Tag: Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller Page 3 of 63

DETAILS:
 Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: January 27, 2026
Format: Hardcover
Length: 284 pg.
Read Date: January 28-29, 2026

Short Novels?

Let’s address this thing that’s been irking me. The title page calls these “Six Short Novels.”

Nope. Just nope.

I know, there are no hard and fast rules about length of a novel, novella, etc. But five of these works clock in around 40 pages. That is not—no way, no how—a novel.

The sixth, “Collision,” is around 90 pages. I’ll buy that as a novella—or a “short novel.” But even that feels like stretching things too much.

Just had to get that off of my chest—it’s been bugging me since I read the Table of Contents.

Also, that’s the last negative you’re going to see in this post.

What’s The Final Score?

Don Winslow un-retires with this stunning collection of six crime stories. Beyond that, it’s hard to describe them all as a group—they all differ in tone, voice, side of the law, style, and how much you’d like to see the protagonist punished/get away with something.

The Final Score

We start off with the “title track”—a story about a man who’s made a career of robbery, trying to go for his final score to provide for his wife as his career is ending. There’s something sweet about it (if you ignore all the felonies and risks to human life).

But there are surprises waiting for him.

This is a solid start to the book—I liked the characters, the pacing, and story. It’s not Winslow’s best, but I’m not complaining about it.

The Sunday List

This is only a crime story by technicality. But whatever it is, I really enjoyed it.

In the shadow of the Vietnam draft, Nick, a teenager with ambition beyond the hippie life his parents live, works hard to make it to college—and will do all sorts of things to get the money for it. Even if that means crossing a few lines.

The North Wing

There’s an old-school mafia vibe to this story. Family ties are tested when a police officer’s cousin gets into legal trouble.

There are so many beats in this story that feel familiar—even if only from Winslow’s oeuvre. But there’s a freshness to it, and Winslow’s ability to make you care about anything that separates this from the familiar.

True Story

Remember the part in Goodfellas where Henry Hill tells us all the names and nicknames of the men he works with? Imagine if that went on for pages and pages—with some digressions for stories about some of the men with those monikers.

In something that feels like it could’ve been a comic-relief in The Sopranos, this features two guys with some sort of mob ties in an extended conversation over breakfast. They’re basically gossiping about various men they know—what they’ve been up to lately, where their nickname comes from, and whatnot.

It was ridiculously fun—and every time you start to think that the shtick might be getting tired, they say something else that makes you get over it.

I strongly suggest making sure that you have enough time to finish this one before you start it—the end of my lunch break interrupted things for me, and it took a little too much effort to get back into the flow of things when I got home. But it was so worth it.

If it weren’t for the next story, I’d say it was the most entertaining entry in the collection.

The Lunch Break

But in any collection featuring Winslow’s Dawn Patrol, just about everything else is going to pale in comparison—at least for me. Boone is hired to watch over a movie star to keep her from getting carried away with drugs, drink, carousing, or anything else that will derail filming of her current film. He brings along Dave the Love God and High Tide to provide around-the-clock observation.

Things get wild from there.

“She sounds like trouble, bruddah.”

“She’s about five-three, can’t go more than a buck-five,” Dave said. “How much trouble could she be?”

Now he knows.

Bad things come in small packages.

This might be my favorite Dawn Patrol story since the first novel. (in a perfect world, Winslow’s next collection would be all his short Dawn Patrol stories with a few new ones thrown in)

Collision

The crowning achievement of the book. From the beginning you can tell that things are going too well, and that just can’t last.

And it doesn’t. What comes next will cause your stomach to drop. Your blood pressure to spike. Your heart to come close to breaking (if not further). I don’t know what to say that won’t take away from the experience for you—and I don’t want to do that.

It’s just so good.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

When I decided that I want to start talking about this kind of thing, I didn’t really think it through. Sometimes, it’s just this simple.

I picked it up because: Don Winslow.

I kept reading because: Don Winslow.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

One thing that seems prominent through all of these stories (with one possible exception) is the human potential, if not propensity, to change.

It’s not always going to be for the best—or even for the better. Sometimes change will just be change. Sometimes change will be for the detriment of the person doing the changing—or those they love.

But the characters in this book are not static, even in these short pages, they evolve, they develop, they show that whatever their lives may be like at one point in their life (not always in their youth), they can—through their choices and actions (frequently pushed by choices and actions of others), their stories, their lives, are not set in stone—they can change the direction they head in.

It’s both inspiring and a warning.

So, what did I think about The Final Score?

Reed Farrel Coleman pays tribute to Winslow in the Foreword to this collection, talking about Winslow’s dedication to the craft, his gifted writing, and the diversity of stories he tells. Which is incredibly fitting for this book—which really just shows off that ability of Winslow’s.

Every story in this collection was a winner, will likely end up in your personal “all time short story canon,” and will make you want to re-read them again and again to fully appreciate them.

I can’t recommend this enough.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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The Hunted by Steven Max Russo: Who is the Predator, Who is the Prey?

By HCNewton

On January 20, 2026

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Hunted

by Steven Max Russo

DETAILS:
Publication Date: January 1, 2026
Format: eARC
Length: 317 pg.
Read Date: January 12-13, 2026

What’s The Hunted About?

Gerhard Mueller is the head of GSG, a private security/military contractor firm, staffed by plenty of former US Intelligence Agents and military. One of those former CIA analysts is Ophelia Harris–after some time working for the USA and then GSG in Afghanistan, she’s on the run.

She’d say it was because she was set up by GSG. Mueller says it’s because she betrayed GSG, leaving colleagues dead and millions of dollars missing.

This results in Ophelia running for her life from the company.

A chance encounter with someone she had a fleeting encounter with in Afghanistan (and that’s being generous) results in someone else getting sucked into this mess, Austin’s fate tied to hers.

With GSG getting closer, Ophelia realizes that the cat and mouse game only ends with the mouse dead, or it convincing the cat to stop. She and her new ally decide to do the latter.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this up because Steven Max Russo emailed me and said (essentially), “I have a new book, are you interested?” I replied that the “new book” was really all I needed. Over the 4(??) previous books, I know that’s all he needs to say.

