Hi, mystery fans! Fantastic news (do we even get to say that lately anymore?!): Nimona is now on YouTube FOR FREE to watch. It’s gorgeous and hilarious and will hit you in all the feels — it more than deserves the Oscar nomination. And I’ll just keep saying that streamers are leaving a ton of money on the table by not releasing, at the very least, DVDs after a certain amount of time.
2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!
Bookish Goods
Bookworm Cat Enamel Pin by SoulCatStudio
Look at this pudding pop hugging its book and carrying a book purse! ($11)
New Releases
A Step Past Darkness by Vera Kurian
For fans of returning back to a hometown where a past mystery remains involving a group of childhood friends, a bit of the supernatural, and a giant nod to a huge classic book (not gonna say in case of spoilers!).
In the ’90s, six teens went to a party in a coal mine, and after what they witnessed, they were never the same again. They all escape the town and don’t speak for twenty years — until now, when Jia, one of the original six who has been dealing with visions, is called to return home to help with a missing person case. Jia helps and ends up finding one of the original six dead. It’s evident that the five remaining “friends” must return to town and once again join together to rid the town of evil…
If you like revenge thrillers, definitely pick up Kurian’s debut, Never Saw Me Coming!
The Rumor Game by Thomas Mullen
For fans of historical fiction (WWII, Boston) with dual POV, including an FBI agent and a reporter!
Anne Lemire is a reporter for the Boston Star, writing a gossip column and recently using it to look at antisemitic attacks, including one involving her brother. Special Agent Devon Mulvey, whom Anne knew in childhood, ends up teaming up with her when her brother’s attack and Devon’s dead factory worker case intersect. They’ll face organized crime and domestic fascists as they try to solve their cases and dabble in a relationship.
Looking for more new releases? Check out our New Books newsletter!
Riot Recommendations
Here are two fun middle grade series with a bit of quirkiness that I think read well for all ages.
Goldie Vance: The Hotel Whodunit by Lilliam Rivera
This entire series has a great setting and wonderful characters. Goldie Vance works as a valet at the Florida hotel her father manages — her mom is a local performing mermaid! — where her bestie also works, and she has a crush on the girl working at the record store. But Goldie’s main focus is always having her sights set on becoming the in-house detective! The mystery this time (kicks off about halfway through) is a monster movie being filmed where a swim cap with diamonds goes missing, and Goldie’s mom, one of the actresses, is accused!
This series takes the graphic novels’ characters (Goldie Vance Vol. 1, which I highly recommend) and creates new mysteries in novel form. But you don’t need to have read the graphic novels to read the novels (Rivera does a great job of introducing the characters and setting), and each novel in the series is a self-contained story, including the sequel Goldie Vance: The Hocus-Pocus Hoax. I hope there is more to come: the universe and characters are a delight.
The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln, Claire Powell (Illustrator)
Shenanigan Swift got her name (along with sisters Phenomena and Felicity) in a most curious way: the family dictionary is used on the day they’re born to pick their name with the belief that they will grow into the word’s definition. As you can imagine, Shenanigan is having a bit of a struggle at the moment with the question of destiny vs free will related to her name and who she is and will be. But Shenanigan is also about to solve a murder mystery with her sisters and cousin Erf when a family reunion takes a turn…
This is a fun book that takes a look at words and has zany characters. Plus, Nikki Patel does a delightful narration on the audiobook. I’m looking forward to the sequel, The Swifts: A Gallery of Rogues, releasing in late August.
News and Roundups
Richard Osman teases exciting news and updates for Thursday Murder Club
West Virginia House Passes Bill Allowing Prosecution of Librarians
Catch Will Trent on Tuesdays at its new time for season 2
7 best shows like True Detective to watch right now
Browse the books recommended in Unusual Suspects’ previous newsletters on this shelf. See upcoming 2024 releases and mysteries from 2023. Check out this Unusual Suspects Pinterest board and get Tailored Book Recommendations!
Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy — you can find me under Jamie Canavés.
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