Three recent thrillers by Raphael Montes, Janice Hallett, and Liane Moriarty offer readers a range of suspenseful narratives blending dark themes with sharp storytelling.

Raphael Montes’s novel, *The Secret Dinner* (Celadon, 337 pages, $28.99), has garnered considerable attention in Brazil for its provocative premise. The story follows a group of financially strapped young adults in Rio de Janeiro who launch a catering business with a disturbing twist: they serve human flesh to wealthy clients at secretive dinner events. The book combines elements of satire, horror, and absurdism, evoking references from the musical *Sweeney Todd* and Jonathan Swift’s 18th-century essay “A Modest Proposal.” The protagonist, Dante, is a 24-year-old bookstore clerk who serves as the story’s moral center, confronting escalating complications as the business becomes entangled with blackmailing aristocrats and corrupt law enforcement officials. Readers with a sensitive stomach are advised to approach the novel with caution due to its graphic content.

Janice Hallett’s *The Silent Appeal* (Atria, 467 pages, $30) continues the story of the Fairway Players, an amateur theater troupe previously introduced in her debut novel *The Appeal*. This installment centers on the company’s attempt to stage Agatha Christie’s *The Hollow* amid internal chaos and an ongoing murder investigation. The narrative unfolds through an unconventional format involving emails, texts, and social media messages, creating a layered puzzle that gradually reveals the identity of the victim. Hallett’s signature wit and sharp observation of human foibles provide a balance of humor and intrigue throughout the unfolding drama.

Liane Moriarty returns to the characters from her bestseller *Big Little Lies* in a sequel titled *Big Little Truths* (Crown, 464 pages, $34), set a decade after the original story. The novel revisits Madeline, Renata, Jane, Celeste, and Bonnie as they navigate the complexities of middle age, including family challenges and lingering past troubles. The focus has shifted toward their children, who grapple with their own crises at school, highlighted by the mysterious arrival of a severed finger addressed to the new high school principal. This event triggers a mixture of reactions among students, ranging from excitement to distress. The introduction of characters such as Melody Montclair, a charismatic history teacher, and Brenda, a school counselor, adds layers of intrigue to the narrative. Moriarty blends moments of comedy and emotional depth with social commentary, setting the stage for potential developments in the anticipated third season of the story’s HBO adaptation.

Together, these novels showcase a diverse set of approaches to the thriller genre, combining psychological insight, dark humor, and intricate plotting to engage readers across different cultural contexts.