Why did I keep going? Because once you start this train moving—you can’t stop. Not that you’ll want to, you just won’t be able to. It’s just about holding on until the train reaches the end of the line.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

The thing that struck home most for me from this novel was trust. Both how much we want to trust others, and how hard it can be when that trust is broken. Granted, you may not send multiple killers after someone if they break your trust—but the impulse will resonate with you.

Other than Austin, each of the major players in this book have had their trust broken. And the reactions to this tell you a lot about each person. Some react with a degree of rage, some withdraw, some are cold and unforgiving, and others…well, that would be telling you too much.

On the other hand, we also see a great willingness to trust others. Austin has zero reason to trust Ophelia—and realizes it, but quickly joins their fates together. Ophelia is on the run because the last people she trusted proved (in her eyes, anyway) to be untrustworthy, yet she (with misgivings) gives the same trust to Austin. The people at GSG have implicit trust in those they work with—or have worked with—in an industry where betrayal seems to be more common than the color green in a rainforest.

And whether you’re in their extreme sort of circumstances or not, that kind of trust is necessary, right? Otherwise, nothing can work. Nothing moves forward. We end up isolated and trying to do everything by ourselves, and that’s just not feasible in the long-run (barely feasible in the short run). Every reader knows this, these characters know it—and show it.

So, what did I think about The Hunted?

There was one misstep that our security consultant and brilliant analyst made (and couldn’t figure out), that I saw just thanks to watching TV procedurals. That bugged me a lot. But as soon as I set that aside, the momentum of the story kept me going.

And that’s the core of this book’s success—momentum, pacing, and adrenaline. There’s a couple of moments of action at the beginning, then we get a little bit of a lull so we can get the board set up. Then Russo makes the first move, and the game is practically non-stop from there. Russo will let you catch your breath—but you need to do that quickly, he doesn’t give you a lot of time.

Russo doesn’t give anyone the same kind of Thriller twice. Which is a good thing (as much as I’d like things like his previous ones—primarily Thieves and The Debt Collector). The Hunted is about determination, speed, craftiness, and ammunition. A lot of ammunition gets spent—and characters die unexpectedly. Vengeance gets wrought. I can’t/won’t say if justice prevails—but you can know going in that some scales are balanced.

If you’re looking for a solid Thriller novel—you can find one here (or with anything Steven Max Russo’s name is on, but you might as well start here).

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this novel by the author, as always, the opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced by this act by the author (beyond giving me something to have an opinion about).

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Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Ace Atkins: A Tale of Sussudio and Spies

By HCNewton

On January 14, 2026

In A-B, Ace Atkins, Authors, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Everybody Wants to Rule the World

by Ace Atkins

DETAILS:
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: December 02, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Length: 368 pg.
Read Date: January 6-7, 2026

What’s Everybody Wants to Rule the World About?

The year is 1985, and apparently, there are USSR spies everywhere. At least in Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, GA. Reagan’s push for his “Star Wars” program is strong, and the KGB wants to know all it can about it before a summit between Gorbachev and Reagan. Tensions are high, cards are set up, and one teenaged boy is about to send them toppling over.

Because his mom is dating a jerk and Peter has an active imagination fueled by pulp novels and sensationalized “news.” He becomes convinced that his mom is dating a Russian agent and tries to enlist the help of a mostly failed novelist (and his drag queen buddy, a retired NFL player) to expose the boyfriend.

Meanwhile, a KGB officer defects so he can reunite with the love of his life; an actual Russian agent (who may, or may not be the boyfriend) has killed someone; the FBI is investigating that death, and another Federal agent wants to run away with an exotic dancer and is trying to leverage that defector to help him do that.

There’s gotta be another storyline or three that I didnt’t squeeze into that paragraph, too.

The point is, there’s a lot going on. Few of the people involved are properly qualified to deal with it. And the direction of the Cold War hinges on what happens over the next few weeks.

It should be noted that this is a comedy.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

It’s Ace Atkins—the last decade has taught me that I’m likely to enjoy a book he writes. Also—a comedic take on Russian deep cover agents in the 80s is right up my alley. Put the two of those together…

I stuck with it because that’s exactly what was delivered. A great plot with more twists than a corkscrew, a great voice, and an oddball cast of characters.

What Does this Book Say about Humanity?

There is a deep thread of self-deception going on throughout the book—the stories we tell ourselves about who we are, how others regard us, and what we think we’re capable of.

There are a couple of major characters who are honest about themselves—and largely understand others. But the rest are deluded to one degree or another—how heroic they are, how things will go when they reunite with an old flame, how their life will be better when they ditch their wife and kids for someone new (who any rational person will see isn’t that into you), how the world is against them, and so on.

Some of these are understandable—the teenage male tossing aside common sense because a hot stranger seems into him. Some are relatable, maybe even admirable—the writer who hasn’t sold anything in ages continuing to try. But the others are kind of sad once you stop to think about them—but you do have to force yourself to stop and think about them, because Atkins has you too focused on jogging to keep up with the book and chuckling at their foibles.

The 80s of It

There are a couple of ways to approach the time setting of the 80s. One way is to go over-the-top like The Wedding Singer or That 80s Show. The other way is restrained—like The Americans or Mad Men (different era, but same idea).

Atkins mostly stuck to the restrained approach, it is an 80s story with 80s concerns and ideas and the setting is appropriately depicted.

But every now and then, in the spirit of the book’s flavor, I do think he went a little over-the-top with the references in a Sandler-esque way. And I loved each time he did that. Over all, Atkins goes for realism and restraint—but when he indulges himself (and/or the reader), it’s just a treat.

Oh, and this is maybe a Content Warning I should give…you’ll find yourselves thinking a lot about Prince and Phil Collins, possibly driven to listen to them…at the very least, you’ll have a couple of songs acting as earworms for days.

So, what did I think about Everybody Wants to Rule the World?

