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Encyclopedia Brown and the <br>Ethics of Amateur Sleuthing

Encyclopedia Brown and the
Ethics of Amateur Sleuthing

What do fantasies of kid detectives using unorthodox methods to track down wrongdoers mean in an era of mass misinformation and institutional distrust?

By Monica Chin | September 25, 2026

Why Tour Guides Make the Best Detectives

Why Tour Guides Make the Best Detectives

Michelle Chouinard on some lessons learned taking her fictional character's job for a spin in real life.

By Michelle Chouinard | September 25, 2026

Sara Z. Carson on Cults and Writing a Novel Inspired by the Horrors of Jonestown

Sara Z. Carson on Cults and Writing a Novel Inspired by the Horrors of Jonestown

The author of Dark Messiah records the life of a teenage girl lost in the legendary massacre

By Sara Z. Carson | September 24, 2026

Megan Mostyn-Brown on Grounding Fictional Horror in Real Science

Megan Mostyn-Brown on Grounding Fictional Horror in Real Science

The author of The Need researches genetics to craft a compulsive cannibal character

By Megan Mostyn-Brown | September 24, 2026

10 dark London locales to visit, including storied cemeteries, crypt cafes, and macabre museums

10 dark London locales to visit, including storied cemeteries, crypt cafes, and macabre museums

A tour of the city from A. Rushby.

By A. Rushby | September 23, 2026

Jessica Brody on Going from Writing the Book on Plot to Plotting Out Murders

Jessica Brody on Going from Writing the Book on Plot to Plotting Out Murders

The author of 'How to Write a Murder' explores narrative structure, twists, and self-help

By Jessica Brody | September 23, 2026

Best Reviewed
Books of the Week

Courtney Psak on the Narrative Potential of Sibling Rivalry in Thrillers

By Courtney Psak | September 22, 2026

Crime and the City: Liverpool

By Paul French | September 21, 2026

The Sordid History of New York City's Nightclub Crime Scene

By Jason Allison | September 21, 2026

Darryl Jones on Discovering the Remarkable Ghost Stories of M.R. James

Darryl Jones on Discovering the Remarkable Ghost Stories of M.R. James

The author of For the Dead Remember reflects on the life and literary influence of a Cambridge scholar

By Darryl Jones | September 21, 2026

Alma Katsu on Thrillers, Deepfakes, and Keeping Up with New Technology

Alma Katsu on Thrillers, Deepfakes, and Keeping Up with New Technology

The futurist author of Incarnate explores the unintended consequences of AI

By Alma Katsu | September 21, 2026

Naomi Kaye on the Legacy of the Jonestown Massacre in Literature

Naomi Kaye on the Legacy of the Jonestown Massacre in Literature

Analyzing the myriad ways that The People's Temple tragedy has appeared in fiction

By Naomi Kaye | September 18, 2026

Abby Geni on Mental Hit Lists, Viking Culture, and the Complexity of Empathy

Abby Geni on Mental Hit Lists, Viking Culture, and the Complexity of Empathy

The author of Children of the Wolf explores Norse ethics in her new novel

By Abby Geni | September 17, 2026

Emily Zinnikas on Befriending Our Monsters

Emily Zinnikas on Befriending Our Monsters

"If a monster becomes a friend, is it still a monster? Must a monster to one person be a monster to all?"

By Emily Zinnikas | September 16, 2026

Zoje Stage on Writing Genre Fiction in An Era of Extreme Political Division

Zoje Stage on Writing Genre Fiction in An Era of Extreme Political Division

The author of Something of a Calling reflects on sensitivity, language, and mystery's layers

By Zoje Stage | September 16, 2026

Will Ferguson on the Japanese Backpacking Trek That Inspired His Latest Mystery

Will Ferguson on the Japanese Backpacking Trek That Inspired His Latest Mystery

A story in 3 photos across Okinawa and Nagasaki

By Will Ferguson | September 16, 2026

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