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Crime by the Book

A girl investigates crime fiction from around the world, by the book.
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READING LISTS

Crime fiction reading lists to help you find your next favorite read!

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Recommended April 2018 Releases

June 14, 2018

CBTB’s Recommended April 2018 Releases

2018 has been a great year for crime fiction so far, but April 2018 is notably slower than its predecessors. Try as I might to find another book or two to add to this list, my April new release recommendations are few and far between - though that shouldn’t at all detract from your enthusiasm from the books that are included in this post. This month saw the release of my most-anticipated read of 2018, and the US paperback launch of a book that has already sold over a million copies worldwide - both books deserving of a trip to your local bookstore or library! For those readers eager for more new releases, never fear - May 2018 promises to more than make up for what April may have been lacking. I’ll include a sneak peek at a few releases to keep your eye on in May at the end of this post, too! 

I’ve been trying to think up an explanation for why April was so light on the new release front, and the best I can come up with is that we’ve entered that no-man’s land between winter crime novels and summer reading. It’s a transitional season, to be sure - but we’ve got fantastic crime fiction beach reads ahead of us, and a strong list of early 2018 releases to pass the time until then! You can catch up on my 2018 Recommended Releases posts here: 

  • January 2018
  • February 2018
  • March 2018

Without further ado, let’s dive in! 


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CBTB’S RECOMMENDED APRIL 2018 RELEASES

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★ Top Release Recommendation: MACBETH by Jo Nesbø ★
Hogarth; April 10, 2018

For Readers Who Love: Shakespeare + gritty, melancholy crime fiction
Read CBTB’s Buzzworthy Books Post // Read CBTB’s Review

My Quick Thoughts: My favorite author re-writing my favorite of Shakespeare’s plays for the Hogarth Shakespeare collection - what’s not to love? Nordic Noir’s reigning king delivers a gripping rendition of Shakespeare’s Macbeth in this sharp and engrossing novel. Known for his vivid, raw character development and masterful plotting, Nesbø brings to his Shakespeare retelling all the strengths that have earned him legions of dedicated fans around the world - now paired with one of the most infamous stories in literature. Readers will be struck by just what a perfect pairing this is; thematically, Nesbø’s backlist and Macbeth couldn’t be more well-aligned. Revenge, love, power, corruption—themes that Nesbø explores in his Harry Hole books (and his standalones, for that matter) are mirrored perfectly in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and it’s these commonalities that make Nesbø’s take on the classic feel both authentic and original all at once. Beyond just being a great adaptation, Nesbø’s MACBETH is a great crime novel, too: shootouts, political machinations, and interpersonal tensions all combine to deliver a page-turning, gut-wrenching new standalone from one of the greatest crime writers working today. In Nesbø’s hands, this ambitious project is nothing but a success. 

Plot Details: Set in the 1970s in a run-down, rainy industrial town, Jo Nesbo's Macbeth centers around a police force struggling to shed an incessant drug problem. Duncan, chief of police, is idealistic and visionary, a dream to the townspeople but a nightmare for criminals. The drug trade is ruled by two drug lords, one of whom—a master of manipulation named Hecate—has connections with the highest in power, and plans to use them to get his way. 
 
Hecate’s plot hinges on steadily, insidiously manipulating Inspector Macbeth: the head of SWAT and a man already susceptible to violent and paranoid tendencies. What follows is an unputdownable story of love and guilt, political ambition, and greed for more, exploring the darkest corners of human nature, and the aspirations of the criminal mind.

Macbeth
By Jo Nesbo
Buy on Amazon
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View fullsize The Girl in the Ice.jpg
View fullsize The Girl in the Ice Robert Bryndza.jpg

THE GIRL IN THE ICE by Robert Bryndza
Grand Central; April 24, 2018

For Readers Who Love: M.J. Arlidge books + crime fiction “comfort reads” 
Read CBTB’s Review // Read a Q&A with Robert

