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Crime by the Book

A girl investigates crime fiction from around the world, by the book.
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One girl's ongoing investigation of the crime fiction genre.

The Legacy Sigurdardottir.jpg

Author Q&A: Yrsa Sigurdardottir, THE LEGACY (Children’s House Series)

February 12, 2018

Author Q&A: Yrsa Sigurdardottir, THE LEGACY
Minotaur; February 13, 2018

Today (2/13/18) is publication day for THE LEGACY by Yrsa Sigurdardottir, an outstanding crime novel that launches a new series for Iceland’s Queen of Crime in the US! THE LEGACY is an exceptional blend of methodical police procedural and dark, horror-inspired imagination—a potent combination that delivered one of my early-favorite 2018 reads. Following a police officer and a psychiatrist who team up to solve a brutal crime, THE LEGACY is layered and gripping, delving into family secrets and the mind of a disturbed killer. If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to try Sigurdardottir’s work, now is most definitely your moment—THE LEGACY launches a series that I will surely be following for years to come. I wholeheartedly recommend THE LEGACY - and the Children’s House series by extension! I’m delighted to welcome Yrsa Sigurdardottir to Crime by the Book today to talk crime writing, her new series, where she gets all her twisted ideas from, and a whole lot more. 

Before we delve into this Q&A: you can read my review of THE LEGACY here, and you can also read an excerpt of the book on CBTB here! 


About THE LEGACY

The Legacy Sigurdardottir cover.jpg

The only person who might have the answers to a baffling murder case is the victim’s seven-year-old daughter, found hiding in the room where her mother died. And she’s not talking.

Newly-promoted, out of his depth, detective Huldar turns to Freyja for her expertise with traumatized young people. Freyja, who distrusts the police in general and Huldar in particular, isn’t best pleased. But she’s determined to keep little Margret safe.

It may prove tricky. The killer is leaving them strange clues, but can they crack the code? And if they do, will they be next?

The Legacy: A Thriller (Children's House)
By Yrsa Sigurdardottir
The+Legacy+Yrsa+Sigurdardottir.JPG
The Legacy Sigurdardottir cover.jpg
The Legacy Yrsa Sigurdardottir.jpg

Author Q&A: Yrsa Sigurdardottir

Crime by the Book: THE LEGACY launches a new series in the US - congratulations! Could you tell us a little bit about this new series?

Yrsa Sigurdardottir: The new series has been called both the Children’s House series or the Huldar and Freyja series. I don’t know which one I prefer, probably the latter since the Children’s House is not as prominent of a feature in every book as in the first one, i.e. The Legacy. That is done on purpose as I did not want to fall into the trap of being repetitive. But for those that have yet to read The Legacy, this new series follows two protagonists, policeman Huldar and child psychologist Freyja. In The Legacy a young mother is murdered in her bed and the only witness is her young daughter. The crime is rather brutal and gruesome but the police have little to go on as the perpetrator leaves no clues behind, other than the young witness. Since the little girl is unwilling to speak the police must seek the services of the Children’s House, an actual institution in Iceland specialized in dealing with traumatized children. This turn of events brings together Huldar and Freyja and they must put aside their differences following a previous encounter and work together to solve the crime. It becomes increasingly important when more murders are likely on the horizon. 

This series, be it called the Children’s House series or the Huldar and Freyja series, will include at least six books. I have already written four in my native Icelandic and I have yet to become tired of the character gallery it includes. When I find that I am getting bored with them I will stop writing about them. There is no way that I (or any other author) can write a good book if the fervor for the project is lacking. This is what happened to me following six books in my previous series, the Thora series. I found myself unable to muster up the enthusiasm to continue. So I stopped. Wrote a few standalones while I decided what sort of series I would like to start afresh. Who knows what I will write after I put Huldar and Freyja to one side after some years. Maybe horror, maybe scfi. But never romance and never vampires. But this is nothing for US readers to worry about since there are three books in the series yet to be translated as well as the ones I have yet to write. 

