Hi fellow mystery fans! Whether you’re looking forward to the holidays, hiding from family in the pantry, or having a hard time and waiting for this season–and year–to pass already (huge hug to you) you’ll probably turn to some entertainment during this time off. With that in mind here are some things to watch, listen to, and read. And remember be kind to each other, but also to yourself.
Sponsored byThe Graphic Canon of Crime & Mystery, edited by Russ Kick from Seven Stories Press.
From James M. Cain to Stephen King, from Sophocles to the Marquis de Sade to Iceberg Slim, here are stunning and sometimes macabre visualizations of some of the greatest crime and mystery stories of all time. Rick Geary brings his crisp style to Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment; C. Frakes resurrects the forgotten novella “Talma Gordon,” the first mystery written by an African American. Crime finds new life in these graphic renditions of The Arabian Nights, the Bible, James Joyce’s Dubliners, Patricia Highsmith, and leading mystery writers of today like Jo Nesbø. Crime and mystery have never been so brilliantly reimagined.
(TW: sexual assault) For fans of Tana French‘s procedurals, Netflix has three seasons of Broadchurch, a small town mystery show where two detectives (a town resident and an outsider) are forced to work together. In the first season, they’re trying to solve the murder of a boy as we get to know the town’s residents; the second season follows the fallout from the first case, while also bringing to the small town one of the detective’s previous cases; the third season starts with a woman who has been raped. If you’re a fan of British series, don’t miss this one–the characters and acting are fantastic, and the slow build always has great conclusions. (Watch the s1 trailer)
With my recent reading-hits of mysteries set in India (The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra; A Rising Man; The Widows of Malabar Hill) I’m looking forward to a new addition to Netflix: The Indian Detective. In this 4-part series, Russell Peters plays a Canadian cop who, while on suspension, visits his father in Mumbai and finds himself investigating a case. (Watch the trailer)
I’m also planning on watching Netflix’s Bright (12/22), starring Will Smith, since the trailer reminded me of my love for authors like Lauren Beukes who mix crime, procedural, and sci-fi/fantasy. I’ve found myself mostly watching series lately so it’ll be nice to watch a film where everything, hopefully, wraps up in 90 minutes.
And if you still haven’t gotten around to watching Elementary, I very much recommend you give it a try, especially if you’re looking for a long binge. It’s streaming on Hulu, and you can read my past review.
Or if you want a four part series where each part feels like a movie, and you’re looking to follow a Cuban detective, Four Seasons in Havana (based on Leonardo Padura‘s series) is streaming on Netflix. You can read my past review here.
If podcasts are more your thing: I’m halfway through Deadly Manners and really enjoying this murder mystery dinner party à la Clue, à la And Then There Were None, à la radio plays. Set in the ’50s, the Billings family is throwing a dinner party and while Mrs. Billings (Kristen Bell) wants everything to be perfect, dead bodies and a murderer amongst them is gonna put a damper on her wishes. If you’re a fan of LeVar Burton, Kristen Bell, satire, and dark-comedies, give this one a try. (If you startle easily be prepared for sudden breaking glass noises.)
Links:
Book Riot is giving away TWENTY of our favorite reads of 2017 so that’s a giveaway you probably most definitely want to enter!
One Rioter can’t say no to murder mysteries but immediately hits the brakes if there is a serial killer.
Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock series–which I keep raving about because I love it so (here, and here)–will have the release of the 3rd book in fall of 2018 and October can’t come fast enough!
Jennifer Lawrence will produce and star in the adaptation of Hannah Kent’s Burial Rights, a historical crime fiction based on the true story of a woman accused of murder in 1800s Iceland.
Derek Haas’ Silver Bear book series, about a hitman, will be adapted.
AMAZING Kindle Deals:
The Immortals (Olympus Bound #1) by Jordanna Max Brodsky is $4.99 (The 3d in the trilogy releases in 2018 and here’s my review for the 2nd book in the series)
Jane Harper’s The Dry is $4.99 if this isn’t your first time around here you know it’s on my Best Mysteries of 2017 list!
ALSO on my Best of list is Karin Slaughter’s The Good Daughter which is $3.99 (all the trigger warnings)
And Broken Harbor, the 4th book in Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad, is $1.99 (Here is Jessica Woodbury’s preferred order of reading the series which starts with Broken Harbor.)
Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And if you like to put a pin in things here’s an Unusual Suspects board.
Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, and Litsy–you can find me under Jamie Canaves.