Hi mystery fans! Happy Halloween month to all who celebrate! I will be doing some rewatching of films like The Addams Family (the original films and the 2019 animated film!), Beetlejuice, Paranorman — I really need to go put together my list and look up where all the ones I don’t own are currently streaming!
Not to brag, but I have the best job that basically works to match people with what they want to read more of through TBR, if you want to give it a try. Autumn is here, which means it’s time to curl up with a great read and get cozy — whatever your version of cozy looks like. Whether it’s romance, creepy reads, modern classics, or escapist reads you crave, TBR can help you find the perfect books for your fall reading, with options curated to your specific reading tastes.
Bookish Goods
It’s A Good Day To Read A Book Sweatshirt by PrettyTeeStore
Accurate! And great for anyone who is getting to enjoy cozy sweatshirt weather. ($19)
New Releases
And Don’t Look Back by Rebecca Barrow
For fans of YA mysteries focused on past secrets with past and present chapters!
Harlow Ford’s life has never had stability: her mother moves them often like they’re on the run but has never shared with Harlow what exactly the danger is. Then, her mom dies in a car accident and leaves 17-year-old Harlow with instructions for where to find a safety deposit box. This leads Harlow to a house in a small town in Washington, along with photos that introduce her to her mother’s past. Now, instead of running, as she was instructed, Harlow is ready to make a decision for herself and stay in a possibly creepy house and find out what her mother was running from and why…
The audiobook has great dual narrators: Jade Wheeler and Kimberly Woods.
One Puzzling Afternoon by Emily Critchley
For fans of unsolved missing person cases, older protagonists, and two timelines!
In 1951, two teen girls, Edie Green and Lucy Theddle, became friends. Lucy tells Edie a secret, something Edie is conflicted over keeping secret, but then Lucy disappears.
In 2018, Edie, now 84, still lives in the same town and swears she sees Lucy. Except the Lucy she sees is the one still age 15, and so this gets brushed off by everyone as part of her dementia. But she won’t leave it alone and instead gets her granddaughter to help her finally find out what happened to Lucy…
Looking for more new releases? Check out our New Books newsletter!
Riot Recommendations
Here are two 2022 titles I really liked that are now in paperback, if that’s the format you wait for.
Undercover Latina (The Factory #1) by Aya de León
This is a contemporary middle grade focusing on a family of spies that is also fun for adults, one that’s filled with action, friendship, family, and first crush!
Andréa Hernández-Baldoquín’s life gets thrown a hell of a curve ball when, at 14, she learns that her parents are spies for a world organization. If that wasn’t enough, it turns out she’s the only person in the organization in the age range needed who can pass as white, and they want her to go undercover at a high school in California. I know!
She’s going to learn all about being an undercover agent on the go but also has to do some major soul-searching when she immediately has to drop the accent in her name and pretend not to know Spanish.
The Last Party (DC Morgan #1) by Clare Mackintosh
For fans of multiple POV, procedurals, everyone is a suspect, and forced detective pairing!
Rhys Lloyd’s body is found on New Year’s Day. He was a famous celebrity and, up until his death, had been a developer selling to wealthy outsiders. Which is all to say he had plenty of enemies who wanted him dead in his small town. Enter DC Leo Brady of Cheshire Major Crimes and Ffion Morgan, who is with the North Wales Police, who technically have met before (you’ll see!) and are forced to work together to figure out who killed Rhys. You’ll follow the investigation along with various members of the community leading up to Rhys’ final moments…
I’m very excited about the sequel publishing in 2024, A Game of Lies.
(TW mentions past overdose/ mentions violence towards sex workers/ sexual harassment/misgendering/ teen sexual assault by adult/ past father cancer death, not detailed/ mentions miscarriages, no details/ attempted rape/ lesbophobia/ secretly drugging child to sleep at night)
News and Roundups
Lupin Part 3: Release Date, Trailer, Plot, and What to Expect
The Trailer for Leave The World Behind Has Just Dropped
Here is What Parents Think of Book Bans: EveryLibrary & Book Riot Survey Results
The FTC is Suing Amazon for Maintaining an “Unlawful” Monopoly
BPL’s new podcast series Borrowed and Banned tells the story of America’s ideological war with its bookshelves. In seven episodes, they’ll talk with students on the frontlines, librarians, and teachers whose livelihoods are endangered when they speak up, and writers whose books have become political battlegrounds.
Jodie Foster and Kali Reis Star in the Female-Led True Detective Season 4
Dick Tracy will return to action at Mad Cave Studios
Donna Leon dislikes violent books. She takes a different tack in her own.
The Other Americans: Laila Lalami’s novel is the California Book Club’s March 2024 selection.
Florida Librarians Told to Remove Books With LGBTQ+ Characters, Even if Not Sexually Explicit
Barack Obama gave script notes on Netflix’s new disaster movie starring Julia Roberts.
Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. See 2023 releases and upcoming 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.
If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you and you’d like your very own, you can sign up here.