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Crime by the Book

A girl investigates crime fiction from around the world, by the book.
  • Blog
  • Quick Reviews
  • Nordic Noir
    • Introduction
    • Background
    • Book Recommendations
    • By Country
    • Interviews
    • Reviews
    • Features
  • #ReadWithCBTB
  • Features
  • Reading Lists
  • Events
  • Go-to Book Recs
  • As Seen In
  • About
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the cbtb blog

One girl's ongoing investigation of the crime fiction genre.

CJ Tudor Chalk Man.png

Best Debut Crime Novels of 2018

December 6, 2018

There’s something so special about discovering a debut author whose work just clicks for you. It’s that thrill of discovering something new - a hidden gem, an author whose work you’ll want to follow for years to come. 2018 was a hugely exciting year for new crime fiction talent, but there were five debut crime writers whose work stood out to me in particular - and those are the authors whose work you will find in this list! The authors featured in this list write in very different crime fiction spaces, but their work has one very important thing in common: it’s exceptional. From a harrowing coming-of-age story to a Scandinavian domestic drama to a modern take on a classic procedural and much more, this list highlights the expansive, elastic quality of the crime fiction genre—and proves that women are leading the charge across the board. I can’t wait to see what these talented writers will do next. In no particular order (because I loved them all!), let’s dive in to my picks for Best Debut Crime Novels of 2018.

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In Book Recommendation, Reading List Tags C.J. Tudor, Caz Frear, Christine Mangan, You-jeong Jeong, Alex Dahl, The Chalk Man, Sweet Little Lies, Tangerine, The Boy At the Door, The Good Son
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The Reckoning Sigurdardottir.jpg

Book Review: THE RECKONING by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

December 3, 2018

Iceland’s Queen of Crime returns in 2019 with the second installment in her superb Children’s House series: THE RECKONING. Picking up where her 2018 release THE LEGACY left off, Sigurdardottir’s newest crime novel delivers a gritty, layered procedural exploring the longstanding implications of childhood trauma. Readers follow series protagonists Detective Huldar and psychologist Freyja as they find themselves immersed in a bizarre case: a school’s time capsule is opened, and in it is discovered a note predicting the deaths of six people. A child wrote it… it can’t be real, can it? But when a string of inexplicable - and gruesome - events take place, Huldar and Freyja begin to suspect the note isn’t just the product of a child’s imagination after all—and, if they’re right, there’s much more darkness to come. Living up to her work’s well-earned reputation as crime fiction that borders on horror, Sigurdardottir’s THE RECKONING is guaranteed to give you goosebumps. In a story both gruesome and heart-wrenching, Sigurdardottir weaves a masterful mystery that belongs on the bookshelf of every Scandinavian crime fiction reader.

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In Book Review Tags The Reckoning, Yrsa Sigurdardottir, Icelandic Crime Fiction, The Legacy, Children's House Series
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The Hunting Party Lucy Foley.jpg

Buzzworthy 2019 Book #2: THE HUNTING PARTY by Lucy Foley

November 28, 2018

What do you get when you cross an Agatha Christie-inspired plot, a stylish-yet-rugged atmosphere, and some seriously dark secrets between old friends? Enter Lucy Foley’s addictive, binge-worthy suspense novel THE HUNTING PARTY. A college reunion over New Year’s Eve goes very wrong when a snowstorm descends, trapping the friends in the luxury lodge where they’re spending their holiday. As claustrophobia mounts and old secrets rear their ugly heads, things get darker still… and when one of the group is found dead, the truth is clear: one among them is a murderer. Fans of Ruth Ware will find much to love in Foley’s deliciously atmospheric and transportive writing. Come for the book’s classic crime-inspired premise, stay for its delectable drama and sly plotting—you’ll be left guessing “whodunnit” until the book’s final shocking pages.

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In Buzzworthy 2019 Books Tags The Hunting Party, Lucy Foley, William Morrow, Agatha Christie
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Book Preview: BEAUTIFUL BAD by Annie Ward

November 24, 2018

2019 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for crime fiction, and today’s featured thriller is proof of exactly that! I’m thrilled to share with CBTB readers a sneak peek into one of the hottest crime novels releasing this spring: BEAUTIFUL BAD by Annie Ward, available March 19th. Thanks to the team at Park Row Books, CBTB readers can dig into the first two chapters of this gripping thriller right here! I’m absolutely hooked on what I’ve read of this book so far, and can’t wait to share this one with you. Read on for a preview of Annie Ward’s BEAUTIFUL BAD!

