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In honor of Booklist's fifth annual Mystery Month, please enjoy QUICK MENU this special selection of 33 free Booklist Online exclusive Mystery Exclusives reviews and two features which have been made available to Adult Nonfiction nonsubscribers as well as subscribers. Subscribers who have Adult Fiction Graphic Novels created a profile can access even more exclusive reviews below Youth Fiction and on Booklist Online! Audio Reference
SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER BOOKLIST ONLINE MYSTERY EXCLUSIVES
Second Looks
Cutter and Bone. Thornburg, Newton (author). Little, Brown.
Thornburg's 1976 thriller may be the quintessential cult crime classic. It's one of those books that isn't widely known today—it came and went at the time of its publication, reviewed well but never garnering widespread attention— but continues to be cited by other writers as groundbreaking (George Pelecanos wrote the glowing introduction to the 2001 reprint edition). >>read more
Death's Sweet Song / Whom Gods Destroy. Adams, Clifton (author). Stark House.
While the prolific Adams primarily wrote westerns, he did make a few forays into crime—only two under his own name, both of them Gold Medal paperbacks reprinted here. Both stories are set in the dusty small towns of the author's native Oklahoma. >>read more
Dogtown / Soultown. Lambert, Mercedes (author). Stark House.
"Logan’s narrative voice owes more than a little to Chandler’s Philip Marlowe, yet her outlook is both womanly and utterly contemporary. And though the setting would have been unrecognizable to Marlowe—the ethnic diaspora filling in the cracks as Tinseltown is torn down—he would have felt right at home in a city 'full of bad characters and quick to punish.'" Feature Articles
Great Reads: Crime Fiction Cult Classics By Keir Graff and Bill Ott
Now Accepting Applications
Some novels just never have a shot at big-time success. Devotees might say the books are too good to appeal to too many people, though the reality probably has less to do with quality than content. Whether the tone is too bleak, the sexuality too charged, or the reality too quotidian, some crime fiction just doesn't offer the kind of popular escapism that really makes cash registers ring (or beep or silently increase your credit-card balance). >>read more
They Wrote the Crime, They Did the Time: Five Mystery Authors Who've Seen the Inside of a Cell By Keir Graff
When Good Writers Go Bad
Some writers commit crimes against good taste, decency, and the English language, taking their punishment in bad reviews and lost sales. Then there are those writers who have committed actual crimes, breaking the social contract enforced by society's legal system. And for those crimes, they do hard time. >>read more
Adult Book Reviews
The Bad Wife. Seewald, Jacqueline (author). Perfect Crime.
Bird Box. Malerman, Josh (author). Ecco.
Black Chalk. Yates, Christopher J. (author). IPG/Random UK.
Black Rock. McFetridge, John (author). ECW.
"This is an extremely good crime novel, brimming with historical verisimilitude (it really feels like the story is happening in 1970 Montreal; the time and place aren't merely literary wallpaper), with a richly detailed protagonist and a seriously compelling mystery."
Blood Always Tells. Davidson, Hilary (author). Forge.
The Blood of Alexander. Wilde, Tom (author). Forge.
Bloom and Doom. Allen, Beverly (author). Berkley/Prime Crime.
Bone Dust White. Salvalaggio, Karin (author). Minotaur. "The sharp twists, idiosyncratic characters, and vivid setting should appeal to fans of C. J. Box and Nevada Barr. "
The Cat, the Devil and Lee Fontana. Murphy, Shirley Rousseau (author) and Pat J. J. Murphy (author). Morrow.
The Coal Black Asphalt Tomb. Handler, David (author). Minotaur/Thomas Dunne.
Dante's Poison. Raimondo, Lynne (author). Prometheus/Seventh Street.
Deadly Echoes. Donlay, Philip (author). Oceanview.
Death on Blackheath. Perry, Anne (author). Ballantine.
Hop Alley. Phillips, Scott (author). Counterpoint.
"Phillips mixes real events, period turns of phrase, a noirish sensibility, and a cast of murderous women, madmen, drunks, grifters, and fools into a wildly entertaining, perhaps sui generis, slumgullion that might well be closer to reality than readers would imagine."
