Books

Set in Sydney, Australia in 2017, Dark Mode is a contemporary thriller and a debut crime novel for Ashley Kalagian Blunt, a writer originally from Canada who has lived in several countries before settling Down Under. With Dark Mode, you don’t get the hot, dusty, isolated setting and the potential for primal darkness often associated

I’m Glad My Mom Died I’m Glad My Mom Died is a celebrity memoir, but even if you (like me) have never heard of actor Jennette McCurdy or seen a single second of “iCarly” on Nickelodeon, getting sucked into this frankly told and deeply nuanced story of a troubled mother-daughter relationship is almost inevitable. McCurdy’s

In the age of COVID-19, it is impossible not to appreciate how a virus can upend societies, reshape politics and divide populations. But what many of us do not know, and what Pathogenesis: A History of the World in Eight Plagues makes clear, is that viruses and bacteria have been integral to all of human

Roald Dahl’s books are being edited to make them less offensive. Joke is, nothing has really changed. No matter how many tweaks are made to try and push classics like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory into more politically correct territory, Dahl’s books are still harmful. There are a number of things that make defending Roald

The subway train runs right past Nari’s lively New York City apartment building, and she imagines riding it to far-flung destinations that offer quiet spaces away from the bustling city and her boisterous family and neighbors. A beach, a forest, outer space—Nari envisions what it would be like to visit all these places and more.

Though we have been deep in the current wave of book bans for over two years, new groups and organizations continue organizing campaigns to raise awareness of the situation. There are so many big and small groups doing good work on the issue, and they have done tremendous work in not only ensuring that people

Often we talk about the wide geographic spread of the crime novels that appear on our digital pages, but today’s news column might be interesting because of the different professions of the characters involved. We don’t have any butchers, bakers or candlestick makers, but we do have a lawyer, a monk, an aristocrat (is that

Have you ever wanted to visit space? Reading public astronomer Philip Plait’s Under Alien Skies: A Sightseer’s Guide to the Universe is the next best thing. Beginning with that closest rock, the moon, Plait describes at length what it would feel like to land on the lunar surface, from the bizarre sensation of shuffle-walking because

If you want a peek into the workroom, the real T on the untucked lounge, and perspectives on what’s next in drag, check out these books by RuPaul’s Drag Race contestants and winners. These drag queens bring humor, heart, and plenty of originality from the main stage to the book page. Some of them even

Since her writing took a little diversion from romantic comedy to crime, Carol Wyer has amassed an impressive roster of police procedural titles, all featuring female DIs. Robyn Carter was followed by Natalie Ward, and then troubled, grieving Kate Young stepped into the Staffordshire fray. Now it’s time to continue her story in book four

Maude hasn’t spoken to Odette, her childhood best friend, in four years—ever since Maude’s magic “dried up.” But when Odette disappears and everyone assumes that she’s dead, Maude feels a mysterious pull toward Sicklehurst, an abandoned power plant that no one seems to be able to remember. As Maude enters Sicklehurst in search of Odette,

A new volunteer group of library workers and advocates wants to help you get more involved in your community library. Libraries For the People aims to reach progressives by providing information about how to engage with their public library, advocate on its behalf, and help to ensure these public institutions remain viable amid ongoing interest

Can murder ever be cosy? Well, probably not if you’re the victim or someone unfortunate enough to be falsely accused of the crime. However, if you’re a reader in search of a gripping mystery, then the cosy sub-genre of crime fiction has you covered – which is why it has experienced such massive growth in

In Home Away From Home, Newbery Honor author Cynthia Lord returns to some of her signature storytelling themes: displacement, friendship, families, animals and summer. Fans of Rules, A Touch of Blue and Because of the Rabbit will enjoy learning about the intriguing animal at the novel’s center, a white gyrfalcon typically seen in the Arctic.

