered, and Hamish finds that she and the missing man are linked. He is also surprised to learn that the despicable Detective Chief Inspector Blair has been assigned to the murder case under curious circumstances. The growing list of suspects, increasingly bewildering circumstances, and his sworn enemy Blair hindering the investigation have Hamish eager to find the murderer before anyone else falls victim.

The latest Cotton Malone novel by Steve Berry is called “The Medici Return.” Cotton Malone is on the hunt for a forgotten 16th century Pledge of Christ—a sworn promise made by Pope Julius II. This Pledge is evidence of a monetary debt owed by the Vatican that is still active and worth trillions of dollars. Collecting the debt, however, centers around what happened to the famous Medici of Florence—a family whose line died without heirs centuries ago. Cotton’s search also has connections to who will be the next prime minister of Italy, and who will be the next pope. Cotton is stalled in finding answers until he realizes that everything depends on when, and if, the Medici return.

In “Battle Mountain” by C.J. Box, outlaw falconer Nate Romanowski is off the grid and out for revenge. Axel Soledad and Dallas Crates wreaked havoc on both Joe Pickett and Nate Romanowski, especially Nate who lost almost everything. Nate wonders if living a civilized life left him vulnerable to attack, so he drops off grid with his falcons to prepare his vengeance. Meanwhile, the governor has asked Joe to help find his son-in-law who has gone missing in the Sierra Madre mountains and Joe asks rookie game warden Susan Kany to assist him in the search. The nearly cold trail they are following leads to Warm Springs, but little do Joe and Susan know that their paths are about to converge with Nate and his fellow falconer Geronimo Jones at Battle Mountain. Will Nate get his vengeance, or will Joe be able to talk his friend down?

Christopher Farnsworth continues Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone series with “Buried Secrets.” Police Chief Jesse Stone must find out who killed a man who was found lying on top of two million dollars in cash with photos of murder victims strewn about before a mob of hit men descend on Paradise. Jesse finds the elderly resident dead while conducting a welfare check inside a home packed with junk and trash. Jesse follows the trail to an aging mobster who will do whatever it takes to keep the past from coming to light. It doesn’t take long for Jesse to have a price on his head and hit men converging on the wealthy seaside town of Paradise. The real danger, however, may be coming from inside his own department.

Perennial best seller James Patterson’s latest novel featuring NYPD detective Michael Bennett is titled “Paranoia.” Michael Bennett has seen an increase in the number of his fellow officers who have died in the line of duty. When NYPD Inspector Celeste Cantor tells Michael to investigate these latest deaths, she also tells him to report only to her. Celeste thinks that she may be the next target for the deranged killer. Little does Michael know that this investigation is going to put everyone he loves in danger. The investigation takes him to Florida where he finds that, not only is Cantor’s team targeted, but that the killer seems to be a hitman for hire who’s only looking for his next pile of cash. Michael decides to elicit the aid of new NYPD hire, Rob Trilling—a former military officer with skills and energy that Michael hasn’t seen in a while. Michael and Rob will need to combine their knowledge and skill to find this hitman before more cops—and Michael—wind up dead.