Crime Reads » Essays

Why The Mechanic, not The Jackal, Is the Ultimate 1970s Movie Hitman

Why The Mechanic, not The Jackal, Is the Ultimate 1970s Movie Hitman

'The 'Day of the Jackal' is held up as a classic. But the 1972 Charles Bronson feature is superior in almost every way.

By J.M. Berger | October 29, 2026

Adam Plantinga on writing gritty, tough-guy protagonists in modern crime fiction

Adam Plantinga on writing gritty, tough-guy protagonists in modern crime fiction

The author of Dark Country explores the nuances of a classic character type

By Adam Plantinga | October 29, 2026

Rosemary's Grandbabies: How a New Wave of Horror Changed America

Rosemary's Grandbabies: How a New Wave of Horror Changed America

Adapted from the new book, 'Body and Blood: Catholic Horror in America'

By Matthew J. Cressler, Jack Lee Downey Kathleen Holscher, and Michael Pasquier | October 28, 2026

Sparkle: Teen Dreams and Ghetto Superstars

Sparkle: Teen Dreams and Ghetto Superstars

Michael Gonzales on a classic of 1970s NYC cinema.

By Michael Gonzales | October 28, 2026

America's lady Bluebeard: the strange murder trial of Lyda Trueblood

America's lady Bluebeard: the strange murder trial of Lyda Trueblood

Excerpted from Ordinary Wife: The True Story of America's Forgotten Serial Killer by Gregg Olsen and Morgan Olsen

By Gregg Olsen and Morgan Olsen | October 27, 2026

Jim Ruland on writing a campus heist novel inspired by Bad Bunny and 'Bullet Train'

Jim Ruland on writing a campus heist novel inspired by Bad Bunny and 'Bullet Train'

The author of Mightier Than the Sword directs a fictional scholastic crime spree

By Jim Ruland | October 27, 2026

Best Reviewed
Books of the Week

An Illustrated Guide to Famous (and Infamous) Figures from the History of Psychiatry

By Laura Joh Rowland | October 26, 2026

Kevin Moore on Femme Fatales, Tropes, and Learning from the Women of Noir

By Kevin Moore | October 26, 2026

On mall culture, stranger danger,
and the neon 90s

By Nicolina Torres | October 26, 2026

The Best Psychological Thrillers of the Month: October 2026

The Best Psychological Thrillers of the Month: October 2026

Featuring works from Lyndsay Faye, Elizabeth Hand, Nneoma Ike-Njoku, Tom McCarthy, and Tanya Pell

By Molly Odintz | October 23, 2026

On wellness culture, horror fiction, and shifting the blame

On wellness culture, horror fiction, and shifting the blame

"Horror has always understood that care can become control."

By Dawn Kurtagich | October 22, 2026

Anna Maloney on Writing Badass, Believable Older Women in Thrillers

Anna Maloney on Writing Badass, Believable Older Women in Thrillers

The author of The 10:12 explores the promise of elderly sleuths' experience and invisibility

By Anna Maloney | October 22, 2026

Zelly Ruskin on Gaslighting, Relationships, and Psychological Suspense

Zelly Ruskin on Gaslighting, Relationships, and Psychological Suspense

Exploring the promise of writing thrillers for processing intense emotions

By Zelly Ruskin | October 22, 2026

Olivia Blacke's Favorite Halloween-Themed Reads (Plus a Haunted Bookstore Tour)

Olivia Blacke's Favorite Halloween-Themed Reads (Plus a Haunted Bookstore Tour)

The author of The Key to a Killer recommends Gigi Pandian, Misty Simon, and others

By Olivia Blacke | October 21, 2026

Harry Hunsicker on Transforming Grief into Conflict in Crime Fiction

Harry Hunsicker on Transforming Grief into Conflict in Crime Fiction

The author of Mother May I explores the narrative tension of trauma and closure

By Harry Hunsicker | October 21, 2026

The Real Sherlock Holmes: How an Edinburgh Doctor Inspired Doyle's Detective

The Real Sherlock Holmes: How an Edinburgh Doctor Inspired Doyle's Detective

Excerpted from Sleuth-Hound: The Case of the Real Sherlock Holmes

By Lindsey Fitzharris | October 20, 2026

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