Alex Finlay's Parent's Weekend follows five families after their kids go missing during Parents Weekend in this action-packed thriller.

Mary Dixie Carter's Marguerite by the Lake is a tense novel about the death of a glamorous garden designer, a widower trying to keep his secrets buried, and the young gardener entangled in their lives.

Olivia Worley's So Happy Together follows a young woman determined to win her ex back when she makes a shocking discovery, ensnaring them in a complicated web of lies, secret, and murder.

Camilla Sten's page-turning thriller The Bachelorette Party follows a washed up podcaster who's determined to solve a cold case that's haunted her while at her best friend's bachelorette party.

In Kelsey Cox's pulse-pounding Party of Liars, a sweet sixteen party turns deadly when a body falls from a balcony onto the dance floor before the birthday candles are blown out.

Stacy Willingham's Forget Me Not is a twisty thriller about a woman whose older sister disappeared years ago and who goes back to the scene of her disappearance to confront the past, blowing it all up again.

Cannot wait to read more from these authors. Will recommend to others.

This little sampler is a great showcase of what’s to come! I’ve actually already read The Bachelorette Party and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the full books shown in this sample! I’m especially interested in the Alex Finlay book and the Stacey Willingham book!

Parents weekend by Alex Finlay. Five chapters to preview. Decision made. Not interested. Can already tell trying to keep track of all the characters will be difficult for me.

Marguerite by the Lake by Mary Dixie Carter. Already read. Gave it 5 stars.

So Happy Together by Olivia Worley. The few chapters I read determined it’s not as compelling as I hoped.

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten. The writing voice doesn’t line up with my reading style. It’s not pulling me in.

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox. I appreciate the time and effort to produce a good book. Unfortunately, for me this book didn’t check off all the necessary boxes.

Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham. Five preview chapters for what is going to be a fantastic read. It’s a yes from me.

This is a fantastic collection of samples of some of the hottest new thrillers out! I cannot wait to read these books!

This is a great sampler with some upcoming mystery and thriller titles. A few of these I was already planning to read, but I did find a couple that were new to me.

I loved this little sampler! I've already started Forget Me Not & added a couple more of these to my TBR!

I always love the Minotaur samplers! They have such a great selection of mystery and thriller writers. The samplers give me an idea of the upcoming books I most want to read.

Thanks Minotaur and NetGalley for providing this sampler. All thoughts are my own.

These previews got me so excited for my summer of reading! I added all of the books to my TBR, and I've already pre-ordered a few :)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of The Minotaur Sampler Volume 15. I always look forward to these samplers, and this one did not disappoint. It’s a fantastic way to discover upcoming mysteries and thrillers, and Volume 15 features an intriguing mix of voices and styles. Each excerpt gave just enough to hook me without spoiling too much, and now I have several full-length books on my TBR. A few stood out more than others, but that’s part of the fun, getting a taste of different authors and deciding what grabs you most. This is a great resource for readers who love crime fiction and want to get ahead of the next big release.

Thank you for the opportunity to read a sample before I decide which ones to request. From this collection, I am most excited to read Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay.

This was a fan sample of multiple books releasing soon that’s in very interested in. I will definitely be returning to finish these stories when the full book releases

This sampler made me eager to read AlL of the books included. In fact, since receiving it, I HAVE read all except the new Stacey Willingham, but I do have it. Thank you!
FYI: I have enjoyed all but So Happy Together

Originally I requested this sampler for Stacy Willingham, but found that I am excited for all do these books.

What a great lineup to have. I would love the opportunity to read and review full length novels if any of these books.

What an incredible sampler. Every time a page cut off to mark the end of the sample of that story I audibly groaned.

Okay I actually cheated slightly by already reading an ARC of the The Parents Weekend, but check out my review for that because I just love everything Alex Finley writes.

The standout story for this sampler for me was The Bachelorette Party. I seriously cannot wait until this book is published and will be getting it on release day. I was instantly hooked with the stories opener- a 90s slasher style scene of what happened on this small Swedish island years ago, and was gripping my kindle waiting to see what was going to happen in the modern day timeline. Thankfully I was able to go and get some previous publications to tear through in the meantime because I’ve never read anything by Sten before and clearly I vibe with her as a writer.

As for Stacy Willingham, that woman is incapable of writing a bad thriller. Her books always seem a little slower, moodier, and atmospheric to me, but this sample started out super strong and had me hooked. I cannot wait to get the whole story.


This sampler offers up six really strong Mystery/Thriller genre stories and gave me 5 automatic adds to my TBR, and the only reason it wasn’t all six was because I already read the ARC of one!

The Minotaur Sampler, Volume 15 is a captivating collection that offers readers a glimpse into six forthcoming standalone thrillers set to release in Spring/Summer 2025. This e-book sampler is an excellent resource for fans of mystery and suspense, providing a taste of diverse narratives from both established and debut authors.

Overview of Included Works:
• Alex Finlay's Parent's Weekend: An action-packed thriller where five families grapple with the mysterious disappearance of their children during a college event.
• Mary Dixie Carter's Marguerite by the Lake: A tense narrative exploring the death of a glamorous garden designer, a widower's buried secrets, and a young gardener entangled in their complex lives.
• Olivia Worley's So Happy Together: A young woman's quest to win back her ex spirals into a web of lies, secrets, and murder, challenging perceptions of love and truth.
• Camilla Sten's The Bachelorette Party: A washed-up podcaster attends her best friend's bachelorette party, only to confront a cold case that's haunted her, blending personal demons with investigative intrigue.
• Kelsey Cox's Party of Liars: A sweet sixteen celebration turns deadly when a body plummets onto the dance floor, unraveling a tale of secrets and suspense.
• Stacy Willingham's Forget Me Not: A woman revisits the site of her sister's long-ago disappearance, confronting past traumas and uncovering unsettling truths.

This sampler serves as an enticing introduction to upcoming thrillers, each promising unique narratives and compelling characters. Whether you're a long-time fan of the genre or seeking new authors to explore, The Minotaur Sampler, Volume 15 offers a diverse array of stories that are sure to pique your interest.

This is a solid sampler collection including some of my favorite mystery authors! Can’t wait to read the full books!

So excited for these! More In depth reviews on the ones I was approved for! Thank you! Parents weekend is I think my
Most anticipated!

I LOVED this sampler! I already read one of the ARCs in it, which I enjoyed, but I enjoyed - and can't wait to read - all of the books in this sampler!

This review was also posted on Goodreads.

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for providing these excerpts from the upcoming publications.

I find the Minotaur Sampler volumes to be a good way to decide if a book is for me. This sampler contains excerpts from the following books:

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox
The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten
Marguerite by the Lake by Mary Dixie Carter
Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay
So Happy Together by Olivia Worley
Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham

I admit that I’ve already read and reviewed Parents Weekend. This sampler had a couple of auto-read authors for me, so their excerpts were probably not necessary for me with Alex Finlay and Stacy Willingham, but I do appreciate them anyway. I was able to decide that one of the books that I was considering was not for me and one that I hadn’t considered pulled me in and prompted me to add the title to my TBR. I found the debut novel Party of Liars promising. All around a good sampling of books for my reading decisions.

Once again, the Minotaur Sampler just makes my TBR list get even longer. I really enjoyed reading the first few chapters of each of these new books and look forward to reading a few of them completely -- as well as to the next edition of the Minotaur Sampler!