Category: Crime

A Beautiful Way to Die by Eleni Kyriacos is a pacy, razor-sharp thriller that peels back the glamorous façade of 1950s Hollywood and Ealing Studios to reveal a world just as corrupt, but on a smaller, more insidious scale.

Kyriacos contrasts the excess and power plays of Hollywood with the quieter yet equally treacherous workings of the British film industry. The characters are richly drawn, with relationships that shift and unravel in fascinating ways. Ginny Watkins and Stella Hope are compelling leads, caught in a tangled web of ambition, betrayal, and survival. The narrative weaves their stories together, with moments of brilliant misdirection that build toward surprising twists and a satisfying conclusion.

This novel is a must-read for fans of classic Hollywood noir, historical thrillers, and stories that explore the darker side of fame. With its intoxicating atmosphere and sharp storytelling, A Beautiful Way to Die is as seductive as the world it portrays—glittering on the surface but filled with danger just beneath.

I almost put Murder Mindfully down after the first couple of chapters, but I’m glad I didn’t. Karsten Dusse weaves a clever and unconventional plot that blends self-improvement with crime in a way that’s both darkly comedic and oddly satisfying.

Björn, the lead character, starts off as incredibly frustrating—his rigid, almost passive approach to life makes him difficult to root for at first. But as he embraces mindfulness (in the most unconventional way possible), he becomes surprisingly engaging. His journey from overworked lawyer to… well, mindful murderer, is absurd yet strangely logical within the book’s world.

The plot unfolds in a fairly predictable manner, but that doesn’t take away from the enjoyment. The way mindfulness principles are twisted into justifications for cold-blooded efficiency is both unsettling and amusing. The humor is sharp, at times edgy, and adds to the book’s unique tone.

Overall, Murder Mindfully is an entertaining, offbeat read that offers an amusingly twisted take on both personal growth and crime fiction. If you enjoy dark humor and don’t mind a protagonist whose moral compass is… flexible, this book is worth the read.

Reading Farewell, Amethystene feels like catching up with an old friend after years apart—familiar yet full of surprises. Walter Mosley once again delivers a richly layered mystery, steeped in history, moral complexity, and the unshakable presence of Easy Rawlins himself. Now 50, Easy is a man who has survived against all odds, building a life of stability and success. But when Amethystene Stoller reappears, pulling him into an investigation that stirs up ghosts from his past, that hard-won balance is thrown into question.

I enjoyed the interplay between characters, particularly the ever-compelling Fearless Jones, whose presence adds both tension and camaraderie. Mosley’s signature prose remains as evocative as ever, immersing the reader in the shifting landscape of 1970s Los Angeles, where social change simmers beneath the surface of every encounter. The way Mosley intertwines racial politics, personal history, and crime noir is masterful, making every conversation and revelation feel weighty and significant.

The plot itself is intricate, and while the journey is mesmerizing, the resolution left me with lingering questions. At times, I wasn’t sure I fully understood all the twists and turns, but that didn’t take away from the impact of the story. Like many of the best noir tales, it’s less about the neatness of the ending and more about the atmosphere, the moral reckoning, and the evolution of its characters.

Farewell, Amethystene is another strong entry in the Easy Rawlins series, proving that even after all these years, Easy remains one of crime fiction’s most compelling figures. A must-read for longtime fans and newcomers alike.

Ajay Chowdhury delivers another gripping, atmospheric thriller with The Shadow. Detective Kamil Rahman’s latest case takes him back to Mumbai, where a string of gruesome murders—starting with a British engineer found pierced by eighteen arrows—pulls him into a tangled web of revenge, superstition, and corruption.

The book brings Mumbai to life in vivid detail, from its bustling streets to the stark realities of the slums, immersing the reader in both its beauty and its brutality. Kamil and his sharp-witted partner Anjoli make for an engaging duo, and their dynamic adds both depth and moments of levity to the dark and twisted mystery at hand. The interplay between the supernatural elements—an ominous family curse—and the stark reality of cold-blooded murder keeps the tension high and the pages turning.

Chowdhury masterfully balances action, suspense, and character development, leading to a satisfyingly neat finish that ties up the mystery while leaving the reader eager for more.

