IYCRMM These three novels are fine examples of bringing AI, the magic of words, and linguistic puzzles into the mystery/thriller conversation. In the Blink of An Eye by Jo Callaghan Winner of the John Creasy New Blood Dagger Award 2024, this first novel from Callaghan deftly explores the scenario...
The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks; The God of the Woods by Liz Moore; and Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks Set in an alternative steampunk 1899, this novel is, at its core, an adventure saga that...
Romance doesn’t always have to be a couple in love. It can be about grand gestures, affinity to an era, and making things count in a larger than life manner. These novels “bleed” romance—and in good ways. 'The Bleeding' by Johana Gustawsson; 'Or What You Will' by Jo Walton; 'The Whalebone...
Book reviews on Bournville, Molly and the Captain, Secret Lives, Bleeding Heart Yard, The Aosawa Family Jonathan Coe and Anthony Quinn clock in with two magnificent novels—Coe’s storyline takes on the last 75 years of UK history, while Quinn muses on art, time, and love. The other three novels...
IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND: A lot of impressive crime fiction comes from the pens of female authors—just think back to Agatha Christie Here are two contemporary writers carving out their own names. Plus we have two male writers, one steeped in wry humor and one who gives the sub-genre of LA noir...
IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND: If you’re looking for books that can serve as traveling companions, here are four new novels that take storytelling to new heights. Garmus’ novel is historical women empowerment, while Goddard’s is dependable crime fiction. Chao has her own take on the immigrant...
Whether moving back in time to provide engaging historical fiction, or traveling at warp speed to an alternate near future or present, and throwing cautionary tales our way—these four novels know how to elucidate, teach us something new, and entertain. Plants and highway men ‘The Plant...
IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND: Two of the novels reviewed here are brilliant examples of where sci-fi today is taking us; and there are two detective mysteries that similarly show the broad range of the genre Sci-fi tales in fantasy worlds ‘Mickey 7’ by Edward Ashton The first big news about this...
If You Could Read My Mind: Today we review three brilliantly rendered mysteries, each deserving of our attention for different reasons. And the fourth novel is a hilarious but pithy satire set in medieval times—but all about today. Modern mysteries ‘The Twyford Code’ by Janice Hallett Just as...
IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND: The four novels today include fine examples of historical fiction, and of how crime fiction today can blend both actual cases in history, and/or humor to great effect. Enjoy! Of thieves and triflers ‘The Perfume Thief’ by Timothy Schaffert Set mainly in the Paris of...
IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND: The four novels today are great, truly original reads One of the novels is the latest from Anthony Doerr, who authored “All the Light We Cannot See,” while Graeme Burnet was previously Booker shortlisted for “His Bloody Project.” A Japanese cat-novel about...
If You Could Read My Mind: Today, we have novels that excel in worldbuilding—whether it be the past, or a sci-fi near-future—and two that bring us humor while operating within the genre of crime fiction. Works of worldbuilding ‘The Lincoln Highway’ by Amor Towles A new novel by Amor Towles...