One thing I can promise the US readers that like The Legacy, namely that book number two really socks a good punch and takes no prisoners. I was very angry when I wrote it and that seems to be my ideal writing state. I should really be on the lookout now for something that antagonizes me since I am about to embark on number five.       

CBTB: If you had to describe THE LEGACY in three adjectives, which would you choose? 

YS: Short pause while I Google what an adjective is …..  Hair-raising, intricate and entertaining. At least I hope these apply, this is what I was shooting for while writing. 

CBTB: When you set out to begin writing THE LEGACY, how much of the series did you have mapped out in your head? Did you know that THE LEGACY would become Book 1 in a series from the very beginning? 

YS: I knew from the onset that I was going to write a series. I had taken a few years to decide on the major players that I wanted to include and the content matter with regards to the crimes and plots. As a writer one must invest quite a lot of effort into the protagonists and other characters before starting out on such a venture since it is a bit embarrassing to realize too late that you are working with a limp and soggy set of people on the pages. They must have some sort of appeal, be a bit broken or defective and have the potential to develop while remaining interesting and fun, both to write about and to read about.

I also knew from the onset that the plots in each book would be different from each other and hopefully meaningful and original (and violent without rolling around in gore, bone fragments and intestines). This is something I am very adamant about. It would be so easy to semi-repeat circumstances that one knows have worked but that in my mind is no fun. To enjoy writing and to stay relevant one must be on one’s toes. Endeavors that are in no way challenging or hard are worthless.     

CBTB: THE LEGACY follows two individuals - Huldar, a police officer, and Freyja, a psychologist. Could you tell us a bit about these two? Do you see any of yourself in these characters? 

YS: Huldar is a policeman, totally content being a detective without the added bureaucracy that comes with a higher rank. But due to a series of scandals within his department he is made head of the murder investigation unit. He is a bit out of his comfort zone and this is not alleviated by the complex murder investigation that lands plonk on his desk. Huldar’s private life is a bit of a mess and he has reached a crossroads. He grew up the younger brother to five sisters and is not particularly interested in having a female presence in his life as a result. He does however want to sleep with women and the door to his bedroom has been of the revolving kind. But he has come to realize that he is not fulfilled and begins inching towards more commitment. However, he finds this is not as easy as he originally anticipated.

Freyja on the other hand is driven and motivated career wise. She heads a government facility named the Children’s House and has specialized in interviewing children that have been the victims of crime or witnessed it. When the police request assistance in a murder case she complies and has no inkling at the time this will force her to work closely with Huldar, whom she has met before under rather awkward circumstances. Freyja has had an unusual upbringing, she and her brother were brought up by their very religious grandparents following the untimely death of their mother. Freyja has chosen the straight and narrow path to success, her brother the short cut associated with crime and get-rich-quick capers. Yet her personal life is conflicted in many ways. She has just come out of a relationship with someone well off and has absolutely nothing to her name. To make ends meet on a single salary she lives rent free in her brother’s apartment, while he serves time. This is far from her ideal situation but she has no other option. 

These two characters are as unalike as they are alike in their hope and I do not see myself in them 

CBTB: THE LEGACY begins with a brutal crime: a woman is viciously murdered in her home, and the only witness is her young daughter. Readers of your books will know that you don’t shy away from injecting your books with dark, shocking scenes - which I love! How do you come up with these twisted killers and crimes? Are they inspired by real cases, or just figments of your imagination?  

YS: The murder methods and the murders themselves are figments of my imagination. I come about them by thinking about what I would absolutely not want to happen to me or anybody I care about. That seems to be a bottomless pit of awful things. 

CBTB: One of my favorite things about THE LEGACY is how you do such a fantastic job balancing a number of different plotlines and characters without the reader ever feeling overwhelmed; it’s absolutely riveting to see how these different storylines intersect. How do you make all of these pieces of the story work together? Do you use detailed outlines when you plan your books? 