I wasn’t thrilled with Atkins stepping away from the Spenser or Quinn Colson series, as curious as I was about what he’d do next. I’m still not—but if this is what he’s doing instead? I’m getting over it quickly.

This was ridiculous fun. Fast-paced, not quite frantic (because Atkins doesn’t let it happen) filled with crazy coincidences, turns you cannot see coming, twists you think you see coming and are only right occasionally, real people doing stupid and human things—frequently illegal, too.

It is a comedic work, but that comedy is successful because none of the characters is in a comedy. They’re all deadly serious (though some will express that by being a smart arse), worried, scared, or scheming. The danger is real, the stakes are high, people get hurt, lives are changed—it’s a very straightforward thriller that way. But when you can see the whole board, see what they don’t know—it’ll bring a grin to your face and possibly a cackle from you.

A lot of social media/news media can make us all think that the world is ending (and, I’m not for a second suggesting that it might not be)—but this book reminds us that it’s almost ended before. And we’re now far enough away from the genuine, grounded, and realistic fears that we can laugh at them. Isn’t it nice to think that 40 years from now, someone can write a book about now to relieve some stress?

I expected to enjoy this book, I didn’t expect to have fun with it. I don’t know how readers who grew up post-Cold War will react to it. But readers of a certain age will have a good time with Everybody Wants to Rule the World.

My Favorite Crime/Mystery/Detective/Thriller Fiction of 2025

By HCNewton

On January 9, 2026

In Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc.

Covers of King of Ashes, The Final Vow, Everybody Knows, Don't Tell Me How to Die, Where the Bones Lie, The Broken Detective, Second Lies the Son, Dark Neon & Dirt, One Death at a Time, and The Bang-Bang Sisters, next to an image of an anthropomorphized Pilcrow and the words 'My Favorites of 2025 Crime Fiction'
Finally, we’re at the end of my 2025 wrap-up. Thanks for sticking with me for so long! (assuming you have). I’ve taken to considering this genre apart from everything else when I put together my Favorites Lists, or just about everything else would get ignored. Even if I went with a Top 20 instead of a Favorite 10, maybe 5 books from the previous lists would’ve made it along with all of these. Maybe.

Once again, I’ll note that I limit my lists to things I read for the first time. Yes, there are some author names on here that have been on a couple of these lately. Under half the list. It wouldn’t surprise me if any of these showed up in the years to come. I might have to retire some authors from consideration. Maybe this list should be renamed “S.A. Cosby, M.W. Craven, and some others.”

As always, re-reads don’t count for these lists.

(in alphabetical order by author)

King of Ashes

by S.A. Cosby

This was a twisted, gripping, read about a group of siblings trapped (and shaped) by a shared trauma from their childhood. Now adults, they find themselves trapped in a deal with a local gang of drug dealers, and the only way out may be to become worse than them. Told with Cosby’s signature style and humanity, this will leave you in a daze.

The Final Vow

by M.W. Craven

This is a lighter book than the last couple of Poe and Tilly novels–but that doesn’t make it less compelling to read. Just a little more fun, and probably won’t leave you haunted and unable to get a good night’s sleep right away. It definitely sets a new direction for the series. But none of that matters. This is M.W. Craven at the top of his game–he sets a puzzle worthy of Poe and Tilly, puts some big obstacles in their way, and let’s the reader sit back and revel in it. Who could ask for more?

Everybody Knows

by Jordan Harper

My original post
This is one of the best and starkest depictions of human depravity and the dangers those who dare to stand against it will face. The only thing that makes this experience entertaining is Harper’s prose and fantastic pacing. It left me speechless.

Don’t Tell Me How to Die

by Marshall Karp

My original post
This is a devilishly clever story that’s also emotionally effective. I mean, part of the book’s premise is that the protagonist’s mother died young. Early in the novel, we flashback to that, and I got choked up. I knew the woman was dead before I started the book, and it still got me. Just imagine what the book did to me by the end. As far as the rest of the story goes–the less I say, the better it is for a potential reader. But it’s a doozy–a new kind of story for Marshall Karp and just as good (if not better) as his previous best.

Where the Bones Lie

by Nick Kolakowski

My original post
Kolakowski brings us a little L.A.-noir here with this book–a former Hollywood fixer gets a shot at a new life when someone hires him to find out why her father died many years ago. The interplay between the protagonists is great to read, the mystery is compelling, and the contemporary California-ness of the setting is so real (geographically, environmentally, and in the entertainment industry). It’s a really strong work from Kolakowski.

The Broken Detective

by Joel Nedecky

My original post
We move from L.A.-noir to Winnipeg-noir, which is a thing (apparently). This tale of broken detectives hunting for one particular broken woman in the midst of crime, corruption, and the worst of humanity grabs you in the first couple of pages and won’t let go until a couple of days after you finish. It’s one of the most satisfying endings I read last year, too.

Second Lies the Son

by Matt Phillips

My original post
Here’s another haunting read–Matt Phillips is one of those writers that I just want to read the prose of. The plot and characters don’t matter as much to me as the experience of reading Phillips. But, he always comes through with characters and plot that matter as much as you want, too. This is a fast, lean novel that will leave you moved (disturbed might be a better word) and chewing on it for days.

Dark Neon & Dirt

by Thomas Trang

My original post
And now we’re back to L.A.-noir…Trang’s debut is the kind of assured, nervy book that is a delight to find. You’ve got dirty (or at least compromised) cops, professional thieves, and a collection of coincidences that entwine them in more ways than they find comfortable. The diallogue is fantasitc. The whole things feels like a slick Winslow novel as cool as Miami Vice was at its height.

One Death at a Time

by Abbi Waxman

My original post
Abbi Waxman’s first mystery novel proves (to me, anyway) that she can write anything. The mystery portion of the novel is really well done; the characters are well-designed and well-executed, the relationships between them are strong and obvious—you like the people you’re supposed to like enough that you wish you sat around the room with them, watching them go back and forth Also, it’s funny. That’s a one-two-three combination that I’ll always enjoy and recommend.

