Category: Unusual Suspects

Hello fellow mystery fans! If you will be in NY on the 28th (currently wishing I still lived there–remembers it’s cold, forgets wish) Megan Abbott and Patton Oswalt will be at St. Ann’s Church in Brooklyn Heights presenting Michelle McNamara’s true crime I’ll Be Gone in the Dark. (To buy tickets) No, you’re crying already!

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Sponsored by Flatiron Books

My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me:

1. I’m in a coma.
2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore.
3. Sometimes I lie.

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Walter Mosley Has a New Novel and I Hope It Becomes a Series (Trigger Warning: rape)

Down the River Unto the Sea by Walter Mosley: Joe King Oliver was an NYPD cop until he was accused of rape and went to jail. Years later, after being released, his life now basically revolves around his PI work and his teenage daughter who helps out in his office. King finds himself needing to solve two cases: his own, after the woman who accused him of rape sends him an apology (this does not go down the route of women are psycho and vindictive so they falsely accuse); trying to find justice for a journalist convicted of killing two cops. As always, Mosley does a great job navigating between law and justice, and exposing racism–my favorite part of the book though was King’s relationship with his daughter and her character. I hope if this is the beginning of this series that we get to see a lot more of that. (If you’ve never read Mosley before and are overwhelmed by his immense catalog, here’s a Reading Pathways.)

Good Ol’ Fashion Detective Work to Catch the Killer! (Trigger Warnings: child murder/ suicide)

A Grave Talent (Kate Martinelli, #1) by Laurie R. King: Recently promoted to Homicide Detective, Kate Martinelli is paired with veteran Al Hawkins on a difficult case: a string of child murders. The case only gets more complicated once they think they’ve got a huge break in the case in finding a once convicted child murderer hiding out in a small community outside San Francisco. This is really my favorite type of mystery: psychology and human behavior are explored; the detectives are interesting with great chemistry (not romantic in nature, Martinelli is a lesbian); the clues slowly build up; there’s an “obsession”– in this case painting. I was left wanting to immediately grab the next in the series and I really enjoyed Alyssa Bresnahan’s calm, smooth narration on the audiobook.

Links:

If a giveaway for $500 of Penguin clothbound classics sounds amazing to you then head on over to Book Riot’s Instagram to enter!

Rincey and Katie talk about suspenseful romance novels on the latest Read or Dead.

Amazon’s Bosch series (adapted from Michael Connely‘s novels) has been renewed for a 5th season and here’s the trailer for season 4 which premieres April 13th.

Alicia Vikander will star in the thriller adaptation of Karen Dionne’s The Marsh King’s Daughter.

The true crime podcast Criminal is doing a six-part series This Is Love which started on Valentine’s Day.

Another book (McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld by Misha Glenny) saw a huge jump in sales thanks to a popular adaptation: The real McMasterminds behind McMafia: The BBC thriller isn’t just must-see TV, it’s a scarily realistic portrayal of international crime – and these are the villains it’s based on.

The Onion onioned: the ‘Onion’ skewers the true-crime podcast.

I don’t necessarily agree with all the points, but I’ve been thinking about this one a bit: Why Our True Crime Obsession is Bad For Society. ( My Friend Dahmer didn’t read like an obsession about the serial killer so much as a look at the time before he began killing, showing so many ways in which help was never offered or even attempted. And I think there is a lot of bad work regarding true crime but I think there needs to be a space to study how our society creates problems in order to do the work of doing better.)

Suspenseful Noir (Trigger Warnings: domestic abuse/ rape)

Sunburn by Laura Lippman: I kind of want to just say that if you’re a fan of the exploration of the “unlikable woman” and Megan Abbott, go read this without knowing anything about it. But here’s more info: Polly leaves her husband and child for good, without any notice, while on vacation. While debating her next life move she takes a job as a waitress in a small Delaware town. That’s where she meets Adam, who’s passing through. But soon their lives begin to meld, which really isn’t great for a woman trying to reveal as little about herself as possible. The suspense grows from all that we realize we don’t know about characters with the little reveals we get… (Susan Bennett narrates the audiobook in a calm, slightly monotone-ish voice which is exactly the voice I’d heard when reading the book.)

Kindle Deals:

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson is $1.99 (review)

Dragon Bones (Red Princess #3) by Lisa See is $1.99 (The last book in this trilogy that pairs an American lawyer with a Chinese lawyer who met while studying in the U.S.)

 

 

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And if you like to put a pin in things here’s an Unusual Suspects 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 Canaves.

Hi fellow mystery fans! Happy Valentine’s Day or Greeting-Cards-Invented holiday. Whichever you do, you do you! Now let’s add some mystery to the day:

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Sponsored by Buried Truth Jannine Gallant.

Jannine Gallant debuts her new romantic suspense trilogy that combines themes of second chances and reunited lovers…with dangerous serial killers and hidden agendas. When Leah Grayson organizes a reunion for her fifth-grade classmates to open a time capsule, they discover a roll of film and unleash a series of strange incidents. Amid the chaos, Leah begins a romance with Ryan Alexander, her first love who just returned to town. Their chemistry is as strong as ever, but the nostalgic fling turns deadly when someone is convinced Leah has the key to secrets long buried.

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Love this Series! (Trigger Warnings: child deaths/ rape/ torture)

A Dangerous Crossing (Rachel Getty & Esa Khattak #4) by Ausma Zehanat Khan: I’m a big fan of this series for a bunch of reasons, but the biggest is that I get to travel the world while learning about important social issues. Khan has once again written a smart and thoughtful detective mystery which creates a bunch of characters in a way that steers far away from creating stereotypes or monoliths. Canadian detectives Getty and Esa find themselves looking into the disappearance of a friend’s sister who vanished while helping Syrian refugees in Greece. Being that there are two dead bodies the immediate questions are: Is she a murderer on the run? Hiding from danger? Or also dead?… If you’re debating the audiobook Peter Ganim does a lovely job and gives you proper pronunciation with some words you may not know.

