What is it about dark academia that is just so appealing? I can never resist a suspense novel that draws on the world of academia, and if that sounds like your cup of tea, todayβs reading list is for you! I was inspired to write this list after reading one of my most-anticipated suspense novels of 2021, THE MAIDENS by Alex Michaelides, which centers around a murder at Cambridge University. While we wait for the publication of THE MAIDENS in mid-June here in the US, I thought I would round up a few of my personal favorite (and currently-available!) suspense novels that each, in one way or another, dabble in the world of dark academia. From a story of Pretty Little Liars-level drama at a boarding school to a sinister tale of two academics whose work together takes a dangerous turn, this reading list rounds up a few of my personal favorite and most-recommended suspense and mystery novels that incorporate elements of dark academia. As an added bonus, at the end of this blog post Iβve also highlighted three Summer 2021 suspense novels that also put their own unique spins on the world of academic mysteries. Happy reading!
Read More8 Recommended Bookish Mysteries & Suspense Novels
What could be better than a crime novel about books? For so many of us bookworms (myself included!), thereβs something especially fun about reading a book about books or authors. In todayβs blog post, Iβm rounding up 8 mystery and suspense novels that deal with exactly that! The books discussed here all relate to the world of books in one way or another. Some of them feature protagonists who are authors or aspiring writers, some have βbook within a bookβ style plots, and all of them will satisfy your desire to dig into some good old bookish intrigue. This is a category of crime novel I personally never tire of, and I hope this list will help you find a book or two that catches your eye, too! Happy reading!
Read MoreNew Release Tuesday: March 5th, 2019
Talk about starting the month off right! March has a number of exciting new crime reads in store, but todayβs bunch of brand-new releases might just be the most exciting of all. Today, March 5th, marks release day for a gripping work of domestic suspense, a bookish crime novel with a Gothic edge, and the newest release from Denmarkβs Queen of Crime - and this blog post will give you a quick rundown of each. Clear your TBR - youβll want to dive into these beauties as soon as possible! Read on for my picks for new crime fiction on sale this week.
Read MoreBook Review: THE STRANGER DIARIES by Elly Griffiths
How is this the first time Iβve read a book by Elly Griffiths? Thereβs no other way to say it: Iβve been missing out. Griffithsβ 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 Clareβs closest colleagues is found murdered, Clare is grief-strickenβbut 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 Clareβs 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 worldβto 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.
Read MoreExcerpt: THE STRANGER DIARIES by Elly Griffiths
A modern take on Gothic suspense with a literary twist? Sign me up. I first learned of Griffithsβ 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 lifeβ¦ 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 couldnβt be more excited to give you the inside scoop on this book today! Thanks to the team at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Iβm thrilled to share with CBTB readers an early excerpt of the bookβs first chapter. THE STRANGER DIARIES releases in the US in March, but you can get a taste of Griffithsβ captivating writing right here. And let me just say: Iβm currently reading THE STRANGER DIARIES, and have found it to be absolutely gripping from page one. So far, itβs exceeding all my expectations, and I canβt 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.
Read More