Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia was one of the most anticipated books of the summer. It’s a Gothic novel with classic creepiness, and although it’s a bit slow at times — as Gothic novels can be due to the element… Read More ›
Book review
Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby
This is a mystery/thriller in the noir tradition that takes you out of the city and into rural black America, specifically the southeast where blacks and whites might coexist, but slavery and the confederacy still linger.
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
Thanks to The Book of the Month Club, I just read my first Riley Sager novel and it was such a treat.* Home Before Dark is Sager’s forth novel. His prior novels are Final Girls, The Last Time I Lied,… Read More ›
Book Review: You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce
This is a quick note to tell you about a fantastic new novel I read and reviewed for Criminal Element. YOU LET ME IN by Camilla Bruce is a brilliant debut that effortlessly combines diverse literary traditions, from domestic drama… Read More ›
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
What vampire fan can resist such a title? Not me. The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires is Grady Hendrix’s fifth book in the horror tradition. He’s also a screenwriter and has a slew of articles to his name…. Read More ›
The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott
I picked up an ARC of this book last year at BookExpo 2019. I thought it would be one of the first books I read when I got home but instead, it sat on my shelf for almost a year… Read More ›
One Moonlit Night by Caradog Prichard
One Moonlit Night is the joint read for the 2020 Wales Readathon. Caradog Prichard (1904-1980) wrote the novel in his first language, a Welsh dialect of north-west Wales. It was published in 1961 and wasn’t translated into English until 1995… Read More ›
Epic Solitude by Katherine Keith
As a lover of solitude, I was drawn to this book by its title and then the cover cinched the deal. My dog Bea is a retired sled dog and I thought it would be interesting to get a glimpse… Read More ›
The Companion by Kim Taylor Blakemore
Earlier this week I shared my review of The Hollows, a historical mystery set in 1920s Ohio. Today we’re in 1855 New Hampshire with The Companion by Kim Taylor Blakemore. The Companion is the tale of Lucy Blunt, a poor… Read More ›
The Hollows by Jess Montgomery
In last week’s reading update I mentioned that I’d enjoyed Jess Montgomery’s new historical mystery, The Hollows. It was the last book I started in 2019 and was just released last Tuesday (January 14, 2020). This is the second book… Read More ›