The weather is finally turning cooler, and before long we'll be sitting by a cozy fire to read. These books are good options for mystery lovers.

Nancy Bush can always be counted on to give readers a thrill. In "Hush" (Zebra, $6.99), an incident that happens in high school comes back to haunt a group of girls who once shared their darkest secrets. Twelve years later, at a reunion party, a murder brings it all back to the forefront. And as their circle dwindles, Coby, with the help of detective (and former boyfriend) Danner Lockwood, must find out who is at fault.

"Reckless" (Zebra, $9.99) by Andrew Gross provides lots of action as investigator Ty Hauck follows a trail of murders into a conspiracy of the highest order as he avenges the death of a close friend. His search takes him to the highest echelons of more than one government agency, with terrible consequences.

James Barney's "The Genesis Key" (Harper, $9.99) offers a fascinating look at the world of archaeology. Dr. Kathleen Sainsbury's parents were murdered 30 years ago at an excavation site in Iraq. Kathleen works in the research field, but she has always wanted to know the real truth behind what happened to her folks. The problem is that her questions are stirring up things that many people feel are better left alone - and they are willing to kill Kathleen in order to keep their secrets.

I love Denise Swanson's mystery series that is set in Scumble River. School counselor and sometime police consultant Skye Dennison returns in "Murder of a Creped Suzette" (Obsidian, $7.99). Millionaire Rex Taylor plans to turn Scumble River into the next Branson, Mo. Skye has the reputation of getting involved in solving crimes, and when Suzette, who is a singer and former local resident, asks her to look into a 27-year-old case, Skye agrees. And before she can even get started, Suzette turns up dead. Obviously someone doesn't want the case reopened, but that never stops Skye.

I always look forward to Sandra Brown's books. Her latest, "Lethal" (Grand Central Publishing, $26.99), will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Honor Gillette sees a man in her yard who appears to be ill. It turns out that he's not sick at all, but is Lee Coburn, who is being sought for the murders of seven people. He promises not to hurt Honor or her daughter as long as they comply with his instructions. Coburn is positive that Honor's late husband has left something behind in the house that he needs. Coburn is not what he seems, and Honor soon finds out that a lot of people she thought she knew aren't either.

DCI Alan Banks and DI Annie Cabbot return in Peter Robinson's "Bad Boy" (Harper, $7.99). Banks is on holiday in the U.S., and when he returns, discovers that his daughter has gone off with a young man who is being sought for possession of a gun. Tracy, who didn't realize initially that Jaff was a "bad boy," comes to understand very quickly that he has a temper. When Jaff realizes that Tracy's father is a policeman, things turn from bad to worse. When Jaff shoots Annie, who finds them at Banks' cottage, Tracy looks for a way out. I always enjoy books from this series.

In Amanda Kyle Williams' debut hardcover, "The Stranger You Seek" (Bantam, $25), she introduces readers to Keye Street, a recovering alcoholic and former behavioral analyst for the FBI. Now living in Georgia, Keye is called on by her friend Aaron, who works with the Atlanta PD to profile a serial killer: the Wishbone killer. I enjoyed the characters as well as the fast-paced story. Williams actually works with a PI firm on surveillance operations in order to get into her character's head.

Contact Faye Dasen at fdasen@thepilot.com.