Category: Unusual Suspects

Hello mystery fans! Claws is back with its third season on TNT and I love this show. If you’ve yet to discover it, it’s especially great for fans of crime shows and girl gangs and you can marathon the first two wild seasons on Hulu.

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Sponsored by Reentry by Peter Cawdron published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH, @hmhbooks)

In a sequel to indie phenom Peter Cawdron’s Retrograde, Reentry applies realistic technology to examine not just interstellar exploration, but the dangerous potential of Artificial Intelligence. For fans of Andy Weir, Philip K. Dick and hard science fiction.

After almost dying on Mars, astronaut Liz Anderson returns to Earth, but not to a hero’s welcome. America’s in turmoil. The war’s over, but the insurgency has just begun. Heartbroken and treated with suspicion, she finds herself caught up in the guerrilla war being waged on Earth, wondering if the AI threat is truly gone, or if it has only just begun.

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From Book Riot And Around The Internet

5 True Crime Books to Read With Your Book Club

Rincey and Katie have a new episode of Read or Dead where they talk mystery books by LGBTQ+ authors, news, new releases, and what they’re reading.

9 books and movies to check out after watching When They See Us

40 New Thrillers Out This Summer That Make The Perfect Vacation Reads

Enter to win 1 of 250 digital audio downloads of Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman

And you can check out Book Riot’s Amazon storefront–we’ve put together a selection of our favorite books and bookish stuff for summer–and one of my favorite crime writers!

Adaptations And News

‘Veronica Mars’: Hulu Sets Premiere Date For Original Three Seasons Ahead Of Revival

Exclusive: The author of A Simple Favor is back with another juicy thriller

Dutton Will Drop Linda Fairstein

Lucifer Renewed for Fifth (and Final) Season at Netflix — ‘I’ll See You in Hell!’ Says Tom Ellis to Fans (The fourth season was so good I’m really excited.)

And this is a story that needs 2 links and a Twitter thread: How Did Mystery Writer Twitter Become Convinced This Debut Author Didn’t Exist?; Pegasus Books, Scarlet, And The Incredible Disappearing Male Authors; Steph Cha’s thread.

Kindle Deals

The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater is $2.99. I don’t remember seeing this on sale before so get on that–it’s a fantastic true crime that made me realize that the world really needs more nonfiction YA. (Sorry, I don’t remember trigger warnings.)

If you still haven’t gotten to Jane Harper’s The Dry it’s $2.99 and an excellent Australian mystery. (Review) (TW suicide/ child abuse–I’m going from memory here)

More people need to be reading Nic Joseph and you can start with The Night In Question which is $2.51! (Review)

And A Bit of My Week In Reading

My mystery break book was Saeed Jone’s upcoming memoir How We Fight For Our Lives, which I read in one sitting, and woo this is one of those memoirs that will live with me forever. It’s raw and powerful and it’s out in October, and if you’re a fan of memoirs definitely have this one on your radar. He’s also one of my favorite people to follow on Twitter.

And I’m currently reading: Murder in the Crooked House by Sōji Shimada, Louise Heal Kawai (A puzzle mystery and locked room mystery and I’m loving it.) The Black Jersey by Jorge Zepeda Patterson, Achy Obejas (I just downloaded the audiobook because I really enjoyed his previous book —Milena, or The Most Beautiful Femur in the World–and I was sold on the pitch for this one: “Murder on the Orient Express meets the Tour de France–someone’s killing off cyclists one by one.)”

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, 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.

Hello mystery fans! This week I have for you a missing woman surrounded by secrets, a past camp mystery that must be solved, and a thriller!

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Sponsored by Amazon Publishing

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His captivating page-turners include the bestselling Tracy Crosswhite series, new action-packed espionage thriller The Eighth Sister, and the coming-of-age story The Secret Life of Sam Hell.
Join Robert Dugoni’s more than 4 million readers and follow him on Amazon and never miss a new release.

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Mystery + Family Drama (TW suicide/ mentions past domestic abuse/ statutory rape discussed)

Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok: This is a beautiful and sad mystery about sacrifices, family, belonging, and the weight of secrets. Sylvie Lee traveled to the Netherlands to visit her dying grandmother, a place where she was raised as a young child by relatives. And now no one has heard from her or knows where she is. Her relatives are certain she returned to the U.S. but her sister and parents were unaware of this and are unable to locate her. The mystery unfolds as we watch Amy Lee, Sylvie’s younger sister, search for her, along with chapters about Sylvie’s life just before she disappeared; we also get a few chapters from their mother’s perspective, along with news articles. The novel does a great job of balancing the family’s history, Sylvie’s childhood, and the present mystery making this a great read for fans of mystery and family dramas.

