I just got back from a fabulous 2-week vacation to the U.K. in which everything went pretty much as smoothly as it could. Even the few things that didn't go quite as planned turned into happy accidents and funny memories. This hasn't been the case with every holiday I've gone on, naturally. I've been on trips marred by nasty weather, illness, car trouble, family drama, forgotten medication, kids having meltdowns, and one memorable (but very minor, thank goodness) trip to a Canadian emergency room. Although I pray for uneventful vacations in real life, I want the opposite in my fiction. Bring on all the holiday murder and mayhem! I mean, c'mon, who wants to read about a smooth-as-silk holiday? Not I! Today's TTT prompt is actually Top Ten Characters I'd Like to Go On Vacation With, but I'm going to put my own spin on it and list some vacation thrillers on my TBR list. I actually did this same topic back in 2020 with ten different books, so take a look at that if you're into this genre as well.

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl. Pop on over there and give her some love, won't you?

1. The River Wild by Denis O'Neill—I loved the film version of this survival story starring Kevin Bacon and Meryl Streep, but I've never read the book. The story is about a couple whose marriage struggles lead them to go on a white water rafting trip with their young son, hoping they can heal what's broken with some concentrated bonding time. When they rescue two stranded rafters, they unknowingly pick up a pair of criminals on the run. The family's peaceful outing soon turns into a desperate run against two armed killers and a powerful river, both of which seem to be conspiring to kill them.

2. One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware (available May 21, 2024)—In spite of relationship issues with her wannabe actor boyfriend, Lyla auditions with him for a new reality show that pits couples against each other for a large cash prize. Along with their fellow competitors, Lyla and Nico are left on the shores of a beautiful, exotic, and very remote island. After the game's first challenge leaves the contestants boiling with anger, a violent storm sweeps in, cutting the players off from all communication with the outside world. With no way to call for help and supplies running low, the couples must band together to survive. Or not.

3. Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam—I'm probably the last person on earth to read this buzzy thriller. It's about a family from New York City who rent a luxurious Long Island home for a much-needed rest from their busy lives. Everything is going swimmingly until a knock on the door in the middle of the night changes everything. An older couple has arrived, claiming to be the owners of the home. They bring terrible news—a mysterious power outage has shut down the city, causing widespread chaos and panic. Something about the situation doesn't seem right to the vacationers, but with phone and Internet service down, there's no way for them to know what's really happening. Can they trust these newcomers? Or is something way more sinister than a power outage going on?

4. Never Coming Home by Kate Williams—In this YA thriller, ten of the world's most famous teen influencers are invited to Unknown Island. This paradise of the privileged has just opened and the whole world is talking about its beauty, luxury, and exclusivity. When the "First Ten" receive their coveted invites, they think they're being rewarded because of their massive followings. Wrong. They're being trapped because of the secrets each one of them is hiding. Someone wants those bombshells released. Someone wants to punish their keepers. Someone doesn't want the powerful influencers to leave the island. Ever. 

5. The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis—Twenty years ago, four teenagers embarked on a study abroad adventure in Provence, France, and became the best of friends. The girls spent their weekends visiting elegant Séraphine Demargelasse, one of the students' grandmother, at her fancy chateau. Two decades later, Séraphine invites them back. None of the women understand the sudden invitation, but each has their own secret reason for accepting. When their host is found murdered after a night of celebration, those secrets begin to emerge as everyone scrambles to figure out what is happening and why. 

6. Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok—When the titular character disappears while on vacation in the Netherlands, the Lee family is devastated and confused. What happened to their smart, successful oldest daughter? Amy, the youngest of the Lee siblings, has always been shy and easily intimidated. She idolizes her sister, her polar opposite. Determined to find answers for her distraught parents, Amy calls on every ounce of courage she possesses and embarks on a journey to figure out what happened to Sylvie. Along the way, she'll expose shocking secrets and discover deep truths about her sister, their parents, and herself. 

7. The Last Guest House by Caroline Mitchell (available April 16, 2024—today!)—In need of some R&R after working a taxing case, Detective Constable Nicola McKenna agrees to go on a relaxing vacation to Scotland's remote Isle of Skye. When they discover that their hotel has been overbooked, they scramble to find alternate accommodations. The Loch House has some odd rules, which Nicola finds more than a little unsettling. An incoming snow storm unnerves her even more and shows her just how very wrong things are at the sketchy guest house...

8. The Search Party by Hannah Richell—Max and Annie Kingsley have left their stressful life in London behind to run a glamping site. To ensure everything goes well for its grand opening, they decide to give their new venture a test run. They invite a group of family friends to join them for a fun, relaxing weekend. It doesn't take long for things to go sideways. With tension already on the rise, a sudden storm crashes in and one of the group disappears. As they try to find their missing member, secrets will come to light, families will be pitted against each other, and friendships will crumble. Will any of them ever recover from their dream weekend turned hellish nightmare?

9. Descent by Tim Johnston—The Courtlands are hanging out in the Rocky Mountains enjoying one last family vacation before their 18-year-old daughter, Caitlin, heads off to college. When she and her brother go for a run one morning and only Sean comes back, the family is thrown into a wild panic. What happened to Caitlin? Have they lost her forever? 

