Red Scorpion

The Times best thrillers for April 2026

A propulsive thrillerIrish Independent
A tense, fast-paced thriller about moral compromisei PAPER
Tom Bradby has created a magnificent woman in Dr Laura Strong. [A] powerfully entertaining novel Literary Review

Life for Dr Laura Strong shouldn’t be this hard. Nights working thankless A&E shifts. A much-loved disabled brother to look after. Loan sharks at her door. She needs a miracle to stop her life collapsing around her.

The arrival of South American coffee magnate Rafael Fernandez appears to be the answer to her prayers. A devoted father with a sick son requiring a 24/7 care, he is prepared to pay any price for expertise he can trust.

But if something appears to be too good to be true, then it probably is. Behind the façade of Rafa’s gilded existence lies a dark family history which he has been doing his best to avoid – until the death of his estranged father brings it crashing back into his – and Laura’s – world.

What had at first seemed to be a remarkable escape from an impossible situation now threatens to destroy everything Laura cares about. Friendless and far from home, she must rely on her own instincts to find a way out of this terrifying new landscape. Sometimes it’s easier to trust the devil you know…