It’s hard to imagine a summer read better tailored to Crime by the Book than a Scandinavian psychological suspense novel, aka a combination of my two favorite kinds of crime books—and that’s exactly what readers will get in THE BOY AT THE DOOR by Alex Dahl. A binge-worthy story of suspense with dark and weighty undercurrents, Dahl’s first novel strikes an excellent balance between the melancholy and gloom of Nordic crime and the breezy pacing of your favorite beach read. Yet, despite its well-deserved “binge-read” status, THE BOY AT THE DOOR tackles genuinely difficult themes: most prominently, addiction and the pressures of motherhood take center stage here. It’s a winning combination, and, set against the atmospheric and picturesque backdrop of Scandinavia, Dahl’s tense and menacing story of familial suspense is a summer standout. Add this to your summer reading list and set aside a weekend to tear through its addictive and taut interpersonal mystery.
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Book Review: THE DYING DETECTIVE by Leif GW Persson
With all the brand-new (and very enticing!) books releasing every week, it can feel really hard to make time to catch up on the slightly older books you may have missed when they first came out—but today’s post is evidence that pressing pause on the new releases can be such a rewarding exercise. THE DYING DETECTIVE by Leif GW Persson released in hardcover in the spring of 2017… and who knows how I missed out on reading it then, but I’m so glad it caught my eye in its newly-released paperback format. This masterful police procedural is every bit a worthy addition to every Nordic Noir reader’s personal library.
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Author Q&A: Jon Land
I was so excited to have the chance to speak with Jon Land about his newest venture: writing his first installment in the Murder, She Wrote series, MURDER, SHE WROTE: A DATE WITH MURDER. The Murder, She Wrote series is about as close to infamous as it comes, and I’m fascinated by the process that resulted in Land taking over these books—I had a lot of questions for him, all of which he answered very thoughtfully for CBTB readers! In today’s post, readers will learn exactly how Land became connected with this project, what challenges he had changing gears from writing thrillers to writing a cozy mystery, what he’s working on next, and a whole lot more.
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Author Q&A: Aimee Molloy, THE PERFECT MOTHER
Summer’s first buzzy psychological thriller is officially here! THE PERFECT MOTHER by Aimee Molloy is on sale today, and it's everything your summer reading list needs: smart, addictive, binge-worthy entertainment. Bonus: Kerry Washington is slated to star in its film adaptation! I loved every page of THE PERFECT MOTHER, and am confident you’ll find it just the kind of read you’re looking for to usher in the summer months. I’m thrilled to welcome Aimee to CBTB today to talk all things THE PERFECT MOTHER, from her emotional connections to the women who take center stage in the book to a little glimpse into movie adaptation process and a whole lot more.
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Book Review: THE GOOD SON by You-jeong Jeong
THE GOOD SON is the first of South Korean writer You-jeong Jeong’s books to be made available to English-speaking audiences—and it’s a must-read, plain and simple. With harrowing precision and unflinching bluntness, Jeong draws readers into the mind of her tormented main character, Yu-jin - a young man with a faulty memory and some very dark secrets. THE GOOD SON will shock with blood and guts as much as it will delight with originality and unpredictability. In Jeong’s masterful hands, this story of memory loss and familial secrets is nothing short of spectacular. All I can hope for (beyond my hope that you pick up a copy of this book upon its release) is that more of Jeong’s work will be translated into English as soon as possible -- I, for one, will be waiting!
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