My Quick Thoughts: There’s something instantly comforting about picking up a book like THE GIRL IN THE ICE. It’s like a trusty old friend - a crime book that you can curl up with and devour, counting on it to provide you with an easy escape from everyday life. Bryndza does “comfort reading” so well in THE GIRL IN THE ICE, a pacey series launch that has already sold over 1 million copies around the world, and is now available in paperback for US readers. Don’t get me wrong: there’s nothing “cozy” about this read; it’s got a chilling serial killer, gruesome discoveries, creepy, anonymous figures lurking in the night… and, at the heart of it all, a resilient female lead who readers will instantly fall in step with, despite the (many) setbacks she faces. This book will work for crime readers who want that familiar, easy-to-binge police procedural—pick this book up if you’re looking for a crime read to tide you over until M.J. Arlidge releases his next thriller. (Just be prepared to get hooked on a new series in the process!) Fans of Arlidge will appreciate Bryndza’s breezy pacing, compact chapters, and the easygoing entertainment value of his work. 

Plot Details: Her eyes are wide open. Her lips parted as if to speak. Her dead body frozen in the ice...She is not the only one.

When a young boy discovers the body of a woman beneath a thick sheet of ice in a South London park, Detective Erika Foster is called in to lead the murder investigation.

The victim, a beautiful young socialite, appeared to have the perfect life. Yet when Erika begins to dig deeper, she starts to connect the dots between the murder and the killings of three prostitutes, all found strangled, hands bound and dumped in water around London.

What dark secrets is the girl in the ice hiding?

As Erika inches closer to uncovering the truth, the killer is closing in on Erika.

The last investigation Erika led went badly wrong... resulting in the death of her husband. With her career hanging by a thread, Erika must now battle her own personal demons as well as a killer more deadly than any she's faced before. But will she get to him before he strikes again?

The Girl in the Ice: A gripping serial killer thriller (Detective Erika Foster crime thriller novel) (Volume 1)
By Robert Bryndza
Buy on Amazon

Plus: May 2018 Releases to Look Forward To! 

April was a slower month for new releases, so let’s take a quick look at two of the May 2018 releases I’m most excited about! My full list of May recommendations will be up on CBTB in the new month, but for now, make sure to mark your calendars for: 

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THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY by Ruth Ware
Gallery Books; May 29, 2018

Read CBTB’s Review

Why You Should Pay Attention: I am such a fan of Ruth Ware, and I’m beyond excited for you all to read her next release! THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY is without a doubt my favorite Ruth Ware book yet. In this atmospheric and chilling story, Ware returns to the strengths of her first two books, crafting a plot that reads like a modern-day Agatha Christie novel. Family secrets, a remote mansion, a mistaken identity… there’s so much to love here, and Ware delivers on all of it. 

The Death of Mrs. Westaway
By Ruth Ware
Buy on Amazon
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THE PERFECT MOTHER by Aimee Molloy
Harper; May 1, 2018

Read CBTB’s Review

Why You Should Pay Attention: Molloy’s addictive and entertaining suspense novel has already been optioned for film, and Kerry Washington is slated to star in the movie adaptation! THE PERFECT MOTHER is a “popcorn read” with a keen eye. In Molloy’s page-turning novel of suspense, a group of Brooklyn mothers are put to the test when the infant of one of their own goes missing. Smart and engrossing, THE PERFECT MOTHER is bound to be a favorite 2018 beach read - plus, its cover has to be one of the best of the year. 

The Perfect Mother: A Novel
By Aimee Molloy
Buy on Amazon

That's a wrap on my April 2018 recommendations! Have you read any of these books yet? Are any of them on your TBR? I'd love to hear from you! xx A

Featured
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Sep 6, 2023
Book Review: THE SEPTEMBER HOUSE by Carissa Orlando
Sep 6, 2023

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.

Sep 6, 2023
Announcing Crime by the Box!
Aug 12, 2023
Announcing Crime by the Box!
Aug 12, 2023

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!

Aug 12, 2023
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Apr 3, 2023
Cover Reveal + Sneak Peek: BLOOD SISTERS by Vanessa Lillie
Apr 3, 2023

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!