10. The River At Night by Erica Ferencik—If there's one thing everyone can agree on it's that Winifred Allen needs a vacation. Even still, she's a tad reluctant to join her best friends on a rafting and hiking adventure in the Maine wilderness. Her misgivings come to fruition when a freak accident turns their harmless excursion into a desperate struggle for survival against nature, each other, and the most dangerous type of wildlife: other humans.

There you go, ten novels about vacations going terribly wrong that I want to read. Have you read any of these? What did you think? Are there any other books you've loved about holidays gone awry? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

In a very 2020 move, my blood sugar went a little nutso last night.  Dealing with it kept me up late, then I had to get up at 6 a.m. for the first time since February to make sure my sixth grader got off to in-person school (she'll go two days a week), and now I'm tired and cranky!  Top Ten Tuesday always puts me in a good mood, although I'm not feeling today's topic—Cover Freebie—since I just did a list featuring book covers.  My Monday-ish mood (even though it's Tuesday) makes me want to go rogue and do my own topic, so that's what I'm gonna do, darn it.   

If you want to get in on the TTT action (and you do!), head on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.

Since next week's topic concerns our Fall 2020 TBR lists, I decided to make this list a two-parter and take a look at some of the great-looking novels that are coming out in the last few weeks of 2020.  Although we're all probably ready to kick this year to the curb, at least there is something to look forward to (other than cooler temps and the holidays) as we head into Fall.

Top Ten Novels Coming Out in Fall 2020, Part One 

1.  Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam (available October 6, 2020)—A family heads to a remote vacation home on Long Island only to have their time together interrupted by a frantic knock on the door in the middle of the night.  The owners have come home in a panic, raving about a sinister blackout in New York City.  With no t.v. or Internet, the two families are on their own—together—as the world falls apart.  The premise of this one is so fun (in a fictional sense, anyway)!  I can't wait to see how the author spins this tale.

2.  A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins  (available November 10, 2020)—Reporting on London's grisly crime scene may not be the most proper profession, but Lady Katherine Bascomb doesn't care.  Especially when one of her articles leads to the arrest of a killer.  To escape some of her newfound notoriety, she hies off to the country, only to witness a murder upon arrival.  The DI assigned to the case doesn't want a woman interfering with his investigation, but he's going to get one whether he likes it or not ... Sounds like a light, entertaining read.

3.  The Wrong Family by Tarryn Fisher (available December 29, 2020)—Juno, a retired therapist faced with a grim diagnosis, desires to live out what's left of her life in peace.  Moving in with the Crouches, who seem to be the perfect family, seems like the best solution.  Until she overhears a very disturbing conversation.  Juno should keep her mouth shut since she has her own secrets to keep, but the thing about skeletons in the closet is they always tend to creep out ...

4.  When Life Gives You Mangos by Kereen Getten (available October 20, 2020)—This MG novel concerns a 12-year-old living on an exotic island whose memory hasn't been the same since a devastating hurricane hit.  As she tries to recover her shattered memory, she also attempts to save a friendship that hasn't been the same since.  The plot sounds a little thin on this one, but I'm always up for a compelling MG read, so we'll see if this one hits the mark or not.

5.  Millicent Glenn's Last Wish by Tori Whitaker (available October 1, 2020)—On the eve of Millicent's 91st birthday, her estranged daughter moves back in.  Then, Millicent's granddaughter surprises them both by announcing she's pregnant, which brings up sorrows from the past Millicent's never spoken about before.  As three generations of Glenn women come together under the same roof, can they find the strength and healing which they all so desperately need? 

6.  Wishes and Wellingtons by Julie Berry (available October 13, 2020)—Berry's newest MG offering sounds quirky and engaging.  It revolves around an orphan girl who discovers a magical djinni while sorting garbage as a punishment for brawling in the schoolyard.  She's desperate to be granted three wishes, but having a djinni in her possession might turn out to be a whole lot more trouble than it's 

worth!

7.  Above All Else by Dana Alison Levy (available October 13, 2020)—I find stories about Mount Everest fascinating, so this YA offering about teen climbers appeals.

8.  The War Widow by Tara Moss (available December 29, 2020)—Now that World War II is over, war correspondent Billie Walker finds herself out of a job.  The plucky Australian reporter opens a detective agency, which soon has her looking into the disappearance of a young man.  Her investigation will ruffle the feathers of a handsome detective and take Billie deep into Sydney's dark underbelly where it soon becomes apparent that, for some, the war has not ended at all.

9.  The Lakehouse by Joe Clifford (available September 29, 2020)—Todd Norman has been cleared of killing his wife and just wants to move on with his life.  He returns to her small, Connecticut hometown to complete the building of their dream house on the lake.  Todd hasn't been there long when the body of a young woman is found nearby.  Under investigation once again, he will do anything to clear his name.  Who is the woman?  And how did she end up in the lake?

10.  The Truth Project by Dante Medema (available October 13, 2020)—I'm obsessed with genealogy, so I love books about people investigating their roots, even when (maybe especially when) they get unexpected results.  This debut YA novel is about an Alaskan teen who takes a DNA test that reveals her father is not the same man she calls Dad.  If he's not who she thought he was, is she who she thought she was?  Sounds intriguing.

There you go, ten upcoming novels I'm interested in reading.  What do you think?  Do any of them catch your interest?  Are there any books still coming out in 2020 that you're dying to read?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave a comment on this post and I'll gladly return the favor on your blog.  

Happy TTT!