Indian Summer Meets Agatha Christie (TW suicide)

I’ll Never Tell by Catherine McKenzie: This reminded me of the film Indian Summer had it been siblings and wrapped in a mystery. The five MacAllister children return to the summer camp their family ran to listen to their parents will. They’re already expecting to have to make a decision on what to do with the camp and ready for that fight. What they’re not expecting, nor prepared for, is to be thrown into a mystery where the camp’s fate, and their futures, hinges on them solving a twenty-year mystery involving what happened to Amanda Holmes–one of the daughter’s best friends. And by solve the mystery I mean one of them is literally accused, and it’s made clear if they didn’t do it then one of the other siblings must have… Told in present day following the siblings, and their current life dramas, we also get to know Amanda, twenty years before, on the night of the mystery… This hit that perfect level of entertainment for me, while giving me family drama, and a summer camp setting.

Thriller!

If She Wakes by Michael Koryta: It had definitely been a while since I read a fast-paced thriller that I couldn’t put down–I listened to the audiobook in two sittings. And by sittings I mean I finally got around to a ton of spring cleaning. Tara Beckley is in the hospital believed to be in a vegetative state but is really in locked-in syndrome–she can hear, see, think, she just can’t move or speak. And Abby Kaplan is investigating the car accident that put Tara in the hospital. The problem is nothing was an accident and now Abby is in danger, as is Tara, but they don’t know each other and no one even knows Tara is alert! What I really enjoyed was that the plot moved quickly; you got to follow Tara, Abby, and a teen assassin (!); Abby’s past story was interesting and neither of the women’s stories were based on past violence. A good thriller to kick up your feet and read.

Recent Releases

Grab a Snake by the Tail: A Murder in Havana’s Chinatown (Mario Conde #5) by Leonardo Padura, Peter Bush (Translator) (Cuban detective series the Netflix adaptation Four Seasons in Havana is based on.)

Those People by Louise Candlish (Currently reading: A murder in the suburbs and everyone points fingers as they protect their own secrets.)

Lethal White (Cormoran Strike #4) by Robert Galbraith pseudonym for J.K. Rowling (Paperback) (Great series for British P.I. fans.)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, 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.

Hello mystery fans! We’re getting a second season of Netflix’s Dead to Me and I’m so excited because Netflix would have been dead to me if they’d cancelled it!

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Sponsored by Delusions of Clarity, by Vern Bryk

Karl Jommers is a down-to-earth police psychologist. After a cop is shot, Jommers must evaluate the two police officers involved. Both offer conflicting accounts, but neither is lying. Their divergent perspectives are blurred by their personal anxieties. One sees local corruption, the other a government conspiracy. Jommers tries to disentangle the discordance, but he can’t square their differing views without first finding the truth. But stepping outside his domain to investigate may jeopardize his practice and his life. While trying to correct the distorted views of others, he’s forced to question the clarity of his own perception.

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From Book Riot And Around The Internet

25 New Thrillers and Mysteries to Sink Your Teeth Into This Summer

Harper Lee’s Writing About A Preacher Serial Killer and Other Favorite Mysteries and Thrillers

8 of the Best Private Detectives in Mystery Series

Barbara Neely, The Activist-Turned-Crime Writer Who Inspired A Generation

In Conversation With: Tom Ryan and April Snellings

News And Adaptations

Exclusive: Cover Reveal for Cat Sebastian’s ‘Hither, Page’ (” I wanted to create a Miss Marple-style postwar murder village and populate it with queer characters.” I am SO sold.)

Phoebe Waller-Bridge: James Bond Is “Absolutely Relevant Now” But The Film “Has To Treat Women Properly” (Now I have to watch the upcoming Bond film because her writing is amazing: Killing Eve s1/Fleabag).

Watch Now (And Read)

Big Little Lies season 2, with the addition of Meryl Streep, starts Sunday June 9th on HBO. (‘Big Little Lies’ Cast on Season 2, Group Chats and Playing ‘Hysterically Funny but Tragic Women’)

When They See Us, Ava DuVernay’s dramatic series based on the Central Park Five case starring Felicity Huffman and Joshua Jackson, is now streaming on Netflix. (When They See Us Sparked a Boycott Against Central Park Five Prosecutor Linda Fairstein) (Before, and After, the Jogger Survivors of the real ‘Central Park Five’ attacker speak for the first time.)

