Newsletters Dev – Page 896 – getting it done!

Hip-Hop Coordinator At the Queens Library, Dog-Friendly Days, and Why Book Thieves Are Not Bookworms

Post author By Katie McLain
Post date October 3, 2019

Swords and Spaceships for October 4: Raising the Dead

Post author By Alex Acks
Post date October 3, 2019

Sponsored by LMBPN Publishing and Obsidian Detective

On the fringes of human space, a murder will light a fuse and send two different people colliding together. She lives on Earth, where peace is a given. He is on the fringe of society where authority is how much firepower you wield. Both want the truth – but is the truth good for society? Two years ago, a small moon in a far off system was set to be the location of the first intergalactic war between humans and an alien race. It never happened. However, something was found many are willing to kill to keep a secret. Now, they have killed the wrong people. How many will die to keep the truth hidden? As many as is needed.

Happy Friday, me hearties. Everyone got a good book or three queued up for the weekend? If not, here’s Alex, with some news and a random assortment of books that you might find interesting.

My favorite non-SFF thing all week: This reminder about the Dutch Police putting a bird in jail. I mean, it’s technically not SFF but someone should totally write this book. Second place in my heart and also, weirdly, bird-related is the new trailer for Birds of Prey.

News and Views

This week’s SFF Yeah! is about fashion in fiction.

Dark Horse Comics is releasing a collection of Neil Gaiman’s short fiction. You can pre-order on Amazon now.

Exciting adaptation news! Michael B. Jordan’s production company has acquired Rena Barron’s Kingdom of Souls.

The Wheel of Time on Prime Twitter account has a quick little video from a table read of the show.

io9 has a first look at the new series from M.R. Carey, author of The Girl With All the Gifts.

JY Yang (author of The Black Tides of Heaven) drew some absolutely gorgeous fanart for Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness.

An in-depth review of The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games.

Annalee Newitz on time travel stories and how they reflect on our current timeline.

Tor.com has a preview of some of the gorgeous art from the new illustrated edition of Robin Hobb’s Assassin’s Apprentice.

SyFy Wire has an interview with Wesley Chu about his The Walking Dead novel, Typhoon.

Star Wars Resistance has the franchise’s first on-screen actually gay couple, according to the producers. (It’s an alien couple. I have conflicting feelings about this.)

Some casting news for Netflix’s Shadow and Bone adaptation.

Netflix has also confirmed there will be a fourth season of Stranger Things.

There’s a new, live-action version of Treasure Island coming, helmed by the writer/director of How to Train Your Dragon.

Some cool science! Swedish biologists are using footprints to track polar bears and map their genetics.

Free Association Friday

Last week my brain was filled with Pokémon. I regret to inform you that this week, my brain is now full of Destiny, since the newest expansion released. It’s creepy, it’s filled with nightmares, there’s giant, deathless, chitinous monsters with swords that want to murder you and utterly destroy your soul for the glory of their disturbing death-and-torture-cult. Honestly, it’s a perfect start for October.

So let’s talk necromancers: generally bad news people bringing the dead back to life for their own nefarious purposes.

The most appropriate book for this free association is Gideon the Ninth. It’s a perfect fit in the sense that not only are there necromancers, they’re… IN… SPACE! And there’s a haunted gothic palace, which is basically what I’ve spent all night running around and shooting things in via an Xbox controller.

Urban fantasy-wise, there’s several examples of books narrated by necromancers who have to deal with the dead, the undead, and mysteries while often dodging their own demise. Arranged in order of most to least grim: Dead Things by Stephen Blackmoore, Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton, Grave Witch by Kaylana Price, and How to Save an Undead Life by Hailey Edwards (contains an undead parakeet). That’s just a taste from urban fantasy; there’s a lot of necromancy going on out there in the wild streets.

Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone starts off his Craft Sequence, which has quite a bit of necromancy in it. In the first book, Tara, who is an associate at an international necromantic firm, has to bring a murdered god back to life in order to keep an entire city alive. For a more historical and gothic turn, but with a good dash of humor, there’s Johannes Cabal the Necromancer. Johannes sold his soul to Satan to learn necromancy, and now if he wants to get it back, he has to convince 100 other people to sign theirs over instead. It’s a soul pyramid scheme, really.