The Inheritor. Wither, Tom (author). Turner.
Moving Day. Stone, Jonathan (author). Amazon/Thomas & Mercer.
Murder in Merino. Goldenbaum, Sally (author). Obsidian.
Murder in the Afternoon. Brody, Frances (author). Minotaur.
Murder on Bamboo Lane. Hirahara, Naomi (author). Berkley/Prime Crime.
"Like Hirahara's Edgar Award–winning Mas Arai series, this novel features insightful exploration of Los Angeles' Japanese American community and stars a perpetually underestimated protagonist, but Ellie's youthful perspective and two-wheeled perch are delightfully unique, sure to draw a wide range of readers, from young adults to seasoned police- procedural fans."
Murder on Insel Poel. Nelson, D-L (author). Five Star.
Panthers Play for Keeps. Simon, Clea (author). Poisoned Pen. The River of Souls. McCammon, Robert (author). Subterranean.
Shockwave. Vachss, Andrew (author). Pantheon.
"If you've ever sat next to someone, maybe in a bar, maybe at a family gathering, who speaks in a low, gruff voice, hinting at his shadowy past—the kind of person who makes you wonder if you've heard wrong, or if you've just led a really sheltered life—you'll know what the first-person narrator of this novel sounds like."
Thread End. Lee, Amanda (author). Obsidian.
Trigger Point. Law, Matthew (author). IPG/Hodder.
Trouble in Mind: The Collected Stories, v.3. Deaver, Jeffery (author). Grand Central.
"This new collection from the maestro of the plot twist is a no-brainer for fans of tightly plotted short fiction: a dozen stories (some of them previously published) that showcase Deaver's gifts for story construction, character design, and out-of-left-field surprises."
The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair. Dicker, Joel (author). Translated by Sam Taylor. Penguin.
The Zodiac Deception. Kriss, Gary (author). Forge.
Audio Reviews
Dust. Patricia Cornwell (author) Kate Reading (reader). Recorded Books.
Just One Evil Act. Elizabeth George (author) Davina Porter (reader). Recorded Books.
The Litter of the Law. Rita Mae Brown (author) Kate Forbes (reader). Recorded Books.
"Brown has a real sense of the region that the narrator highlights, but she does not forget the puzzling murders, the strange goings-on, or the frantic chaos of the hayride, and is able to pace the narration perfectly."
Rasputin's Shadow. Raymond Khoury (author) Richard Ferrone (reader). Recorded Books.
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BOOKLIST ONLINE EXCLUSIVE REVIEWS
Follow the links to view bibliographic information for 115 more Booklist Online exclusive reviews from this month alone. Subscribers who have created a profile can access the full text of these reviews, more than 8,000 in all, on Booklist Online. Want in? Start a new subscription today!
Adult - Nonfiction
Religion
All Roads Lead to Jerusalem: A Muslim Woman Looking for Hope and Answers in the West Bank. Jones, Jenny (author).
"This highly personal account of life in one of the most politically fraught regions in the world details a journey of self- reflection and personal growth and will appeal to a wide array of readers—not just religious minorities, but also anyone who has ever felt trapped by the choices they've made."
How God Became Jesus: The Real Origins of Belief in Jesus' Divine Nature. Bird, Michael F. (author) and Craig A. Evans (author) and others.
Social Sciences
The Brown Reader: 50 Writers Remember College Hill. Sternlight, Judy (editor).
Pragmatic Capitalism: What Every Investor Needs to Know about Money and Finance. Roche, Cullen (author).
Business
Supercommunicator: Explaining the Complicated in a Digital Age. Pietrucha, Frank J. (author).
Health and Medicine
Chemo-Therapist: How Cancer Cured a Marriage. Kenyon, Mary Potter (author).
The Ministry of Thin: How the Pursuit of Perfection Got Out of Control. Woolf, Emma (author).
Cookery
Almonds Every Which Way: More Than 150 Healthy & Delicious Almond Milk, Almond Flour, and Almond Butter Recipes. McLay, Brooke (author).
Arts
I Like You Just the Way I Am: Stories about Me and Some Other People. Mollen, Jenny (author).
