If you had told me when I started this blog that I would someday be writing a blog post recommending a few of my personal favorite crime books with some supernatural elements to them, I would have never believed you. I used to be staunchly opposed to crime books with any supernatural touches, but as time has gone on, and thanks to the work of very talented authors including Yrsa Sigurdardottir, C.J. Tudor, and many more, I’ve not only become open to books in this category… I’ve actually begun actively seeking them out. While I think it will always be important to me as a reader that the crime novels I read, even the supernatural-ish ones, have an earthly, logical solution to the mysteries at their core, I’ve come to discover just how much fun a thriller with a dash of the supernatural can be. Today, I’m so excited to share a roundup of my frequently recommended supernatural-ish mysteries and thrillers! Some of these books have true supernatural elements to them, while in others, the supernatural is more of a suggestion or a question to be answered over the course of the story. No matter what, all of these books have an extra-creepy edge to them that will have you reading with all the lights on. To help you guide you through this list and narrow down which books might be of interest to you, I’ve divvied this list up into three categories: Ghosts & Haunted Houses, Folklore & The Occult, and Possessions & Inexplicable Events. The books in this list exemplify that delicious blend of earthly mystery and supernatural touches that I’ve come to love so much, and I’m so excited to share this rundown of books in this category that I recommend most frequently with you today! Grab your coziest blanket, turn on all the lights, and dive in to my frequently-recommended supernatural-ish mysteries & thrillers.
Read MoreCBTB’s Best Psychological Thrillers of 2019
What a year it has been for new crime fiction!! At the end of the year, there’s nothing quite as fun as reflecting on all the incredible books we’ve been able to read thanks to the hard work of so many talented authors. Today I want to kick off a series of “Best of 2019” posts with a roundup of the best psychological thrillers and psychological suspense of the year! This year saw the release of so many exciting new debut novels and the return of tons of CBTB-favorite psychological thriller authors, and I am so excited to share this list with you all. It’s always so challenging to narrow down lists like this, but I had to cut this list off at 11 titles - otherwise I would have kept adding to it forever. Read on for my picks for best psychological thrillers of 2019!
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!), there’s something especially fun about reading a book about books or authors. In today’s blog post, I’m 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 “book within a book” 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 MoreRecommended January 2018 Releases
One of my 2018 goals for Crime by the Book is to find new and even better ways to connect you with crime books that will be exactly what you’re looking for. To serve this purpose, I’m testing out a new blog feature today - a monthly list of “Recommended New Releases”! I’ll always use my blog to write full reviews of the crime books I’m reading - but this list will help you get a quick overview of the new CBTB-recommended crime fiction releasing each month, and will provide links to my full reviews (and any relevant Author Q&A’s or “extras”) for each book.
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