Into more pure fantasy, The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco starts a YA series about a girl named Tea, who accidentally raises her brother from the dead and is then ostracized from her community. The Wolf of Winter by Paula Volsky has a prince far down in the line of succession learning the forbidden art of necromancy–which he intends to use to reshape the kingdom.

Honorable not-quite-necromancer-but-still-in-with-the-god-of-death-but-in-a-totally-non-evil-way book: Servant of the Underworld by Aliette de Bodard. It’s a fantasy historical crime procedural…and the main character is an Aztec priest.

See you, space pirates. You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.

Book Radar

Sabaa Tahir’s EMBER IN THE ASHES Prequel Trilogy and More Book Radar!

Post author By Liberty Hardy
Post date October 3, 2019

Sponsored by a selection of fall novels from the Class of 2k19 books, 20 authors, 20 MG and YA novels debuting in 2019.

SCARS LIKE WINGS: “A heartfelt, unflinching look at being a burn survivor and the scars we all carry.” -Stephanie Nielson, Heaven is Here. THE MEMORY KEEPER: “Camiccia weaves brain science with clever characterization for a charming, heart-wrenching, unforgettable read.” – Kimberly Gabriel, Every Stolen Breath. GRAVEMAIDENS: “Gravemaidens grabs you by your beating heart and refuses to let go until the bitter, breathtaking end.” Sarah Glenn Marsh, Reign of the Fallen. WILD LIFE: “Roberts’ witty voice navigates joy and sorrow with a deft touch; her descriptions of Baboon Camp are so vivid, you can smell the dust.” – Madeline Miller, Circe

Hello, friendos! I apologize in advance: today’s email is going to be a quick one, as I am on the road doing bookish events. But there’s still some great stuff to share! I hope you’re reading something wonderful, and have a great rest of your week. And remember to be kind to yourself and others. I’ll see you again on Monday! – xoxo, Liberty

Trivia question time! In Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, what does the Man with the Thistle Down Hair take from Lady Pole? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes is getting a trilogy of graphic novel prequels.

Susanna Clarke announced her first book since Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.

Ava DuVernay is adapting the comic DMZ for HBO.

Penguin Teen ran down the list of several of next year’s titles on Twitter.

The Tana French adaptation, The Dublin Murders, has a premiere date.

The Netflix adaptation of Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone has found its cast.

Here’s the cover reveal for Chosen Ones, Veronica Roth’s first adult novel.

Ina Garten is writing a memoir.

Here is the longlist for the ninth annual Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction.

Here is the first footage from the Wheel of Time table read.

The Phantom of the Opera is being adapted into a graphic novel.

Here’s the trailer for a new War of the Worlds adaptation.

Book Riot Recommends

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)

Excited to read:

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones (Gallery / Saga Press, April 7, 2020)

I am a huge fan of SGJ’s Mongrels and After the People Lights Have Gone Off, so you can bet your sweet bippy I am clamoring for this novel. Which is pitched as “Peter Straub’s Ghost Story meets Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies“, which makes me go “Ruh?” like Scooby, but I’m still sure it will be awesome.

What I’m reading this week.

How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse: Book One of the Thorne Chronicles by K. Eason

My Dark Vanessa: A Novel by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko

Quotients by Tracy O’Neill

And this is funny.

Readers everywhere feel attacked.

Trivia answer: One of her fingers.

You made it to the bottom! High five. Thanks for reading! – xo, L

Audiobooks

Audiobooks – 10/03

Post author By Vanessa Diaz
Post date October 3, 2019

Sponsored by The Best American Short Stories 2019 audiobook, guest edited by Anthony Doerr, series edited by Heidi Pitlor.

#1 New York Times best-selling, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anthony Doerr brings his “stunning sense of physical detail and gorgeous metaphors” (San Francisco Chronicle) to selecting The Best American Short Stories 2019. Doerr and the series editor, Heidi Pitlor, winnow down twenty stories out of thousands that represent the best examples of the form published the previous year. The year’s best stories are a diverse, addictive group exploring everything from America’s rich rural culture to its online teen culture to the fragile nature of the therapist-client relationship. This astonishing collection brings together the realistic and dystopic, humor and terror.