Crafts
Quick Icelandic Knits: Sweaters, Hats, Socks, Mittens and More. Birgirsdottir, Gunn (author).
Literature
Will Not Attend: Lively Stories of Detachment and Isolation. Resnick, Adam (author).
"Resnick has a way of looking at life that will provoke lots of laughter, shame in the reader for laughing, and acute appreciation of Resnick's OCD-fueled exaggerations."
Geography, Travel, & Culture
The French House: An American Family, a Ruined Maison, and the Village That Restored Them All. Wallace, Don (author).
Adult - Fiction
General Fiction
Brutal Youth. Breznican, Anthony (author).
The Damned Utd. Peace, David (author).
"In anticipation of Peace's forthcoming Red or Dead, a novel about the legendary Bill Shankly's 15 years (1959–74) in charge of Liverpool, the publisher offers a first U.S. edition of this 2006 novel, which makes a perfect bookend with its fictionalized account of counterpart Brian Clough's turbulent 44-day tenure at Leeds United in 1974."
Down by the River. Stepp, Lin (author).
The Summer Wedding. Walker, Fiona (author).
Historical Fiction
The Sea Garden. Lawrenson, Deborah (author).
Romance
All I Want Is You. Blake, Toni (author).
Breaking Point. McKenna, Lindsay (author).
A Dream of Desire. Rowan, Nina (author).
It Happened One Wedding. James, Julie (author).
Meant to Be Mine. Wade, Becky (author).
No Sunshine When She's Gone. Angell, Kate (author).
"Angell's (No Strings Attached, 2013) return to the charming Florida oceanfront town of Barefoot William makes for a delightful summer read."
Risky Game. Solheim, Tracy (author).
The Scandalous Adventures of the Sister of the Bride. Alexander, Victoria (author).
Undetected. Henderson, Dee (author).
Until I Found You. Bylin, Victoria (author).
Horror
Forest Ghost. Masterton, Graham (author).
Graphic Novels
Adult
Reality Check. Brunswick, Glen (author). Illustrated by Viktor Bogdanovic.
Youth - Fiction
General Fiction
30 Days of No Gossip. Faris, Stephanie (author). Grades 6-9.
Albert the Muffin-Maker. May, Eleanor (author). Illustrated by Deborah Melmon. PreS-Grade 2. Always Jack. Gervay, Susanne (author). Illustrated by Cathy Wilcox. Grades 4-7.
Amelia Bedelia Goes Wild! Parish, Herman (author). Illustrated by Lynne Avril. Grades 1-3.
Annika Riz, Math Whiz. Mills, Claudia (author). Illustrated by Rob Shepperson. Grades 2-4.
Babar on Paradise Island. de Brunhoff, Laurent (author). Illustrated by Laurent de Brunhoff. PreS-Grade 2.
Bears in the Bath. Parenteau, Shirley (author). Illustrated by David Walker. PreS-K.
Big Nate: In the Zone. Peirce, Lincoln (author). Illustrated by Lincoln Peirce. Grades 3-6.
Big Pigs. Helakoski, Leslie (author). Illustrated by Leslie Helakoski. PreS-Grade 2.
Biscuit Loves the Library. Capucilli, Alyssa Satin (author). Illustrated by Pat Schories. PreS-K.
"It's hard to argue with this, or any, serving of Biscuit."
Bob and Rob. Pickford, Sue (author). Illustrated by Sue Pickford. PreS-Grade 3.
Cabin Girl. Butcher, Kristin (author). Grades 5-8.
Camp Rex. Idle, Molly (author). Illustrated by Molly Idle. K-Grade 2.
Don't Call Me Baby. Heasley, Gwendolyn (author). Grades 8-11.
Eliza Bing Is (Not) a Big, Fat Quitter. Van Vleet, Carmella (author). Illustrated by Karen Donnelly. Grades 3-6.
Eric's Big Day. Waters, Rod (author). Illustrated by Rod Waters. PreS-Grade 3.
Extra Innings. Barber, Tiki (author) and Ronde Barber (author) and others. Grades 4-6.
The Geese March in Step. Dumont, Jean-Francois (author). Illustrated by Jean-Francois Dumont. K-Grade 2.