Kindle Deals

Every Reasonable Doubt (Vernetta Henderson #1) by Pamela Samuels Young is $0 dollars. That isn’t a typo and this book is super good so like run! (Review)

The Lost Ones (Nora Watts #1) by Sheena Kamal is $1.99 and a great series for fans of darkish P.I. novels. (Review) (TW rape)

A Bit Of My Week In Reading

Some upcoming and recent releases I acquired: Miami Midnight by Alex Segura (The final book in the Pete Fernandez P.I. series!); The Truffle Underground: A Tale of Mystery, Mayhem, and Manipulation in the Shadowy Market of the World’s Most Expensive Fungus by Ryan Jacobs (You know I’m obsessed with this type of true crime book.); Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes (My crime break, which is currently giving me life and is utterly delightful.)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, 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.

Hi mystery fans! I have for you a great legal mystery, an equally great procedural, and a page-turner serial killer mystery. These would all make great summer reads–they’ve got great hooks, pacing, and escapism.

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Sponsored by Forge Books.

In the words of Lee Child on Gone to Dust, “I want more of Nils Shapiro.” New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-winning writer Matt Goldman obliges by bringing the Minneapolis private detective back for a thrilling, stand-alone adventure. A prominent lawyer is found dead, tied to a dock by a fishing stringer through his jaw, and everyone wants Nils to protect them from suspicion: The unfaithful widow. Her boyfriend. The lawyer’s firm. A congressional candidate. A rudderless police department. Even the FBI. The Shallows delves into the threat of dark history repeating itself while delivering another page-turner with a fast pace, humor, and richly drawn characters.

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Great Legal Mystery

Every Reasonable Doubt (Vernetta Henderson #1) by Pamela Samuels Young: My first thought upon finishing this novel was how annoyed I was that I’d never heard of this series before. It had been a while since I’d read a really good mystery starring a lawyer and this hit a lot of sweet spots for me: court room scenes; twisty case; good balance of personal life with work scenes; great friendship.

Vernetta Henderson is about to get her first criminal case, which would be exciting for her if it weren’t for the fact she’s paired up with a lawyer she can’t stand: Neddy McClain. It also doesn’t help that Vernetta’s husband has decided it is now time to start having kids, and he’s super insistent even though Vernetta keeps saying now isn’t the right time because of her career. And then there’s the issue that Vernetta is certain her new client did kill her husband.

If you’re a fan of procedurals and legal mysteries this was a great start to a series–and there are four more books in the series!

YA Serial Killer Mystery

Keep This to Yourself by Tom Ryan: This was a page-turner about an unsolved small-town mystery with a teen that won’t let it go. It also had the added bonus of a serial killer, but for those who shy away from serial killer reads, because they’re usually really dark, this novel never went into dark territory.

It’s been a year since the killings ended in Camera Cove and the community is finally trying to find a new normal and put it behind them. But Mac Bell lost his best friend and when the library asks him to help finish the mural his best friend had been painting before his death, he finds himself digging into the lives of those murdered by the serial killer. It just never made sense to him how they were all connected or how the police let it go after determining the serial killer was no longer hunting in their town. While everyone wants him to stop and just leave things in the past, he meets a new boy who wants to help and date him–but they’ll have to survive first if they continue being the meddling kids!

I found myself equally caring about the mystery and Mac’s dating life, and I enjoyed the ride so much that I really didn’t care that a bit of the police stuff fell really into fictional land. I will definitely be reading his upcoming novel: I Hope You’re Listening.

Great Procedural (TW suicide/ PTSD)

One Small Sacrifice (Shadows of New York #1) by Hilary Davidson: This was so good I listened to the audiobook–a great ensemble cast–in one day.

The mystery is basically this: there’s a war photographer with PTSD who has been on an NYPD detective’s radar since a woman’s death. Now, with his girlfriend missing, the detective is here to finally nail his ass to the wall. But this was a great procedural so it’s not going to be that easy. I really liked the way the multiple points of view were used, that the detective has a new partner–so her catching him up felt totally natural and not like forced info dumping–plus, I loved their clashing and melding as they settle into a new partnership.

I thought this was a really good start to a series, where I equally liked the detective and the suspect and really look forward to where this may go in the future. It would also make a fantastic series adaptation so someone get on that, please!