New Dark-ish Icelandic Series (Trigger Warning: incestuous rape)

The Legacy (Children’s House #1) by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, Victoria Cribb (Translator): A mother is murdered with her children in the house, one possibly having witnessed the crime. The young daughter is refusing to say what, if anything, she may have seen or heard. Being a strange and brutal attack, the police are trying to solve the case quickly and detective Huldar needs the girl to speak. Freya, a psychologist, acting as the child’s advocate, won’t allow the police to interview her as they want and takes over the questioning in the manner she thinks protects the child, regardless of the case… This was a page-turner for me that followed numerous characters, and their personal lives, all seemingly on a collision course somehow tied to this case. Definitely looking forward to another in this series, especially with Freya. (For audiobook fans I enjoyed Lucy Paterson’s narration, and personally found her reading as the child to not go into dramatic voice altering annoying territory–so win!)

Links:

BR keeps killing it with amazing giveaways: You could win $500 of Penguin clothbound classics over on our Instagram account.

After the announcement of the Staunch Book Prize for a thriller that doesn’t contain violence towards women–and Rebecca and Jeff’s discussion on The Podcast–I did a little dive into collecting some data: Violence Towards Women In Thrillers: Some Numbers.

Nicole Cooley wrote a piece about Frances Glessner Lee’s dioramas–models she built of crime scenes. I’ve been left thinking about the last line in this quote since I read the article: “Just like in the models, in the US women are much more likely to be killed by intimate partners than by strangers. The grim reality is that the world is full of violence. The models are a reminder that domestic space can be safe as well as terrifying.”

Rioter Aisling Twomey on Reliving Agatha Christie at Witness For The Prosecution

Sara Shepard, author of the series Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game, has an adult mystery coming out: The Elizas. You can read an excerpt at EW.

An interesting read in The New Yorker: “Italian prosecutors conceded that ’Ndrangheta women led tragic lives. But many didn’t consider the women to be of much use in their fight; they were just more victims. “The women don’t matter,” the prosecutors told Cerreti.” —The Women Who Took on the Mafia: Family loyalty made the Calabrian Mob strong, but its treatment of women was its undoing.

For True Crime fans: Audible has a new original series based on the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier in Ireland. Currently you can download the series for free! Here –> West Cork

Nothing Good Comes From Playing at a Spooky Barn! (Trigger Warning: suicide)

Little Monsters by Kara Thomas: Kacey has left the life she shared with her mom when the fighting was too much and is now living in a new town with a dad she doesn’t really know, a stepmother, stepbrother, and half-sister. All those changes is a lot to take in. Thankfully Kacey has two friends: Jade and Bailey. Except after a night of sneaking out–to call a ghost in an abandoned barn–Kacey finds her friends are acting weird and her little sister seems traumatized. Then a friend turns out to be missing! But if Kacey helps with the investigation–admiting to their night of sneaking out–she’ll be in serious trouble which leaves her instead looking like she has a lot more to hide… I like the way the events unfolded in this YA psychological thriller which has just the right amount of twists. Phoebe Strole and Brittany Pressley do a great narration on the audiobook. (And yes, every time I write this title I do think of the unrelated ’80s movie!)

Recent Releases:

The Possessions by Sara Flannery Murphy (Paperback) (review)

Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent (Paperback)

Prettyboy Must Die by Kimberly Reid (Currently reading: CIA thriller.)

The Plea (Eddie Flynn #2) by Steve Cavanagh (Currently reading: Con artist turned lawyer thriller, starts with a shooting and then takes you back to go through the events that lead up to that end.)

Olympus Bound (Olympus Bound #3) by Jordanna Max Brodsky (The final installment in this fun, kickass series that mixes Greek mythology and mystery.)

Kindle Deal!

Attica Locke’s 1st novel about a small time lawyer in Texas who finds himself at the wrong place, wrong time, is literally a steal for $1.99: Black Water Rising.

 

 

 

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And if you like to put a pin in things here’s an Unusual Suspects 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 Canaves.

Hi fellow mystery fans! I hope you’re drowning in holiday candy and books–solving mysteries to your hearts content. Here’s to another month packed with great reads!

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Sponsored by Walking The Bones by Randall Silvis

The bones of seven young girls, picked clean and carefully preserved… that’s all Sergeant Ryan DeMarco knows about the unsolved crime he has unwittingly been roped into investigating during what is supposed to be a healing road trip with his new love, Jayme.

DeMarco is still reeling from the case that led to death of his best friend months ago and wants nothing more than to lay low. Unfortunately, the small southern town of Jayme’s idyllic youth is not exactly a place that lets strangers go unnoticed—especially strangers who have a history of solving violent crimes. And if there’s anything DeMarco knows, it’s that a killer always leaves clues behind just waiting for the right person to come along and put all the pieces together.

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For Fans of Get Out! (Trigger Warning: rape/ suicide)

Forty Acres by Dwayne Alexander Smith, Andre Blake (Narrator): I honestly want to tell you nothing about this book so that you get hit by every level of this story like I did! I’ll say it’s a social thriller that very smartly places the reader in super uncomfortable territory as a black lawyer jumps at the opportunity to go on a trip with influential and wealthy black men. A secret society if you will… I enjoyed the narrator, Andrew Blake, on the audiobook and spent two days with headphones on ignoring everyone–and internally freaking out.

The Sequel to The Dry is Finally Here!! (Trigger Warning: eating disorder)

Force of Nature (Aaron Falk #2) by Jane Harper: Harper yet again delivers a very satisfying mystery from beginning to end, perfect to curl up with. This time around, Federal Police Agent Falk has left the desperately dry small town elements from the first in the series to find himself in the Giralang Ranges along with partner Carmen Cooper. They’ve been called because Alice Russell has gone missing in the forest while on a work retreat. Alice who was helping with a corruption case and is now missing on land a serial killer once lived on… A great story that gives you the detailed present investigation along with flashbacks of the time leading up to the disappearance. If you’re wondering if you want the audiobook, Stephen Shanahan does an excellent narration with his calm, deep, Australian accented voice–so yes! (AND if you need a refresher on what happened in The Dry, here’s a Previously On post.)