YS: I am an engineer used to working in project management on very large projects involving all sorts of complications, i.e. interconnecting phases, technical challenges, constraint considerations, budget issues, legislation/regulation mazes and high-strung contractual relationships. So keeping track of an intricate plot is really a walk in the park. Most often I have the major plotlines worked out in my head but during the writing process I add more to the story to make it more interesting. This addition very often means I have to take a break from writing while I figure out how the newly added stuff is going to work out in the frame of the story. I find that the harder I make it for myself the more fun the book will be for the reader. I guess you could say that druing this part of the process I am “taking one for the team”.   

CBTB: Readers of Nordic Noir will love the chance to “travel” to Iceland through your books. Are there any particular elements or qualities of Iceland that you hope to get across to readers through your books? (Or, on the flip side… are crimes this dark actually common occurrences there?) 

YS: I don’t purposely try to get Iceland into my books but seeing as it is the place I’m from and where I live, it seeps in on its own. My books are placed there as you mention and I of course use the elements of Icelandic society, culture and landscape when plotting and coming up with credible, complex plots. Two elements come to mind that are unusual but very useful for crime writers, namely the dark winters and the miniscule, close knit population. In Iceland there is no such thing as a coincidence when it comes to the interactions between people. I do urge the readers of this interview and fans of crime fiction to consider getting to know Iceland up close and personal, while enjoying meaningful discussions, panels and interviews about crime fiction at the Iceland Noir festival this coming November. 

Regarding the actual crime scene in Iceland, it is not at all inspiring for crime writers. We have few murders (thankfully) and those we do have do not provide enough fodder for as much as a short story. A crime poem maybe. There is never any doubt about who the murderer is. He is the drunk and perplexed guy standing over the dead body with a knife in his hand. But luckily, crime fiction is not about crime that has happened, it just has to seem like something that could happen. Given the wrong people at the wrong time under the absolute worst circumstances.       

CBTB: When you’re not writing crime fiction, do you also read crime fiction? If so, could you share with us a few crime novels that you’ve recently read and enjoyed? 

YS: I love reading. My preferred read is crime fiction, good crime fiction and amongst my all-time favorites is Sara Blædel. My most recent read is incredibly enough the Snowman by Jo Nesbo. I really like his work and had read a lot of his novels but for some odd reason skipped the Snowman. Guess this makes me a total crime aficionado loser, because the Snowman turned out to be a hell of a great book that I should have read years ago. 

CBTB: What are you working on next? 

YS: At the moment I am trying to make the very hard decision if my next book will be the fifth installment in the Huldar and Freyja series or if I should take a break and write another stand-alone ghost story akin to I Remember You. A large chunk of my readers in Iceland and abroad have been asking me to deliver such a book. I must make this decision this week and I see-saw between the two options. I must get my act together as I am afraid if I continue to be so wishy washy about this I might end up writing a cookbook – which incidentally would be known as the world’s worst cookbook ever if my culinary skills are anything to go by. 

Many thanks to Yrsa for taking the time to answer my questions so thoughtfully, and to Minotaur for facilitating this Q&A! I received a free review copy of THE LEGACY from the publisher; this does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of this post. All opinions my own. 


Grab your copy of THE LEGACY: 

Series: Children's House (Book 1)
Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books; Translation edition (February 13, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250136261
ISBN-13: 978-1250136268

Crime by the Book is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This in no way affects my opinion of the above book.
 