I had a dog when I was little. He was a black lab named Barney, and he was extremely protective of me and my family. Since then, though, I’ve never had another dog nor really had a desire for one. I’ve stuck to cats, rabbits, and fish. I volunteer with a shelter where I get

Thanks to writers like Sarah Ward, Wales is finally making its mark in crime fiction as a principality distinct from England. Welsh locations from north to south are appearing in novels by Clare Mackintosh, Simon McCleave, Harry Bingham and many more, and there are top TV shows like Hidden, Hinterland and Keeping Faith. From historical

“Every mother and daughter should have conversations that change their lives. This book will win your heart!” -Elin Hilderbrand, author of The Hotel Nantucket A mother and daughter on vacation in Paris unpack a lifetime of secrets and hopes–with a giant Pattersonian twist at the end! Every daughter has her own distinctive voice, her inimitable style,

Indigenous history is sorely lacking from school curriculums in the U.S. and Canada, and even from many mainstream history books. This lack is inexcusable, and it only contributes to the harmful myths about North American history that are still far too prevalent. I highly recommend picking up some Indigenous-authored history (The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee

The books I’ve written so far began almost accidentally. Not the day-to-day, year-to-year accumulation of words—no accidents there. But the inciting moment or the controlling idea that ended up as the buttress for the whole contraption was unplanned, and usually came from me just playing around with words. With Big Fish, I was passing the

If you spend a good amount of time in manga circles, you may have heard the term dōjinshi before. And you may have certain assumptions about what it is, which I fear is quite common, particularly for those in the west. But for those who’ve ever been curious about dōjinshi and want to learn more

Shadowy memories tinged with vengeance. Jazz solos. A cold corpse in the river. A heist. Hemp sandals… This week’s reading pile might just give you sensory overload. Let’s kick off our weekly news report with Catriona Ward’s latest novel, set in New England and with a decidedly creepy vibe to it. Looking Glass Sound by

Seventeen-year-old Alonda is a straight-A student who never gets in trouble and does whatever her strict, overprotective guardian, Teresa, asks of her—all while keeping her dreams locked up tight inside. But when the sweltering June heat has her fleeing to the window of her Coney Island apartment in search of a cool breeze, Alonda spots

Analog horror books are a riff off of the ever-popular found footage sub-genre of horror that came to popularity in the late 2000s notably on YouTube. The sub-genre is often full of grainy, “dated” looking footage, mysterious circumstances, and in the style of analog electronics like television, VHS tapes, FM radio, etc. Viewers are presented

American author Thomas Mullen presents a worrying picture of America (and the world) in his latest novel, The Blind Spots (Blind Spots in the US). Moving away from Atlanta in the 1940s and 50s as seen in the Darktown trilogy, we step into the near future with autocratic government, civil unrest, conflict between the haves

Did you know that the margarita is a “tribute cocktail,” a drink named in honor of a person? In this case, the honoree is Margarita Henkel, daughter of a German ambassador. In Buzzworthy, Vancouver-based author Jennifer Croll (Free the Tipple, Art Boozel) builds on this concept, introducing cocktails inspired by female writers from the 19th

When book banning started to heat up two years ago, many wondered how long until a library worker would be seriously hurt over defending the right to read. Now, we know it’s not going to be long at all. Over the last month, several libraries have faced bomb and shooting threats as a direct result

Lovers of Scandinavian crime fiction in the UK have been waiting quite a while for something new to settle into in 2023, but that wait ends on Saturday 8 April at 9pm, when BBC Four will air the latest season of Those Who Kill (Den Som Dræber), which has the title Lost. Get ready for

Imagine if Elizabeth Cady Stanton had been distracted from her suffrage efforts because she fell in love, Hallmark movie-style, with a local Seneca Falls man. Or if Emily Dickinson contacted tech support but could only communicate in her trademark poetic style. Or if the Gettysburg Address had been written by “The West Wing” creator Aaron

The 2023 PEN/Faulkner Award winner has been announced. Out of 512 American novels and short story collections published in the U.S. in 2022, Yiyun Li’s book, The Book of Goose, was named the best novel by Tiphanie Yanique, R.O. Kwon, and Christopher Bollen, the writers who served as judges this year. The Book of Goose

Stona Fitch is an American author who sees at the world a bit differently, spotting trends and dissecting them, and his crime novels are all the better for it. Take his latest, for example. Death Watch is set in the high stakes world of New York advertising, where a young creative called Coe Vessel sets