Recent Releases

Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok (Currently reading and loving: Multiple POV as woman is missing and everyone starts to learn they didn’t really know her.) (TW suicide/ domestic abuse/ statutory rape discussed)

I’ll Never Tell by Catherine McKenzie (Currently reading: Camp setting where past mystery must be solved by those who may have been involved.)

We Were Killers Once (Brigid Quinn #4) by Becky Masterman (Fictional ex-FBI and ex-Priest working on a case tied to the case in the true crime In Cold Blood.)

Five Midnights by Ann Dávila Cardinal (Really good mystery/horror set in Puerto Rica.) (TW addiction)

Death in Kew Gardens (Kat Holloway Mysteries #3) by Jennifer Ashley (Victorian London historical mystery)

The Right Sort of Man (The Right Sort Marriage Bureau #1) by Allison Montclair (After World War II London historical mystery)

The Truffle Underground: A Tale of Mystery, Mayhem, and Manipulation in the Shadowy Market of the World’s Most Expensive Fungus by Ryan Jacobs (This sounds like another good nonviolent true crime read.)

Your Life is Mine by Nathan Ripley (Return back home mystery where her father was a cult leader and killer.)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, 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.

Hello mystery fans!

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Sponsored by Looking For Garbo by Jon James Miller.

In Looking For Garbo, tabloid NYC reporter Seth Moseley gets a hot tip that movie goddess Greta Garbo is stowed aboard an ocean liner bound for Europe on September 1, 1939. He boards the vessel, desperate to get a candid photo and pay off some hefty gambling debts. But he gets more than he bargained for when Seth realizes the reclusive Garbo is actually sailing on to Nazi Germany, on a secret mission to stop WWII before it can start by assassinating her biggest fan – Adolf Hitler. Miller’s debut novel is filled with action, thrills and golden age Hollywood glamour.

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From Book Riot And Around The Internet

These Thrillers Will Keep You Glued To The Page This Summer

7 Books Like THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR That Will Have You Side-Eyeing Your Neighbors

Crime Fiction as Self-Care

Rincey and Katie are back with news, another bit of a rant, and some mysteries by Asian and Asian American authors in the latest Read or Dead.

On the latest For Real Kim and Liberty discussed their favorite nonfiction releases so far this year and there are a few really great nonfiction crime books on their list.

James Bond Quiz: Choose a Bond, Get a Book Rec

The ‘My Favorite Murder’ Book Might Have Been The Scariest Project Yet For Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark

Ian Rankin donates Rebus manuscripts to National Library: Best-selling crime writer’s archive includes manuscripts and letters to other authors.

Clue: Candlestick turns a board game into comic book brilliance

Watch Now

The final season of Elementary has started on CBS–the first episode was SO good–and you can watch the first six seasons streaming on Hulu.

Luther is back! Well, almost, he’s back on June 2nd for U.S. audiences on BBC America with a season 5. You can stream the first 4 seasons on Amazon Prime.

Kindle Deals

The Banker’s Wife by Cristina Alger is a ridiculous .99 cents! (Journalist with a bone–Full review) (TW rape/ suicide)

Baltimore Blues (Tess Monaghan #1) by Laura Lippman is $5.99 if you’re looking to start a P.I. series.

A Bit Of My Week In Reading

Finished reading: The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins (There have been a few crime-novels-unlike-all-the-others lately in the historical crime category and I want a lot more of them! And the audiobook narrator was great!); Five Midnights by Ann Dávila Cardinal (This is a mystery novel + a horror novel set in Puerto Rico and I loved it!); The Winters by Lisa Gabriele (A modern retelling of Rebecca–suspense I inhaled!).

Galleys I just got: Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly (A thriller getting buzz!); Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, Antonia Lloyd-Jones (Anything with a title like that must be read!)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, 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.

Hello mystery fans! This week I have for you a great P.I. series, frenemies, and a super good mystery I am surprised isn’t getting more attention.

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Sponsored by Forge Books.

The highly anticipated first book by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, the voices behind the #1 hit podcast My Favorite Murder! Sharing never-before-heard stories ranging from their struggles with depression, eating disorders, and addiction, Karen and Georgia irreverently recount their biggest mistakes and deepest fears, reflecting on the formative life events that shaped them into two of the most followed voices in the nation. In Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered, Karen and Georgia focus on the importance of self-advocating and valuing personal safety over being “nice” or “helpful.” They delve into their own pasts, true crime stories, and beyond to discuss meaningful cultural and societal issues with fierce empathy and unapologetic frankness.