The Bang-Bang Sisters

by Rio Youers, Kristen Sieh (Narrator)

My original post
This rollicking adventure captures the spirit of music and live performance (and inter-band dynamics) as…well, any rock novel I can think of. There’s a serial killer equal to Francis Dolarhyde; a violent, kill-or-be-killed, “game” as nasty as Chain-Gang All-Stars; and three great women characters with all the style, skill, and general badassery as The Deadly Viper squad–all in a book with the violence level equal to—if not greater than—Kill Bill, Vol. 1. It’s got the pacing of a classic rock song—with occasional bursts of speed metal–it’s fast, it’s furious, it’s bloody, it’s raw emotion, it’s dangerous. It is so much fun. It is Rock and Roll.

A few books that almost made this list, and I want to be sure to mention:

Mississippi Blue 42 by Eli Cranor; Medusa Protocol by Rob Hart, Righteous Trash by Nick Kolakowski; and The World Entire by Jo Perry.

My Favorite Audiobooks of 2025

By HCNewton

On January 6, 2026

In Audiobook, News/Misc.

My Favorite Audiobooks of 2025

It’s time to talk about my favorite Audiobooks. How do I keep this from being just a rehash of my other year-end lists? By focusing on the audiobook experience over the content. What was it like to listen to it? How engaging was it, how did the narrator do? Was it a good match in terms of tone, content, and performance? All of these books are/were good—but the audiobooks are a bit better because of the narrator and the rest of the people involved in the production.

As always, re-reads don’t count for these lists.

(in alphabetical order by author)

Food for Thought: Essays and Ruminations

by Alton Brown

If you’re a fan of Brown, this is essential. It’s part memoir; it’s part behind the scenes of Good Eats, Iron Chef America, and more; it’s part musings on the state of cooking, food television, eating, etc.; and there’s even some cooking tips. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn a little more than that is covered.

The audiobook brings his signature style, snark, and passion to the material–which really doesn’t need anything to raise the level–but it doesn’t hurt. I had a blast reading it–I don’t know how many people I’ve pushed it on, either.

Sunrise on the Reaping

by Suzanne Collins, read by Jefferson White

I thought I was over the whole Panem/Hunger Games thing. I loved the original trilogy, but just couldn’t bring myself to read the prequels. A review or two and a co-worker convinced me to try this one.

As messed up as you may think that Haymitch was when we first met him…he deserved to be. He earned that–and more. Collins made that clear in the book, but Jefferson White brought that to life–with all the heartbreak, anger, and grief.

It was the audiobook that kept this from being something I checked off to satisfy an itch (and that itch would’ve been greatly satisfied, don’t get me wrong), and turned it into an experience that unsettled me in all the right ways.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

by Ian Fleming, read by David Tennant

I remember precious little about the movie version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and most of that is just the car. But some fellow-blogger mentioned Tennant doing this audiobook (and I’ve lost track of who that was, I feel lousy for it). Curious, I gave it a shot.

I came away with this with two firm impressions: when Fleming let his hair down, he could spin a fun tale. Not one that necessarily makes a lot of sense–but it’s fun. Second–David Tennant was as fantastic at this as I imagined.

I don’t know what else to say–I’m sure I’d have been entertained by just about anyone reading this book. But very few (if any) could’ve made me relish the experience the way I did.

Future Boy:
Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum

by Michael J. Fox and Nelle Fortenberry

My original post

I was a huge Michael J. Fox fan at the time this book is set (okay, I’ve pretty much been a huge Michael J. Fox fan since then, too), I was definitely part of the target audience for this. Throw in Fox as narrator, and you know I’m in.

As far as the narration goes, age and disease have impacted his voice—but it’s still Fox, and he delivers it well. The quick audio clips from others involved in the productions Back to the Future and Family Ties are fun bonuses.

This is a fun—and fast—look at a madcap time in Fox’s life with enough of the behind-the-scenes stuff. Fox’s trademark self-deprecation is on display as well.

The only problem with this book is its brevity. Beyond that, I have no complaints—fans of the actor or the film should enjoy this book. I sure did.

I See You’ve Called in Dead

by John Kenney, read by Sean Patrick Hopkins

My original post

Hopkins did a great job of bringing this very strange book to life and convinced me that an outrageous character like Bud Stanley could not only exist, but be someone I wanted to spend several hours with. Not just Bud Stanely, either–there’s a pretty diverse and wide cast of supporting characters that Hopkins did an equally convincing job with (the little neighbor boy was one of his best).

It’s not just the performance, obviously, I really got into this funny and heartfelt novel about friendship, mortality, and thinking about mortality. But it’s what pops to mind as I’m talking about audiobooks.

This was the whole package.

Songs for Other People’s Weddings

by David Levithan with songs by Jens Lekman, read by Jefferson Mays

I found the resolution of this novel disappointing, but I enjoyed a lot of the journey worth the time. This is a novel about a pop musician of some (small) renown who is much sought after as a Wedding Musician–it’s more than I can get into here, but alone is a charming story.

A bonus to this book is that Jens Lekman wrote and performs songs to go with the weddings. I don’t know what this looks like in the text version of the book–maybe just the lyrics, which is nice enough. But a novel about a singer that contains actual songs (purportedly by this singer) is a great bonus and adds something to the book.

Sure, I’m not crazy about most of the songs–just not my vibe. But that they’re there is really nice.

The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science

by Kate McKinnon, read by Kate McKinnon & Emily Lynne (Narrator)

My original post
(Edging out the sequel, Secrets of the Purple Pearl, by a hair–I did go back and forth on it a bit)

Would I enjoy this in print? Yeah—especially the illustrations. But the performance by McKinnon & Lynne makes these things you have to listen to. And likely re-listen to.

These are silly, silly, silly adventure novels about three sisters who wind up at The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette because they can’t manage to stay in other schools without being disruptive by being themselves. Quibb introduces them to a world of pizza, self-expression, curiosity, mystery, danger—and the chance to save the world from mad scientists.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. The plot is insane, the text are ridiculous, and the jokes are a great balance of silly enough for children but clever enough for adults. They’re perfect for young or young-at-heart readers. McKinnon and Lynne make a good book a great audio experience.

