Summer is winding down, but there’s still time to sneak in a beach trip before autumn arrives—and when you do, Sandie Jones’ debut THE OTHER WOMAN belongs in your beach bag. Fast-paced and binge-worthy, THE OTHER WOMAN is a strong example of what I like to call “popcorn reading”: a suspense novel with serious entertainment value that begs to be devoured in one sitting. THE OTHER WOMAN will appeal most to fans of domestic suspense novels like B.A. Paris’ BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, but Jones’ debut contributes a fresh angle to the genre that makes it a worthy addition to your TBR in its own right. The story’s titular “other woman” isn’t a mistress… it’s a mother-in-law named Pammie, and she’s bad news in the best way. What begins as a fairly standard psychological suspense setup (woman meets nearly-too-good-to-be-true man, and a romantic relationship ensues) quickly becomes deliciously dramatic and sinister; Pammie has no intention of letting her son marry our story’s protagonist, and the lengths she’s willing to go to will equal parts shock and entertain. Remember that romantic comedy Monster in Law? THE OTHER WOMAN is like that, but with a dark, vengeful twist. If you’re in the market for a lighter suspense read with a genuinely jaw-dropping finale, Sandie Jones’ debut belongs on your TBR.
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CBTB's Most-Anticipated Crime Books of Late 2018
2018 is flying by - and it's been bringing with it some really outstanding new crime fiction. From Jo Nesbo's MACBETH to Lucy Atkins' THE NIGHT VISITOR and a whole lot more, there's been a little something for everyone to love in the year so far—and now that summer reading is winding down, it's time to look towards the fall. In this post, you'll find the tail-end-of-summer reads I'm most excited about (publication date of 8/28 and onward!), plus an assortment of the upcoming fall releases that are a priority on my reading list. There are psychological thrillers, horror story prequels, Nordic Noir novels, and a whole lot more—so settle in, grab a cup of coffee, and discover some upcoming releases to add to your TBR, too!
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CBTB's Weekend Checklist - 8/11/18
Happy weekend, readers! It’s rainy and thunderstorm-y in the city today, so I thought… why not use this morning to put together another Weekend Checklist? In this post, you’ll find all the crime fiction entertainment I’m recommending - and loving myself! - this weekend. Without further ado, let’s dive right in. Happy reading!
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Book Review: THE DARKNESS by Ragnar Jonasson
Ragnar Jonasson, you have simply outdone yourself. Just when I thought I couldn’t love Ragnar’s books more, he goes and writes THE DARKNESS - and man, is it excellent. Already known around the world for his modern classic Dark Iceland series, Ragnar proves with THE DARKNESS that his winning brand of crime fiction can work just as well - if not better - in a new series as it did in his Ari Thor books. THE DARKNESS has all the brooding atmosphere of the Dark Iceland books with a creativity and breath-of-fresh-air protagonist all its own. Readers will travel eagerly from the streets of Reykjavik to the desolate wilds of Iceland alongside Hulda, a detective whose retirement is on the horizon—and who is determined to make the most of her time left on the force. There’s an addictiveness to THE DARKNESS that elevates this read—Jonasson beautifully balances slow-burning plotting with binge-worthy tension, and the result is just plain gripping. There’s so much that works so well in this book, and I have a feeling Jonasson’s new series will become my favorite of his work… that is, until we see what this talented writer comes up with next.
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Book Review: MISTER TENDER'S GIRL by Carter Wilson
In the spring of 2014, a truly shocking story broke: two young teens lured their friend into the woods and stabbed her 19 times. The motivation behind their gruesome crime? The girls were trying to please a fiction character known as Slender Man - an urban legend born of the internet. This real case shocked the world when it first broke—and it’s inspired the newest book by USA Today bestselling author Carter Wilson, too. MISTER TENDER’S GIRL went on sale earlier this year to rave reviews, and, after meeting the author at this year’s Thrillerfest conference, I knew it was finally time to make space for it on my reading list. In this fictionalization of the Slender Man case, readers go down the rabbit hole with Alice, the survivor of a stabbing at the hands of two of her friends. Alice was intended as a sacrifice to a character known as Mister Tender—a bartender from a series of graphic novels dreamed up by Alice’s own father. Carter Wilson blurs the lines between reality and fiction to gripping effect in MISTER TENDER’S GIRL; readers will find themselves drawn into a world that’s just close enough to our own to be genuinely creepy, and just over the top enough to be totally binge-worthy. Our culture’s obsession with true crime doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon, and if you’re as fascinated by the Slender Man case as I am, Wilson’s reimagining of it belongs on your TBR.
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