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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
  • Connect

the cbtb blog

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

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5 Recommended Suspense Novels Set Within the World of Academia

April 15, 2021

What is it about dark academia that is just so appealing? I can never resist a suspense novel that draws on the world of academia, and if that sounds like your cup of tea, today’s reading list is for you! I was inspired to write this list after reading one of my most-anticipated suspense novels of 2021, THE MAIDENS by Alex Michaelides, which centers around a murder at Cambridge University. While we wait for the publication of THE MAIDENS in mid-June here in the US, I thought I would round up a few of my personal favorite (and currently-available!) suspense novels that each, in one way or another, dabble in the world of dark academia. From a story of Pretty Little Liars-level drama at a boarding school to a sinister tale of two academics whose work together takes a dangerous turn, this reading list rounds up a few of my personal favorite and most-recommended suspense and mystery novels that incorporate elements of dark academia. As an added bonus, at the end of this blog post I’ve also highlighted three Summer 2021 suspense novels that also put their own unique spins on the world of academic mysteries. Happy reading!

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In Reading List Tags Dark Academia, Good Girls Lie, JT Ellison, The Broken Girls, Simone St. James, The Stranger Diaries, Elly Griffiths, Catherine House, Elisabeth Thomas, The Night Visitor, Lucy Atkins, The Maidens, Alex Michaelides, For Your Own good, Samantha Downing, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife, Ashley Winstead
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CBTB's Most-Anticipated Spring & Summer 2021 Crime Books

April 11, 2021

Is it a little bit early to be talking about summer crime fiction releases? Maybe… though I don’t know about you, but I for one am already eagerly anticipating summer and all that it will bring with it! It’s been a long year since the pandemic began, and I will take any and every excuse to look forward to the future - including looking forward to future crime fiction releases. In that spirit, rather than doing separate Spring 2021 and Summer 2021 Most-Anticipated lists, I decided to combine them both into one massive rundown of the upcoming crime fiction releases that I’m most looking forward to in the coming months! Some of these books I have been fortunate enough to read already, others are waiting for me on my TBR pile, and others I’ve got on pre-order - but all of these books are on my wishlist as we look towards the months ahead. Whether you’re in the mood for light psychological suspense, gritty noir, creepy thrills, or anything in between, there’s a little something on this list for everyone! Grab a cup of coffee and dig into my picks for Most-Anticipated Spring & Summer 2021 Crime Books. For ease of reference, and to help you plan your own summer TBR list, this list is organized by publication month and date.

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In Reading List, Summer Reading List Tags Summer Reading, Summer Books, Summer 2021 Crime Books, Summer 2021 New Mysteries, Paula Hawkins, A Slow Fire Burning, 56 Days, Catherine Ryan Howard, Sandie Jones, Razorblade tears, SA Cosby, Riley Sager, Survive the Night, Ashley Winstead, Cate Holahan, Her Three Lives, Ragnar Jonasson, The Girl Who Died, Camilla Lackberg, Silver Tears, Bath Haus, PJ Vernon, The Lords of Time, Eva Garcia Saenz, People Like Them, Samira Sedira
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Book Review: THE DROWNING KIND by Jennifer McMahon

April 6, 2021

What do you get when you cross a dual-timeline mystery with a tale of supernatural suspense? Enter Jennifer McMahon’s haunting, immersive new novel THE DROWNING KIND, available today, April 6. In this chilling supernatural mystery, it’s not any old house that’s hauntedβ€”it’s a body of water, specifically, a pool fed by a natural spring that is said to have special powers. Jax and her sister Lexie grew up swimming in this pool most summers, their grandmother owning the land upon which the pool is set. Fast forward a couple decades, and one day, Jax gets an unthinkable call: her sister Lexie has been found dead, drowned in the very same pool that she loved so much as a child. As Jax returns to her grandmother’s house, she is confronted by the pool’s dark history. Lexie wasn’t the pool’s first victim, and she might not be its last. THE DROWNING KIND weaves an atmospheric and sinister tale of supernatural suspense and heartbreaking family tragedy. This immersive and often quite poignant novel balance supernatural scares with authentic human drama and tragedy that keeps the story grounded in reality, even while exploring forces that are anything but. Expertly balanced dual timelines enhance the chill factor in this book, ratcheting up the tension bit by bit until the full horrors of the pool are revealed by the book’s conclusion. THE DROWNING KIND may be a slow-burning story, but it’s a slow-burn that will captivate fans of spine-tingling supernatural suspense. THE DROWNING KIND was the first book I’ve ever read by bestselling author Jennifer McMahon, and it certainly won’t be my last.