Featured
Feb 15, 2019
Q&A: Yrsa Sigurdardottir, Author of THE RECKONING
Feb 15, 2019

No one writes crime fiction quite like Yrsa Sigurdardottir. Dark and gritty, layered and complex, Yrsa’s exceptional crime novels are must-reads for any fan of the Nordic Noir genre - or any reader who just wants a great procedural to sink their teeth into. In 2018, Yrsa launched her new series (the Children’s House series) in the U.S. with The Legacy - and this week, she’s back with book two, THE RECKONING - and it’s every bit as good as its predecessor. The Children’s House series is quickly becoming one of my personal favorites; these books are unflinching in their examination of the lasting legacy of childhood trauma, exploring difficult themes with sensitivity and thoughtfulness. And beyond that, they’re just fantastic crime reading, filled with all the atmosphere and intrigue of the best mysteries. I’m thrilled to welcome Yrsa to Crime by the Book today to give us the inside scoop on her newest release, THE RECKONING! In this Q&A, Yrsa touches on everything from her series’ two protagonists to her writing process to how dangerous Iceland really is. Read on for more details on THE RECKONING, and for my Q&A with Yrsa!

Feb 15, 2019
Feb 14, 2019
Book Review: THE STRANGER DIARIES by Elly Griffiths
Feb 14, 2019

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.

Feb 14, 2019
Feb 12, 2019
Q&A: Lucy Foley, Author of THE HUNTING PARTY
Feb 12, 2019

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.

Feb 12, 2019
Feb 6, 2019
Q&A: C.J. Tudor, Author of THE HIDING PLACE
Feb 6, 2019

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!

Feb 6, 2019
Feb 5, 2019
New Release Tuesday: February 5th, 2019
Feb 5, 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!

Feb 5, 2019
Jan 29, 2019
Excerpt: THE STRANGER DIARIES by Elly Griffiths
Jan 29, 2019

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.

Jan 29, 2019
Jan 27, 2019
Book Review: RED SNOW by Will Dean
Jan 27, 2019

In 2018, Will Dean captured the attention of crime readers around the world with his chilling debut, DARK PINES. Now, he’s back—and his sophomore novel is even better than his first. In RED SNOW, readers return to the fictional town of Gavrik, Sweden, and to all its glorious quirkiness and personality. But there’s something sinister happening in this quiet town. First, a suicide; then, a gruesome, almost ritualistic murder—what could be next? Rejoining series protagonist Tuva Moodyson, a reporter for the town’s local newspaper, readers will go down the rabbit hole and into the twisting, turning case of “the Ferryman,” a killer so named due to the licorice coins he placed over the eyes of his victim. RED SNOW is, as expected, a highly atmospheric and chilling thriller. But even better is what I didn’t expect this story to be, and that is a touch zany and brimming with personality. Dean masterfully laces his crime novel with quirks and quiet jokes galore; this isn’t a comic novel by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a crime novel with a dark, eccentric sense of humor. (Fans of Twin Peaks, this one’s for you.) RED SNOW is a fresh take on northern crime fiction, guaranteed to deliver thrills and a few laughs along the way.

Jan 27, 2019
Jan 23, 2019
Your Early 2019 Nordic Noir Reading List
Jan 23, 2019

Nothing beats a great Scandinavian crime novel in the chilly winter months, and this winter is brimming with fantastic Nordic Noir for you to devour. Whether you’re a fan of paperbacks or hardcovers, series installments or standalones, there’s a Nordic crime novel for you releasing this winter—and you’ll find my personal picks for highly-anticipated early 2019 releases right here! In this post, I’m rounding up the most exciting Scandinavian crime fiction releasing from January 2019 through March 2019. Some of these titles are paperback releases of hardcovers I’ve already read (and loved!), some are brand-new hardcovers that I haven’t even read yet—but they’re all highly-anticipated releases that I’m so excited to share with you! If you’re looking for a new Nordic Noir release (or two!) to devour this winter, look no further: your early 2019 Nordic Noir reading list is right here.

