UNRAVELING OLIVER by Liz Nugent will be one of the most original reads you'll encounter this summer. A 360-degree view of a sociopath's development, this book is better qualified as a psychological profile than a psychological thriller. Through chapters alternately narrated by Oliver and those in his life, this story examines its main character's development from isolated young boy to manipulative and abusive grown man. Laced with menace and wholly immersive, UNRAVELING OLIVER is a standout: from its blunt, unnerving main character who is so matter of fact about his cruelty to its original and engaging storytelling, this is a crime book to remember.
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Book Event Recap: CBTB in conversation with Fiona Barton
Last night, I had the absolute pleasure of appearing in conversation with New York Times bestselling author Fiona Barton at Barnes & Noble Eastchester to discuss her newest psychological thriller, THE CHILD. I'm a huge personal fan of this book, and had a fantastic time learning from Fiona about THE CHILD, her career, her writing process, and much more!In this post, you'll find: a direct link to a video of our event, a recap of the event highlights, and a link to my review of THE CHILD.
Many thanks to Fiona for answering my questions - I was thrilled to participate in her US tour for THE CHILD!
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Crime Festival Preview: ThrillerFest 2017 @thrillerwriters
It’s ThrillerFest week here in New York! This week, crime writers from around the world descend on Manhattan to attend a weekend of crime fiction panels, lectures, and interviews at the Grand Hyatt in NYC - a weekend known as ThrillerFest. I’m beyond excited because this year, I’m going to be attending ThrillerFest and covering the conference’s panels and events on Crime by the Book! Many thanks to Meryl Moss Media who is handling PR for ThrillerFest, and has been so generous in facilitating my upcoming ThrillerFest experience.
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Author Q&A: Erik Axl Sund, THE CROW GIRL
It seems perfectly fitting that my first blog post of Crime by the Book's second year in existence is dedicated to one of my favorite books: THE CROW GIRL by Erik Axl Sund. Today I’m thrilled to share a Q&A with writing duo Erik Axl Sund, discussing their brilliant crime book, their writing process, and what they're working on next! Read on for more information on THE CROW GIRL and our Q&A.
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Book Review: THE BIRDWATCHER by William Shaw
I'm a self-proclaimed tough sell when it comes to classic detective novels, but William Shaw's THE BIRDWATCHER made a convert out of me. I went into THE BIRDWATCHER a bit of a skeptic—and I came out a convert. A fantastic example of classic British crime, THE BIRDWATCHER is every bit true to its genre, from its pacing to its tone and its subject matter. But beyond its genre adherence, this book is really just excellent writing. Shaw is a skillful, beautiful writer whose book not only fully held my attention, but actually left me in tears at the end. Emotionally engaging, brooding, and masterfully plotted, THE BIRDWATCHER is a slow-burning mystery that highlights the very best of classic crime, with a quirky, endearing spirit all its own.
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