THE BLOG
Crime by the Book is the result of one girl's ongoing exploration of crime fiction from around the world, by the book. This book review blog operates under the premise that there is a crime read for everyone. My favorite aspect of the crime fiction genre is how expansive and elastic it is: a crime book can include elements of classic literature, romance, historical fiction, action, drama... you name it, there's a crime book that has it. No matter your literary preferences, I can almost guarantee that there is a crime book that will reflect your particular tastes. This makes crime fiction an exciting, ever-changing genre to explore, and I'm thrilled to be connecting with and creating new crime readers every day.
As you read through my blog, you'll notice that my particular crime fiction interests skew towards Scandinavia. When Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy hit the U.S., my whole literary world was flung open: suddenly, I found stories that just clicked with me. Reading THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO was a revelation for this reader, and I've spent the years since exploring this genre to the best of my ability. Now, through Crime by the Book, I am thrilled to be able to connect you with exclusive content to give new and seasoned Nordic Noir readers alike a glimpse into the incredible crime fiction hailing from Scandinavia. You will see Scandinavian crime fiction reviews and interviews interspersed throughout my blog; for a detailed discussion of the genre and a consolidated list of my exclusive Scandinavian crime fiction content, check out my dedicated page: EXPERT WITNESS: NORDIC NOIR.
So what's your role in this crime fiction experiment? Explore the blog, find new reads, and let me introduce you to your next favorite read!
the blogger
Hi there! Welcome to Crime by the Book. I'm Abby, the blog's author.
I've been a crime fiction fan ever since I first discovered my mom's childhood collection of Nancy Drew books hiding in a dusty box in our attic. After going on one adventure with the strawberry-blonde sleuth, I was hooked. I've been exploring the best (and worst) in crime fiction ever since.
Now a 20-something working in publishing, I decided to put this love to good use, and this blog is the ever-developing product.
Take a look around, read my reviews, ask me your questions, and find your next favorite crime fiction read in the process.
xx Abby
Sometimes you pick up a book and feel like it was made for you. ARE YOU SLEEPING by Kathleen Barber was that kind of read for me. This psychological thriller is billed as Serial meets Ruth Ware—a winning combination of two of my favorite things! As an avid podcast listener, I’m immediately drawn to any book that takes inspiration from true crime podcasts. (Remember SIX STORIES by Matt Wesolowski? An instant hit for me.) ARE YOU SLEEPING succeeds in blending the compulsively-readable style of authors like Ruth Ware and Clare Mackintosh with a plot that captures the engrossing, very particular style of true crime podcasts. I highly recommend this suspense novel as a fresh, unique addition to your summer reading list.