Hi, mystery fans! Apples Never Fall, adapted from Liane Moriarty’s novel, starts tomorrow (March 14th) on Peacock. I really enjoyed the book, and while I’m not thrilled they moved the setting out of Australia, I’m excited to watch it — especially for Annette Bening.
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Bookish Goods
New Releases
Watch Where They Hide (Jordan Manning #2) by Tamron Hall
For fans of journalist leads and solving missing person cases!
Jordan Manning is a Chicago news reporter who is now even more known after solving what started out as a missing girl case. It’s why Shelly comes to Jordan: her sister Marla disappeared after leaving her kid at school. She knows her sister Marla would never leave without her child, and she’s staying with Shelly after having left her verbally abusive husband. Jordan is once again on a case!
If you want to start at the beginning of the series, pick up As the Wicked Watch!
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
For fans of fictional true crime podcasts, hilarious grandma, sarcasm, and rooting for a main character who doesn’t know if they are a murderer or not!
Lucy and Savvy grew up best friends in a small Texas town — until a handful of years ago, while in their twenties, Savvy was murdered, and Lucy was found covered in blood with amnesia. Many are certain Lucy killed Savvy, but Lucy herself has no idea. After her life in L.A. implodes, she finally accepts her spitfire of a grandma’s invitation to come home to visit, and that’s where she finds the host of a true crime podcast digging into Lucy’s story. The question is, who will get to the truth first?
I inhaled the galley for this one last year and thought it would be one of the best mysteries of 2024. It’s paced really well, with dark humor and plenty of twists.
(TW brief diet culture/ domestic violence/ side character alcoholism/ brief recount that alludes to non-consenting)
Looking for more new releases? Check out our New Books newsletter!
Riot Recommendations
If you’re a fan of mystery/thriller novels blended with paranormal, here are two recent releases for you!
Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa
For fans of historical, slow-burn mysteries and a main character trying to prove a family member’s innocence!
Set in Ceylon (19th century Sri Lanka), we meet Amara Akki, the daughter of the village’s demon-priest, Thaththa. But British Colonizers have brought Christianity and the idea of witchcraft, which has turned the villagers away from Thaththa. It’s why when a series of murders occur, they accuse Thaththa of being a demon worshiper and accuse him of the murders, instead of seeking his help. Now Amara has to clear her father’s name by investigating herself…
One Last Breath by Ginny Myers Sain
For fans of sapphic YA, solving decades-old unsolved murders, free diving, and new-to-town sleuths!
Trulee lives in Mount Orange, Florida, and is spending her summer working at the local newspaper and free diving before college starts. The latter is where she meets Rio, who is new to town. They come together with their obsession to solve a 20-year murder mystery: teens Bailey and Celeste were murdered decades before, their bodies found in their campsite. The problem is, the more Trulee and Rio investigate, the more they fear they’ve made themselves the next target…
News and Roundups
3 great British TV crime shows you need to watch in March 2024
See Lily Gladstone and Riley Keough in Hulu’s Crime Drama Under the Bridge
8 Sapphic outlaw movies get you in the mood for Love Lies Bleeding
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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