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Great Recent P.I. Series (TW suicide/ peeping Tom)

Borrowed Time (A Chicago Mystery #2) by Tracy Clark: I really like this series as it has a lot of nods to P.I. novels while being modern and fresh. Cass Raines is an ex-cop turned P.I. in Chicago who tries to survive as an island due to past trauma but has a soft gooey heart at her core. That gooey heart is how she ends up taking on the most annoying client ever. Jung swears his friend was murdered, but the police have already closed the case believing it was either suicide or an accident that led to his drowning. Jung refuses to accept this and ends up getting Raines to investigate. Of course that pisses off the cops. But more so it pisses off Raines who doesn’t want to keep getting sucked into this case because Jung is clearly holding back information and lying. I love that this one follows Raines’ steps through the investigation from clue to clue and has character growth as her ex-partner, nun friend (who is awesome), and possible romantic partner keep orbiting her, trying to be let in. If you like solid mysteries with explosive endings and funny no-nonsense leads, you’ll really enjoy this series.

Frenemies Suspense

Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak: I wasn’t sure what I was going to get with this one, and honestly I picked it up because I was obsessed with the cover. I found myself sneaking away to read more and more as the story just kept building, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the tension and lives of Stella and Violet. Stella has always been wealthy and done as she wants. Violet was poor and fled her upbringing first chance she got. Stella took in Violet, giving her a taste of the wealth she’d never belong to. Now Stella has returned from partying around the world as Violet has been working hard in a TV news studio. And that’s when the balance of their tug-and-push friendship begins to unravel. While I knew what was going to happen in the story, it didn’t matter as the writing and ride still made this a page-turner. If you like writers like Megan Abbott and novels like Paulina & Fran this should be right in your wheelhouse. I found myself highlighting a few sentences and sitting with a few.

Super Good Mystery (TW past suicide mentioned/ anxiety attacks)

Alice’s Island by Daniel Sánchez Arévalo: I think this one is flying under the radar and it should not be, it’s one of the best mysteries this year–I inhaled the audiobook. The mystery surrounds Alice Dupont, who is pregnant and a mother of a six-year-old, when she gets a call that her husband was in a horrible car accident and is being rushed to the hospital. What snaps her out of the shock of the call is that the hospital, or area, being mentioned makes no sense because her husband is nowhere near there. He’s supposed to be hours away in a different direction. Alice ends up uprooting her life, and her children, as her grief manifests itself into her deciding to figure out why her husband was not where he said he’d be. This took so many surprising turns, never veered into ridiculous, and had one of my favorite child characters. I’m still thinking about Alice and her daughter Olivia. Highly recommend this one! And it’s not like a few other novels I’ve read with this premise, that are billed as mysteries, but the character never actually investigates. Alice is like a dog with a bone.

Recent Releases

Keep This to Yourself by Tom Ryan (YA serial killer mystery I really enjoyed.)

Some Choose Darkness by Charlie Donlea (Serial killer mystery)

The Sentence is Death (Hawthorne #2) by Anthony Horowitz (The Word Is Murder sequel–author of Magpie Murders)

Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide by Karen Kilgariff, Georgia Hardstark (Just got this true crime memoir on audiobook and am excited to start it!)

Into the Jungle by Erica Ferencik (Thriller)

Murder, She Wrote: Murder in Red (Murder, She Wrote #49) by Jessica Fletcher, Jon Land

The Disappearing by Lori Roy (Paperback) (Return to small-town mystery–Full review) (TW physical child abuse/ stalking)

Bimini Twist (Jane Bunker Mystery #4) by Linda Greenlaw (Paperback) (P.I.)

Last Woman Standing by Amy Gentry (Paperback) (Thriller)

Shell Game (V.I. Warshawski #19) by Sara Paretsky (Paperback) (Procedural)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, 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.

Hi mystery fans!

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Sponsored by Living Lies by Natalie Walters and Revell Books, a Division of Baker Publishing Group.

In the little town of Walton, Georgia, everybody knows your name—but no one knows your secret. At least that’s what Lane Kent is counting on when she returns to her hometown with her five-year-old son. Dangerously depressed after the death of her husband, Lane is looking for hope. What she finds instead is a dead body. Lane must work with Walton’s newest deputy, Charlie Lynch, to uncover the truth behind the murder. But when that truth hits too close to home, she’ll have to decide if saving the life of another is worth the cost of revealing her darkest secret.

