Hi mystery fans! I love Michelle Buteau, so naturally, I ran to her new, hilarious Netflix series, which has the same title as her memoir: Survival of the Thickest.
What do S.A. Cosby, Khaled Hosseini, Sarah Bakewell, and Yahdon Israel have in common? They’ve been guests on Book Riot’s newest podcast, First Edition, where BookRiot.com co-founder Jeff O’Neal explores the wide bookish world. Subscribe to hear them and stay to hear Book Riot’s editors pick the “it” book of the month.
Bookish Goods
Bookworm Magnetic Bookmark by BiteandRoarStudio
Here’s an adorable one if you like magnetic bookmarks! ($4.50)
New Releases
Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington
For fans of deadly games!
Adina Walker knows she has to be even better than the best as a Black teen in a mostly white wealthy school to make her dream of going to Yale come true. As valedictorian, she’s almost there, but then there’s a fight, and she loses everything she’s worked so hard for — including her spot at Yale. That’s how she ends up accepting a letter from the son of a very wealthy and influential family inviting her to participate in the Finish. It’s a mysterious game that pits her against other young women that she’ll soon learn has stakes as high as murder.
An Honest Man by Michael Koryta
For fans of thrillers and watching how strangers’ stories come together!
In Salvation Point, Maine, a yacht adrift with seven murdered men on it is discovered by Israel Pike. Being that Pike has recently been paroled from his sentence for murdering his father, he becomes the suspect. Also on the island is an abandoned house where a woman with a hatchet is hiding out when a 12-year-old boy who has run away from an abusive home enters looking for a safe shelter…
Looking for more new releases? Check out our New Books newsletter!
Riot Recommendations
Here are a couple great mysteries that are now available in paperback — both sequels, in case you’re looking to jump into a new series or were waiting for the paperback to continue!
Peril at the Exposition (Captain Jim and Lady Diana Mysteries #2) by Nev March
This is the sequel to Murder in Old Bombay, a historical mystery series that starts in 1892 Bombay, with Captain Jim Agnihotri recovering in a military hospital and ultimately investigating a case — with Sherlock as a hero. Now it’s a year later, and Captain Jim Agnihotri is a newlywed and living in Boston, Massachusetts. With the backdrop of the World’s Fair in Chicago, Captain Jim ends up missing, and his wife must investigate…
Confidence (Anna and Fin #2) by Denise Mina
This is the sequel to Conviction, and while it gives a good summary of who the characters are so you won’t be lost, it does give the information on the first book’s mystery if you’re trying to avoid spoilers.
This has a fun odd-ish pairing of a woman whose husband left her for her best friend, obsessing on a true crime podcast and pairing up with her best friend’s famous husband to solve mysteries. The first book’s mystery is centered around a podcast she listened to, and this sequel is about a young woman who wants to be an influencer/popular YouTube star who disappears after breaking into an abandoned French Chateau.
I have really enjoyed both the entries in this series and was very surprised that this sequel got lower ratings. If there’s ever another entry, I will absolutely be picking it up.
(TW mentions self-harm/ eating disorder/ recounts past sexual assault/ mentions past suicide ideation, not detailed/ mentions past murder-suicide)
News and Roundups
How Laura Lippman’s new thriller, Prom Mom, honors L.A. noir master James. M. Cain
Sherlock movie is “the natural thing to do”, says Mark Gatiss
When Does Only Murders In The Building Season 3 Come Out?
8 Flawless TV Shows About Heists
5 TV shows to watch if you like Only Murders In the Building
If sunny beach reads aren’t cutting it, add these thrillers to your summer book list
Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. See upcoming 2023 releases and 2024 releases. Check out this Unusual Suspects Pinterest board and get Tailored Book Recommendations!
Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy — you can find me under Jamie Canavés.
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