Crime by the Book

No one writes a “popcorn thriller” quite like J.T. Ellison. I’ve come to rely on J.T. to deliver irresistible, impossible-to-put-down suspense novels that can sweep me away in their gripping tales—and that’s exactly the kind of thriller that J.T. Ellison has given us with her brand-new release HER DARK LIES. This immersive, Gothic-tinged suspense story gives readers an exclusive invitation to the wedding of the year: the marriage between up-and-coming artist Claire Hunter and Jack Compton, one of the heirs to the vast Compton family fortune. Readers follow Claire and Jack as they travel to Italy for what’s sure to be a picture-perfect wedding… but, in true J.T. Ellison form, things soon take a dark and shocking turn (and then a few more dark, shocking turns after that). I’m so thrilled to be able to share with CBTB readers a Q&A with author J.T. Ellison, in which we explore everything from the inspiration behind HER DARK LIES to the book’s Gothic influences to a secret that J.T. has to share with us about the book’s setting! Huge thanks to J.T. Ellison for stopping by CBTB to share this glimpse into her newest release with us! Read on for a (spoiler-free!) discussion of J.T. Ellison’s HER DARK LIES.

If there’s one author I can always count on to deliver a binge-worthy “popcorn read,” it’s J.T. Ellison. The author of some of my personal favorite suspense novels including Good Girls Lie and Lie to Me returns today with her latest outing: HER DARK LIES, a darkly delicious concoction made of equal parts family drama, Gothic elements, and a wanderlust-worthy sense of place. In HER DARK LIES, readers meet Claire and Jack: a golden couple who are preparing for their wedding in the luxurious villa owned by Jack’s fabulously wealthy family. This villa, which sits perched atop a breathtaking island off the coast of Italy, is the perfect venue for what is sure to be the wedding of the year. But as Claire and Jack settle in for their big day, a series of inexplicable and increasingly sinister events begin to take place. And when a storm cuts off power to the island, Claire and Jack quickly realize these events aren’t just inconveniences—they’re a warning sign of greater dangers to come. Laced with elements of Gothic suspense and brimming with all the “popcorn thriller” entertainment value that I’ve come to expect in J.T. Ellison’s novels, HER DARK LIES is a deliciously readable and delightfully sinister suspense read. Pour yourself a glass of something sparkling and travel to Isle Isola for the wedding of the year—but watch your back, because not everyone is getting out of this wedding alive.

September 6, 2023

Book Review: THE SEPTEMBER HOUSE by Carissa Orlando

Home ownership feel like a distant dream? Zillow listings have you convinced you’ll be renting for the rest of your life? The woman at the heart of Carissa Orlando’s debut The September House feels your pain—and she’s prepared to put up with a lot if it means she and her husband can finally have a place to call their own. In this case, that might just mean living in a house that’s haunted. Playful and irreverent, spine-tingling and spooky, The September House puts a fresh spin on the classic haunted house story, delivering an immersive tale about the secrets lurking within one building’s walls, and within the lives of its inhabitants.

August 12, 2023

Announcing Crime by the Box!

I am so thrilled to announce a new partnership between Crime by the Book and the amazing Murder by the Book, a crime fiction-focused independent bookstore here in Houston, TX. Starting this October, I am going to be teaming up with the bookstore to curate a book subscription service! Crime by the Box will deliver a hand-selected, newly-released hardcover mystery, thriller, or suspense novel right to your door on a monthly basis. Read on for all the details!

Vanessa Lillie Blood Sisters cover reveal.png

April 3, 2023

Cover Reveal + Sneak Peek: BLOOD SISTERS by Vanessa Lillie

I’m so honored to be able to reveal the cover for Vanessa Lillie’s buzz-worthy new mystery here on CBTB today! BLOOD SISTERS is a gripping mystery about a Cherokee archeologist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs who is summoned to rural Oklahoma to investigate the disappearance of two women…one of them her sister. The book has already been praised as “riveting” (Megan Miranda) and “bingeworthy” (Caroline Kepnes), and it’s sure to be one of fall’s must-read crime novels. BLOOD SISTERS will be published in September, but thanks to Vanessa and her publisher, we’re able to get an exclusive early glimpse into the book right here in today’s blog post! Read on to check out the book’s gorgeous cover, read a behind-the-scenes mini Q&A with Vanessa, and dip into the book’s first few pages! And make sure to preorder your copy of BLOOD SISTERS at your favorite bookstore while you’re at it. Huge thanks to Vanessa and her publisher for giving us this early sneak peek—I can’t wait to read BLOOD SISTERS this fall!

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