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!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!