How to Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future

by Maria Ressa, read by Maria Ressa & Rebecca Mozo

Ressa’s story–from childhood up through the present–is mind-blowing, and the kind of thing one might be skeptical about in a novel. And I’m not going to say more about it now.

But it’s her delivering this material–the raw emotion, the pride, the anger, the conviction–that makes this audiobook. It’s a great story, it’s a powerful call to action–and a strong dose of hope for the future.

The Accidental Joe

by Tom Straw

It is difficult to explain just how entertaining this is–and I’m not sure if the narration or the text gets the majority of the credit. Tom Straw did both, so he gets all the credit.

This is the story of a celebrity chef with a travel show who is recruited by the government to use his show as a way to conduct espionage. Which totally makes sense, right? Well…with an iron-clad plan like that, things get out of control.

The book is a hoot. The jinks are hi. And Straw’s narration is perfectly suited to the material.

The Bang-Bang Sisters

by Rio Youers, Kristen Sieh (Narrator)

My original post
So, this is a story about a touring rock band–and after their shows at various bars around the country, they occasionally slip away to kill some criminals that the judicial system can’t put away. Totally normal, stuff right.

Youers fills it with humor, heart, and so, so much violence. It’s fast, it’s furious, it’s bloody, it’s raw emotion, it’s dangerous. It is so much fun. It is Rock and Roll.

And Kristen Sieh? She’s just the lead vocalist that this album needed. I believed the music, I believed the vigilantism, I believed the sisterly-tie between the bandmates/friends/allies; I believed every second of the trap they were caught in and the way they got out of it.

It’s the kind of audiobook that leads me to overhyping.

Mississippi Blue 42 by Eli Cranor: There Ain’t Nothing But The Blues In Mississippi

By HCNewton

On January 2, 2026

In Eli Cranor

I thought this went up months ago, but I just found it in my drafts folder, with some vague notes in the last section. I’m relatively unable to follow most of them, and wish I could. So, had you seen this in August/September, it would’ve been better. But let’s see what I can do here.

Mississippi Blue 42

by Eli Cranor

DETAILS:
Series: Rae Johnson, #1
Publisher: Soho Crime
Publication Date: August 5, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Length: 370 pg.
Read Date: August 7-11, 2025

So much depended on a ball stitched together from thirty-two panels of waterproofed leather. The fans came to see what the players did with that ball: the blazing touchdown runs, the high-flying, bone-crunching hits. And the players played for peanuts. That was the only way any enterprise could achieve the sort of profit margins enjoyed by universities with nationally ranked teams. The trick, though, was convincing the rest of the country that college football was not a business, but instead a game, a contest played on the field of higher education, which also served the Chiefs well when it came time to file their taxes.

Because the University of Central Mississippi was an educational organization, it enjoyed a 501(c)(3) status, which meant nearly every dollar the institution made was exempt from federal income tax. It was the same exception granted to churches…

Yes, Mississippi was in the Bible Belt, but the real holy day, the day when every true Southerner bowed at the altar, was game day. And in just a few more hours, the congregation would gather inside their recently renovated, five-hundred-million-dollar cathedral.

What’s Mississippi Blue 42 About?

Rae Johnson is the only daughter of a legendary college football coach and spent most of her life working to be one, too. But at a certain point, she hit the wall of misogyny (with her own father as a spokesman for the wall) and had to find a new career path. Naturally (?), she chose the FBI. We all see the overlap, right?

Anyway, she’s fresh out of the Academy and is assigned to her first case. She’s been sent to help investigate some financial crime surrounding the University of Central Mississippi’s football program. She knows she got the assignment due to her father, which grates her pride. But, she’s not going to back down from the challenge. Her partner in the investigation has been there for months and hasn’t gotten very far, but he’s determined to uncover the problems that he knows are there.

The veteran agent is just getting her acclimated to the investigation when the team’s quarterback

The Fight for the Soul of Moses McCloud

Moses stared at him, still not sure what to make of Cerge’s story, but thinking it felt right somehow, the wildness of his tale in tune with the flashy locker room: the nude white boys, the ping-pong table, the barber chairs. This wasn’t real life. It was all a dream, a four-year fantasy the players paid for with their lives. Even if they did make it to the League, even if they got paid, they still paid for it. And it wasn’t just their knees or shoulders, not even their brains. It went deeper than that. Once their playing days were over, they would be booted out of Eden, resigned to the stands to watch as the next crop of finely tuned athletes took their place. As extravagant as a Saturday spent tailgating in the Glades was, it did not compare to the roar of the crowd. Only gladiators know true glory.

This book, in many ways, seems to be a fight over the soul of the backup quarterback thrust into a leadership position—will he succumb to the culture of bagmen and fame, or will he risk his potential windfall and give Rae the information she needs?

I really like Moses from the beginning—sure, he’s got all the maturity of a college freshman (read: not as smart as he thinks he is, too easily distracted/led along by good-looking women), but there’s something about him you can’t help but like. I really think the battle for his soul angle isn’t that filled with suspense—it’s just the adults around him that fail to understand what he’s saying and what kind of guy he is all along.

But that actually makes the whole thing more entertaining for everyone who isn’t Moses.

What do I think about this as a series debut?

According to the press kit for this book:

Mississippi Blue 42 is the first in what is planned to be an ongoing series starring FBI Agent Rae Johnson as she and a cast of recurring characters explore crime in the world of sports.

Which sounds promising—especially the “world of sports” part. Not because I’m a big sports guy, but I had a hard time imagining Rae looking into some other kinds of crime because Cranor baked the sports-mindset so deeply into her. You put her in an art crime, or a counterfeit money situation? I just don’t see it working as well (but I was ready to try). Rae hunting down a crew of bank robbers would be interesting to see, I just don’t know if she gets into their heads. But even if you move her to professional sports—even something other than football, she’s got the right mindset, the right background to really give a series legs.