The Great Big Green. Gifford, Peggy (author). Illustrated by Lisa Desimini. PreS-Grade 1.
The Greatest Star on Earth. Klise, Kate (author). Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise. Grades 2-4.
Heavy Hitters. Lupica, Mike (author). Grades 3-6.
Hurricane Boy. Dragon, Laura Roach (author). Grades 5-8. Jessica Finch in Pig Trouble. McDonald, Megan (author). Illustrated by Erwin Madrid. Grades 1-2.
Like Carrot Juice on a Cupcake. Sternberg, Julie (author). Illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Grades 2-4.
The Little Bear Book. Browne, Anthony (author). Illustrated by Anthony Browne. PreS-Grade 1.
Lost Girl Found. Bassoff, Leah (author) and Laura DeLuca (author). Grades 6-10.
"Groundwood Books plays a significant role in exposing American youth to global realities through many of its titles, such as those by Deborah Ellis, who draws from her work with women in Afghanistan and in refugee camps."
Lucky Dog: Twelve Tales of Rescued Dogs. Larson, Kirby (author) and Tui T. Sutherland (author) and others. Grades 3-5.
Mafia Girl. Blumenthal, Deborah (author). Grades 8-12.
Maisy Plays Soccer. Cousins, Lucy (author). Illustrated by Lucy Cousins. PreS-K.
May the Stars Drip Down. Chatelain, Jeremy (author). Illustrated by Nikki McClure. PreS-K.
Middle-School Cool. Williams, Maiya (author). Illustrated by Karl Edwards. Grades 4-6.
My Life as a Joke. Tashjian, Janet (author). Illustrated by Jake Tashjian. Grades 4-7.
Naughty Kitty! Stower, Adam (author). Illustrated by Adam Stower. Grade 1.
Operation Fireball. Farber, E. S. (author). Grades 3-6.
Penguin in Peril. Hancocks, Helen (author). Illustrated by Helen Hancocks. PreS-Grade 1.
Pom and Pim. Landstrom, Lena (author). Illustrated by Olof Landstrom. Translated by Julia Marshall. PreS.
Poppy the Pirate Dog's New Shipmate. Kessler, Liz (author). Illustrated by Mike Phillips. K-Grade 3.
Puddle Pug. Norman, Kim (author). Illustrated by Keika Yamaguchi. PreS-K.
"Through playful, alliterative sentences, as well as simple rhyme, Norman carries children, alongside Percy, on a curious journey to define home—and the 'perfect puddle.' A read-aloud that charmingly explores the depths of friendship, security, and community."
The Rockabilly Goats Gruff. Crosby, Jeff (author). Illustrated by Jeff Crosby. PreS-Grade 2. Ruthie and the (Not So) Very Busy Day. Rankin, Laura (author). Illustrated by Laura Rankin. PreS-Grade 1.
Sadie's Lag Ba'Omer Mystery. Korngold, Jamie (author). Illustrated by Julie Fortenberry. PreS-Grade 3.
Screaming at the Ump. Vernick, Audrey (author). Grades 5-8.
The Secret Side of Empty. Andreu, Maria E. (author). Grades 9-12.
"With immigration reform a hot-button issue across the country, this book couldn't be timelier. Written with the compassion and raw emotions of one who has lived in the shadows herself, Andreu's debut offering is a winner."
Secrets of the Seasons: Orbiting the Sun in Our Backyard. Zoehfeld, Kathleen Weidner (author). Illustrated by Priscilla Lamont. K-Grade 2.
Too Cool for School. Dean, James (author). Illustrated by James Dean. PreS-Grade 1.
The Summer of Letting Go. Polisner, Gae (author). Grades 9-12.
Thomas the Toadilly Terrible Bully. Levy, Janice (author). Illustrated by Bill Slavin. PreS-Grade 2.
Three Bears in a Boat. Soman, David (author). Illustrated by David Soman. PreS-Grade 2.
Toe Shoe Mouse. Carr, Jan (author). Illustrated by Jennifer Bell. K-Grade 2.
Until Daddy Comes Home. Metivier, Gary (author). Illustrated by Robert Rath. K-Grade 3.