Apr 3, 2023
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Jan 10, 2023
Book Review: ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS by Stacy Willingham
Jan 10, 2023

Stacy Willingham returns today with her sophomore thriller ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS, a lyrical, immersive mystery that delves into one mother’s waking nightmare—and the dangerous secrets she will uncover as she seeks the truth about the two tragedies that have defined her life. I devoured ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS over my holiday break this year, and found this to be one of those rare books that genuinely is impossible to put down. Moving between past and present, ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS delves into the darkest corners of the life of one mother as she investigates the disappearance of her son one year prior—and, in the process, confronts long-buried secrets from her own childhood. Stacy Willingham’s masterful use of dual timelines adds intrigue and atmosphere to this compelling mystery, while her immersive writing draws readers into our protagonist’s increasingly unstable state of mind. Slow-burning yet simmering with tension and suspense, ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS is hypnotic, immersive, and emotionally-impactful—the kind of mystery you’ll sink into, not coming up for air until you’ve turned the final page. Highly recommended for fans of Lisa Jewell’s THEN SHE WAS GONE and Jennifer Hillier’s LITTLE SECRETS, this is a 2023 mystery not to be missed.

Jan 10, 2023
CBTB's Top 10 Crime Books of 2022
Dec 31, 2022
CBTB's Top 10 Crime Books of 2022
Dec 31, 2022

I can hardly believe we’ve come to the end of 2022—and what a year it’s been! I’m pretty sure I say this every year, but 2022 has truly been another outstanding year for crime fiction readers. As I reflected on my year in books while writing this blog post, it felt nearly impossible to narrow down my picks. I genuinely think we might be in the golden age of crime writing; the books crime writers had in store for us this year were nothing short of superb. From the return of fan-favorite authors to thrilling new voices being published for the first time, the crime fiction genre was in top form in 2022—making it all the more challenging to pick just 10 books from the year to highlight here! But tough choices had to be made, and made they were. Without further ado, I’m so excited to share with you my personal picks for the Top 10 Crime Books of 2022 in today’s blog post! More than any other criteria, the key thing these books have in common is simple: they are all books I’ve continued to think about since I finished reading them. These are stories that entertained me, challenged me, thrilled me, and kept me on the edge of my seat; in this list you’ll find Gothic horror, Nordic Noir, psychological suspense, and much more; a wide array of crime fiction subgenres, but all excellent books that stood out from the pack for me in 2022.

Dec 31, 2022
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Dec 11, 2022
5 Recommended Christmas Mysteries
Dec 11, 2022

Christmas is around the corner, and if you’re a reader who likes to theme your reads to the season, today’s blog post is for you! I honestly never used to read crime novels specifically themed to particular holidays, but last year (for I think the first time in my reading life?!) I intentionally read a couple of Christmas mysteries during the Christmas season… and I absolutely loved it. Today I wanted to round up 5 mysteries I personally love that all involve Christmas—but this blog post has a little twist! Today’s recommendations are organized by how much Christmas actually factors into the book’s plot. Ranked from Christmas level 1 - 5 (with Level 1 being Christmas in the background of the story, and Level 5 being a full-on, 100% Christmas-y plot!), this list will help you find your perfect Christmas season mystery read!

Dec 11, 2022
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Nov 29, 2022
Iceland Noir 2022 Festival Journal
Nov 29, 2022

I can’t believe that this year’s Iceland Noir has already come and gone. If you’ve been around Crime by the Book for a little bit, you already know how much I absolutely love Iceland Noir: a crime fiction festival that takes place in Reykjavik, Iceland in November. Iceland Noir brings together crime fiction readers and writers from Scandinavia and around the world for a long weekend of crime fiction programming, including everything from author panels to spotlight interviews to special events and more. It is an incredible festival, and truly the perfect environment for us crime fiction readers: basically imagine a bunch of likeminded bookworms gathering to celebrate crime fiction in one of the most special cities in the world. Sound amazing? It really is. If you’ve been looking for an excuse to visit Iceland, or if you’re curious about attending a crime fiction festival in the future, I highly recommend adding Iceland Noir to your bucket list. I can’t say enough good things about it! In today’s blog post, I’m recapping my experience at Iceland Noir 2022, including a day-by-day recap of the festival, lots of photos, a rundown of the books I took home from the festival, and more!