Links

Rincey and Katie discuss Edgar Awards nominees and books by black authors on Read or Dead!

Quiz: What Thriller Protagonist Are You?

Over on Wired:  7 True Crime Docs You Should Stream Right Now

Dennis Lehan’s Gone, Baby, Gone will get a second adaptation (the 1st being the 2017 film directed by Ben Affleck) as a television series.

The drowning death of Natalie Wood in 1981 is now considered a “suspicious death” after the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reopened the investigation. And Robert Wagner, her husband at the time, is a person of interest in the case.

The new thriller Need to Know by Karen Cleveland is being adapted and Charlize Theron is attached as producer and star. You can read the opening excerpt on EW.

Psychological Suspense (Trigger Warning: suicide/ molestation)

Girl Unknown by Karen Perry: Told in alternating chapters from David and Caroline’s perspective, we watch as a family reacts to a stranger being dropped into the mix when Zoey, a college student, tells David she’s his daughter from a long ago relationship. David brings her into the family (she is his daughter after all) but Caroline is hesitant–she has questions. The kids are split: one begins to bond with his new sister while the other wants her gone. This is a page-turner that slowly builds suspense one brick at a time, but will the wall be the strength of a new family or is it all going to come crashing down?

Recent Releases:

The Unforgotten by Laura Powell (Currently reading: 1950s historical mystery.)

Six Four by Hideo Yokoyama, Jonathan Lloyd-Davies (Paperback) (review)

Resurrection Bay (Caleb Zelic #1) by Emma Viskic (Currently reading: so far a must-solve-mystery-while-being-a-suspect.)

The Storm King by Brendan Duffy (Past and present small town mystery. Jon Lindstrom does a good audiobook narration.) (Trigger Warnings: child abuse/ revenge porn/ sexual assault)

A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America by T. Christian Miller, Ken Armstrong (on my TBR and Rioter Liberty marked it as a book she loved in New Books newsletter.)

Kindle Deals:

A Negro and an Ofay by Danny Gardner is $2.99 (For fans of Walter Mosley and Attica Locke when it comes to dissecting racism.) (review)

If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio is $3.99 (Especially for fans of Shakespeare.) (review)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And if you like to put a pin in things here’s an Unusual Suspects 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 Canaves.

Hello mystery fans! I’ve got delightful, noir, and morbid for you this week thanks to my reading being all over the place. Hope you’re well, reading tons, and ready for February! And if you’re feeling lucky don’t forget to enter to win a library cart!

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Sponsored by Page Street Publishing

Living in her sister’s shadow has never been more dangerous.

Five months ago, Clara Seibert’s twin sister was murdered. Struggling under the weight of newfound and unwanted attention, the only thing that makes Clara feel normal is ghostwriting an advice column for her school’s newspaper—until she starts receiving threatening emails in her staff inbox.

“It should have been you…but soon.”

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Neo-Noir! (Trigger Warning: domestic abuse/ rape/ suicide)

Dragonfish by Vu Tran: If you’re looking for noir that explores modern issues and/or are a fan of dark literary works, this was a great read. There are two running stories at once, past and present: one of a woman explaining her immigration from Vietnam through a series of letters, and the other is Robert, a cop obsessed with his ex-wife Suzy. He’s obsessed enough to drive to Vegas to threaten her current husband, but nothing goes as planned and soon the reader is plunged into the dark world these characters navigate in. The exploration of Suzy through the eyes of the men in her life who never quite understand her is one of those things I’ve been unable to shake since reading this novel.

Links

*Oprah you-get-a-car voice* Meryl Streep joins Big Little Lies season 2! Dying to find out what kind of mother-in-law she’ll be… (If you haven’t seen the show or read the book probably stay away from news for spoiler reasons.)

Rioter Tirzah Price has 10 Short Mystery Audiobooks for you.

I added to my Feminist Historical Mysteries list.

Sabella Nitti was saved from the death penalty in the 1920s thanks in part to a bob haircut. And if you didn’t know that characters in Chicago were based on real women–including Nitti–here’s another read. If Nitti’s story interests you: Ugly Prey: An Innocent Woman and the Death Sentence That Scandalized Jazz Age Chicago by Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi

Stana Katic talks about her exit from Castle and her new Amazon show Absentia.

Bridget Lawless has created the Staunch Book Prize to award a thriller novel “in which no woman is beaten, stalked, sexually exploited, raped or murdered.” (That may leave a real small pool of entries!) In related news author Amy Bloom seems to be writing a thriller next.

The drama/thriller Killing Eve, based on Luke Jennings’ novellas and starring Sandra Oh, will be premiering in April on BBC America. Here are the first look photos.

See the trailer for the graphic novel Babylon Berlin by Arne Jysch, Volker Kutscher (adaptation of the novel Babylon Berlin) AND THEN watch the trailer for the European television series adaptation that is now streaming on Netflix. (1930s Noir detective)

For fans of ’70s detectives, Megan Abbott, and/or Alison Gaylin here’s the trailer for the graphic novel Normandy Gold. (A Little Q&A with the authors)

Modern Mystery Nodding at the Old School Mysteries:

Truly Devious (Truly Devious #1) by Maureen Johnson:  Set in an elite school, Ellingham Academy, where the brightest and most creative students are invited to learn. Stevie Bell is thrilled to attend her first year. She’s there to escape the family she has nothing in common with and, most importantly, to put her mystery solving passion to work by solving the case from the ’30s where the school’s founder’s wife and daughter were kidnapped. Except, Bell may have gotten in over her head seeing as she’s now got a recent death at the school to also solve! Entertaining while cleverly nodding at old school mysteries– but be forewarned–you’ll be left standing on a cliff until the next in the series releases. (If you like video reviews here’s Rincey on Rincey Reads)

If Your Favorite Scenes in Procedurals Is The Morgue and You Enjoy Morbid Things (Trigger Warning: suicide/ child death)

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty: After witnessing a traumatic event at the age of eight, Doughty became terrified of death which manifested into OCD as she tried to ensure her and her family would never die. This eventually lead to her path of working in a crematorium and trying to change the way we talk about, and fear, death. Her dark humor, frankness, curiosity, and facts of death throughout history and different cultures makes this morbid topic eye opening, fascinating, and interesting. And she does a fantastic job narrating the audiobook.