Jan 23, 2019
Jan 20, 2019
Book Review: THE BONE KEEPER by Luca Veste
Jan 20, 2019

Luca Veste’s chilling standalone crime novel THE BONE KEEPER will add a welcome dose of spine-tingling fun to your early-2019 TBR. Part police procedural, part urban legend, THE BONE KEEPER reads like the creepiest story kids in your neighborhood used to tell to scare each other… only this time, it’s all grown up, and it might just be real. In his newest work, Veste slyly weaves together a detail-oriented police procedural with a story of suspense that’s the stuff of nightmares—and the result is the twisted, engrossing THE BONE KEEPER. The ideal reader for THE BONE KEEPER will be one who loves an immersive, layered police procedural, replete with all the details of a police investigation, but who also looks for books with a unique edge and personality—all qualities that THE BONE KEEPER has in spades. This slow-burning crime novel will best suit readers who love a traditional police procedural structure; if you fall into that category, you will find THE BONE KEEPER to be a highly original - and highly creepy - winter read.

Jan 20, 2019
Jan 18, 2019
CBTB's Weekend Checklist - 1/18/19
Jan 18, 2019

Happy Friday, reader! With a long weekend ahead of us in the U.S., I thought this would be the perfect moment to share my first “Weekend Checklist” of 2019! If you’re a new CBTB reader, my “weekend checklists” are every-so-often features that I share, in which I round up all the different crime fiction entertainment I’m recommending - and enjoying myself! - over the weekend. In this post, you’ll find recommendations for a weekend binge-read, a TV show I’m personally watching myself, a true crime podcast, and more. These posts are always such fun to put together, and I hope you’ll love reading this Weekend Checklist as much as I loved writing it! Without further ado, let’s dive right in. Happy reading!

