How is this the first time I’ve read a book by Elly Griffiths? There’s no other way to say it: I’ve been missing out. Griffiths’ exceptional standalone THE STRANGER DIARIES is a spring 2019 must-read. Layered and immersive, atmospheric and authentic, this brilliant twist on Gothic suspense will captivate the reader. Following Clare Cassidy, a teacher who specializes in Gothic literature, THE STRANGER DIARIES takes readers into a bookish mystery with sinister undertones. When one of Clare’s closest colleagues is found murdered, Clare is grief-stricken—but things take an ominous turn when a clue is discovered on the corpse that tie the gruesome crime to the work of a Gothic writer who happens to be one of Clare’s favorites. Could life be imitating art? As Clare ventures into the dark heart of the goings on at her place of employment, it begins to appear that this work of fiction is playing out in the real world—to deadly end. In THE STRANGER DIARIES, Griffiths masterfully blends Gothic influence with modern-day suspense sensibility, and the result is effortless, spine-tingling, page-turning fun. Masterfully blurring the lines between reality and fiction, Elly Griffiths has crafted an exceptional bookish mystery that is both an ode to Gothic literature and an effective work of Gothic suspense unto itself.
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Q&A: Lucy Foley, Author of THE HUNTING PARTY
Fans of Agatha Christie and Ruth Ware, listen up: today’s featured book is for you! I’m thrilled to welcome Lucy Foley to Crime by the Book today to discuss her brand-new suspense novel, THE HUNTING PARTY - available today, February 12th! This stylish, atmospheric suspense novel takes the concept of the “locked room mystery” and applies it to a luxurious hunting lodge in the Scottish highlands, where a group of friends find themselves snowed in during a blizzard. Part ode to classic crime in the style of Agatha Christie, part modern story of psychological suspense, THE HUNTING PARTY is seriously entertaining and appealing on so many levels. From its claustrophobic premise to its swoon-worthy locale and juicy interpersonal secrets, THE HUNTING PARTY is a fantastic choice for winter reading. Fans of Ruth Ware - and readers who just plain love a fun, engaging suspense read - will find Lucy Foley’s newest release right up their alley.
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Q&A: C.J. Tudor, Author of THE HIDING PLACE
C.J. Tudor has quickly established herself as one of my favorite crime writers. Her debut novel THE CHALK MAN blew me away; her sophomore novel THE HIDING PLACE - released this week - is even better. Tudor is a fierce talent: a writer who blurs genre lines, pushes the envelope, and delivers stories as smart as they are creepy. I’m thrilled to welcome C.J. Tudor to CBTB today to discuss her brand-new release, THE HIDING PLACE! (Note: In the U.K., this book is titled The Taking of Annie Thorne.) Read on for the book’s plot details, a snippet from my review of THE HIDING PLACE, and a fantastic conversation with C.J. Tudor herself!
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New Release Tuesday: February 5th, 2019
Clear your TBR list: today’s newly-released crime fiction begs to be read immediately. Today, Tuesday, February 5th, marks the release of not one, not two, not three, but four exciting new crime fiction releases—and this blog post will give you a quick rundown of each! From a debut psychological suspense novel to a new Nordic Noir release from one of Scandinavia’s bestselling authors, there’s a fantastic variety of stellar crime fiction on sale today. Read on for my picks for this week’s new crime fiction!
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Excerpt: THE STRANGER DIARIES by Elly Griffiths
A modern take on Gothic suspense with a literary twist? Sign me up. I first learned of Griffiths’ forthcoming standalone suspense novel THE STRANGER DIARIES at Bouchercon this past fall, and have been eagerly anticipating its release ever since. In THE STRANGER DIARIES, Griffiths (best known for her Ruth Galloway series) crafts a suspense novel centered around a teacher of Gothic literature, who finds the plot of one of the books she uses in her courses playing out in real life… to potentially deadly end. From its stunning cover to its bookish plot and Gothic-inspired touches, THE STRANGER DIARIES has all the makings of an instant-favorite for me - and I couldn’t be more excited to give you the inside scoop on this book today! Thanks to the team at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, I’m thrilled to share with CBTB readers an early excerpt of the book’s first chapter. THE STRANGER DIARIES releases in the US in March, but you can get a taste of Griffiths’ captivating writing right here. And let me just say: I’m currently reading THE STRANGER DIARIES, and have found it to be absolutely gripping from page one. So far, it’s exceeding all my expectations, and I can’t wait for you to give it a read, too! Read on for plot details, a selection of the incredible early praise the book is already receiving, links to pre-order, and (of course!) the excerpt itself.
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