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In Book Preview, Excerpt Tags Beautiful Bad, Annie Ward, Book Preview, Book Excerpt, Psychological Thriller
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Iceland Noir Festival Journal.jpg

Crime Festival Journal: Iceland Noir 2018

November 23, 2018

This past weekend, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Reykjavik, Iceland for Iceland Noir 2018 - a crime fiction festival that takes place in Iceland's capital city every other year. And what an incredible trip it was! In this blog post, I’ll be sharing a day-by-day recap of my time in Iceland, including panel notes, book recommendations, lots of photos, and a whole lot more. A huge thanks to the entire Iceland Noir team for organizing such a memorable festival!

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In Crime Book Festival, Event, Iceland Noir Tags Iceland Noir, Icelandic Crime Fiction, Iceland, Reykjavik, Yrsa Sigurdardottir, Ragnar Jonasson, Lilja Sigurdardottir, Crime Festival, Nordic Noir, Liz Nugent, Kevin Wignall, Simon Kernick, Karin Salvalaggio, Icepick Award, Jo Nesbo, Sonurinn
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View fullsize My personal crime fiction collection 🕵🏻‍♀️🖤 aka my favorite corner of my apartment. 📚🙌🏻 If anyone feels so inclined, I’d love to see what YOUR bookshelves look like! Snap a pic, share in your stories, & tag me - I’d love to
View fullsize I can never say no to a creepy read with a gorgeous black & white cover. 🕵🏻‍♀️🤍🖤 next on my TBR: THE SHADOWS by Alex North, available on my birthday, 7/7!!😉🔎 (huge thank you to @celadonbooks for this review copy!🤓) •
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View fullsize Being stuck at home isn’t so bad when you’ve got a massive stack of books to read. 🕵🏻‍♀️🖤 What’s on your social-distancing TBR?! 📖
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I went WAY overboard with books I brought home to CT for my self-isolation TBR list. ?
View fullsize Early afternoon light & a large latte ☕️ & a gripping crime read 🕵🏻‍♀️🖤 aka the perfect combination 🙌🏻
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This right here is my usual Sunday tradition 👆🏻 BUT I’ll be spending this Sunday (and this coming week, and probabl
View fullsize My last day in the city for a while calls for a lunch break coffee stop ☕️🖤 with my totally gripping current read 🕵🏻‍♀️
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Today is my last day in Manhattan for a while 😔 we’re all transitioning to working from home to try and preve
View fullsize In the midst of a crazy week, my brain needs a quick, binge-worthy read, and I think this beauty right here is just the ticket. 👌🏻🖤 NO BAD DEED by Heather Chavez is on sale now, and I can’t wait to dive in! 🕵🏻‍♀️
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Friends, I can&
View fullsize Happy Monday, friends! 🖤 Back in NYC and back to work after an amazing (if much too short) visit to Oslo 🇳🇴 annnd currently drinking a cold brew ☕️ at my desk & hoping it keeps me awake this afternoon 😂 jet lag + not enough sleep last night =
View fullsize Last looks at beautiful Oslo 🇳🇴 for this trip. ❤️ So very sad to leave, but I’m bringing wonderful memories & a suitcase stuffed with books 📚 back to NYC with me. 😉 See you soon, Oslo... you know I can’t stay away for long. 🥰❤️
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View fullsize Spent today doing all my favorite things in Oslo, so obviously a coffee stop was included. ☕️🖤 How are you spending your Saturday?! •
Okay I used to always think the phrase “living your best life” was SO cheesy but if I’m bein
View fullsize *Years* of admiring this Norwegian edition of my favorite book (THE SNOWMAN by Jo Nesbø) have finally resulted in this. 🕵🏻‍♀️🖤 Best. Purchase. Ever. 🙌🏻
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Does anyone else collect books by a favorite author?! 📚 I don’t have

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