Jan 18, 2019
In Author Q&A Tags Iceland, Yrsa Sigurdardottir, The Legacy, Minotaur Books, Icelandic Crime Fiction
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Feb 15, 2019
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⚡️ FLASH INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY! ⚡️
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It’s Friday & I feel like we could use a pick me up. 😉 SO I want to give one of you a copy of one of these awesome crime reads!! 🕵🏻‍♀️ I’ve been feeling so lucky lately with how stellar my 2019 reads have been so far, so this giveaway will help spread the love 😍 One lucky winner will receive a copy of one of these reads - winner gets to choose the book! 🤓❤️ •
A quick summary of these books: 🔎 THE STRANGER DIARIES: A modern take on Gothic suspense, with a “book within a book” component! 🤓
🔎 THE HIDING PLACE: spine-tingling suspense with horror touches (think Stephen King) 😱
🔎 THE BONE KEEPER: a procedural-meets-serial killer novel with some horror inspired elements 🕵🏻‍♀️
🔎 HUNTING GAME: a mystery that reads like a classic crime novel, set in rural Sweden. 🙌🏻
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GIVEAWAY RULES: 🔎 International entrants! Just make sure BookDepository ships to your country, please! 🔎 Giveaway closes Monday, 2/25
TO ENTER: 🔎 Follow @crimebythebook 🔎 Tag 2 friends in the comments
🔎 For one extra entry, share in the comments! 🔎 Reminder: Giveaway not affiliated with or sponsored by Instagram. 
GOOD LUCK! 🕵🏻‍♀️
These NYC views never get old. ♡ Snapped this photo in Madison Square Park! 📸 •
Now, I realize this is a VERY good problem to have: but does anyone else ever feel like there are just *too* many great books coming out to keep up with?! 😳 I’m normally SUCH a mood reader, but I’ve got so many books on my to-read list that I’ve had to get a bit more organized to make time for all of them. 😂 A great problem, to be sure - but something I’m trying to stay very much on top of. 🤓
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SO to that end... I’m so excited bc next on my TBR is the newest read from a CBTB favorite!!!🕵🏻‍♀️🖤 Sara Blaedel has the 2nd book in her Family Secrets trilogy releasing in March - it’s called HER FATHER’S SECRET, and it releases March 5th! Blaedel first came on my radar years & years ago with her Louise Rick procedurals, and I’ve been a fan of hers ever since. 🙌🏻 While the Family Secrets Trilogy is VERY different from the Louise Rick series, both have endearing characters who I just love spending time with. 👌🏻 The Family Secrets books are definitely a lighter brand of suspense than Blaedel’s Louise Rick books: if you love gritty police procedurals, the Louise Rick books will be more your speed. BUT I’m currently in the mood for something a bit gentler & more cozy - and that’s exactly the kind of read the Family Secrets books deliver. 🤓 I’ll share more info on the plot for HER FATHER’S SECRET - plus my early reading thoughts - soon!!🖤 •
Do you have a set TBR that you read from? Or are you a mood reader?!
No bookish lunch break for me today, but I’m daydreaming that I’m back in this perfect reading spot 👆🏻 with that gorgeous latte 😍☕️
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I realized (thanks to Facebook 😂) that today is my 1 year anniversary at my job!!!😱 Time flies. It feels like just yesterday I was sharing with you guys all about my new opportunity, & now here we are. It’s been an incredible 1 year at Knopf, working with some of the best crime writers in the world, and I cannot wait to see what year 2 has in store. 🕵🏻‍♀️❤️ Even though CBTB is totally separate from my job in book publishing, I’ve loved getting to share little bits of my work life with you guys over this past year - thank you so much for going on this adventure with me!!😍❤️ In honor of the 1 year anniversary, I’ll be opening up a little bit about my “work life” in the comments - please feel free to ask any questions you have!!! (Background info for those of you new to CBTB: I work in book publicity!) I’ll be answering questions tonight! 🕵🏻‍♀️🖤
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In reading news, I’ve picked out my next read & it’s one I’m SO excited about bc it’s from an author I’ve been reading for years & years now!!! I’ll be sharing more about my next read tomorrow or maybe in my IG stories tonight if I can tear myself away from blogging in time to get some stories up. 😉 Stay tuned!!🤓❤️
May this cute little bear latte art brighten your day as much as it brightened mine. 🥰🙌🏻 •
So... guess who finished her latest read in just about 2 sittings...?! 🤔 It’s been just about forever since I binge-read a book quite as quickly as I did HUNTING GAME by Helene Tursten. And the greatest irony of all? I thought this was going to be a really slow-burning read that would take me a little while to get through. 😂 Here’s the thing: HUNTING GAME *is* a slow-burner of a story, but it’s also delightfully readable. This is a quiet sort of mystery; it’s grounded in reality and focused more on atmosphere-building & character development than flashy twists or gory violence. It’s got a fantastic premise that feels inspired by the “locked room mystery”: a group of hunters in rural Sweden are struck by tragedy when two of their own go missing, and suspicion falls on the group. 🔎 Tursten does a fantastic job crafting an immersive mystery that will keep you engaged with steady pacing, spare prose, and compact chapters. If you’re a fan of classic detective novels, it will be RIGHT up your alley. 👌🏻 •
