New Jersey-based author Michael J. McLaughlin has been named a Best Mystery category finalist in the 2021 Best Thriller Awards for his recently published novel, “Fugue.”
With its awards, the Best Thrillers website (bestthrillers.com) looks to recognize the year’s top English-language books in 15 major categories. Categories include action thriller, spy thriller, science fiction thriller and mystery. Finalists and winners include both established writers and first-time novelists from countries across the globe, including Australia, Belgium, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S.
“Fugue,” published in August 2021, explores a past that’s erased, and a future that’s unpredictable. In the novel, a young woman wakes up in a strange hospital recovering from brain surgery, with no idea who she is, how she got there, or what operation she had. Unable to trust anyone, she battles expectations, obligations, and threats from a forgotten life. But as she chases down her future, past demons conspire against her. Can she escape and reclaim her life? Should she?
“‘Fugue’ features a strong female protagonist battling against tremendous adversity,” McLaughlin said. “My inspiration for my protagonists comes from my wife and daughters. I used my experience as a surgeon to make the character’s condition medically plausible and true to life. I got to know the country of Bolivia in the early 2000’s when I traveled there on hand surgery missions, and drew on those memories as I set parts of ‘Fugue’ in the area surrounding the capital of La Paz.”
According to Best Thrillers, “Fugue is one of the year’s top thrillers and is a must-read for mystery fans.” The Best Thriller Award nomination is a first for McLaughlin, a physician who has published three other suspense novels in addition to “Fugue”: “Extinction,” “The Satin Strangler Blogs,” and “Woods.” “Fugue” and all of McLaughlin’s other books are available from Amazon in paperback or Kindle edition.
Author Michael J. McLaughlin
Michael J. McLaughlin, M.D., is a writer, entrepreneur and former surgeon. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Hopewell, New Jersey, he received degrees from Harvard College and Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. His suspense novels include “Extinction,” “Fugue,” “The Satin Strangler Blogs” and “Woods.” His nonfiction includes the physician career-change book, “Do You Feel Like You Wasted All That Training.” He lives with his family in Hopewell Township. More information is available at his website, mclaughlinbooks.com.
About the Best Thrillers website
The Best Thrillers mission is to help mystery and thriller fans discover amazing books. More than one million new books are published each year, and Best Thrillers seeks to help readers invest their time wisely. The website champions both new and established voices in the writing community and connects them with new audiences. Whether readers crave legal thrillers, crime thrillers, espionage tales, romantic suspense, young adult mysteries or any other flavor of the genre, they can find premium book recommendations created by real reviewers at bestthrillers.com.
Edited 12/16 at 5:21 to add hyperlinks.