Recent Releases:

Among the Ruins (Rachel Getty & Esa Khattak #3) by Ausma Zehanat Khan (Paperback) (review)

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough (Paperback) (review)

August Snow by Stephen Mack Jones (Paperback) (review)

Final Girls by Riley Sager (pseudonym for Todd Ritter) (Paperback) (review)

The Thirst (Harry Hole #11) by Jo Nesbø (Paperback)

The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley by Hannah Tinti (Paperback) (Literary Mystery)

Abbott #1 by Saladin Ahmed, Sami Kivelä (Awesome start to a new series about a journalist in ’70s Detroit fighting sexism and racism to get the truth reported.)

Two Nights by Kathy Reichs (Paperback) (Author of the books Bones was adapted from.)

Spy Seal Vol 1 by Rich Tommaso (MI5 but with anthropomorphic animals)

The Grave’s a Fine and Private Place (Flavia de Luce #9) by Alan Bradley (Great series starring a smart, precocious girl who loves chemistry and doesn’t fear dead things.)

Killer Choice by Tom Hunt (Currently reading: would you kill a “bad guy” for a stranger offering you the money you need to save your wife’s life?)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And if you like to put a pin in things here’s an Unusual Suspects 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 Canaves.

Hi fellow mystery lovers! I’m over here drowning in ARCs and library ebooks (happy as a pig in mud) so I’m gonna dive right in this week!

Have Horror Movies Taught Us Nothing About Cottages in Remote Areas?! (TW: suicide)

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Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of This Is Where It Ends

Best friends Corey and Kyra were inseparable in their snow-covered town of Lost Creek, Alaska. When Corey moves away, she makes Kyra promise to stay strong during the long, dark winter, and wait for her return. Just days before Corey is to return home to visit, Kyra dies. Corey is devastated—and confused. The entire Lost community speaks in hushed tones about the town’s lost daughter. Corey knows something is wrong. Lost is keeping secrets—chilling secrets. But piecing together the truth about what happened may prove as difficult as lighting the sky in an Alaskan winter.

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In A Cottage In a Wood by Cass Green: The opening starts like a wonderful British chick lit with funny Lou living in London with her sister’s family as she tries to sort out her life. Then on a strange hungover morning, Lou witnesses a suicide that changes her life even more than the traumatic event: She suddenly finds herself owning a cottage in a remote area. When her life really gets to be too much for her, she escapes to the cottage thinking it’ll give her time to sort everything out. Be less of a hot mess. Except either she’s now losing her mind, or the stranger who left her the cottage wasn’t really imagining that someone was after her… Good psychological suspense with a funny main character that builds up the fear you find in horror movies without being a horror novel. (The Kindle ebook is on sale for $1.99)

A Little Q&A: Jane Harper (I give authors I’m excited about five questions and let them answer any three they’d like.)

If you’ve been following this newsletter for a while you know my love for Jane Harper’s debut The Dry (here, and here) and how I’ve been shouting since I got the ARC for the followup book in the series (Force of Nature) because it’s as good as her excellent debut. If you’re a fan of mysteries that grab you from the beginning, have great characters, a setting that comes to life like a character, and a solid good mystery from beginning to end this series is not to be missed. I will definitely pick up any book Harper writes and am so glad she was able to answer a few questions!

And here’s Jane Harper:

What would you like to see more/less of in the mystery genre? I would love to see more books set in exotic and far-flung locations. As much as I love reading mysteries set in the US, UK and Scandinavia, there’s something captivating about being transported to somewhere completely different. It’s interesting to see the way different landscapes, climates and social challenges impact communities and characters around the world in different ways.

If you were forced to live the rest of your life as one of your characters, who would it be? My first thought was none of them! They all have their own problems and hardships that I’d personally rather avoid. But if I had to choose, I would pick Rita Raco, the wife of Sgt Greg Raco in The Dry. She is a minor character, but I think one of the happiest. She is a smart woman, married to a good man and I think she does her best to create happiness in her life.

The last book you read that you loved? I was lucky enough to get an advance proof of The Woman in the Window by AJ Finn, which is coming out in January and is fabulous!

Thanks Jane! I can’t wait for Reese Witherspoon’s adaptation and look forward to everything else you’ll write!

French Literary Suspense Inspired by a True Crime (TW: child death/ suicide)

The Perfect Nanny by Leïla Slimani: The opening is brutal, as it starts at the end with the crime. It then takes you back a bit in time so you get to know this couple who is interviewing (with no luck) nannies, now that the mother is desperate to go back to having a career. The entire novel is the how we got to that crime, how this seemingly perfect nanny became anything but. Slimani perfectly sums it up in this NPR interview: “I had the feeling that she was like a plate that you put every day on the table, and she breaks every day a little bit,” Slimani says. “And one day you put it on the table and she breaks it into pieces.”

Links

Ever dreamed about winning a library cart? Book Riot might make your dream come true!

Rincey and Katie talk YA mystery & thrillers on Read or Dead!

Read an excerpt from Michelle McNamara’s excellent upcoming true crime I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (February 27th): Letter to the Golden State Killer

Deadpool writers and Ryan Reynold’s have teamed up for–wait for it… a Clue remake!

