Crime Reads » Essays

Fairy Tales Are Dark For a Reason—They're Trying to Warn Us About Danger

Fairy Tales Are Dark For a Reason—They're Trying to Warn Us About Danger

Like thrillers, fairy tales teach us to navigate the deep, dark wood...

By Cynthia Pelayo | March 12, 2021

The Mystery Is The Human Psyche: On Shakespeare, Crime, and Human Motivation

The Mystery Is The Human Psyche: On Shakespeare, Crime, and Human Motivation

It's not the "how" that drives a narrative. It's the "why".

By E.J. Beaton | March 12, 2021

The Cult of the Campus Thriller

The Cult of the Campus Thriller

Why are readers obsessed with the super-charged atmospherics of the campus thriller? The answer is as complicated as the novels.

By Laurie Elizabeth Flynn | March 11, 2021

Is China the Next Spy Fiction Supervillain?

Is China the Next Spy Fiction Supervillain?

A former FBI counterintelligence analyst and author explains why China will be the new go-to adversary for thriller writers.

By Matt Miksa | March 11, 2021

It's Day 362 of My Lockdown and <em>French Kiss</em> Still Isn't Available for Streaming

It's Day 362 of My Lockdown and French Kiss Still Isn't Available for Streaming

An investigation into one of the great digital mysteries of the rom-com / crime fiction world.

By Dwyer Murphy | March 10, 2021

Killing Machines: How Car Culture in 1970s Los Angeles Fueled a Terrifying String of Murders

Killing Machines: How Car Culture in 1970s Los Angeles Fueled a Terrifying String of Murders

Millions of cars and miles of freeway contributed to a dangerous cultural shift in a city choked with smog.

By Chip Jacobs | March 9, 2021

Best Reviewed
Books of the Week

Behind Enemy Lines: Women in Combat During World War II

By Kelly Bowen | March 8, 2021

My Novel Reopened A Cold Case. My True Crime Book Puts Ghosts To Rest.

By Stephanie Kane | March 5, 2021

Napoleon Has Always Fascinated Novelists, But His Life Really Was Fit for a Thriller

By Loren D. Estleman | March 5, 2021

What's the Key To Finishing That Novel Of Yours? Try Working at the Library.

What's the Key To Finishing That Novel Of Yours? Try Working at the Library.

Chris Whitaker wanted to write a book. First he needed to quit his job in finance and go to work at the local library.

By Chris Whitaker | March 4, 2021

Hard Science Fiction Is Still Overwhelmingly White—But It's Getting Better

Hard Science Fiction Is Still Overwhelmingly White—But It's Getting Better

When we think hard scifi, we think of white male authors. But the truth of the genre is far more diverse.

By S.B. Divya | March 3, 2021

Sara Paretsky on Dorothy B. Hughes and the Meaning of 'Noir'

Sara Paretsky on Dorothy B. Hughes and the Meaning of 'Noir'

In Hughes's Ride the Pink Horse, a disturbing portrait of human suffering—and sometimes kindness.

By Sara Paretsky | March 2, 2021

Who Are You Going to Call: Rethinking the Role of Police in Mysteries

Who Are You Going to Call: Rethinking the Role of Police in Mysteries

Nicole Glover wanted to write a mystery where nobody felt comfortable calling police, and tidy resolutions were hard to find.

By Nicole Glover | March 2, 2021

The Mostly Unknown History of Lee Child's 'Letters to the Editor' of the New York Times

The Mostly Unknown History of Lee Child's 'Letters to the Editor' of the New York Times

In the early days of Jack Reacher, after moving to America, Lee Child had some opinions about the country's conservative figures.

By Heather Martin | March 1, 2021

Trinidad & Tobago: Rum, Calypso, Cricket, and Crime Fiction

Trinidad & Tobago: Rum, Calypso, Cricket, and Crime Fiction

'Crime and the City' visits the Caribbean island nation with a powerful literary tradition.

By Paul French | March 1, 2021

How Shane Black's Love Letter to 1970s Crime Fiction Put a Spotlight on Robert Terrall

How Shane Black's Love Letter to 1970s Crime Fiction Put a Spotlight on Robert Terrall

Robert Terrall was a stalwart of the pulp fiction scene in the 60s and 70s. His son recalls his life and career, and a recent revival.

By Ben Terrall | March 1, 2021

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