Hola Audiophiles! Happy October! I’m back in PDX and enjoying every bit of this cozy sweater weather. The sun in San Diego was pretty glorious, as was all of the Mexican food! But I’m ready to see some leaves change color, to curl up with hot cider, and take down a couple of witchy listens.

Ready? Let’s audio.

New Releases – October 8 (publisher’s description in quotes)

Grand Union by Zadie Smith, narrated by Doc Brown and Zadie Smith – She’s back! Zadie Smith returns with a collection of short fiction, “about time and place, identity and rebirth, the persistent legacies that haunt our present selves and the uncanny futures that rush up to meet us.” If you loved Feel Free, Swing Time, or my personal fave White Teeth, pick up this quick six-hour listen.

Narrator Note: I don’t know how much of this Smith narrates, but I am excited to hear Doc Brown’s performance. He’s a musician and hilarious comedian with the best voice and OH YEAH he’s Zadie Smith’s little brother.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, narrated by Lauren Fortgang and Michael David Axtell – Welp, guess what? Leigh Bardugo’s debut adult novel is every bit as good as the hype. Alex Stern’s life has been ruined by drug use, a habit she turned to in order to stop seeing ghosts. When she hits rock bottom, a mysterious benefactor appears with an unrefusable offer: he’ll give Alex the clean slate she’s looking for, and at Yale, no less; all she has to do is help reign in the occult activities of Yale’s secret societies. Fair warning: this is not a work of YA. It’s got violence, drug use, sexual assault, and all kinds of occult shenanigans.

Narrator Note: Lauren Fortgang is a Leigh Bardugo book clum, voicing Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows.

Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church by Megan Phelps-Roper, narrated by the author – Megan Phelps-Roper is the granddaughter of the man who founded the Westboro Baptist Church. She was once a devotee but has since left the institution; this memoir chronicles her “moral awakening, her departure from the church, and how she exchanged the absolutes she grew up with for new forms of warmth and community.”

Narrator Note: I know I always go on about loving when authors narrate their own stuff, but this is one story I’m particularly interested to hear the author tell. Growing up in that environment must have been… well, a lot. I can’t imagine this one was easy to write.

How We Fight for Our Lives by Saeed Jones, narrated by the author – Writer, poet, and Twitter presence extraordinaire Saeed Jones’ website opens with the following: “Saeed Jones is that bitch. He has published two books — both of which are excellent. You should read them.” So, you know, read them. This one is a “coming-of-age memoir written at the crossroads of sex, race, and power.”

Narrator Note: If Saeed Jones’ narration is anything like his presence on Twitter, you’re in for a treat. He is unflinching, unapologetic, and absolutely hilarious.

Latest Listens

The Witches: Suspicion, Betrayal, and Hysteria in 1692 Salem by Stacy Schiff, narrated by Eliza Foss – I’ve been a fan of Stacy Schiff since reading Cleopatra: A Life. I love her deep dives into major historical moments and figures, the care she takes to tell their complete stories and not just the versions of them with which we’re familiar. In the spirit of October and all things witchy, I’m finally giving this a listen.

This exploration of the Salem witch trials chronicles the panic that began in 1692 and hysteria that led to countless accusations. I’m only about a quarter of the way in, but so far it’s what I expected: a thorough investigation with the pacing of a psychological thriller. As for the narration, it’s a little soon to give my full review, especially since I’m a little salty that Robin Miles isn’t narrating Schiff’s work this time around. That’s no disrespect to Eliza Foss – I just need to give her a little more time.

From the Internets

A Pew Research study shows that one in five Americans now listens to audiobooks. We’re a pretty cool crowd, I think.

Here’s a thing you didn’t know you needed: professional audiobook narrator Saskia Maarleveld, whose most recent credits include The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams and Kate Quinn’s The Huntress, reads the whistleblower complaint.

For all you Apple Watch people: here’s how to listen to audiobooks with WatchOS 6.

That’s all I got today! Shoot me an email at vanessa@riotnewmedia.com with audiobook feedback & questions or find me on Twitter and the gram @buenosdiazsd. Sign up for the In The Club newsletter, peep the Read Harder podcast, and watch me booktube every Friday too!

Stay bad & bookish, my friends.
Vanessa

Kissing Books

I’m Sorry, Did You Say Mail Order Groom?

