While on vacation last weekend, I decided I was long overdue for a re-read of my favorite Agatha Christie novel, ENDLESS NIGHT. After posting about this book on Instagram, I was thrilled to hear from so many readers who had never heard of this book before! This Throwback Thursday, I want to take the opportunity to share with you why I consider ENDLESS NIGHT my favorite book written by the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie.

I’m eagerly counting down the days until I make my first trip to Scotland for Bloody Scotland 2017! I’ll be packing my bags and hitting the road for this festival in early September, and I can’t wait to cover the festival on CBTB. In preparation for Bloody Scotland 2017, I’m thrilled to share a Q&A with Bob McDevitt, Director of the festival! In our Q&A, Bob shares a bit of background information about Bloody Scotland, recommends Scottish crime fiction authors, and much more. Many thanks to Bob for graciously taking the time to answer my questions! 

Every so often, readers will come across a book that’s just the right kind of offbeat—something unexpected, envelope-pushing, and perfect in its oddities. WHITE BODIES by Jane Robins was exactly that kind of read for me. This is a psychological thriller that marches to the beat of its own drum: twisted, shocking, quirky, and addictive, WHITE BODIES is an utterly unputdownable story of the blurred line between obsession and love. While this won’t be the right choice for readers looking for a crime novel grounded wholly in reality, the drama of this thriller is part of its undeniable (and disturbing) charm. From its disarming first pages to its shocking conclusion, WHITE BODIES is original and inventive - a breath of fresh air in a crowded genre, and a 2017 must-read.

Scandinavian crime fiction readers, listen up: THE DEVIL'S WEDDING RING by Vidar Sundstøl is the must-read you haven't heard of yet. One of the most fresh and original takes on the Nordic Noir genre I've read in ages, Sundstøl's exceptional standalone crime novel weaves together ancient folklore and a modern investigation to brilliant effect. Atmospheric and laced with menace, the story's small-town setting is a character unto itself, while the story's human characters are equally complex and engaging. THE DEVIL'S WEDDING RING is masterfully written, intricately plotted, and wholly immersive; in short, it's a must-read for Nordic Noir fans.

I’m absolutely thrilled to share a Q&A with Kathleen Barber, whose exceptional debut thriller ARE YOU SLEEPING released last week, and was an instant hit for me! ARE YOU SLEEPING is a seamless blend of podcast-inspired storytelling and a modern, on-trend psychological thriller. This book makes the perfect end-of-summer binge read! Read on for the book's plot summary and my conversation with Kathleen Barber, whose debut thriller ARE YOU SLEEPING is on sale now.

There’s nothing like a good serial killer thriller. Whether you’re a fan of Thomas Harris’ book or the infamous movie adaptation, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is arguably the classic serial killer story. Now, I love a good re-read (or re-watch!) as much as the next person, but when you’re ready for a new serial killer thriller, below are some of my favorite recommendations. Read on for my recommended reads for fans of THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS!

I can’t remember the last time writing a review stumped me quite as much as this one has. THREE DAYS AND A LIFE by Pierre Lemaitre is one of my most-anticipated 2017 releases—I’ve been counting down the days to a new Lemaitre release ever since I finished his utterly brilliant psychological thriller BLOOD WEDDING over a year ago. BLOOD WEDDING is beautifully written, intelligently plotted, and sometimes brutally dark; I had hoped for Lemaitre to deliver a read in a similar vein for his next effort. THREE DAYS AND A LIFE certainly delivers the same beautiful writing and superb construction as did BLOOD WEDDING, but that’s where the similarities end. This review is such a puzzle to me because as a reader, THREE DAYS is excellent: a heartbreaking and masterful portrait of a man’s life, marked by a childhood mistake. But as a crime reader, I would be very hesitant to recommend THREE DAYS AND A LIFE.

July was a fantastic reading month for me—while I didn’t read as many books as I typically do, I loved the majority of the books I did read. And I had a great reason for not reading as much as usual: I spent nearly a week of the month involved in activities for ThrillerFest 2017, an annual crime fiction conference held in New York! Learn all about my July reads and ThrillerFest in this post, plus see a few fun bookish statistics from my month in reading.

Cate Holahan’s LIES SHE TOLD has a little bit of everything that I love most in a psychological thriller: a literary protagonist (the story’s main character is herself a thriller writer), a “book within a book” mystery, and red herrings and plot twists a plenty. But LIES SHE TOLD has something else, too—it has an intentionally and thoughtfulness to it, qualities that add a layer of intrigue to an already addictive crime novel. On sale 9/12/17, LIES SHE TOLD is pure, binge-worthy entertainment—the kind of effortlessly engaging read that can only come from the author’s intelligent plotting and careful construction. Holahan’s forthcoming thriller will be an instant-hit for fans of EXQUISITE by Sarah Stovell and THE WEIGHT OF LIES by Emily Carpenter; readers looking for an addictive, layered suspense novel will feel right at home in Holahan's world. 

I’m thrilled to share a cover reveal and excerpt from CLOSE TO ME by Amanda Reynolds, an upcoming domestic thriller from Quercus! On sale in December, this gripping, claustrophobic story follows a woman who falls down the stairs at home… and wakes up with no memory of the past year of her life. To make matters worse, it seems that her family wants her to stay in the dark about what really happened… I’m going to be reading this book soon, and am so excited to dive into it!