Crime Reads - Suspense, Thrillers, Crime, Gun!
CrimeReads is a culture website for people who believe suspense is the essence of storytelling, questions are as important as answers, and nothing beats the thrill of a good book. It's a single, trusted source where readers can find the best from the world of crime, mystery, and thrillers. No joke,
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My first exposure to How to Steal a Million, William Wyler’s 1966 caper film starring Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’Toole, was via anecdote. I was at a party at a professor’s home in September of my senior year at college, chatting with some graduate students when one brought up what she believed to be the sexiest moment in movie history, the scene in How to Steal a Million where Audrey and Peter’s characters meet for the fist time, when he’s stealing a painting from her house in the dead of night and she catches him. He freezes and lowers the frame he’s holding, staring at her the whole time. “When he looks at her over the painting he’s carrying! Those blue eyes!” But this …
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One sunny weekend twenty-five years ago, during a crime writing conference at St Hilda’s College, Oxford, I chatted with a fellow British author. This was Andrew Taylor, a novelist equally at home with writing contemporary fiction as with producing his multi-award-winning historical mysteries. Andrew and I were discussing Julian Symons’ classic study of the genre, Bloody Murder (known in the US as Mortal Consequences), which we both admired. Knowing of my lifelong interest in the heritage of crime writing, Andrew urged me to have a go at writing a book that would, in effect, be a modern version of Symons’ masterpiece. At that time, I liked the idea, but it seemed like a …
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“It’s quite easy, you know.” “What is?” “To get away with it.” He was smiling again—a charming, boyish smile. —Murder Is Easy As a pathology technician who worked in a mortuary, the question I’m asked most often is, “How on earth did you end up working with dead bodies?” The answer—that I’d wanted to do so ever since I was a child—rarely satisfies. But the reason for this early fascination is simple: I fell in love with forensic science after I fell in love with the books of Agatha Christie, books that I began borrowing from my local library when I was just eight years old. Coincidentally, Christie described me exactly via the twelve-year-old character Pippa in her 19…
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Thrillers are so much fun to read, and to write. Since I started in this business, there was always the one cardinal rule that you couldn’t break: your characters are to be likeable, at all costs. Well, that’s no fun. Especially in this genre. If I were writing romance, I would absolutely be sure that my main character was quirky-yet-loveable, and their love interest was possibly damaged from heartbreak but had a heart of gold themselves. Hijinks ensue, they fall in love despite themselves, and have a happily ever after. That’s the formula. That works. For thrillers? Give me some nasty characters. As long as they don’t kick puppies, I’m here for the unlikeable charact…
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Years ago, I had a silly wine-fueled argument with my dad, which I’ve thought about on many occasions since. We were debating who had it worse: Elvis Presley or Marilyn Monroe. I said Elvis; my dad said Marilyn. Neither of us would give way. I remember feeling furious at the sexism: no sympathy for Elvis, but Marilyn was fragile because she was female. Little did I know that I’d see this phenomenon play out again and again—in families, amongst friends, office politics and in the media—until finally it would spark a novel. What I discovered was that women found it natural—irresistibly so at times— to defend men, and vice versa. Right now there’s an Elvis versus Marilyn d…
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My first real working day at Hexa was a Tuesday. I was originally supposed to start on Monday, but the only time Yena could meet me for a drink that week was Monday afternoon at three p.m., so I traded that first shift before I’d even really begun—I thought it was a miracle they didn’t fire me there and then. Yena was my ex-girlfriend. We’d met at the call center (I told you I’d been much too friendly there, didn’t I?) and had been together for exactly one year, seven months of which we’d spent living together in the house I inherited from my mother. “You’ve probably been with lots of girls, haven’t you?” Yena said the first time she spent the night at my place. We were …
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Lisa Unger is the Queen of psychological suspense. She’s hit every bestseller list, been published in thirty-one languages, and sold millions of copies worldwide, all while maintaining her own, distinctive style, a concoction of literary writing and page-turning action that simply screams “Unger.” If it comes as a surprise to hear words like “literary” and “style” used to describe a bestselling author, then you don’t know Lisa. I didn’t know her until just a few weeks ago when I got the chance to peek behind the curtain and see how this master works. My grandma used to say, “The proof’s in the pudding, Eli.” And that adage holds especially true for Lisa. Her proce…
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Between the advent of streaming as a basic service and the slightly more recent establishment of niche platforms like Sundance Now and Acorn TV (both subsidiaries of AMC Networks), the opportunity to watch all kinds of TV from all over the globe has grown exponentially in a relatively short span of time. Gone are the days of having to hope your local indie video store might carry an ancient copy of Poirot or Midsomer Murders; today you can just navigate over to the Search bar of your streaming dock of choice and queue up pretty much any international title you can think of. And what’s more, with streaming making it possible for, say, a random Australian crime drama to rea…