Post author By Jessica Pryde
Post date October 2, 2019

Sponsored by Distance Too Grand by Regina Scott and Revell Books, a Division of Baker Publishing Group.

When a spunky photographer wrangles her way onto an 1871 survey crew of the Grand Canyon she thinks nothing can stand in her way. But her mind changes when she finds out she’ll be working alongside the one man she doesn’t want to fall in love with.

Well, folks, it’s Halloween. Get ready.

(Ironically, I don’t actually get that excited on October 31; I just really enjoy the energy of the people for whom Halloween is a Way Of Life.)

Let’s look at what’s new, shall we?

Over on Book Riot

It’s possible that you might have made it through subscribing to this newsletter without having picked up an Alyssa Cole book. I don’t talk about her that much. (Right?) If you are curious about where to start, Sil’s got a nice collection of tips for you.

Geek out with Jessica Avery about Tiffany Reisz’s Original Sinners series! You won’t regret it; it’s a fascinating read.

You know what else starts in October (at least in romance)? Christmas! Take the quiz to see which Christmas romance is for you.

That question about fake romances? We gathered your answers!

Do you like surprises? There’s a giveaway for a blind date with a book on the site right now!

Deals

It’s a new month, which means new deals are available!

Speaking of Alyssa Cole, her near-future, post-apocalyptic-lite POC/interracial romance Radio Silence is currently 1.99! While this book does start with some violence and an attempted sexual assault, the rest is very centrally a relationship story as the family in question waits to find out what the heck has happened to the world.

And if you’re looking for something completely set in the real…ish world, Megan Frampton’s Never a Bride is 1.99. This was the first book I’d read by this author and it is freaking delightful. There’s a fake engagement, a woman who knows what’s what, and a man who would basically do anything for her, even though their relationship is all about scandal. I’m excited to read her next one!

New and Upcoming Releases

You know what else happens in October? Hockey! (Okay, I guess technically the season starts in September? I dunno, I don’t really follow it.)

Goalie Interference
Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn

I thought I loved Off the Ice, but that was just infatuation compared to the feelings I have for Goalie Interference, the second book in Gale and Vaughn’s newly-rehomed Hat Trick series. You wouldn’t think that a book that is probably 50 percent gameplay and practice would pack such an emotional punch, but even the game scenes will get you in your feelings.

Ryu and Emmitt are goalies for the Atlanta Venom. Usually, there’s a starter and a backup, but even though Ryu has been on the team for a while, Emmitt’s just…that good. So the coaches decide to play them in tandem—no true starter, but instead switching off to play. Neither is happy about this, of course, and they rub each other the wrong way immediately. Until they decide to rub each other the right way. (I’m so, so, so sorry. I just couldn’t resist.) Their chemistry is off the charts, and even though they hate each other, that doesn’t mean they can’t set some sheets on fire. But what’s that? Feelings? Whoops.

Y’all, this book is so good. Avon and Piper are basically not allowed to write with anyone else ever again.

There are some other books I’m looking forward to picking up super sooper soon.

Hearth and Home by Rebel Carter (a: THAT COVER and b: Mail Order GROOM, what?)
Heart 2 Heart: A Charity Anthology, Volume 3
Loving the Mountain Man by Adriana Anders
An Angel for Daddy by Lucy Eden
Suckerpunch by Elyse Springer
When Frankie Meets Johnny by Xio Axelrod
Ready for the Rancher by Zuri Day
Tempted at Midnight by Cheris Hodges
The Inn At Netherfield Green by Aurora Rey
The Write Escape by Charish Reid
Reunited by the Badge by Deborah Fletcher Mello
Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory (yes, we’ll talk about That Thing next week)

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

Today In Books

Students Protest Royal Shakespeare Company And Get Results: Today In Books

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date October 2, 2019

In the Club – October 2

Post author By Vanessa Diaz
Post date October 2, 2019

20 (Yes, 20!) New Nonfiction Books for Your TBR

Post author By Kim Ukura
Post date October 1, 2019

Sponsored by The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater with Fierce Reads

A New York Times Bestseller. Stonewall Book Award Winner. If it weren’t for the 57 Bus, Sasha and Richard would never have met. Both were high school students from Oakland, California—one of the most diverse cities in the country—but they inhabited different worlds. Each day, their paths overlap for a mere eight minutes. One afternoon on the ride home from school, a single reckless act leaves Sasha severely burned. Richard is charged with two hate crimes and facing life imprisonment. One teenager in a skirt. One with a lighter. One moment that changes both of their lives forever.