The Edgar Awards nominees have been announced and finally a list I can cheer for: The Dime; Bluebird, Bluebird; A Rising Man; Penance; Dark Chapter; The Hate U Give— and a bunch of books just got stacked onto my TBR list.

Rioter Ann Foster has 24 Psychological Thrillers For Fans of Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train, and Big Little Lies.

Leonardo Padura on a Lost Generation of Cubans, and the Arrogance of Trump: One of the Americas Great Crime Writers Talks to Dwyer Murphy

The author of Girl in Snow recommends 6 coming-of-age thrillers.

If you’re a fan of Shondaland and procedurals there’s a new courtroom drama coming March 13th! Here’s the trailer for For the People.

The trailer for the spy thriller Red Sparrow, based on Jason Matthews‘ novel, starring Jennifer Lawrence. (In theaters March 2nd.)

Kindle Deals!

Goldie Vance Vol 1 by Hope Larson,‎ Brittney Williams is $4.99 (For fans of Nancy Drew/Veronica Mars)

The Last Policeman (The Last Policeman #1) by Ben H. Winters is $1.99 (Apocalyptic mystery procedural)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And if you like to put a pin in things here’s an Unusual Suspects 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 Canaves.

Hello fellow mystery fans! After discussing my love last week for The Widows of Malabar Hill (review) and my excitement for the release of the 3rd book in the Veronica Speedwell series (below) this week I decided it was a perfect time to do a themed post recommending awesome women in historical mysteries who are not here for society’s garbage rules. Happy reading! (My apologies, I read most of these a while back and don’t have notes on trigger warnings.)

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Sponsored by Epic Reads.

From bestselling author Maureen Johnson comes a brilliantly woven mystery, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie.

Ellingham Academy is a famously peculiar boarding school founded in 1936 by Albert Ellingham. Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only clue was a riddle signed “Truly, Devious.” It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and already has a plan: to solve this cold case. But when Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy, Stevie finds herself with two mysteries to solve.

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A Treacherous Curse (Veronica Speedwell #3) by Deanna Raybourn: This series is funny, delightful, and has wonderful characters–especially Veronica Speedwell, a lepidopterist (the study of moths and butterflies). And she’s partnered up with Stoker, a natural historian, with quite a personality. In this 3rd book, set in 1888 London, Speedwell and Stoker find themselves solving a mystery revolving around an Egyptian archaeological dig that brings Stoker’s past to the present. I was already laughing on page one and immensely love Speedwell and Stoker’s partnership, banter, bickering, and sexual tension. Speedwell is a lady who refuses to conform to any kind of society rule that doesn’t please her and this pleases me greatly. If you haven’t started this gem of a series yet the first two books are A Curious Beginning and A Perilous Undertaking (review).

Another Great 1800s British Historical Mystery Series:

A Murder in Time (Kendra Donovan #1) by Julie McElwain: In this series, Kendra Donovan is actually an FBI agent in the US when, whoopsie, she finds herself transported to a castle in England in 1815. If you’re not into Sci-Fi, don’t worry–you only need to suspend disbelief for that sequence. From then on out you have Donovan, clearly confused, trying to survive in a completely different time period. Naturally (this being a mystery series, and her being an FBI agent), she finds herself having to solve a murder using none of the technology she’s used to, while in a time where ladies aren’t allowed to basically do anything– and as technically a maid which is what people think she is. In the sequel, A Twist in Time, Donovan realizes that until she figures out how she got to the 1800s she’ll have to make do with this new life. She’s acclimated enough to her circumstances to no longer be as shocked by the sexism, so she fights back. She’s also afraid of the butterfly effect and tries her best not to slip up about future happenings that might change things–although that’s easier said than done. Oh, and that pesky thing of her love interest being accused of a murder which she has to solve because police as we know them haven’t been established yet. (It looks like the third in the series, Caught in Time, comes out in July!)

Have I Raved Enough About Charlotte Sherlock? Ha, Trick Question, There Is No Such Thing:

A Study in Scarlet Women (Lady Sherlock #1) by Sherry Thomas: I kind of don’t like saying too much about this series because watching it unfold is something I don’t want to take away from any reader. I’ll say it’s a gender-swapped Sherlock, done brilliantly in a way that Sherlock’s “quirks” are more so push-backs towards society’s rules on women. Charlotte Holmes is so much not here for these rules that she unintentionally blows-up her life and social standing in trying to ensure she’s not forced into things she doesn’t want. She’s a real firecracker and I’m happy to light her wick. In the sequel, A Conspiracy in Belgravia, Charlotte and Mrs. Watson are back with a rather delicate case involving a married woman looking to find a past lover–her true love. Scandalous! The series is awesome, fun, kickass, and a must-read.

How About a Trip Back to 1915 New York:

A Front Page Affair (Kitty Weeks Mystery #1) by Radha Vatsal: I adore Capability “Kitty” Weeks! And the first book in this series is especially perfect for readers who like cozy mysteries and aren’t up for violence against women. As a reporter for the women’s fashion section of The Sentinel, she finds herself trying to solve a murder that occurred during an event she’d attended. While she is more than capable (heh) of solving the crime, she’s a woman in a time where women aren’t even allowed to vote. The second book in the series, Murder Between the Lines, really finds its stride. Kitty is determined to prove herself as a journalist–good luck getting her to stand down from anything she wants–and while on assignment, covering an all girls school, she ends up investigating the death of a girl. Set at the beginning of WWII, the sequel puts Kitty into women’s suffrage events, has visits from President Wilson, and even has her looking into Thomas Edison’s battery invention.

Links:

On All the Backlist Liberty talks about The Widows of Malabar Hill and A Rising Man (among other books).

Rioter Jessica Woodbury gives you a ton of information about Agatha Christie and reading her novels: Your Ultimate Guide to the Best Agatha Christie Books

Emily Martin has 8 Murder Mystery Books That Will Keep You Up ALL Night.

Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven on Stranger Things) will play Enola Holmes, Sherlock’s youngest sister, adapted from Nancy Springer’s series which starts with The Case of the Missing Marquess.