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On January 6, 2002, Christa Worthington was found raped, beaten, and stabbed to death in her Cape Cod home. Her two-year-old daughter, Ava, who was physically unharmed, clung to Worthington’s body; the toddler’s mother had been dead for up to 36 hours. The details found in the most basic description of the crime are horrifying on their own and needed no sensationalization, but that didn’t stop the media—and it didn’t take long for Worthington to become the antagonist in her own murder. In the months leading up to September 11, headlines were dominated by another high profile case with some parallels to Worthington’s: the disappearance of Chandra Levy, a 24-year-old inter…
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During my high school years, when I was at my most rebellious, my eyes glazed over and rolled with impatience whenever our beloved English teacher, the indomitable Mrs. McFadden would talk about the role of the forest in the Last of the Mohicans. Who cared about such trivia when there were more important things to be concerned with—like that cute boy in my fifth period math class or the next Saturday night’s dance. Undeterred by our lack of interest, she would continue unabated, telling us about the literary devices authors often employ to bring a simple story up to the level of art. She would describe the metaphors and similes that enrich the narrative and give the char…
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Summer is coming, and mystery and thriller lovers are looking for that perfect beachy read to savor with an umbrella drink in hand. How about a story set in paradise? Suspense novelists have long been attracted to idyllic settings. What is it about the concept of paradise that inspires dark fiction? Is it the vicarious joy of writing about white sand beaches and shimmering blue water? Is it the irresistible lure of an escape from reality? Or maybe we writers like the diabolical appeal of inflicting mayhem on a cast of unsuspecting tourists. To me, the most appealing aspect of a writing a suspense novel set in paradise is the challenge of creating a story world where not…
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The CrimeReads editors select their favorite new fiction this month. * Katie Gutierrez, More Than You’ll Ever Know (William Morrow) In Katie Gutierrez’s powerhouse debut, a woman with two husbands loses one to the violence of the other, and a true crime writer uncovers shocking secrets decades after. I love this book more than Delores “Lore” Rivera loves both her families and now you have to read this book to understand what I mean. –Molly Odintz, CrimeReads Senior Editor Chris Offutt, Shifty’s Boys (Grove) Offutt’s powerful follow-up to The Killing Hills is just as rich in atmospherics and a master-class in the craft of crime fiction. Mick Hardin is back in th…
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When I started writing my novel, How to Be Eaten, I wasn’t really thinking about true crime. In it, I reimagine classic fairy tale characters as modern women trying to make sense of their lives in the aftermath of their traumatic stories. Yet as I considered how the women would be viewed in the public eye today, I realized that their strange and horrific stories were ripe for sensational true-crime treatment. They would be dissected in lurid detail yet oversimplified with tidy narratives telegraphed in enticing headlines. Thus, in How to Be Eaten, Little Red Riding Hood’s fateful encounter with a wolf is picked apart on true crime podcasts, details of Gretel’s mysterious …
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When I moved from central New England to the barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, I left behind many things, including family, friends, and ice scrapers. One thing I retained: my love of mystery novels. Especially cozies which, as the name implies, reassure the reader that all will, indeed, be well. At least until the next dead body turns up. My favorite cozies depict the beach-strolling appeal of the southeastern U.S. But for the amateur sleuths who populate the pages, life is not a permanent vacation. Not only are these plucky women puzzling out perplexing crimes, they’re also juggling the contradictory demands of family and career. And they’re drawing stre…
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While June isn’t quite so packed with urgent new series as, say, April and May, there are still some very choice selections coming your way soon, led by a Tony Hillerman adaptation and closing out with your goodbye to the Shelby clan of Birmingham. Dark Winds AMC – Premieres June 12th The long-awaited adaptation of Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn and Chee series is finally here, brought to the screen by Graham Roland, with a starry executive producer corps that includes Chris Eyre, Robert Redford, and George RR Martin. Zahn McClarnon and Kiowa Gordon take on the iconic leading roles, which keeps its original 1970s Southwest setting and navigates a web of corruption and c…
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I first heard the term “feminist thriller” a year or so ago. Oh! I thought, because it was, to me, at that time, a novel and intriguing descriptor. I thought how much I would love to write a feminist thriller myself. Then, I began to consider what “feminist thriller” truly meant, and I very much hoped that I had already done so with my debut novel, The Favor, which was described by Kirkus Reviews as “an unnerving feminist retake on Strangers on a Train.” My goal with the book was to explore the endemic nature of intimate partner violence, to demonstrate that intimate partner violence can reach women with any level of education or affluence. Specifically, The Favor focuse…
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It was night, and darker than I had ever experienced. I was alone and outside, awake at 4am while everyone else slept, the Milky Way a dusty cloud above me and the moon yet to rise. The air was warm that close to the equator, even in the quiet black hours, and I was comfortable in just shorts and a T-shirt. Below the soles of my feet, the deck of the yacht tilted and rolled as kindly winds pushed us on towards our destination; behind me the ocean rushed, churned by the rudders into a creamy, frothy wake. A surfacing dolphin, puffing up a fishy sigh into the night air, was the only sign of life. We—myself and the five near-strangers who made up the crew of this sailboat—w…
