Confession time: I secretly love reading advice columns, and have always thought that it would be so fun to write one someday. Well, this holiday season, I decided to put a bookish spin on an advice column—the result of which is this project, "CBTB Recommends"! Whether you're shopping for a book as a holiday gift, or are looking to build your winter reading list, you can use this little holiday feature to match you with the perfect winter crime fiction read. Think of “CBTB Recommends” as an advice column for crime fiction readers - this one particularly geared towards winter reading.
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Book Review: DARK PINES by Will Dean @willrdean #DarkPines
If I could move anywhere in the world, I would pack my bags and head to Scandinavia. When I learned of crime writer Will Dean, a former Londoner who did exactly that - moved to rural Sweden with his family - I knew this was an author whose debut novel I had to read. Dean’s forthcoming crime novel DARK PINES is a stylish blend of Nordic atmosphere, small-town life, and dark, chilling crimes - an excellent addition to your winter reading list. Readers of Crime by the Book will know that Nordic crime fiction is above and beyond my favorite, and I was fascinated to see if - and how - Dean’s style of crime fiction set in Scandinavia might differ from the work of the Scandinavian crime writers I know and love. DARK PINES certainly has a style and voice all its own, but Nordic Noir readers will nevertheless feel at home in the dark corners and chilling atmosphere of Dean’s thriller. DARK PINES is a compelling glimpse into small-town life, and a cleverly constructed maze of a thriller.
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Buzzworthy 2018 Books: MACBETH by Jo Nesbø
If there’s one book that has been my most-anticipated ever since I started Crime by the Book, it’s this one. Jo Nesbø’s MACBETH (Hogarth; April 10, 2018) is part of the Hogarth Shakespeare’s collection of modern-day retellings in honor of the Bard’s 400th birthday—and it’s a story worthy of its namesake in every sense. This book doesn’t release until April 2018, but trust me: I wouldn’t bring this book up so early if it weren’t a must-read. Nesbø’s MACBETH is a modern-day crime novel with the beating heart of Shakespeare’s play: it captures the moral complexity, menace, and despair of the original, with a grim, gritty twist that is trademark Nesbø.
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Author Q&A: Pierre Lemaitre, THREE DAYS AND A LIFE
It’s my absolute pleasure to welcome to CBTB today Pierre Lemaitre, the author behind arguably my favorite psychological thriller, BLOOD WEDDING, and the brand-new THREE DAYS AND A LIFE, which releases from Quercus today, 11/7/17! This is truly one of the most thoughtful Q&A’s I’ve had the pleasure of hosting on Crime by the Book, and I hope you will enjoy reading it as much I have enjoyed putting it together! Many thanks to Pierre for taking the time to answer my questions so thoughtfully, and to the publisher for facilitating this Q&A.
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October 2017 Wrap-Up
October has come and gone, and what a great reading month it was! I genuinely enjoyed every single book I read this month. From dark and gritty Nordic Noir to a charming crime fiction short story collection and a Hitchcock-inspired psychological thriller, my bookish October was outstanding. (So much so that I had a hard time picking a "least favorite read of the month" below!) Read on for a recap of my reads from the month of October, plus a roundup of the additional blog posts featured on Crime by the Book this past month!
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