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Around The Internet

Ten Questions for Sara Collins

10 Must-Visit Spots for Mystery Lovers

“Brooklyn Where You At?!” Lyric Video from Tiffany D. Jackson’s Let Me Hear A Rhyme

The Changeling Folktale Gets A Modern Reimagining In The Creepy Psychological Thriller ‘Little Darlings’

The Things She’s Seen by Ambelin Kwaymullina and Ezekiel Kwaymullina book trailer

Crime Writers of Color has a website!

Maine bookstore dedicated to murder mysteries worth investigating

Miss Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries Continues a Tradition of Feminist Murder Mystery

True Crime

A serial killer at the border – and the women who stood up to him

‘Jack Reacher’ Author Lee Child to Develop True-Crime Series

Anna Sorokin, Faux Heiress And Subject Of Shonda Rhimes’ Netflix Series, Claims She’s “Not Sorry” For Her Actions

‘To Live and Die in LA’ shows how much Google knows about you

True Crime: When Killers Turn on Their Own Family

Kindle Deals

The Neighbors by Hannah Mary McKinnon is $4.99 (Domestic thriller filled with secrets on my TBR)

The Suspect by Fiona Barton is $2.99 (Missing person mystery–Full review)

A Bit Of My Week In Reading

I just finished: The Smiling Man by Joseph Knox (For fans of dark British procedurals that walk the moral line.); Wherever She Goes by Kelley Armstrong (A thriller that made the “hot mess” lead not a jerk-face nor self-destructive, in a refreshing way.)

I plan to spend the entire weekend floating and reading: Five Midnights by Ann Dávila Cardinal (Mystery/horror set in Puerto Rico–sí, please!);  Grab a Snake by the Tail by Leonardo Padura (Detective series set in Cuba, double sí, please!); Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman (I really enjoyed Sunburn and am going into this one knowing nothing about it–excited!)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, 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.

Hello mystery fans! This week I have for you 5-star YA, bananapants nonviolent true crime, and a suspense novel. Plus, a whole bunch of recent releases.

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Sponsored by Dynamite Entertainment

When a young John Wick embarks upon an epic vendetta, he comes up against a strange, powerful community of assassins and must learn how to master the rules that guide their lethal business. What are the Three Bills? Who is Calamity? And why is John Wick seeking vengeance?

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Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson: All of Jackson’s novels have been different from each other, while all still being very much written by her, which I love. This one doesn’t neatly fall into one genre (also a thing I love), but the true brilliance of this novel is how Jackson is able to transport you to a very specific music scene, time, and place in the ’90s. In Brooklyn, 1998, Steph has been murdered in the street with no known cause or assailant. His grieving sister, Jasmine, and two best friends, Quadir and Jarrell, hatch a plan to pretend Steph is still alive and get him the record contract he deserved for his musical talents. Jasmine plans to use the money to hire a P.I., since her mother won’t let her, but they’re immediately in over their heads–not to mention about to have to reckon with their actions. I loved the characters–even a side character had an amazing scene showing off Jackson’s talent for seeing the depths of people and putting it on the page–and watching their journey through grief and discovering you don’t always know everything about everyone, as they carve a spot for themselves in a difficult world. And even though they don’t spend the book Nancy Drew-ing, the mystery runs throughout and unfolds at the end. Jackson continues to be an author whose work I’ll read sight unseen.

Nonviolent True Crime

Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World by Tom Wright, Bradley Hope: This was another really good nonviolent true crime that was bananapants, except this one could have just been titled Obscene Amounts Of Money. The book lays out how Jho Low conned his way into a multi-BILLION dollar financial heist over years, continents, while using A-List celebrities, shell companies, and Wall Street. The dude was stealing billions and managed to fund the movie The Wolf of Wall Street, which is a true story about another dude who defrauded investors. Bananapants, I tell you! There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes Hollywood partying stuff–glares at Leonardo DiCaprio who keeps showing up in all the nonviolent true crime books I read–but there’s a very serious look at how financial institutions and wealthy people in power are willing to overlook what is every single red flag so long as they will profit directly or by standing closely to the power/money source. I switched from print to audiobook on this one and parts ended up feeling like one of those True Hollywood Story documentaries–I had literally forgotten about Paris Hilton.

