Another year is drawing to a close, and what a year itβs been. To call 2020 a challenge would be, frankly, the understatement of the year. Iβve always been thankful for the escape that a great crime book can bring, but I donβt think Iβve ever been quite as thankful for great books as I have been this year. 2020 brought with it outstanding new crime fiction from CBTB favorites and new-to-me authors alike; it saw some of my longtime favorite writers embarking on new directions in their writing careers; it introduced me to new series that I expect Iβll be following for years to come. From psychological thrillers to Nordic Noir to creepy, horror-inspired suspense and a little bit of everything in between, this year brought with it lots of new crime novels to love, and in todayβs blog post, Iβm sharing my picks for the very best of the best that this year had to offer. Iβm thrilled to share with you my picks for Best Crime Books of 2020, this year with a fun twist! Iβve given each book included in this list a superlative: everything from βBest Plot Twistβ to βBest βPopcorn Thrillerββ to βBest Nordic Noir Series Installmentβ and more. Happy reading!
Read MoreCBTB's Best Crime Books of 2020
Book Review: THE MIST by Ragnar Jonasson
Very few recent crime fiction series have hooked me the way Ragnar Jonassonβs Hidden Iceland Trilogy has. This impeccably-crafted Icelandic crime series is an astonishing accomplishment: a trilogy plotted as beautifully as it is written, brimming with the humanity of its characters and immersing readers in the stunning landscape of Iceland.. In the Hidden Iceland books, author Ragnar Jonasson wraps readers up in the chilling atmosphere of his trilogyβs setting, and draws readers into the inner life of its endearing and compelling protagonist. The Hidden Iceland trilogy has captivated me with its stylish prose, clever plotting, and unputdownable suspense, and with THE MIST, Jonasson delivers a conclusion worthy of its exceptional predecessors. In THE MIST, readers follow series protagonist Hulda Hermansdottir as she returns to work following a personal leave necessitated by an undefined tragedy. Hulda will soon face a disturbing - and puzzling - case: a mysterious death at a remote farmhouse in the Icelandic countryside, where two bodies have been found. Weaving together Huldaβs personal life with an extended flashback at the farm in the lead-up to our victimsβ deaths, THE MIST is a complex and heartbreaking mystery, a feather in the cap of an already-exceptional crime fiction series. If youβre in the market for elegant suspense that relies more on atmosphere and character development than blood and gore, Ragnar Jonassonβs superb Hidden Iceland trilogy might just be your perfect match. I will sincerely miss this series and its standout protagonist, but I am already looking forward to seeing what Ragnar will write next.
Read MoreMy Quarantine Reading List (So Far)
Iβve officially been in lockdown for a full month now, and I thought Iβd mark this very odd milestone with a different kind of blog post: a roundup of the crime books Iβve read so far in my time staying home! Iβm very fortunate to be able to work from home, which has been keeping me quite busy over the past few weeksβbut when Iβm not busy working, Iβm busy reading. In these crazy times, Iβm more thankful than ever before for a great crime book to escape into when I need to clear my head, and the books Iβve been devouring in lockdown have been doing an excellent job of that! My lockdown reading list includes a mixture of upcoming releases and older titles Iβm finally making time to read. For any book on this list that hasnβt yet been published, Iβve included two suggestions for books you can dip into right away, just in case youβre in the market for a new quarantine read yourself. As always, happy reading!
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