I am always excited to read the Minotaur Sampler. This year I especially enjoyed the excerpts corresponding to “Perfect Shot” and “Reykjavik”. The sampler is a wonderful way to explore new genres without having to commit to the whole book. I highly recommend it.

A great sampler! Introduced me to several new titles. Will definitely be checking out most of them to see what happens.

These Samplers are always good for getting a glimpse of upcoming new releases. Based on the readings, I got a much better feel for what I would like to read.
Reykjavík was one of my favorites!

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur for providing this copy.

I loved all of the snippets of the different stories! I am definitely going to be adding these to my TBR!

Can't wait to read more!

Standalone: With over three million copies sold worldwide, Ragnar Jónasson, along with Katrin Jakobsdottir, the Prime Minister of Iceland, brings us a gripping and chilling new thriller: Reykjavík: A Crime Story.

Standalone: Amy Chua's debut novel, The Golden Gate, is a sweeping, evocative, and compelling historical thriller that paints a vibrant portrait of a California buffeted by the turbulent crosswinds of a world at war and a society about to undergo massive change.

First in Series: From Julia Kelly, internationally bestselling author of The Last Dance of the Debutante, comes the first in the mysterious and immersive Parisian Orphan series: A Traitor in Whitehall.

First in Series: Bridgerton meets Agatha Christie meets Bringing Down the Duke in Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord, this dazzling first entry in a terrific new Regency-era cozy series with a feminist spin.

First in Series: In Perfect Shot, a former Army sniper must fall back on her Special Ops skills when a friend’s death uncovers a global nuclear threat, in this electrifying new series featuring Special Agent Alexandra Martel.

First in Series: The Curse of Penryth Hall is an atmospheric gothic mystery that beautifully brings the ancient Cornish countryside to life, Armstrong introduces heroine Ruby Vaughn in her Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award-winning debut.

4.5 stars. Once again, the Minotaur Sampler provides an excellent glimpse into six novels soon to be published. All look intriguing (especially "The Golden Gate," "A Traitor in Whitehall," and "Act Like a Lade, Think Like a Lord," and my TBR list has grown!

Just enough to whet your book-loving appetite with exciting titles that are perfect Autumn reads. I already have Amy Chua and Ragnar Jónasson on my TBR list.

What a great way to get a sneak peek into several books to possibly read! I loved checking these out and may read one or two of the books in full.
I'm not a fan of the feminist gusto in modern storytelling, and the feminist slant of this grouping of books is actually not really for me, so it was also nice to see which books probably wouldn't be a good fit for me.
I do plan to likely read The Curse of Penryth Hall, as that one is the most compelling story for me.

I'll be completely honest here - I'm one of Ragnar Jonasson's biggest fans so I requested this solely to be able to read a sneak peak of Reykjavík and I loved it so much. I knew I would enjoy it because I've loved all of his previous books but I was so intrigued to see how the partnership with Katrín Jakobsdóttir would work. Setting up the story was brilliant, I loved the idea of the missing person mystery and I'm sure I'll be just as thrilled with the rest of the book when I have a chance to read on.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read a preview!

If you have ever liked at a book and wondered should I or shouldn't I? I mean, you don't know the author or the writing style and it's a lot of money if it's not for you... this was a wonderful way to see a bit of each story to know that would connect with me personally and I enjoyed it greatly

I love the opportunity to read these sampler collections! They give enough of a taste to help me decide which titles to request from NetGalley. In this one I am most excited to read the full version of Reykjavik by Ragnar Jonasson, which sounds like an intriguing mystery.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press!

I usually really enjoy these samplers and almost always end up reading every book included. However, none of these books really grabbed me. I will absolutely continue to read these samplers and I hope the next version has some more engaging options!

This review was also published on Goodreads.

Historical fiction collection. I prefer the thriller samplers, but this was a nice genre change.

These samplers allow me to find my favorite, then order the full-length book.

I love these samplers.. They have long excerpts which allow the reader to get a good sense of the author's writing style and pacing, and also include works by new authors. Two of these books are standalone books, and the other four are first in series. I liked every single one of them, but particularly the gothic mystery by Jess Armstrong, Amy Chua's book set in California during WWII, and Celeste Connally's mystery set in the Regency period.