Rae reminds me of Ellie Hatcher, Renée Ballard, and Eve Ronin. She’s got ambition, she’s willing to cut corners (maybe too many), she’s determined to make it in a man’s world—and she lets all of that lead her into some blunders as she learns her way. The question is: will she learn from them? The other women did—I trust she will, too. But making those mistakes is fodder for good fiction along the way.

I do wonder what characters from this book will recur. One strong candidate is Rae’s friend who failed a drug test and got booted from the FBI Academy. She had a strong presence early on in the book, but she just vanished later on. Which makes sense for reasons of this book’s plot, but not if you’re establishing a series character. Beyond her, I’m pretty curious.

So, what did I think about Mississippi Blue 42?

This was about the players and the game they’d been forced to play. The contest that took place on the field was nothing compared to the battle that went down in Waffle Houses, seedy motel rooms, used car lots, and a laundry list of other skeevy locales. That’s where boys like Moses McCloud had been fighting for so long nobody even saw them as boys anymore. These were young men whose talents had been exploited to pay their coaches’ multimillion-dollar contracts, secure billion-dollar TV deals, and provide highly visible recruiting for their respective universities. College football wasn’t a game at all; it was a business, a completely self-sufficient economy powered by young, mostly Black athletes.

There are more “bad guys” in this book than in most its size—and I’m really unable to come up with a drop of sympathy or empathy for any of them. I wasn’t prepared for that. I’m used to Cranor helping me see the humanity of his characters. Not that I don’t see humanity here—all I see is the worst of it. Yes, there are some who are less-worse than others, and there are a few that you can easily call The Worst. Right up to the last revelation (which Rae really should’ve seen coming), the worst of America is on display. If you pull up a classic D&D Alignment Chart, you have a couple of Lawful Evil characters, many Neutral Evil characters, and a couple on the extreme end of Chaotic Evil, too. Worse, you have a Lawful Evil who pretends to be Lawful Good—and someone who is convinced he’s Lawful Good, but is really a deluded and easily manipulated True Neutral.

Sorry, that’s not helpful at all, but once I started thinking along those lines, I couldn’t stop. Hopefully, someone out there appreciates it.

The hypocrite bothers me more than they should (because it’s so obvious). The easily manipulated head coach really makes me miss the misguided integrity of the coach from Cranor’s Don’t Know Tough.

And honestly, not much better can be said of most of Rae’s allies through this. But they’re trying. I’m pretty sure they are, anyway. I found them entertaining anyway, and didn’t spend a moment hoping they’d find their comeuppance.

This established a strong world and at least one character that we can follow—I’m very curious to see how this experience shapes Rae’s career (at least the early days of it, obviously) and how she sees herself. But more importantly, this was an entertaining, gripping, roller-coaster of a ride. The series stuff can work itself out—right now, all I want to focus on is Mississippi Blue 42, and it’s a great ride.

You gotta check it out if you’re a Cranor reader (and probably already have). If the Venn Diagram of your interests includes college sports and Crime Fiction, you’ll enjoy this item from the overlap set. Actually, you’ll probably enjoy it if you don’t care about college sports at all, just Crime Fiction. Personally, most of what I know about college sports comes from I Am Charlotte Simmons—and Cranor tells the same story (essentially) about the industry it does, but in a more concise and focused way.

Okay, I’m rambling. Go get this thing, you’ll be glad.

4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

The Christmas Tree Killer by Chris Frost: Some Gifts Should Remain Wrapped

By HCNewton

On December 23, 2025

In Chris McDonald/Frost, Fiction, K-O, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Christmas Tree Killer

by Chris Frost

DETAILS:
Series: DI Tom Stonem, Book 2
Publisher: HarperNorth
Publication Date: November 6, 2025
Format: eBook
Length: 296 pg.
Read Date: December 17-18, 2025

‘Obviously the timing isn’t ideal, what with it being so close to Christmas…’

Tom shivered. He hoped that festive murders were not going to become his professional speciality. He supposed the dark of winter was a good time for hiding dark deeds – but some were darker than others.

What’s The Christmas Tree Killer About?

You don’t have to unwrap every package with your name on it. Especially if you’re out on a long hike in the woods by yourself and you come across a package with your name on it. I’m just saying. Of course, the impulse to open it is going to be there—curiosity killed the cat, right? And in this case, traumatized the hiker. Because there was a severed foot underneath the wrapping paper.

Now, as feet are usually attached to people and not typically used in even White Elephant exchanges, the police get involved. The local force isn’t quite up to dealing with a case this extensive, so they call in help from another local force. That help ends up being DI Tom Stonem and his partner. Before they can make too much progress with this foot, another body part is found—and the gift tag bears another name.

It’s pretty clear that this is going to be anything but a holly or jolly Christmas unless Tom and his colleagues can figure out what’s going on (and where the rest of the body/bodies are).

Well, Now I Feel Like a Jerk…

As soon as I saw that Frost was giving us another Christmas-themed mystery, I started joking about it to myself (and I think in a post or two here). Naturally, I wasn’t the only one—Tom and a couple of colleagues indulged in some dark humor about it.

But a local reporter (who had a run-in with Tom before) isn’t joking about it. As the investigation doesn’t produce instant results, he starts taunting Tom and even runs a story. I’ll give you a sample of.

The headline was repeated here, bold and unapologetic. Beneath it was a photograph of him from last year pinning a journalist to a wall outside Gateshead police station. Tearing his eyes away from the photo, he started on the article.

CHRISTMAS CURSE FOR DI STONEM

Another holiday season, another body count – should DI Tom Stonem still be leading investigations?…

For most, Christmas brings music, mince pies and cherished moments with family. For DI Tom Stonem, it seems to bring something far more sinister: murder.

The embattled detective, who transferred to Gateshead following what police sources once called ‘commendable service’ in Manchester, has once again found himself at the centre of a high-profile homicide investigation – his second Christmas running.

This gets to Tom–who’s still dealing with the events of last year’s case, and is starting to make some progress. This sets him back and gets into his head.