Welcome to October, nonfiction friends! As I sat down to write this newsletter, I realized that I have 20 new books on my list for this week. Twenty! It really is an embarrassment of riches.

To keep this newsletter from turning into a novella, I decided to feature just the five I’m most excited about, then include the rest with links near the end. Let’s dive in!

Things We Didn’t Talk About When I Was a Girl by Jeannie Vanasco – As a teenager, Jeannie Vanasco was raped by a boy she considered a close friend. As an adult, Vanasco reached out to him for an interview to try and understand whether a good person can commit a terrible act.

Crisis of Conscience: Whistleblowing in an Age of Fraud by Tom Mueller – This book wasn’t initially near the top of my list… but then last week happened. In this book, Tom Mueller shares the stories of whistleblowers from healthcare, business, and politics to understand “what inspires some to speak out while the rest of us become complicit in our silence.”

Stealing Green Mangoes: Two Brothers, Two Fates, One Indian Childhood by Sunil Dutta – After being diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer, Sunil Dutta looks back to his childhood to understand how he and his brother Raju ended up on such different paths in life. Sunil became a 20-year veteran of the LAPD, while Raju became a fugitive, terrorist, and murderer.

Daughters of Chivalry: The Forgotten Children of King Edward Longshanks by Kelcey Wileson-Lee – I haven’t pulled a history book for a while, so I want to change that! This book tells the story of the five daughters of King Edward I, who “ran the full gamut of experiences open to royal women in the Middle Ages.”

The Greater Freedom: My Life as a Middle Eastern Woman Outside the Stereotypes by Alya Mooro – born in Egypt and raised in London, Alya Mooro always felt pulled between two cultures. In this book, Mooro pushes back against the idea she should be one thing or another and makes peace with not fitting in.

And finally, here are 15 that might pique your interest:

Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live) Eve Rodsky
Toil and Trouble by Augusten Burroughs
Radical: The Science, Culture, and History of Breast Cancer in America by Kate Pickert
Here We Are: American Dreams, American Nightmares Aarti Namdev Shahani
Face It by Debbie Harry
The Preacher’s Wife: The Precarious Power of Evangelical Women Celebrities by Kate Bowler
A Human Algorithm: How Artificial Intelligence is Redefining Who We Are by Flynn Coleman
The Forest City Killer: A Serial Murderer, a Cold-Case Sleuth, and a Search for Justice by Vanessa Brown
I Will Never See the World Again: The Memoir of an Imprisoned Writer by Ahmet Altan and Yasemin Congar
Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth by Rachel Maddow
The Ingenious Language: Nine Epic Reasons to Love Greek by Andrea Marcolongo and Will Schutt
Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick by Wendy Wood
The Book of Gutsy Women: Favorite Stories of Courage and Resilience by Chelsea Clinton and HIllary Rodham Clinton
The Districts: Stories of American Justice from the Federal Courts by Johnny Dwyer
This is Your Brain on Birth Control: The Surprising Science of Women, Hormones, and the Law of Unintended Consequences by Sarah Hill

My goodness, that’s a lot of books! You can find me on Twitter @kimthedork, on email at kim@riotnewmedia.com, and co-hosting the For Real podcast here at Book Riot. This week, we chatted about cozy nonfiction you just want to snuggle up with. Happy reading! – Kim

Unusual Suspects

Fascinating And Bananapants 🍌👖

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date October 1, 2019

Sponsored by Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky

The acclaimed author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower returns with an epic work of literary horror. Single mother Kate and her son Christopher think they’ve finally found a place to settle down: the small community of Mill Grove. But then Christopher vanishes for six awful days. Finally Christopher emerges from the woods at the edge of town, unharmed but not unchanged. There’s a voice in his head only he can hear, with a mission only he can complete: Build a tree house in the woods by Christmas, or his mother and everyone in the town will never be the same.

Hello mystery fans! I have two nonfiction books for you this week–a must-read true crime memoir, a bananapants nonfic about truffles–and a mystery with a dysfunctional found family.