Reminder: Caleb Carr’s The Alienist adaptation premieres on TNT on the 22nd. (Trailer)

And Taraji P. Henson is playing a hit woman in Proud Mary, now in theaters. (Trailer)

Kindle Deals:

The Language of Secrets (Rachel Getty and Esa Khattak #2) by Ausma Zehanat Khan is $2.99 (I love this series–review)

And it looks like now Sue Grafton’s Alphabet Series is $3.99 each book up until the letter “O.”

 

 

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And on Pinterest an Unusual Suspects 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 Canaves.

Hello fellow mystery fans! I hope you’re buried under the fluffiest and warmest blankets reading!

Feminist Historical Mystery for the Win!

The Widows of Malabar Hill (Perveen Mistry, #1) by Sujata Massey: Oh, I so loved this one. Perveen is a solicitor working with her father in Bombay in the early 1920s. Her father has a case involving a will where the three widows have signed a piece of paper, but Perveen thinks there is something off with the signatures. She wants to speak to the widows. And so Perveen finds herself caught in the mystery of what is actually happening in the house the widows and their children live in… Adding another layer to this book are the chapters that take you into Perveen’s recent past where (against her parent’s wishes) she wanted to put love before education. Perveen is a determined, smart, delightful character with progressive parents, a lesbian best friend, and a moral compass that points to helping others at all costs. The next book in the series can’t come fast enough.

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Sponsored by Coldwater by Samuel Parker

Having forfeited his youth to the state prison system, Michael moved back to the still vacant house of his parents in a town with one stoplight. A town that hated him. Had always hated him. And was ready to pick up where the prison system had left off.

Now he’s on the run from men who’ve tried to kill him once; but Michael is more than an ex-con. A powerful, sinister force skulks within him, threatening and destructive. What—and who—it will destroy next is the only real question.

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A Sad Graphic Novel that is a Slice of Serial Killer Jeffrey Dahmer’s Teen Years (Trigger Warning: animal cruelty/ suicide/ mocking disabilities)

My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf: I’m always bothered by the fascination with serial killers that focuses on the actual murders while acting as if the victims/families weren’t real people destroyed by tragedy. Instead, I gravitate towards writing (and art in this case) that takes a look at society and a person’s environment and how or why that may have shaped them. In this case, Backderf grew up with Jeffrey Dahmer in the ’70s in a small Ohio town and takes the reader back to show a time before the internet offered communities to those who felt lost, no one came out in high school, and drug and alcohol use were largely ignored. Regardless of whether one believes people are born “evil” or not, it is frustrating to see the amount of adults who ignored situations, were unaware of what was right in front of them, or were unable to help because they were drowning themselves. It did what good writing does in my opinion: leaves the reader thinking and questioning where and how we can do better.

Links:

Last chance to enter to win TWENTY of our favorite books from 2017!

Rincey and Katie discuss their most anticipated mysteries coming out this year on Read of Dead.

Reese Witherspoon has yet another book adaptation she’s working on: Are You Sleeping by Kathleen Barber will be adapted into a TV series for Apple. Okay, so I personally would prefer Netflix or Hulu (cause I already have those!) but I will watch anything with Octavia Spencer, who has been cast to star in the show! (my review of the book)

For fans of Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell series there’s a t-shirt: She flies with her own wings

Contrary but Compatible Bounty Hunter and PI Search for Missing Girls (Trigger Warnings: child cruelty/ pedophilia/ suicidal thoughts)

Two Girls Down by Louisa Luna: This was a good mystery/thriller that is a hunt for two missing young girls, but what I loved was the partnership that forms between a disgraced ex-cop, (now PI) and an out of town bounty hunter hired by the missing girl’s family. It pits police against an outsider (Alice Vega, who breaks all kinds of norms) and a former employee (Cap, a good father just getting out from the fallout of losing his job and a divorce). Vega’s character is a wildcard that surprised at every turn, and as soon as I finished this book I was left with a feeling of wanting to follow Vega and Cap through more cases.

Recent Releases:

Long Black Veil by Jennifer Finney Boylan (In Paperback) (Interview with Boylan)

Ill Will by Dan Chaon (In Paperback) (My review)

A Mortal Likeness (Victorian Mystery #2) by Laura Joh Rowland (currently reading, historical mystery, female photographer turned sleuth with her gay, shunned by society, working partner.)

The Perfect Nanny by Leïla Slimani, Sam Taylor (translation) (currently reading, French, suspense) (Trigger Warnings: suicide/ child murder/ transphobia)

Just Between Us by Rebecca Drake (just started, plot reminds me so far of Big Little Lies) (Trigger Warnings: domestic abuse)

Kindle Deals:

The Spy Who Couldn’t Spell: A Dyslexic Traitor, an Unbreakable Code, and the FBI’s Hunt for America’s Stolen Secrets by Yudhijit Bhattacharjee is $1.99 (nonviolent true crime, my review)

The Dime by Kathleen Kent is $2.99 (a favorite of 2017)

If you’ve been meaning to start at the beginning of the Rizzoli & Isles series Tess Gerritsen’s The Surgeon is $3.99 (A Little Q&A with Gerritsen)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And if you like to put a pin in things here’s an Unusual Suspects 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 Canaves.

Hi fellow mystery lovers! It’s that time of year where everyone is writing the wrong year, mostly confused as to what day it is, and publishing is pumping out all the books. Before I get to some of those books, thank you to everyone who responded with your opinions about the newsletter. I heard you all and will be doing my best to implement your thoughts. (And feel free to still fill out if you were busy over the holidays.)

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Sponsored by Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet

The riveting conclusion to the Kingmaker Chronicles

The destiny Catalia “Cat” Fisa has spent her entire life running from has finally caught up with her. To become Queen of Thalyria, Cat and her dedicated husband Griffin Sinta will have to go to war with the severely oppressed Fisa—and it’s violent alpha…Cat’s homicidal mother. When Cat’s magic refuses to work like it should, she has to unleash the power she’s been afraid of. And when her misuse of the God’s gifts lands her in Tartarus, a land reserved for eternal punishment, Cat will have to accept herself—past, present, and future—if she wants any chance of making it out alive.