It: 1. Is a really good idea, and worked well with the story on many levels.
2. Made me feel like a jerk for mocking the guy.

I got over it, sure. Still…

Personal Stories

The romantic subplot(s) worked out pretty much the way you think they would—the primary one seems a bad idea for all involved, but that’s not for me to say. Frost did it well enough, but it could maybe have used a little more subtlety in the depiction.

The familial stories, on the other hand, were done well. I hope we get to see a bit more of Tom’s family in the books to come. I thought that went really well.

So, what did I think about The Christmas Tree Killer?

‘Standard practice out here, apparently. I don’t think I’m made for the country.’

‘Nor me,’ she said, a wry smile on her face. ‘Though, don’t you think it’s funny that we’re repulsed at some dead moles when we’re potentially walking towards another severed human foot like it’s just another day at the office.’

Some of the procedural moments bothered me—they spent too long before trying to track down people associated with the first “gift’s” recipient, I had a hard time buying that from an investigative point of view. And from the point of view of someone who’s read a lot of books like this? You just knew it was going to end badly, the only question was how. Also, there was one person they should’ve looked at more closely early on—but if they had, this would’ve been a short story. So, I get why they didn’t—but maybe Frost could’ve sold it a bit better.

It’s a clever little mystery novel—with some decent red herrings, some good twists and reveals along the line. The pacing was good—maybe its strongest suit—once you get into this, you have to see it through—and your attention isn’t given a lot of room to waver.

It’s maybe not your mother’s idea of a pleasant Christmas read—but it’ll scratch an itch for a good segment of readers. If you can find a corner to tuck yourself away in for a couple of hours without delighted children or chatty relatives, it’d be a perfect read for Dec. 25.

If only for the sake of his reputation, I do hope that Tom’s next adventure happens on a nice, summery day. Or perhaps mid-Spring. Regardless of the season, if Frost does bring us another book featuring him—I’m eager to read it.

Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

BBNYA SEMI-FINALIST SPOTLIGHT: Another Kind of Thing by A P Pullan

By HCNewton

On December 12, 2025

In Book Tour, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

I’m very pleased today to welcome The BBNYA Semi-Finalist Spotlight Tour for A P Pullan’s Another Kind of Thing! This book has made it to the semi-finals, so you know there’s something good going on–but before getting to this Spotlight, let’s start with a word about BBNYA.

BBNYA:

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 (17 in 2025) finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official.

Pilcrow

Book Details:

Title: Another Kind of Thing by A P Pullan
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery
Age Category: Middle Grade
Format: Paperback/Ebook
Length: 216 Pages
Publication Date: November 28, 2024

About the Book:

Eleven-year-old, Aidan North, is new to the little village of Kirklinn in Scotland.

Being new is not easy as Aidan does not seem to fit in.

Why do people call him a “weirdo?” Why do people not understand his love of fossils? And why more name-calling because he finds maths so easy?

Izzy seems the only one who at least is willing to try and understand him.

Then there is the word, “autistic,” that the school want to give him. Does that mean he really is weird and so different from everyone else?

Yet the discovery of someone Aidan claims to live in a cave only seems to alienate him further.

Will his discovery lead to the truth of a secret held for over 20 years?

This is a story about a young boy trying to find his way in this complicated world.

So will uncovering the secret, help him on his journey to be accepted by others and, as importantly, himself?

Book Links:

Amazon Canada ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads ~ The Story Graph

About the Author:

Hi I am A P Pullan and I have been writing for quite some time now. I have taught primary aged pupils for over 25 years. Aidan is my main character in Another Kind of thing, my latest book. He is based on some of the children I have worked with over the years. Nothing motivates me more than doing creative writing or talking about books with children of all ages. I love visiting schools and if you visit my website you will see info and pictures about my visits @ https://theweepencil.wordpress.com/.

Am I writer? Well, I think I am more someone who just enjoys writing.

Website ~ Bluesky

My thanks to The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award 2025 Semi-Finalist badge

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman: Moving On

By HCNewton

On December 9, 2025

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, The Thursday Murder Club

The Impossible Fortune

by Richard Osman

DETAILS:
Series: The Thursday Murder Club, #5
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Publication Date: September 30, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Length: 352 pg.
Read Date: November 24-26, 2025

Elizabeth is being mysterious.

It’s something of a relief, of course, because it has been some while since she’s been mysterious. She tells me we are taking the minibus to Fairhaven tomorrow morning, and it’s also been a while since we’ve done that. What are we to do there? Information has yet to be forthcoming. “A nice stroll along the front” is what Elizabeth said, and if you believe that you’ll believe anything.

What’s The Impossible Fortune About?

Joyce’s daughter, Joanna, is getting married. During the reception, Elizabeth is approached by someone wanting help. He’s heard about Elizabeth from Joanna and would rather go to her for help than anyone else.

Then he goes missing. The Club mobilizes to try to find him—with some help from Joyce’s daughter and new son-in-law, too.

Ron’s a little distracted by some family trouble (trouble he doesn’t realize the depth of, either), but that won’t be enough to derail the Thursday Murder Club, will it?

Elizabeth

“Screenshot the messages,” says Joanna. “We have to find Nick.”

“Screenshotting them,” says Paul. “I’ll send them straight to the police.”

Joanna puts her hand on his.

“Honestly? God bless the police, but it’ll be quicker all round if we just show them to Elizabeth.”

The core of this book is Elizabeth moving on from full-time grieving. She’ll be grieving for the rest of her (hopefully long and sequel-filled) life. But equipped with a puzzle—and potential danger to others—some of her old spark comes back.

Something noted by the rest of the Club—and Donna, too.

This doesn’t mean she’s as sharp as we’re used to—she notes that herself. By the end of the book, that’s done with. Still, even an out-of-practice Elizabeth is better than the police assigned to this case (sadly, not our friends—nor are they likely to be seen again).

We are treated to seeing her alone—or almost alone sometimes—and vulnerable. It’s Elizabeth at her most human, which is wonderful to see (even if we all probably prefer Elizabeth the super-hero).