Mick Herron delivers again—The Secret Hours is a masterclass in spy fiction, weaving tension, intrigue, and razor-sharp wit into a gripping thriller. Set on the fringes of the Slow Horses universe, this novel peels back layers of backstory while standing strong as a brilliant espionage tale in its own right.

From the first page, Herron’s signature style is on full display: darkly comic, endlessly twisty, and packed with characters who are as flawed as they are fascinating. The story follows the long-running Monochrome inquiry, a frustrating investigation into the intelligence services that suddenly finds itself with an unexpected breakthrough—the elusive OTIS file. What follows is a thrilling chase through buried secrets, past betrayals, and a present that refuses to let the past rest.

The writing crackles with tension, the plot unfolds with masterful precision, and just when you think you know where it’s going, Herron pulls the rug out from under you. If you love intelligent, unpredictable spy thrillers, The Secret Hours is an absolute must-read.

Greg Iles is usually a fantastic writer, but Sleep No More is an absolute mess. What starts as a promising thriller quickly devolves into a bizarre, supernatural possession story that feels completely out of place. The premise had potential, but instead of a gripping psychological mystery, we get a plot that stretches believability past the breaking point.

The characters are frustrating, the pacing drags, and the supernatural elements feel forced rather than compelling. I kept reading, hoping it would redeem itself, but it never did. If you enjoy Iles’ usual blend of suspense and deep character work, skip this one—it’s nothing but over-the-top nonsense.

Sherry Rankin’s The Killing Plains is an engaging mystery that keeps you guessing. Set in the small town of Crescent Bluff, where everyone knows each other—and everyone has something to hide—the story weaves together past and present crimes in a way that feels both intricate and believable.

Detective Colly Newland is a strong, relatable protagonist, navigating not only a complex case but also personal ties that make her investigation even more challenging. The pacing is steady, with just enough misdirection to keep things interesting without feeling forced. The final reveal is unexpected but well-earned, with clues placed subtly throughout.

Rankin’s writing draws you into the setting and characters without over-explaining, letting the suspense build naturally. A solid debut novel, and I’ll definitely be looking forward to what she writes next.

With the explosion of new Sherlock Holmes novels now that the stories are out of copyright, The Serpent Under by Bonnie MacBird is another addition to the growing list. While it captures the character of Holmes and Watson well, it ultimately feels unexceptional.

The plot interweaves multiple cases—murder, political intrigue, and espionage—taking Holmes and Watson across a variety of settings, from Windsor Castle to the London docks. Unfortunately, despite the promise of these interlocking mysteries, the story never fully delivers on suspense or deduction. The final resolution feels more like a “rabbit out of the hat” than a satisfying unraveling of clues.

MacBird does a solid job with characterization, and fans of the Great Detective may appreciate her take on Holmes and Watson’s dynamic. However, if you’re looking for a truly compelling Holmes mystery, you’d be better off re-reading the originals.

Cory Doctorow’s Picks & Shovels is a charming coming-of-age story set against the chaotic birth of the San Francisco tech scene in the 1980s. It follows Martin Hench, an MIT dropout turned forensic accountant, as he navigates the high-stakes world of Silicon Valley before it became the empire we know today. The novel is part cyber-thriller, part noir, and part historical fiction—blending them all into a propulsive, thought-provoking ride.

Doctorow brings to life an era when computing was the Wild West, where idealism and cutthroat capitalism clashed in equal measure. The tech moguls here aren’t just greedy businessmen—they’re gangsters, priests, and rabbis, wielding both power and morality in ways that blur the lines between right and wrong. The novel doesn’t just paint a nostalgic picture of the past but also hints at the forces that shaped today’s tech industry.

Martin’s journey from hired gun to true believer is compelling to follow, especially as he falls in with the rebellious women of Computing Freedom, a scrappy startup trying to take on an entrenched, corrupt system. The tension escalates beautifully, with Doctorow layering in corporate espionage, betrayal, and a genuine sense of danger. The stakes feel real, and the pacing never drags.

For me it was a bonus that the book occasionally delved into explanations of early computing and financial sleight-of-hand.

Picks & Shovels is a must for anyone who loves tech history, anti-establishment thrillers, or simply a well-told tale of underdogs fighting against impossible odds. Doctorow has delivered a story that’s as smart as it is entertaining.