Psychological Suspense (TW stalking/ animal cruelty/ infertility)

Looker by Laura Sims: This is a slow-burn psychological suspense that feels like a character study of a woman unraveling. The narrator remains unnamed as we watch her grappling with a recent separation and infertility, which gets projected onto a neighbor, who we only come to know as the actress. A famous actress, with seemingly the perfect life, who lives only a few doors down from the narrator…The exploration of a woman’s grief, anger, obsession, and unraveling in this compact novel really worked for me–this is not the unlikable woman for entertainment’s sake. I think the audiobook also really helped place me in the character’s mind and world.

Recent Releases

The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins (Currently reading: really good, different from the rest historical mystery.)

Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak (Frenemies suspense I really liked.)

Cari Mora by Thomas Harris (New novel from the creator of Hannibal Lecter.)

The Summer of Ellen by Agnete Friis, Sinead Quirke Kongerskov (Translator) (Scandinavian mystery)

The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind an American Myth by Josh Levin (Currently reading: True crime)

White Peak by Ronan Frost (Thriller)

The Favorite Daughter by Kaira Rouda (Thriller)

The Island (Hidden Iceland #2) by Ragnar Jónasson (Scandinavian procedural)

Sweet Little Lies (Cat Kinsella #1) by Caz Frear (Paperback) (British procedural about a police officer who thinks her father may be connected to a case.) (TW suicide)

What You Want To See (Roxane Weary #2) by Kristen Lepionka (Paperback) (Super good P.I. series–Full review)

The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton (Paperback) (Historical mystery)

Find You in the Dark by Nathan Ripley (Paperback) (Serial killer)

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter (Paperback) (Edge Of Your Seat Thriller!–Full review) (TW suicide/ child abuse/ child rape / domestic violence)

Death Notice by Zhou Haohui, Zac Haluza (Translator) (Paperback) (Great cat and mouse thriller–Full review) (TW suicide/ rape)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, 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.

Hi mystery fans! I started watching the new season of Lucifer on Netflix (they saved the show after its Fox cancellation) and wow, it feels like it should have always been on Netflix. If you like procedurals, Tom Ellis, and fantasy mixed into our real world there are four marathonable seasons.

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Sponsored by Soho Crime

Sujata Massey returns with a new Perveen Mistry historical mystery set in India following 2018’s award-winning The Widows of Malabar Hill. India, 1922: What begins as a trip to mediate a dispute between maharanis in the distant mountain province of Satapur quickly turns sinister when Perveen Mistry, Bombay’s first female lawyer, finds herself caught in a viper’s nest of cold-blooded power players settling ancient scores.

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From Book Riot And Around The Internet

21 Must Read Hoopla Mystery and Thriller Audiobooks!

Rincey and Katie talk recent news–get a bit ranty–and share current reads and releases on the latest Read or Dead.

Mindhunter’s Second Season To Premiere In August, Will Feature Son Of Sam

12 Recent Locked Room Mysteries For Fans Of Escape Rooms

Killing Eve wins Best Drama at BAFTA TV Awards

Cobie Smulders P.I. Drama Based On ‘Stumptown’ Graphic Novels Gets ABC Series Order

They gave us the perfect casting and then they took it away: Freddie Prinze Jr. exits The CW’s Nancy Drew, replaced by Scott Wolf

The 2019 Anthony Award nominations were announced and that’s a real fine list of great crime books. So many great books and authors I love on that list!

New ‘YOU’ Books Are Coming Soon That Could Impact Future Seasons Of The Netflix Series

‘Lincoln’: Series Based On ‘The Bone Collector’ Starring Russell Hornsby Ordered To Series At NBC

Kindle Deals

City of the Lost (Rockton #1) by Kelley Armstrong is $2.99! (A very good start to a very good series for procedural, mystery, remote setting, and thriller fans.) (TW stalking/ suicide/ rape/ pedophile)

Jane Harper’s Force Of Nature is $6.99 and such a good sequel to The Dry! (Full review) (TW eating disorder)

From my TBR list: A Deadly Cambodian Crime Spree (Inspector Singh Investigates #4) by Shamini Flint is $3.99!

A Bit Of My Week In Reading

Currently reading: Borrowed Time by Tracy Clark (I love this Chicago set P.I series that nods at the classics while being modern and fresh); Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak (Sucked into this wallflower and rich social butterfly friend/enemy suspense. Also, obsessed with the cover image which is really why I picked the book up in the first place.)