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Perfectly Snarky L.A. Detective:

Land of Shadows (Detective Elouise Norton #1) by Rachel Howzell Hall: L.A. detective Elouise “Lou” Norton and her new partner are working to solve the case of a teen girl found murdered on a construction site. While Lou may be rich now, she knows the struggling community the victim comes from because it’s where her and her sister grew up, except her sister may never have grown up since she disappeared as a teenager, leaving behind only a shoe. It’s a case Lou is still working on, and starts to think is tied to this new case. Between the new partner, her need to solve her sister’s case, and her cheating husband, Lou has a lot to deal with and fight through, and I cheered her on through the entire book. Great start to a detective series and I look forward to reading the next three books in the series.

And On the Other Coast (N.Y.) an FBI Agent (Trigger Warning: cutting/ child abuse)

A Map of the Dark (The Searchers #1) by Karen Ellis: Elsa Myers is an FBI agent tasked with finding missing children. It’s her entire life. Even though her dad is dying, which is bringing up many painful childhood memories for her relating to the abuse she suffered at her mother’s hands, nothing can get in her way of work and her finding Ruby, and the possible serial killer behind the abduction. This was a good procedural/thriller that explores that effects of abuse and how some internalize it into self-harm and fear and others make the choice to become predators.

Links to Click:

If you’re feeling lucky in the new year and haven’t entered yet Book Riot has a giveaway for 20 (yup, 20!) of 2017’s best books.

9 mystery & thrillers releasing in 2018 that I’m excited for!

Rincey and Katie discussed their favorite 2017 mystery titles on Read of Dead.

In sad news Sue Grafton, author of the Alphabet series, passed away. Her daughter Jamie (not me) posted on Facebook: “Sue always said that she would continue writing as long as she had the juice. Many of you also know that she was adamant that her books would never be turned into movies or TV shows, and in that same vein, she would never allow a ghost writer to write in her name. Because of all of those things, and out of the deep abiding love and respect for our dear sweet Sue, as far as we in the family are concerned, the alphabet now ends at Y.” And yes, I think fans of the series would agree the alphabet ends in Y. (My review for the 1st in the series; and Liberty’s review for the last in the series.)

(From 2016 but new to me, and maybe you) Thanks to Dan Brown, and his money, ancient occult books will be digitized at the Ritman Library.

NPR has a great article about Mary Higgins Clark, who is 90!, and still writing best sellers. I read all of MHC’s books (that existed at the time) when I was in high school and always have fond memories of her keeping me up super late to read her books in one sitting.

Small Italian Village with a Past Mystery (Trigger Warning: suicide/ PTSD) 

Beneath the Mountain by Luca D’Andre, Howard Curtis (Translation): Jeremiah Salinger, a U.S. filmmaker, moves with his wife and young daughter to a remote village in Italy where his wife is from. Suffering with PTSD and refusing to follow doctor’s care instructions, his wife ends up giving him an ultimatum that he needs one year of no work. But after hearing the story of the brutal murders of three young town residents in the ’80s, solving the mystery is all he can think about. Soon he’s lying, manipulating, and getting himself literally beat-up by town members as he can’t let this go. In a remote village you’re either one of them or an outsider, which places Salinger in a dangerous position as his wife is one of them but he is not and he’s now digging into the residents past needing to know who is responsible for the gruesome murders and why.

Recent Releases:

The Dry by Jane Harper (In Paperback)

The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda (In Paperback)

UNSUB by Meg Gardiner (In Paperback)

The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater (True crime, high on my TBR, recommended by Liberty)

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp (Alaskan small town mystery, mental illness.)

Dominic by Mark Pryor (MC a DA and literal psychopath.) (Trigger Warning: suicide)

The Plot Is Murder (Mystery Bookshop #1) by V.M. Burns (Currently reading, book within a book.)

The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn (pseudonym for Daniel Mallory) (Currently reading, this one has tons of publicity behind it.)

Kindle Deals:

The 1st in Sue Grafton’s Alphabet Series, “A” is For Alibi, is $2.99 (My review)

The Obama Inheritance: Fifteen Stories of Conspiracy Noir by Gary Phillips (Editor) is $1.99 (On my TBR)

Uptown Thief (Justice Hustlers #1) by Aya de León is $5.99 (Romance/Crime, my review) (Trigger Warning: Sexual/Domestic Abuse)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And if you like to put a pin in things here’s an Unusual Suspects 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 Canaves.

Hello fellow mystery lovers! Happy Kwanzaa! Hope you had a merry Christmas/Nochebuena! And happy almost new year—don’t let the door hit you on the way out, 2017! First, if you want to opine on this here newsletter: Here’s What I Think About Unusual Suspects (quick questionnaire). And now, if you’ve gotten some money, or just need some retail therapy to survive the end of the year, I’ve collected a bunch of suggestions for all types of reading preferences. Oh, and if you missed it Book Riot is giving away 20 (TWENTY!) of the books we picked as best of 2017! Good luck!

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Sponsored by Home Sweet Home by April Smith, new in paperback from Vintage Books.

This riveting epic drama follows the Kusek family from New York City to America’s heartland, where their dream life turns into a nightmare, as they are caught up in the panic of McCarthyism, a smear campaign, a sensational trial, and, ultimately, murder. From the widely praised author of the FBI Special Agent Ana Grey series and A Star for Mrs. Blake.

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If you’re looking for cozy mysteries here are Rioter Sarah Nicolas’ 25 Absolute Best picks.

Or you want some noir to read: Liberty has 9 recommendations for you! And I’d also add Steph Cha’s Juniper series which starts with Follow Her Home.

