As a reader, it sometimes feels like you’ve found a diamond in the rough when you crack open a book and discover a read that consumes your attention fully from first page to last. GRIST MILL ROAD by Christopher Yates provided this kind of escapist reading for me—if a dark, harrowing escape at that. GRIST MILL ROAD uncovers the little traumas that we inflict upon one another, and explores the lasting fallout of these deadly mistakes—all told through the varying perspectives of the three individuals involved in the book’s central crime.
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CBTB Recommends #3: Witty Crime Fiction And Dark Thrillers
I’m so excited to share my third blog post in my CBTB Recommends holiday feature! Today's post tackles lighter suspense novels and stalker thrillers. The idea behind this feature is simple: you send me your bookish questions or recommendation requests, and I’ll feature them in a blog post exactly like this one! If you need help picking out a mystery to read this winter or are trying to decide on a thriller to give as a holiday gift, please feel free to fill out the form at the bottom of this post to submit your question! Think of this as a bookish advice column that's here to help you find your next perfect read.
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Nordic Noir Excerpt: The Legacy by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
Have you read Yrsa Sigurdardottir’s books yet? If not, now is the time to start. Sigurdardottir is Iceland’s Queen of Crime, and in early 2018 her newest series will be launching in the US - the Children’s House Series. Book one, THE LEGACY, is an outstanding series launch: it’s a gripping thriller and an expertly plotted police procedural that cements Sigurdardottir as one of Nordic Noir’s authors to watch. THE LEGACY releases February 13, 2018, but you can sample this book for yourself today - I’m thrilled to share an excerpt from THE LEGACY here on Crime by the Book, courtesy of the publisher!
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Book Review: THE ONE by John Marrs
Every so often, I feel like I just want something quick and lightly suspenseful to read. Nothing too dark or gritty, but something that also still falls within the crime fiction genre. This balance can be surprisingly hard to strike, but John Marrs’ THE ONE delivers a strong contender. THE ONE has been compared to the dark TV show Black Mirror, a comparison which - though perhaps not quite apt - nevertheless gives the reader a general sense of the tone of this book. THE ONE takes a very ordinary topic (an online dating service) and turns it on its head, exploring the secrets, manipulations, and conflict that can plague even the most picture-perfect (or scientifically "matched") couple. THE ONE is one of those books that will require a reader with the right expectations to enjoy it, but if you do have the right expectations, you won’t want to put this one down.
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Author Q&A: Ragnar Jonasson, NIGHTBLIND (Dark Iceland Series)
Today (12/5/17) is the US publication day for NIGHTBLIND, book two in Ragnar Jonasson’s brilliant Dark Iceland series! The Dark Iceland books have been a personal favorite of mine for quite a while now, and I’m thrilled to see this exceptional series releasing in the US. If you’re a newcomer to the Dark Iceland books, you’ve come to the right place: I’m delighted to have Ragnar Jonasson joining me on CBTB today to chat about his unmissable crime fiction series, and its newest installment: NIGHTBLIND.
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