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In Book Review Tags The Drowning Kind, Jennifer McMahon, Supernatural Thriller
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Book Review: EVERY VOW YOU BREAK by Peter Swanson

March 31, 2021

Peter Swanson, author of acclaimed thrillers including The Kind Worth Killing and Eight Perfect Murders, returns this spring with his newest story of Hitchcockian suspense: EVERY VOW YOU BREAK. Following a bride whose honeymoon with her beloved new husband takes a dark and sinister turn, EVERY VOW YOU BREAK asks the age-old question that has fueled so many domestic and psychological thrillers: how well do we really know the people who we allow into our lives? In this book, it’s no spoiler to say that the answer to that question is not very well at allβ€”and the things they are hiding just might be deadly. EVERY VOW YOU BREAK is dripping in sinister atmosphere and built to be devoured in one or two sittings. Unfortunately, the book’s finale leaves something to be desired, managing to be both fairly predictable and over-the-top all at once. If you are a newcomer to Peter Swanson’s work, you may be better served trying one of his previous releases: check out his books Eight Perfect Murders (perfect for fans of classic mysteries and crime fiction!) or Her Every Fear (perfect for readers looking for top-notch suspense with shades of Hitchcock).

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In Book Review Tags Every Vow You Break, Peter Swanson
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Book Review: THE LOST VILLAGE by Camilla Sten

March 20, 2021

Camilla Sten’s outstanding debut thriller THE LOST VILLAGE has all the ingredients of a CBTB favorite. This chilling, horror-tinged story takes place in Sweden, following a compelling female protagonist as she embarks on a (possibly misguided) mission that feels like perfect fodder for your next favorite horror movie. THE LOST VILLAGE has been compared to films including The Blair Witch Project and Midsommarβ€”high praise, to be sure, and praise that I actually felt this book completely deserved. In THE LOST VILLAGE, a documentary filmmaker travels with her crew to an abandoned mining town to begin gathering information and footage for her newest project. But as the group settles in and begins exploring, a series of bizarre and increasingly sinister events call into question just how abandoned the town really is… and whether they are actually welcome there. Blending the subtle sensibility of Scandinavian crime fiction with a plot that blends psychological thrills and horror to pitch-perfect effect, THE LOST VILLAGE is a thoroughly engrossing, read-with-all-the-lights-on book. I was fortunate enough to read a review copy of this stellar suspense novel back in January, and it became my first 5/5 star review of the new year. For readers who love sinister suspense stories with cinematic settings, and thrillers that incorporate elements of horror, THE LOST VILLAGE is a book you won’t want to miss.

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In Book Review Tags The Lost Village, Camilla Sten
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View fullsize My personal crime fiction collection πŸ•΅πŸ»‍β™€οΈπŸ–€ aka my favorite corner of my apartment. πŸ“šπŸ™ŒπŸ» 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. πŸ•΅πŸ»‍β™€οΈπŸ€πŸ–€ next on my TBR: THE SHADOWS by Alex North, available on my birthday, 7/7!!πŸ˜‰πŸ”Ž (huge thank you to @celadonbooks for this review copy!πŸ€“) •
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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. πŸ•΅πŸ»‍β™€οΈπŸ–€ What’s on your social-distancing TBR?! πŸ“–
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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 β˜•οΈ & a gripping crime read πŸ•΅πŸ»‍β™€οΈπŸ–€ aka the perfect combination πŸ™ŒπŸ»
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This right here is my usual Sunday tradition πŸ‘†πŸ» 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 β˜•οΈπŸ–€ with my totally gripping current read πŸ•΅πŸ»‍♀️
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Today is my last day in Manhattan for a while πŸ˜” 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. πŸ‘ŒπŸ»πŸ–€ NO BAD DEED by Heather Chavez is on sale now, and I can’t wait to dive in! πŸ•΅πŸ»‍♀️
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View fullsize Happy Monday, friends! πŸ–€ Back in NYC and back to work after an amazing (if much too short) visit to Oslo πŸ‡³πŸ‡΄ annnd currently drinking a cold brew β˜•οΈ at my desk & hoping it keeps me awake this afternoon πŸ˜‚ jet lag + not enough sleep last night =
View fullsize Last looks at beautiful Oslo πŸ‡³πŸ‡΄ for this trip. ❀️ So very sad to leave, but I’m bringing wonderful memories & a suitcase stuffed with books πŸ“š back to NYC with me. πŸ˜‰ See you soon, Oslo... you know I can’t stay away for long. πŸ₯°β€οΈ
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View fullsize Spent today doing all my favorite things in Oslo, so obviously a coffee stop was included. β˜•οΈπŸ–€ 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. πŸ•΅πŸ»‍β™€οΈπŸ–€ Best. Purchase. Ever. πŸ™ŒπŸ»
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Does anyone else collect books by a favorite author?! πŸ“š I don’t have

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