Today’s bi-weekly mystery goodness includes new releases, backlist titles about revenge, and news. Plus, I’ve got a new mystery adaptation for you to watch if you like funny crime novels and TV shows. Bad Monkey is now streaming on Apple TV+, based on Carl Hiaasen’s same-titled novel. You can watch the trailer here.
Bookish Goods
Bookworm Jotter Gel Pen Set by RuffHousePrintShop
Bookish gel pens! A great one-for-you and one-for-me gift idea. $13.
New Releases
The Plus One by S. C. Lalli
For fans of stories about destination weddings and murder mysteries at luxury resorts!
Radhika Singh and Raj Joshi’s destination wedding is in Cabo, and the celebration will be a week-long affair. Shay Kapoor is there because she’s dating the groom’s best friend, but the festivities come to an end when the bride and groom are found murdered on their wedding day. Once the investigation starts, Shay realizes that she has an outsider’s perspective and that maybe she’s the right person to make sense of the lies and secrets all the other guests are keeping.
All That Glitters: A Story of Friendship, Fraud, and Fine Art by Orlando Whitfield
For fans of nonviolent true crime memoirs about fraud and art!
Orlando Whitfield recounts his friendship, partnership, and falling out with Inigo Philbrick. They became friends in university, having a lot in common since both of them had parents in the art world. They partner and become art dealers, with Philbrick taking the reigns as the one to pull off big ideas and showings, including convincing popular artists to show work that had only ever been in their studio. Then Whitfield learns that the things that look too good to be true really are, which eventually leads to Philbrick being brought down by the FBI.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Inspired by the recent release Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch, here are two revenge novels!
Revenge: Eleven Dark Tales by Yōko Ogawa, translated by Stephen Snyder
For fans of short story collections and Japanese crime fiction in translation!
What’s better than one revenge story? Eleven stories with main characters set to revenge, from a jealous lover to a landlady thinking about murder! Think of it like 11 revenge-y treats.
The Collective by Alison Gaylin
For fans of thrillers that explore grief and the cost of revenge!
The accused killer of Camille Gardner’s daughter has not only not faced any consequences, but he’s getting a humanitarian award. Gardner spirals even harder, landing her on the radar of a group known as the collective, where each member enacts justice for another member. Really, what could go wrong?!
(Trigger warnings for panic attacks/ recounts of a past suicide attempt, detail/ mentions of suicides, detail/ brief ableist language/ date rape/ deadnaming/ non-graphic mentions rape cases)
News and Roundups
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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