Who here loves a good classic detective story?! 🕵🏻‍♀️ What are some of your favorites?
Wintry Nordic mystery with a strong female protagonist? Sign me up. 🕵🏻‍♀️🖤 Many thanks to Soho Press for my review copy of Helene Tursten’s HUNTING GAME, on sale February 26th! 🔎
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One of the questions I get most often is “don’t you ever get tired of reading crime novels?!” And the answer is, invariably, no - because the crime genre encompasses SO much. 🙌🏻 My personal trick that helps keep things fresh for me as a reader = I mix up the sub-genres I’m reading back to back. SO because my last read (THE WOMAN IN THE DARK) was a fast-paced psychological suspense novel, I’m opting to make my next read something more atmospheric & slow-burning - and Helene Tursten’s HUNTING GAME looks just the thing to suit my mood. 👌🏻🖤
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A little backstory: Helene Tursten is best known for her Irene Huss series, which has been translated into 18 languages (!) *and* adapted into a television series. BUT with her new book, HUNTING GAME, she launches a brand-new series featuring a totally new protagonist: Detective Inspector Embla Nyström. 🕵🏻‍♀️
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Embla Nyström is a 28-year old detective working for the police in Gothenburg, Sweden. Plagued by chronic nightmares and anxiety for as long as she can remember, Embla has learned to channel her emotions and anxious energy into her work, and into sports - she is both a talented hunter and a prize-winning welterweight boxer. 💪🏻 When readers meet her in HUNTING GAME, Embla is taking a vacation from her high-stress job, traveling to her uncle’s cabin in the countryside with a group of fellow hunters. But when a string of unsettling incidents occur, culminating in the disappearance of two of the group, Embla takes charge, delving into the dark past of her traveling companions in search of a killer. 🔎
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I’ve been loving the resurgence of “locked room” style mysteries we’ve been seeing lately - and HUNTING GAME sounds like it might have some similar structures to it!! 👌🏻 I’m excited to give this one a read. 🤓 What do you think: does this sound up your alley?! 🔎
🕵🏻‍♀️ FRIDAY GIVEAWAY 🕵🏻‍♀️ I’m so excited to team up with @Minotaur_Books to give away 5 hardcover copies of THE RECKONING, the brilliant new book by Yrsa Sigurdardottir! 🔎
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Yrsa Sigurdardottir (aka Iceland’s Queen of Crime 🇮🇸) is one of my favorite authors. 👌🏻 If you’re a fan of Nordic Noir, her books belong on your TBR! 🤓 This week, Yrsa’s newest book THE RECKONING went on sale in the US, & today on the blog I’m sharing a Q&A with Yrsa giving you a behind-the-scenes peek into the read! 🔎 In our Q&A, you can learn about the characters central to this story, the inspiration behind the book, how dangerous Iceland *really* is, & a whole lot more!! Direct link in my IG profile 🕵🏻‍♀️🖤
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SO to celebrate this book’s release, I’m teaming up with Minotaur to give 5 lucky readers a copy! 🤓 Enter below! •
GIVEAWAY RULES: 🔎 Giveaway closes 2/22
🔎 US entrants only 
TO ENTER:
🔎 Follow @minotaur_books & @crimebythebook 🔎 Like this photo & tag 2 friends in the comments 🔎 For one extra entry, share in your stories! 🔎 Reminder: giveaway not affiliated with or sponsored by Instagram. 
GOOD LUCK! 🕵🏻‍♀️🖤
PSA to my future Valentine: I really only want books for Valentine’s Day. 😉❤️ (Or a trip back to Iceland to visit this gorgeous bookstore would work, too! 😂) •
If you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day today, I hope you’re having a wonderful day!! If, like me, you’re celebrating another Thriller Thursday filled with good books, I hope you’re having a great day too 😉🤓 BUT speaking of things to love: today on my blog I’m sharing a full review of THE STRANGER DIARIES by Elly Griffiths, available in the US on March 5th! I absolutely adored this bookish mystery & its Gothic touches, and can’t wait for you guys to get your hands on it. 👌🏻🙌🏻 Direct link to my review in my IG profile! 🕵🏻‍♀️
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My plans tonight will involve making progress in my current read (THE WOMAN IN THE DARK by Vanessa Savage) annnd probably watching a horror movie with my roomie. 😂 I’m just about done with THE WOMAN IN THE DARK, and I’m definitely enjoying a good deal about it... but I’m still just not 100% sold. 🤔 I will say, though, that this book has improved quite significantly the more it’s progressed - it’s definitely becoming creepier & creepier, which I’m loving. 👌🏻 Full review to come on this one soon! •