True Crime Memoir (TW rape/ gaslighting/ discussions of past suicides, with detail/ discussion of mass shooters, event details/ misogyny)

Know My Name cover image Know My Name by Chanel Miller: Until now, Chanel Miller was only referred to as Brock Turner’s victim, Emily Doe, The Stanford Rape Case and defined by the media, rape apologists, her rapist, and her victim impact statement posted on BuzzFeed. Refusing to be reduced to a violent act done to her Miller decided to come forward with her name and story in order to show that she, like all victims, are whole, layered people. I hate that it is under these circumstance the world will discover what a fantastic writer Miller is–and it feels weird considering the subject matter saying how fantastic this book is, but it is. From her introspection to her observations on rape culture, this is a must-read memoir that not only takes you through the entire case but also lets you get to know Miller (who fiercely loves her sister and does standup!) and her family. Miller is a *beautiful and brave person whose added voice to dismantling rape culture will resonate, light a fire, and give hope to many. I went with the audiobook, which Miller narrates, and I 100% recommend that format if you listen to audiobooks. *She does not need to be any of those things to be believed and listened to.

Fascinating And Bananapants (TW animal abuse)

The Truffle Underground cover image 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 is another one that I’d mostly put in the nonviolent true crime category (there’s a brief murder and dog poisonings) that works really well for fans of books like The Feather Thief. Once again you may think you have zero interest in the subject matter–fungus!–but let me tell you this is a ride! From how and where truffles grow, to food and region “snobs”, to how truffles became a delicacy and how that led to thieving, a task force, dog training, and of course fraud. And by fraud I mean are you sure you’re eating what you think you’re eating?! If you’re a fan of microhistory books and nonviolent nonfiction, this is a fascinating read basically on how humans can ruin anything. I went with the audiobook for the enhanced feeling of being told a wild story.

Dysfunctional Websleuthing Found Family (TW homophobia, including internalized/ panic attacks on page/ suicide/ pedophile)

Missing Person cover image Missing Person by Sarah Lotz: This is a past mystery that centers on a whydunnit and will they get caught but what I loved about this book was the dysfunctional found family element that centers around an online group of sleuths in the U.S. who work to solve cases with unidentified missing people. There’s the moderator and creator of the site who prefers to be a recluse. The cheery stay-at-home mom that only finds satisfaction in life when working on a case. The Irish young man who learns a family secret and sets out to find out what really happened to his uncle. And the professed killer who is pretending to be an ex-cop on the website “solving” the case he knows the answers to. While this deals with dark subject matter, the novel itself never felt like it sunk into darkness and really focused on the lives of these websleuths–and why they were obsessed with solving these cases. I really wanted to keep reading more about them!

Recent Releases

The Shape of Night cover image The Shape of Night by Tess Gerritsen (TBR: Rizzoli & Isles‘ author wrote a “sexy psychological thriller!”)

The Lying Room by Nicci French (Just started: Murder mystery where a married woman finds her lover murdered and clears any trace of herself from the scene…)

Now Entering Addamsville by Francesca Zappia (Currently reading: Zora is automatically suspect in a fire that killed the school’s janitor and decides to prove she didn’t do it. Loving this so far, especially Zora’s character and voice.)

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.

Today In Books

JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL Author’s New Book! Today In Books

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date October 1, 2019

Sponsored by Rebel by Marie Lu, with Fierce Reads

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell Author’s New Book!

If you’ve been waiting for a new book from Susanna Clarke, author of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, your fifteen year wait is soon to end! Her next novel Piranesi will be an alternate history with magic and it’ll be in readers hot little hands in September 2020. Read more here.

An Ember in the Ashes Graphic Novel!

I’m just going to assume you’ve all read Sabaa Tahir’s fantastic An Ember in the Ashes fantasy series so you’re all going to be as excited as me to learn that Boom! Studios will be putting out graphic novels for the series. A Thief Among the Trees: An Ember in the Ashes Graphic Novel will start off the trilogy of prequels! All the details here.

Chelsea Handler Memoir Adaptation

Universal TV won a competitive bidding situation to develop Chelsea Handler’s memoir Life Will Be the Death of Me into a series with Handler set as executive producer. If you’ve already read all her memoirs and can’t wait for the new series you can check out all the things she’s currently involved in here.