Reader Advisory | Halloweem Edition 🎃

 

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Twenty years as librarian doing readers' advisory, and I can tell what you should read by your Halloween costume.

Witch → The Year of the Witching, Alexis Henderson. Puritan-flavored folk horror.

Detective → Sherlock Holmes? You've already read Doyle, so here's what's next. The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz (2011). It was authorized by the Conan Doyle estate and reads like a lost Holmes case. 

Ghost → The Sun Down Motel, Simone St. James. A ghost story and a cold case together, which fits your audience well.

Vampire → The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, Grady Hendrix. Funny, gory, and a book club that actually does something.

Wednesday Addams → We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Shirley Jackson. Merricat is basically Wednesday's spiritual ancestor.

Mummy → Death on the Nile, Agatha Christie.

Zombie → The Girl with All the Gifts, M.R. Carey. Or Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

Couples costume → The Couple Next Door, Shari Lapena. Good luck to your marriage.

Not dressing up, just handing out candy → Trick or Treat and Murder by Kathleen Suzette. Cozy, and you'll want to stay on the couch anyway.

Sad Panda who did not consent to wearing a Halloween costume → Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss.

Grab a copy of any of these books from by affiliate store at Bookshop.org and help out an indie bookstore while you're at it.

Dad-Coded Thrillers | six crime novels with that gruff, been-around-the-block energy

 

Father's Day weekend's coming up here in the U.S., and whether you're celebrating a dad, missing one, or just here for a good crime novel, these six fit the mood.

Six thrillers your dad or the thriller lover in your life probably haven't read yet. No hype. Just a retired librarian who loved books and wants to press these into your hands.

Every single one of these is under the radar, and every single one delivers.

if you liked these recommendations, you might be interested in 5 Mayteries that Take Place in 24 Hours or Less.

5 Books to Break Your Reading Slump

Reading slumps are real, and sometimes the only cure is a book that grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go.

These five did exactly that for me. Different vibes, different genres, but every single one of them made me forget what time it was.

Whether you’re in the mood for a sweeping emotional thriller, a twisty legal mystery, or something atmospheric and dark, there’s a book on this list for you. 

All the Colors of the Dark — Chris Whitaker

1975, a small Missouri town, girls going missing, and a one-eyed boy named Patch who does something brave and pays a price for it for decades. This one is part serial killer thriller, part love story, part gut punch. It spans 25+ years and somehow gets more gripping as it goes. Warning: you will ugly cry.

The Violin Conspiracy — Brendan Slocumb

A Black violinist from rural North Carolina discovers the beat-up fiddle his grandmother gave him is actually a Stradivarius worth millions — and then someone steals it days before the most important competition of his life. It’s a mystery, it’s a coming-of-age story, and it’s a look at racism in classical music that will stick with you. The author is an actual violinist, and it shows.

Those Empty Eyes — Charlie Donlea

A teenager is found holding a shotgun at the scene of her family’s massacre. She didn’t do it — but the media dubs her “Empty Eyes” and decides she did. Ten years later, she’s changed her name and is working as a legal investigator when a new case starts connecting to her own unsolved past. Fast-paced and twisty, with an ending I genuinely did not see coming.

The Return of Ellie Black — Emiko Jean

A girl vanishes without a trace. Two years later, she’s found wandering out of the woods — alive, but refusing to talk. Detective Chelsey Calhoun is desperate to find out why, partly because she lost her own sister to violence years ago. Atmospheric, dark, and the twist will drop your jaw. Stephen King called it a “page-turning suspense novel.” He’s not wrong.

The Marsh King’s Daughter — Karen Dionne

Helena has a normal life — husband, kids, jam business. Then she hears on the news that the Marsh King has escaped from prison. Her father. The man who kidnapped her mother and raised Helena in a remote Michigan marsh, completely off the grid. Now she knows the police can’t catch him. But she can. This one is deeply unsettling in the best way.

Looking g for more recommendations? Check out 5 Fast Paced Thrillers You Can Read in a Weekend. 

Follow me on Instagram for book reviews and recommendations. 

 

5 Mysteries That Take Place in 24 Hours or Less 🕐

 

Some of the most gripping thrillers aren’t sprawling investigations. They’re one location, one ticking clock, and no way out. 

These five take place in 24 hours or less and they will wreck your sleep schedule.

If you liked this, you might be interested in 5 Mysteries and Thrillers Set in Ireland

Five for Friday: Heist Novels

 

I am a sucker for a good heist novel. The tension, the misdirection, the moment you realize you never saw it coming. I’m here for all of it.

Swipe for 5 that delivered: a few you may know, a few you probably don’t, and all of them worth your time. Drop your favorite heist read in the comments. I’m always looking for my next one. 🔓📚

QOTD: what was the last book you absolutely couldn’t put down? 

#5forfriday #heistbooks #crimefiction #thrillerbooks #bookstagram

Whether you’re in it for the con, the characters, or that perfect twist, these five have you covered.

If you love a good heist novel, check out my review of Fun City Heist by Michael Kardos. 

Five for Friday: Five Mysteries and Thrillers Set in Ireland

 

☘️ Looking for a bookish way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

Ireland’s beautiful landscapes make the perfect backdrop for dark secrets, twisty investigations, and unforgettable crime stories.

These mysteries and thrillers are all set in Ireland and showcase some terrific Irish crime writing—from gritty heists to small-town murder investigations.

If you enjoy atmospheric settings and suspenseful storytelling, these are great places to start.

📚 Have you read any of these?

QOTD: What’s a mystery or thriller set somewhere memorable?

#bookstagram #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #irishcrimefiction #stpatricksdayreads

Thriller Tropes I’ll Never Get Tired

 

I know these tropes are everywhere, but I just never get tired of them. 

There's something about a good unreliable narrator or an isolated setting that just WORKS. And don't even get me on the reluctant hero-a character who doesn’t want to get involved but steps up anyway. 

What about you? What thriller trope is your favorite? Are there any you're completely sick of?

Looking for more thrillers? Check out 5 Books that Felt Curse from Page One.

Five for Friday: Friday the 13th edition

 

It’s Friday the 13th, so naturally I’m thinking about books that felt doomed from the very first page.

You know the ones.

The atmosphere is heavy.

The setting feels hostile.

The tension hums before anything even happens.

These five give out that “oh no… this isn’t going to end well” feeling almost immediately — and you love every minute of it.

Sometimes you don’t need jump scares.

You just need that slow, creeping sense that something is off.

Maybe it’s the day talking, but I’ve always thought there’s something fun about leaning into a little superstition now and then.

Five for Friday: backlist gems

 

Bestseller lists miss a lot.

These backlist thrillers are proof.

Backlist books are where some of the best reading experiences hide.