Sampler for Minotaur, Volume 9:
Reykjakvik by Ragnar Jonasson and Katrin Jakobsdottir: 14 year old, Lara goes missing in 1956, this unsolved case may have someone stopping anyone from finding out what happened to her even 30 years later. Great setting and even though I had some early suspects, there may be more than meets the eye with this one.
The Golden Gate by Amy Chua: A debut novel about a murder of a presidential candidate at the Claremont Hotel. Another creepier storyline was evident in the sample—one with a dead girl and maimed doll. I have already recommended this to friends who love the spookier tales.
A Traitor in Whitehall by Julia Kelly: Evelyne Redfern comes from a notorious family and is recruited to work in Prime Minister Churchill’s war rooms . The characters really shine in this one and Evelyne is the most compelling of them all. I was invested in the story immediately. This will be the first one I will read out of the group.
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord by Celeste Connally: Regency-era mystery featuring Lady Petra Forsyth, who has just lost her fiance and claims to never marry. As a woman of independent means, Petra uses her access to the elite to solve the death of a longtime friend. Petra truly felt like a character to root for and I cannot wait to see how the rest of the story unfolds.
Perfect Shot by Steve Urszenyi: Special Agent Alexandra Martel is one of the most decorated Army snipers, however, she attempts to leave the battlefield behind her until a friend is killed under mysterious circumstances. This is clearly going to be action-packed and Alex is a worthwhile main character. I loved how smart, strong, and capable she is and may give this a chance even though it is not my typical genre.
The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong: The cover was the first thing to catch my eye, but when reading the sample, I was captured by the alluring atmosphere. Ruby Vaughn is helping run a rare bookstore in Exeter when asked to make a delivery to a place she swore never to return to. The pull to check on her once dearest friend, Tamsyn, cannot be ignored. All is not well at Penryth Hall. Some of the characters gave me pause, but I feel there was plenty of story that I just wanted to know more about. Overall, solid offering from Minotaur for the upcoming season—I really did not expect less.

A great glimpse into upcoming releases that will get you all hyped. I love browsing these samplers. All the featured titles sound wonderful and I can't wait to read them.

They have a lot of great books in here from the Regency Reed Think Like a Lady, Act Like A Lord by Selest Connelly, they even have general fiction books like the curse of Penryth Hall by jess Armstrong they have so many good books and I was surprised to see I had most of them like the one written by Jess Armstrong I’ve already mentioned, a traitor in Whitehall written by Julia Kelly a historical fiction book I cannot wait to read they have so many books and that is the reason I love the Minotaur sampler it really helps you decide what books you will enjoy in the ones you can skip it totally fills up your TV or way too fast. I love these sampler‘s and cannot wait for the next one. I want to thank Minotaur books and net galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

The Minotaur Sampler, Volume 9 is a new collection of chapter excerpts from six current or upcoming Minotaur books. Released on 27th June 2023 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 202 pages and available (possibly for a limited time) as a free download in ebook format.

These six books from Minotaur are all top shelf fiction. For anyone (and let's face it, that's almost all of us) who has ever wandered around and browsed in a book store or library to read a few pages of random books and see if we are drawn in, this sampler provides the same experience without having to leave the house. The books all have upcoming release dates from Sept - Dec 2023, and it's nice to get a sneak peek before release.

All of the books are very well written - thriller, suspense, and mystery. There are at least 4 of them I'm planning on picking up and reading myself.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Samples from this book can be found in six thrillers that will be published in the fall of 2023. Every book has a cover, an introduction, and a few chapters. I am appreciative that Minotaur Sampler #9 was provided for me by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. It's a great way to quickly scan a few recent releases. I've already chosen three new mysteries for my fall reading list using it.

Perfect Shot, historical fiction by Steve Urszenyi, is a page-turner. Urszenyi was a paramedic and police combat medic for many years. He introduces Special Agent Alexandra Martel in this initial installment of a series. Alex is an Interpol-lent special agent with the FBI. While investigating the murder of an MI5 officer, Alex uncovers a nuclear threat to the world.

Evelyne Redfern tracked combat statistics in Churchill's battle headquarters during World War II, in Julia Kelly's book A Traitor in Whitehall. Evelyne discovers a colleague's body and begins investigating the murder. Kelly is the best-selling historical fiction author in the entire world.

Amy Chua's book "The Golden Gate" is the most outstanding in this sampler. Her nonfiction books can be found anywhere. The charismatic presidential contender Walter Wilkinson was assassinated twice, not just once. Sullivan will take any and all risks in order to solve this bizarre set of murders.

Ragnar Jonasson and Katrin Jakobsdottir, "Reykjavik, A Crime Story" Who better to write a thriller about a missing 14-year-old Icelandic girl? The master's thesis for Prime Minister Jakobsdottir was on Icelandic literature. Jonasson has sold a million or more books. Journalist Valur Robertsson investigates Lara's case thirty years after she vanished and on the city's 200th anniversary. No effort will be spared by someone determined to keep Lára's disappearance a mystery.

The initial installment of Celeste Connally's Regency-era mystery series is titled Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord. Strong-willed Lady Petra Forsyth often "smells like a horse" since she prefers riding over gossiping about people. A trusted friend of many years died from "melancholia" despite receiving questionable medical care. Petra discovers a shocking underground prison where men can pay to lock up their wives and children. I can't wait to read this book's further chapters.

American heiress Ruby Vaughn makes her debut in the suspenseful gothic mystery by Jess Armstrong, "The Penryth Hall Curse". Ruby pays her friend Tamsyn and her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth, a visit at Penryth Hall in Cornwall. Edward tragically died the next day in the orchard. The locals think Tamsyn will soon become the subject of a thirty-year curse. Ruby must work with the man the villagers believe is capable of breaking the curse in order to save Tamsyn's life.

Made me want to read more from all of these books. Cant really review cause its a sampler but a great selection.