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By European standards the Noyes-Parris House isn’t amazingly old but it is one of the oldest houses in America. It was built in 1669 by Peter Noyes who was a leading Puritan in Massachusetts and the founder of the Sudbury Plantation, a large tract of land to the west of Boston. The house began its existence as two one-room farm houses only a few meters apart which were later combined around a central chimney stack. It is unclear whether Peter Noyes ever lived there; it enters the historical record as belonging to his daughter, Dorothy about whom little is known. Yet it is Dorothy Noyes’s husband who is the really interesting character in the saga of this house. Samuel P…
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I look for a strong sense of place in what I read and I make sure it’s part of what I write. In my Nils Shapiro books, I’ve set stories in Minnesota and Los Angeles. In Carolina Moonset, the story takes place in Beaufort, South Carolina. Each of those places has a direct impact on the story, so much so that the story couldn’t take place anywhere else. I could extend this preamble but don’t want this post to be like one of those recipes where you have to read all about the author’s life when all you really want to know is how much butter to buy. So let’s get to it. Here’s a list of some of the books I admire for their sense of place. I wish I could include them all. …
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Another week, another batch of books for your TBR pile. Happy reading, folks. * Matt Goldman, Carolina Moonset (Forge Books) “First-class…The often amusing dialogue flows naturally, the emotional undercurrents ring true, and the mystery itself offers a full complement of suspects and motives. This novel about love, loss, and family ties isn’t to be missed.” –Publishers Weekly, starred review Emma Bamford, Deep Water (Gallery/Scout Press) “Strap on your life-vests and prepare for a tense maritime nightmare. Paradise never felt so sinister.” –Ruth Ware Dana Mele, Summer’s Edge (Simon and Schuster Books For Young Readers) “With an exquisitely tense haunt…
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A look at the month’s best reviewed crime novels, mysteries, and thrillers. Deon Meyer, The Dark Flood (Atlantic Monthly Press) “… a compelling, rip-roaring crime story peppered with dry South African humour … Meyer’s depiction of Stellenbosch is spot on, from the persistent traffic and parking issues to income disparities … includes a wonderfully vivid depiction of the Stellenbosch setting and the multiple references to its neighbourhoods and restaurants warmed this reader’s Stellenbosch heart … It’s clear why his books have been translated into 127 languages. He knows how to craft an engaging and clever plot through multiple threads without losing the attention …
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Sarai Walker first came to my attention with her brilliant satire, Dietland, and her new book is completely different yet just as stunning. The Cherry Robbers follows a family of sisters cursed to die soon after marrying, and the one spinster who may have escaped the curse (but can never fully escape a reckoning). I interviewed Sarai Walker over email about the book, its inspirations, and her work as a whole. Molly Odintz: The Cherry Robbers has been described as a gothic ghost story, and it seems to me there’s a revival of the gothic novel going on at the moment. What got you interested in exploring the gothic? Sarai Walker: To be honest I just stumbled into it. I had…
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I’ve always had a weakness for stories that defy categorization, especially if they happen to include fantasy and romance. Sarah Gailey’s Magic for Liars is an excellent example; Tamsyn Muir’s captivating and beautifully strange Gideon the Ninth is another; Naomi Novik’s fabulous Scholomance series is a third. When I began writing Payback’s a Witch, I originally intended it to read as a more traditional rom-com, primarily a romance that just happened to revolve around two bisexual witches falling in love in a magical, Salem-inspired Halloweentown. The magic was initially intended to be a background element rather than a focal point of the plot. Something to add a little s…
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As the title of our new historical thriller The Lawless Land suggests, plenty of crimes are committed in the story. Since our book takes place in 1351—not long after the worst of the Black Plague and during the Hundred Years’ War between France and England—lawlessness reigned over wide swaths of Europe where civilization had been pushed to the brink, so the title is well-earned. It’s fascinating (and rather appalling in some cases) that human nature never really changes. Even though our book takes place more than 670 years ago, many of the crimes we featured in the plot are just as relevant today: murder, kidnapping, embezzlement, bribery, price-gouging, and theft by cut…
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Screenwriters are taught: “Do not write what you cannot see.” And this is why, after a career of writing screenplays and directing films, I wrote a crime novel. A screenplay is a blue print, drawn with action and dialogue, something that exists in a slippery space, to inspire a director to film, to suggest actors fulfill characters, for a production designer to envision set dressings and costumes and hair designs that likely were not even on the page. You can’t write about what’s inside someone’s head because, well, you can’t see that. You learn to write only what people say, and what they do. Don’t direct the movie by suggesting how someone is sipping tea while loading…
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