Books

Banned Books Week is coming, which means that waves of displays in libraries, classrooms, and bookstores are also incoming. We’re already seeing many, and while they are useful for highlighting the reality of censorship across America to those who are not as tapped into the news about it, too many banned books week displays are

The 1980s are having something of a renaissance right now thanks to TV series like The Newsreader and Stranger Things. Just ask Kate Bush, whose 1986 hit Running Up That Hill took on a new life after featuring in the latter show on Netflix. Val McDermid is an author who likes to have her finger

Barbara Ehrenreich was an author, journalist, and activist who published more than 20 books, including Nickel and Dimed, which documents several months she spent working the lowest-paying jobs in the U.S.A. and trying to survive on that income. She wrote articles and book reviews for a wide variety of publications, including The New York Times,

The much-awaited series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is premiering today at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET on Amazon Prime with two episodes. Fans of Tolkien’s Middle-earth—or curious newcomers—can sign up for a free 30 day Prime trial to watch the new series. The Rings of Power takes place

Edited by Kenneth Wishing & Chantelle Aimée Osman — In his lively introduction to Jewish Noir II, legendary New York crime fiction author Lawrence Block sums up every Jewish holiday in three sentences: “They tried to kill us. We survived. Let’s eat!” While the last sentence is an essential part of Jewish holiday celebrations, he

Better the Blood begins with a prologue set 150 years ago depicting a violent act of colonisation. Six soldiers are celebrating the capture and killing of a Maori chief by having their picture taken alongside his hanging corpse. The picture serves as inspiration for the novel’s antagonist, and as a reminder to the reader of

A new Missouri law has made it a misdemeanor for a school employee to provide “explicit sexual material” to minors, which could come with up to a year in jail and $2000 in fines. The law applies to images only, such as in graphic novels, and does not apply to material with “serious artistic significance,”

What Follows is the first in a new California-set series featuring detective Roscoe Tanner of the Oakland Homicide Division. It’s written by the Welsh writer Dylan H Jones, who now lives on the West Coast and has clearly soaked up the local vibe. He’s also known for the DI Tudor Manx series set in his

The story is performed in the Inverted Theater, which exists outside of time and can only be visited while one is dreaming. An unnamed spectator sits in the audience and is told that this story is a love story. It is summer, as it always is in the Old Country, and one fateful night, the

One of the things I love the most about Star Wars is that there are so many stories in the galaxy. There are so many characters, so many stories, and such a rich history available that the possibilities are endless (I’m of the opinion that you can never have too many SW books, shows, or

There is not a wrong time to read some great witchy YA books. That said, there is something particularly good about reading new witchy YA books as the seasons begin to shift toward shorter days and nights. Lighting a candle and cracking open the windows to dig into a story about people who have magic

As the new school year kicks off — or is already in progress in many places — it’s worth taking a look at the states which have enacted laws that ban books. This guide is not comprehensive, but gives an overview of the legislation currently on the books that will impact how teachers and librarians

For the third year in a row, USDish.com is looking for a fan to watch 13 movies based on Stephen King novels. If selected, the fan will receive $1,300, a swag bag with a $350 value—which includes a FitBit—and tickets for the 2023 premier of Salem’s Lot. The only thing USDish.com asks in return is

Eastern Kentucky schools and libraries are still reeling from the effects of flash flooding that started on July 26. The flooding has not only killed 37 people, it’s also put already socioeconomically vulnerable areas at greater risk. The Letcher County school district superintendent shared one particularly devastating video of a school’s library that shows books

On August 22nd, the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District (GCISD) voted on a lengthy set of guidelines that included prohibitions against so-called “Critical Race Theory” in schools as well as chosen pronouns and promotion of “Gender Fluidity.” It’s been dubbed the “Don’t Say Trans” policy by some opponents. BREAKING: the Grapevine-Colleyville school district board (GCISD), my

Fantasy and paranormal romance are booming, the rom-com revival shows no signs of stopping and a new wave of angsty love stories is about to hit. This autumn will boast an absolute bounty of love stories.  Aphrodite and the Duke by J.J. McAvoyDell | August 23 And lo, the “Bridgerton”-inspired romance novels have arrived. J.J.

Florida’s election tomorrow, August 23, 2022, is a crucial one for schools across the state. Every school board has at least one seat on the ballot, and several counties also have additional school-related referendums up for vote. This election determines whether school board members will be outright elected–anyone earning over 50% of the vote will

As the last survivors of the horrors of World War II pass on to the next world, are we in danger of forgetting the Holocaust and therefore its salutary lesson for humanity? That’s the question that underpins this novel and it’s why the dual timeline works so well in David Hewson‘s latest engrossing mystery. We

Book four in Anthony Horowitz’s clever Hawthorne series feels like a non-starter. It begins with Horowitz, who is not only the narrator but is an active participant in the story, telling Daniel Hawthorne that he’s not interested in writing another book about the former Metropolitan police detective. He has other literary fish to fry, including

The 1980s revival has been going on in music since… well… around 1991, but long have we been looking forward to the literary equivalent here in the crime fiction genre. Step forward, Val McDermid, to lead the way and be the Kate Bush of the crime scene! The leading Scottish author’s 1989 is top of

Ava Glass is a new name to us here on Crime Fiction Lover. In fact, it’s the pseudonym for the successful and prolific British YA author Christi Daugherty, creator of the Night School and Number 10 series. The surname Glass even comes from a character in the Night School series. Daugherty became a crime fiction

Some of our most beloved, stalwart series return and a handful of promising sleuths make their debuts in the mysteries and thrillers we’re most excited to read this autumn. Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna RaybournBerkley | September 6 The author of the Veronica Speedwell series, which are easily some of the best historical

Women’s bodies have been policed since the beginning of time. Their bodies have been mutilated, terrorized, and objectified to fit the male gaze. Scientific facts are often blurred and dissolve into misconceptions. The way we view women’s bodies merely reflects the truth about them. Contemporary female writers through their works of nonfiction are trying to

If you can judge the health of a genre by the state of its independent publishing, then crime fiction is doing just fine. The American independent scene has never been healthier. Authors like Nick Kolakowski, Eric Beetner and Tom Pitts continue to deliver the goods with a pulp-inspired aesthetic which places a heavy emphasis on

Fantasy romance has gone fully mainstream, some of the brightest new voices are taking surprising new directions and vampires might be back? This fall’s science fiction and fantasy offerings are practically too good to be true. Babel by R.F. KuangHarper Voyager | August 23 R.F. Kuang’s standalone historical fantasy novel might be her most ambitious

In an interview with Vanity Fair, George R.R. Martin spoke about the new Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon, but he also commented on how he and his work is discussed online. Martin said he has “given up on any hope of predicting the end” of the Song of Ice and Fire

This contemporary noir novel takes a few pages to settle into, even if you’re familiar with the Cali hardboiled lingo it’s not easy to follow but persevere and it’s well worth it. Adam Frost has a distinctive voice, his narrator is a fascinating character and he has an intriguing take on a familiar theme in

Inspired by true events, The Half Life of Valery K takes readers to 1963 Soviet Russia, where a secret project threatens nuclear disaster. Scientist Valery Kolkhanov has spent years in a Siberian gulag focused only on his own day-to-day survival. When he is summoned for a special assignment, he assumes it will be his execution,

“This Advisory Notice shall serve to inform you that this book has been identified by some community members as unsuitable for students. This book will also be identified in the Destiny system with the same notation. The decision as to whether this book is suitable or unsuitable shall be the decision of the parent(s) who