And my crime break: Erin Morgenstern’s The Starless Sea (Let me just say her brain is so unique and beautiful I want to lick it. No you’re weird! Anyway I’m only 20% into this and I’m obsessed with it and while it’s totally different from The Night Circus it’s making me feel like I did when I read it.)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, 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.

Hello mystery fans! This week I have for you a historical mystery, Australian crime, and a true crime biography. Plus, lots of releases.

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Sponsored by Forge Books

Delighted by a surprise invitation, Miriam Macy sails off to a luxurious private island with six other strangers. Surrounded by miles of open water, Miriam is shocked to discover that she and the rest of her companions were brought to the island under false pretenses—and all seven strangers harbor a secret. Danger lurks in the forest and in the halls of the lonely mansion. Sporadic cell-phone coverage and miles of ocean keeps the group trapped in paradise. Strange accidents stir suspicions, as one by one…they all fall down. Don’t miss this unputdownable thriller by Rachel Howzell Hall.

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Great Historical Mystery! (TW suicide)

The Satapur Moonstone (Perveen Mistry #2) by Sujata Massey: I love this historical mystery series and if you’re already a fan of Perveen from the first book I don’t see any reason why you wouldn’t also enjoy this one. The first half of the book does a great job of bringing the Satara mountains in India to life during 1922. You see not only Britain’s colonialism in India but also the caste system and the different religions. Massey does a really good job of showing a lot through Perveen’s travels and interactions as she takes on a job where she’ll have to intervene and decide where a future ruler will go to school until he’s old enough to lead. The mystery part starts once she’s at the kingdom of Satapur and discovers not everyone believes the royal family members’ deaths were accidental…and her own life seems to be in jeopardy. From there, the tension builds and builds into an explosive ending. I love that Perveen is smart and thoughtful and introspective and willing to fight for what she believes. This is a great series for historical mystery fans and a perfect introduction to mysteries for fans of historical fiction who have previously shied away from the crime genre.

Australian Crime! (TW rape/ past suicide mentioned/ past child and domestic abuse mentions)

All These Perfect Strangers by Aoife Clifford: This was a page-turner for me, where the main character, Pen, keeps her cards close to the vest even from the reader. You know she was previously a part of a trial, everyone blames her for something, and her best friend no longer speaks to her. But the why and what happened are only slowly revealed as she’s trying to start her life over at University. Except tensions are high at her new school with a recent attack on a student, and Pen’s new friend feels more like an enemy sometimes, and then people start to die… This one works for fans of past and present mysteries where you don’t know who you can, or should, trust.

History + Biographies + True Crime!

Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep: This was one of those audiobooks that I listened to in a day as I found it really interesting. You basically get the story of a serial killer preacher who kept taking life insurance policies out on people who kept dying. You learn about the lawyer who defended him, and later defended the man who killed him. Then it goes into Truman Capote researching with Harper Lee for his writing of In Cold Blood, and finally everything comes together as we learn of Harper Lee’s writing about the preacher serial killer in hopes of writing her own true crime book. I loved the way this was written–not for entertainment value but rather as an investigation of the ills of our society–and there was plenty of “did you know” tidbits throughout that kept this interesting rather than boring. Great read for fans of history, biographies, and true crime–it never goes the rout of obsessing over the violence or gruesome details.

Recent Releases

The Things She’s Seen by Ambelin Kwaymullina, Ezekiel Kwaymullina (Get thee this book about an Aboriginal teen ghost who helps her detective father solve a case to help him through his grief of her passing–Full review)

Not Bad People by Brandy Scott (Suspense)

If She Wakes by Michael Koryta (Thriller)

The Scent of Murder (Jazz Ramsey #1) by Kylie Logan (Mystery with a cadaver dog trainer as lead.)

The Scholar (Cormac Reilly #2) by Dervla McTiernan (Sequel in great Irish procedural series.)

The Last Time I Saw You by Liv Constantine (Psychological suspense)

The Night Before by Wendy Walker (Thriller)

The Last Thing She Remembers by J. S. Monroe (Psychological thriller)

Miss Kopp Just Won’t Quit (Kopp Sisters #4) by Amy Stewart (Paperback) (Historical mystery)

Her Pretty Face by Robyn Harding (Paperback) (Thriller)

An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena (Paperback) (Murder mystery)

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (Paperback) (TW rape/ fat shaming)

Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall (Paperback) (Thriller)

The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz (Paperback) (Murder mystery)

Folio Society’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie, Andrew Davidson (Illustrations), Sophie Hannah (Introduction)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, 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.