An Aria to the Mad Scientist

An Aria to the Mad Scientist

"[A] mad scientist is a veritable cornucopia of incendiary incidents. They’re forever pushing the plot forward."

By Nick Cutter | May 27, 2026

Eli Raphael on Identity, Outsiders, and Creating Accountability in Thrillers

Eli Raphael on Identity, Outsiders, and Creating Accountability in Thrillers

The author of Night Objects mulls the allure of assimilation and belonging

By Eli Raphael | May 27, 2026

What to Watch Now: Get Out (2017)

What to Watch Now: Get Out (2017)

A modern classic and a fresh take on American horror.

By Radha Vatsal | May 27, 2026

Kerri Hakoda on the Symbolic Power of Rivers in Mystery

Kerri Hakoda on the Symbolic Power of Rivers in Mystery

How bodies of water shape narratives in crime fiction by Agatha Christie, Ariel Lawhon, and others

By Kerri Hakoda | May 26, 2026

10 Brilliant Thrillers Set in the Near Future

10 Brilliant Thrillers Set in the Near Future

Perrin Pring recommends Mason Coile, Jakob Kerr, Rebecca Roanhorse, and more

By Perrin Pring | May 26, 2026

The Top 10 Animal Sleuths (Plus Honorable Mentions)

The Top 10 Animal Sleuths (Plus Honorable Mentions)

Kit Gray recommends tales featuring nonhuman detectives by Rene Fonby, Jeffrey Burton, and others

By Kit Gray | May 26, 2026

Best Reviewed
Books of the Week

  • Luna, Phoenix, Queen
  • Music Against the Night
  • Peck & Peck
  • The Best Kind of American: A True Story of Murder, War, and America's Undoing in the Middle East
  • The End of Everything
  • Morbid: Debunking Modern Longevity Science
  • American Socialist: The Life and Legacy of Eugene V. Debs
  • Solace House
  • On Another Planet They Can Save Me
  • Reds: A Global History of Communism

Andrea Hairston on Crossing Genres, Science Fiction, and Taking Romance Seriously

By Andrea Hairston | May 26, 2026

Carmela Dutra on Why Public Crime Scenes Work So Well in Mysteries

By Carmela Dutra | May 25, 2026

Amanda West on the Joyful Challenge of Changing Thriller Genres

By Amanda West | May 25, 2026

The Best Debut Novels of the Month: May 2026

The Best Debut Novels of the Month: May 2026

Featuring titles from Sara van Os, Vincent Yu, Leslie Baird, Mary Berman, and Bindu Bansinath

By Molly Odintz | May 22, 2026

6 Mysteries Featuring Miniatures, Effigies, and Tiny Scenes

6 Mysteries Featuring Miniatures, Effigies, and Tiny Scenes

Diane Josefowicz recommends Margaret Grace, Elise Hooper, and more

By Diane Josefowicz | May 22, 2026

Leslie Baird on Surveillance in Society and Fiction

Leslie Baird on Surveillance in Society and Fiction

How George Orwell, Laila Lalami, and others capture the tension of being watched by governments, peers, and more

By Leslie Baird | May 22, 2026

5 Literary Suspense Novels Set in Italy

5 Literary Suspense Novels Set in Italy

Natalie Lemle recommends Umberto Eco, Muriel Spark, and more

By Natalie Lemle | May 21, 2026

The Best International Fiction of May 2026

The Best International Fiction of May 2026

Ecuadorian festivals, Ukrainian detectives, Icelandic thrills, Chinese slackers, and more delights for the armchair traveler

By Molly Odintz | May 21, 2026

Howard A. Rodman on Melville, Empire, and the Audacity of Resurrecting Literary Giants

Howard A. Rodman on Melville, Empire, and the Audacity of Resurrecting Literary Giants

Herman Melville never quite finished with Captain Ahab. Neither, it turns out, did Howard A. Rodman.

By Hassan Tarek | May 21, 2026

How 'At Close Range' Set the Tone for Rural Crime Storytelling

How 'At Close Range' Set the Tone for Rural Crime Storytelling

Once overlooked, the 1986 noir now has an outsize influence.

By Keith Roysdon | May 21, 2026

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