Up in the Air at the Fair. Lin, Amy Hsu (author). Illustrated by Rick Farley. K-Grade 1.
The Very Fairy Princess: Graduation Girl! Andrews, Julie (author) and Emma Walton Hamilton (author). Illustrated by Christine Davenier. PreS-K.
Violet Mackerel's Possible Friend. Branford, Anna (author). Illustrated by Elanna Allen. Grades 1-3.
Watch Out for the Crocodile. Moroni, Lisa (author). Illustrated by Eva Eriksson. PreS-Grade 2.
Why Blue? Tuininga, Josh (author). Illustrated by Josh Tuininga. PreS-Grade 2.
Wind Dancer. Platt, Chris (author). Grades 5-8.
Zits: Shredded. Scott, Jerry (author). Illustrated by Jim Borgman. Grades 7-10.
"The teen crew of the Zits comic strip—at least the male members Jeremy, Hector, and the aptly named Pierce—roar off on a road trip in their veggie-oil- guzzling minivan in this second and even more hilarious story, following Zits: Chillax (2013)."
Historical Fiction
Bad Luck Girl. Zettel, Sarah (author). Grades 7-10.
The Bambino and Me. Hyman, Zachary (author). Illustrated by Zachary Pullen. Grades 2-4.
Brother Hugo and the Bear. Beebe, Katy (author). Illustrated by S. D. Schindler. Grades 1-3.
Fools' Gold. Gregory, Philippa (author). Illustrated by Fred van Deelen. Grades 8-11.
Papa Chagall, Tell Us a Story. Anholt, Laurence (author). Illustrated by Laurence Anholt. K-Grade 3.
Soldier Doll. Gold, Jennifer (author). Grades 6-9.
"Gold's gentle prose and well-defined characters from each era make the complicated plot easy to navigate, and enough historical context is provided to bring to life each stop on the doll's journey without overwhelming the reader with detail."
Togo. Klimo, Kate (author). Illustrated by Tim Jessell. Grades 3-5.
The World Outside. Wiseman, Eva (author). Grades 7-10.
Ziggy's Big Idea. Long, Ilana (author). Illustrated by Rasa Joni. PreS-Grade 2.
Romance
Fool Me Twice. Hubbard, Many (author). Grades 8-10.
The Last Best Kiss. LaZebnik, Claire (author). Grades 8-11.
Action/Adventure
I Am the Flash. Sazaklis, John (author). Illustrated by Steven E. Gordon.Grades 1-3.
Itch Rocks. Mayo, Simon (author). Grades 5-8.
SF/Fantasy
Alliance. Frost, Mark (author). Grades 7-10.
Camelot Burning. Rose, Kathryn (author). Grades 6-9.
Chantress Alchemy. Greenfield, Amy Butler (author). Grades 8-12.
Cruel Beauty. Hodge, Rosamund (author). Grades 8-11.
Darkbound. Tracey, Scott (author). Grades 8-11.
Fluff Dragon. Clark, Platte F. (author). Grades 5-8.
Hopper and Wilson Fetch a Star. van Lieshout, Maria (author). Illustrated by Maria van Lieshout. PreS-Grade 2.
Meridian. McQuein, Josin L. (author). Grades 7-10.
The Quayside Cat. Forward, Toby (author). Illustrated by Ruth Brown. K-Grade 3.
The Shadow Prince. Despain, Bree (author). Grades 8-11.
Song of the Golden Hare. Morris, Jackie (author). Illustrated by Jackie Morris. K-Grade 3.
The Unbound. Schwab, Victoria (author). Grades 7-11.
Scary Stories
The Cellar. Preston, Natasha (author). Grades 9-12.
Audio
Adult Nonfiction
Still Foolin' 'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys. Billy Crystal (author) and Billy Crystal (reader).
"Authentic, straight from the heart, filled with irresistible humor, nostalgia, and insights, this bravura performance hits a home run for Crystal and audiobook fans."
Reference
Critical Insights: Midwestern Literature. Primeau, Ronald (editor). Encyclopedia of Environmental Change. 3v. Matthews, John A. (editor).
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