If you’re looking for a great graphic novel with gorgeous art and a wonderfully unique detective My Favorite Thing is Monsters was one of Book Riot’s Best of 2017 picks. Plus, the second part comes out next year so now’s the perfect time to read the first volume.

If queer ladies solving crime is your jam, Rioter Trizah Price has great recommendations for you.

If mystery and thriller audiobooks is your thing, Amanda Nelson has 10 excellent picks for you and Kristy Pasquariello has 8 thrilling recommendations revolving around a missing person.

Love How to Get Away With Murder? Mya Nunnally has recommendations for you. I also recommend Marcia Clark’s newest series that starts with Blood Defense and follows criminal defense attorney Samantha Brinkman.

There’s also my 9 picks for Best Mystery & Thrillers published this year. And here’s my 13 picks for 2016.

I also listed 5 Japanese crime writers that should be on your radar.

If paperbacks is your preferred reading choice Swapna Krishna has 5 picks for you.

(Sherlock season 4 spoilers) Deepali Agarwal put together a list of female sleuths to read in response to Sherlock’s season 4.

If quiet, personal mysteries sounds interesting Beth O’Brien has some recommendations.

If you love psychological thrillers but not the usual formulas Rabeea Saleem has 5 suggestions for you.

Kindle Deals:

The Cutaway by Christina Kovac is $1.99 (thriller with TV producer MC)

Wednesday the Rabbi Got Wet (The Rabbi Small Mysteries) by Harry Kemelman is $1.99 (cozy mystery)

 

 

 

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And if you like to put a pin in things here’s an Unusual Suspects 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 Canaves.

Hi fellow mystery fans! Whether you’re looking forward to the holidays, hiding from family in the pantry, or having a hard time and waiting for this season–and year–to pass already (huge hug to you) you’ll probably turn to some entertainment during this time off. With that in mind here are some things to watch, listen to, and read. And remember be kind to each other, but also to yourself.

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Sponsored byThe Graphic Canon of Crime & Mystery, edited by Russ Kick from Seven Stories Press.

From James M. Cain to Stephen King, from Sophocles to the Marquis de Sade to Iceberg Slim, here are stunning and sometimes macabre visualizations of some of the greatest crime and mystery stories of all time. Rick Geary brings his crisp style to Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment; C. Frakes resurrects the forgotten novella “Talma Gordon,” the first mystery written by an African American. Crime finds new life in these graphic renditions of The Arabian Nights, the Bible, James Joyce’s Dubliners, Patricia Highsmith, and leading mystery writers of today like Jo Nesbø. Crime and mystery have never been so brilliantly reimagined.

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(TW: sexual assault) For fans of Tana French‘s procedurals, Netflix has three seasons of Broadchurch, a small town mystery show where two detectives (a town resident and an outsider) are forced to work together. In the first season, they’re trying to solve the murder of a boy as we get to know the town’s residents; the second season follows the fallout from the first case, while also bringing to the small town one of the detective’s previous cases; the third season starts with a woman who has been raped. If you’re a fan of British series, don’t miss this one–the characters and acting are fantastic, and the slow build always has great conclusions. (Watch the s1 trailer)

With my recent reading-hits of mysteries set in India (The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra; A Rising Man; The Widows of Malabar Hill) I’m looking forward to a new addition to Netflix: The Indian Detective. In this 4-part series, Russell Peters plays a Canadian cop who, while on suspension, visits his father in Mumbai and finds himself investigating a case. (Watch the trailer)

I’m also planning on watching Netflix’s Bright (12/22), starring Will Smith, since the trailer reminded me of my love for authors like Lauren Beukes who mix crime, procedural, and sci-fi/fantasy. I’ve found myself mostly watching series lately so it’ll be nice to watch a film where everything, hopefully, wraps up in 90 minutes.

And if you still haven’t gotten around to watching Elementary, I very much recommend you give it a try, especially if you’re looking for a long binge. It’s streaming on Hulu, and you can read my past review.

Or if you want a four part series where each part feels like a movie, and you’re looking to follow a Cuban detective, Four Seasons in Havana (based on Leonardo Padura‘s series) is streaming on Netflix. You can read my past review here.

If podcasts are more your thing: I’m halfway through Deadly Manners and really enjoying this murder mystery dinner party à la Clue, à la And Then There Were None, à la radio plays. Set in the ’50s, the Billings family is throwing a dinner party and while Mrs. Billings (Kristen Bell) wants everything to be perfect, dead bodies and a murderer amongst them is gonna put a damper on her wishes. If you’re a fan of LeVar Burton, Kristen Bell, satire, and dark-comedies, give this one a try. (If you startle easily be prepared for sudden breaking glass noises.)

Links:

Book Riot is giving away TWENTY of our favorite reads of 2017 so that’s a giveaway you probably most definitely want to enter!

One Rioter can’t say no to murder mysteries but immediately hits the brakes if there is a serial killer.

Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock series–which I keep raving about because I love it so (here, and here)–will have the release of the 3rd book in fall of 2018 and October can’t come fast enough!

Jennifer Lawrence will produce and star in the adaptation of Hannah Kent’s Burial Rights, a historical crime fiction based on the true story of a woman accused of murder in 1800s Iceland.

Derek Haas’ Silver Bear book series, about a hitman, will be adapted.

AMAZING Kindle Deals:

The Immortals (Olympus Bound #1) by Jordanna Max Brodsky is $4.99 (The 3d in the trilogy releases in 2018 and here’s my review for the 2nd book in the series)

Jane Harper’s The Dry is $4.99 if this isn’t your first time around here you know it’s on my Best Mysteries of 2017 list!

ALSO on my Best of list is Karin Slaughter’s The Good Daughter which is $3.99 (all the trigger warnings)

And Broken Harbor, the 4th book in Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad, is $1.99 (Here is Jessica Woodbury’s preferred order of reading the series which starts with Broken Harbor.)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And if you like to put a pin in things here’s an Unusual Suspects 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 Canaves.