Joyce and Joanna

The relationship between Joyce and her daughter has been a frequent topic to return to, and change has been slow—if not imperceptible. But we get some strong movement here—and some frustrating delays in it, too (designed to be frustrating, this isn’t Osman flubbing things).

Overall, we see the two of them working together here—on the wedding and on the case. It warms the heart to see. They both make some healthy compromises—and conspire together in way that’ll make you smile.

So, what did I think about The Impossible Fortune?

Danny Lloyd has had guns pointed at him before, but never by a woman. It makes, he notes to himself now, very little difference. The gun is the thing. Well, the bullets inside the gun are the actual thing, arent they?

Keep the bullets inside the gun, that’s the trick.

Frankly, it feels like Osman was a little off his game with this one. And it makes sense—after the big events of The Last Devil to Die, almost everything is going to feel like a letdown. He also needs to re-establish the feel for the books now.

We’ve added a new character or two, made some pretty big changes for some (at least one of which is going to stick with the books for a while). Just the sheer amount of time we spend with Johanna and Ron’s son, Ritchie, makes this feel different. I don’t want to get into the Ron-and-his-family storyline, but man, it’s good.

My biggest concern is Ibrahim’s depiction. He didn’t get that much space—which makes sense; there’s a lot of competition this time. But in most of the space he was given, he seemed…off. He felt sillier and dafter than usual, almost like the novel was gently mocking him. But that eventually went away, and he really came through for the team more than once in pivotal ways. Also—he’s great, as usual, with Ron’s grandson.

All the charm, all the wit, all the heart is there—so whatever I (or you) may think about the quality of the book as a whole, it doesn’t matter that much. Everything that makes a Thursday Murder Club book a Thursday Murder Club book is there. There’s just a little less luster than usual.

Now that Elizabeth has her groove back (mostly), I expect this to be a minor aberration and that we’ll get back to his usual level.

Still, this was about as entertaining as you can want in a mystery—if you haven’t gotten to it yet, fix that.

4 Stars

Second Lies the Son by Matt Phillips: You Are Your Family

By HCNewton

On December 1, 2025

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Second Lies the Son

by Matt Phillips

DETAILS:
Publisher: Runamok Books
Publication Date: November 8, 2025
Format: eARC
Length: 196 pg.
Read Date: November 7-8, 2025

What’s Second Lies the Son About?

I’m not sure how to sum this book up. I really don’t. Honestly, all you need to know about this to decide to pick it up are the two words in yellow at the bottom of the cover: Matt Phillips.

But if you need more, here’s what Runamok provides:

Set in the high deserts of California, Second Lies the Son is a tale of small-town friendship, love, disloyalty, and violence. Sam and Hayes grow up together-brothers in spirit. But their lives take different turns. Sam fumbles his way to family and work. Hayes bloodies his hands in Afghanistan. Returned a reluctant war hero, Hayes is dead set on avenging his conversion into an instrument of war. Sam tries to head off his best friend’s brutal plans, but the haunting sins of his own past come calling. From one of America’s authentic noirists, Second Lies the Son depicts the irredeemable violence of American masculinity and tracks that violence to the darkest depths of cold-blooded murder.

Likeability

Obviously, in noir, the majority (if not all) of the characters are not going to be that likable. Boy howdy, is that true here. Your instinct is to like Sam, if only because he’s our central POV character. At least to feel a degree of sympathy for him. But there’s something about him…

Hayes, on the other hand…life has not been kind to him. And while I feel nothing but sympathy for him, the only reason I care about him is that Sam does.

Outside of Sam’s wife and infant son, those are the most likable characters. There’s a lot of broken humanity on display here—in all of its beauty and depravity.

So, what did I think about Second Lies the Son?

I avoided the second Matt Phillips novel that Fahrenheit put out because I loved Know Me From Smoke so much and I didn’t want anything to taint that experience (by falling short or exceeding it)*. I honestly only read A Good Rush of Blood because I didn’t pay attention to the author name, I just read whatever Runamok book shows up in my mailbox. I don’t remember how far along I was in the process before I realized he was the same writer. I’ve now seen the error of my ways and will just read whatever Matt Phillips book I come across.

There’s just something about his lean prose that grabs me in a way few do. Lean, but that’s not to say plain or worse. Phillips will regularly write one of those sentences/phrases/passages that you have to stop and re-read a few times to fully appreciate.

These characters—except for the infant—are so well-drawn and developed that I’d have no trouble believing Phillips had spent time interviewing them all before committing them to page. Or maybe living with them. I’d believe that, too.

At this point, I’m going to just give up on talking about Phillips’ writing. And move on to the bigger pictures.

It’s hard to really describe what this book is about, the blurb above is fine, but I’m not sure that’s what I’d have chosen (it’s a better sales pitch than my description would be)—and I honestly fumbled when talking to people while reading. Honestly, if you’re talking “plot” or “action”—you’re not going to get it for about 80% of the book, that’s all set-up time. But, of course, that’s not true—you just might have a hard time articulating what the plot is until then.

At the heart, this book is about friendship—what you’ll do because of a deep friendship, what will happen to you because of one, and how it’ll shape (possibly deform) your life. It’s also about the fight for the souls of these two men. Sam is fighting for his soul and the soul of Hayes. Meanwhile, Hayes is fighting for his and Sam’s. While they’re not really working against each other, they’re really working in different directions. They’re both doing it out of love. I think it’s pretty clear that one of them has a healthier end in mind. But it’s a comparative, not an absolute.

Also, the collateral damage from these struggles is pretty devastating. Obviously, I can’t talk about that—but it’s something I keep coming back to chew on. And it should be kept in mind when you try to decide if the fights for souls were worth it.

This is a fast, lean novel that will leave you moved (disturbed might be a better word) and chewing on it for days. Second Lies the Son is a great example of what Crime Fiction can do beyond the expectations of the genre (while remaining in the genre).

* Does this make sense to anyone else? Please say so.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this ARC by the author. But I jumped on the offer.

4 Stars