Nov 29, 2022
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Nov 7, 2022
Book Review: THE FAMILY GAME by Catherine Steadman
Nov 7, 2022

Sometimes you just need to read a really fun psychological thriller—and that’s the boat I found myself in last week. After devoting my entire October to-read list to supernatural thrillers for spooky season, I was ready to get back to my psychological suspense roots this month—and ideally, I wanted something that was a little bit more lighthearted and “popcorn-y” for a change of pace. Luckily for me, I had the perfect book for the job waiting on my to-read pile: Catherine Steadman’s brand-new release, THE FAMILY GAME. THE FAMILY GAME is a page-turning suspense story about a writer, her fiancé, and her fiancé's dark family secrets. It was my first time reading a Catherine Steadman novel, and (spoiler alert!) it won’ t be my last. If you loved the movie Ready or Not or Jessica Knoll’s psychological thriller Luckiest Girl Alive, you’ll love Catherine Steadman’s THE FAMILY GAME. Page-turning, fresh, and just the right amount of weird, THE FAMILY GAME is a perfect choice for your winter to-read list. (Bonus: if you celebrate Christmas, this book takes place in the lead-up to the holiday! Plan accordingly.)

Nov 7, 2022
CBTB's Most-Anticipated November 2022 Crime Fiction
Nov 2, 2022
CBTB's Most-Anticipated November 2022 Crime Fiction
Nov 2, 2022

I honestly can’t believe it’s already November—but I’m not complaining! I (obviously) believe that thrillers and mystery novels can (and should!) be read year-round, but there’s something undeniably perfect about cozying up with a great crime novel as the weather gets colder. This month has an amazing lineup of new crime novels in store for us, and today I’m rounding up my picks for most-anticipated new crime, mystery, and suspense novels publishing in November 2022! This month sees the return of a couple of my longtime favorite authors, plus new installments in Nordic crime series I’m loving, a chilling isolated location thriller, and more. Whether you’re hoping to keep the spooky season Halloween vibes going a little bit longer or are ready to dive into a wintry, chilling crime story, this month’s selection of new releases has you covered. A few of the books on this list I’ve already been lucky enough to read, and the rest of them are all on my personal to-read pile for the weeks ahead—but I’m excited about all of them. Read on for my picks for November most-anticipated crime fiction!

Nov 2, 2022
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Oct 15, 2022
Book Review: CURSE OF THE REAPER by Brian McAuley
Oct 15, 2022

There’s no better time to watch a slasher movie—or read a slasher book—than October, and if your idea of perfect Halloween entertainment involves villains like Michael Myers or Freddy Krueger, the book I’m recommending today is the Halloween read for you. Brian McAuley’s CURSE OF THE REAPER is a thriller tailor-made for, as his dedication so aptly puts it, the “Halloween people.” Bloody, meta, occasionally self-deprecating, and always wickedly entertaining, CURSE OF THE REAPER draws inspiration from the world of slasher films to tell a delightfully devious tale of an actor, the silver screen villain to which he devoted his entire career, and the grip that villain might just have on him in the real world. This book is all kinds of bloody fun, a perfect Halloween reading choice for anyone who has ever contemplated which Ghostface killer(s) they would be most likely to survive, attended a genre convention, or, yes, set a timer to buy tickets for Halloween Ends the moment they went on sale (guilty on all counts).

Oct 15, 2022
In New Releases Tags New Releases, Jo Nesbo, Macbeth, Robert Bryndza, The Girl in the Ice, Ruth Ware, Death of Mrs. Westaway
← Recommended May 2018 ReleasesRecommended March 2018 Releases →

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The Family Game: A Novel
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View fullsize My personal crime fiction collection 🕵🏻‍♀️🖤 aka my favorite corner of my apartment. 📚🙌🏻 If anyone feels so inclined, I’d love to see what YOUR bookshelves look like! Snap a pic, share in your stories, & tag me - I’d love to
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View fullsize Being stuck at home isn’t so bad when you’ve got a massive stack of books to read. 🕵🏻‍♀️🖤 What’s on your social-distancing TBR?! 📖
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View fullsize Early afternoon light & a large latte ☕️ & a gripping crime read 🕵🏻‍♀️🖤 aka the perfect combination 🙌🏻
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View fullsize Happy Monday, friends! 🖤 Back in NYC and back to work after an amazing (if much too short) visit to Oslo 🇳🇴 annnd currently drinking a cold brew ☕️ at my desk & hoping it keeps me awake this afternoon 😂 jet lag + not enough sleep last night =
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