In the spirit of Valentine’s Day... Who are some of your favorite “book boyfriends” and/or “book girlfriends”?! My fave book boyfriend is (obviously😂) Harry Hole, from Jo Nesbø’s series!🕵🏻‍♀️
Halfway through the week & halfway through my current read 🕵🏻‍♀️, both thanks to coffee. 😉☕️
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In case you missed it: yesterday on the blog I shared a Q&A with Lucy Foley, author of THE HUNTING PARTY - which went on sale in the US yesterday!! 🎉 I absolutely *loved* learning more about this fantastic atmospheric locked room mystery from its very talented author ♡ head to my website via the link in my IG profile to read the Q&A! 🤓
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In reading news... I’m happy to report my experience with my current read (THE WOMAN IN THE DARK by Vanessa Savage, on sale in March) has improved quite a bit!! 👌🏻 This story definitely got off to a rocky start, with rushed pacing & abrupt character introductions. But the more time I spend reading it, the more I’m getting into the flow of the story. It has a VERY creepy atmosphere, which I’m loving: a house known as the “Murder House”, aka a home where a terrible crime was committed. 😳 It’s definitely quite chilling, which I’m enjoying!! So far, I’m leaning towards making this one a book I’d recommend you borrow from your library, rather than spend $$ buying - but I’ll keep you guys posted as I reach the book’s conclusion! 👍🏻
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It’s the middle of the week, so let’s do some cheerleading for ourselves! What’s one thing you’ve accomplished so far this week that you’re particularly excited about?! For me, I’m excited because I *finally* feel on top of my content plans for my website - which was no small task. 😂
Wishing I could be at this pretty little coffee shop this afternoon with my current read ♡ •
I’m about 70-ish pages into THE WOMAN IN THE DARK by Vanessa Savage, and so far I’m having some mixed feelings. I love the concept behind this book: it’s totally creepy & chilling, and reminds me of a scary movie, which I love. 😉👌🏻 It’s also got a nice gloomy, chilling sense of place in the seaside town where the “Murder House” is - not to mention I love stories that center around buildings with dark histories! BUT so far my experience has been that it’s a bit abrupt somehow. 🤔 As in, I felt like I was dropped into the story without much introduction, and then the story has pretty quickly forward without enough time spent setting the scene/establishing the personalities and stories of each character. I’m definitely going to continue reading with an open mind - I’m just hoping I get a bit more backstory & depth of character development as the book progresses! I’ll keep you guys posted! •
What kind of settings do you find most compelling in a crime story?! Personally, I’m always drawn to stories that center around creepy houses with bizarre histories, psychiatric institutions, and/or Scandinavian cities/towns!! 😉🖤
Headed back to NYC & ready to dig into my next read, courtesy of @GrandCentralPub 🕵🏻‍♀️ THE WOMAN IN THE DARK by Vanessa Savage is available March 12th, & sounds all kinds of creepy 👌🏻 sign me up! •
Who here loves all things horror?! 🙋🏻‍♀️ I’m a HUGE horror movie fan, and I love crime novels that incorporate horror-inspired touches. 👌🏻 (E.g. FINAL GIRLS by Riley Sager, THE WEIGHT OF LIES by Emily Carpenter, & THE HIDING PLACE by C.J. Tudor, to name a few!) If this describes you, too, then my next read is one to keep your eye on. 🤓 The plot of this book makes me think of Season 1 of American Horror Story - anyone else?! (Read on for plot info!)
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THE WOMAN IN THE DARK follows a married couple whose life is shattered by the passing of wife Sarah’s mother. Mired in grief and depression at the loss of her mother, Sarah begins to lose a grip on her life. Her husband, Patrick, is desperate to help his wife process her grief and find her footing again. To give the family a fresh start, he moves them to the idyllic beachside home where he grew up. The only problem? The house has stood empty for 15 years, ever since the previous occupants were murdered within its walls. Patrick has faith this can be their dream home... but with the locals whispering that the house is haunted, Sarah can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right. Not with the house, not with the town, and not even with her beloved husband, whose stories of his childhood aren’t adding up... can Sarah uncover the secrets of the Murder House before another family is destroyed? 😳
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I’m totally here for thrillers that have horror touches to them, and this book sure sounds like it does!! I’m hoping this will be a creepy & spine-tingling read - I’ll keep you guys posted. 🕵🏻‍♀️ What do you think: does this sound up your alley?!

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