Jamie Canavés is the Tailored Book Recommendations coordinator and Unusual Suspects mystery newsletter writer–in case you’re wondering what you do with a Liberal Arts degree. She’s never met a beach she didn’t like, always says yes to dessert, loves ‘80s nostalgia, all forms of entertainment, and can hold a conversation using only gifs. You can definitely talk books with her on Litsy and Goodreads. Depending on social media’s stability maybe also Twitter and Bluesky.
Mystery fans delight, here’s a roundup with news, announcements, and adaptations of all the things to know.
270 Reasons
Here’s a project with an array of fantastic authors and writers, each with an essay for why it’s important for them, and everyone, to vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. The 270 Reasons site is simply links to every essay, showing the title, a quote, and the author’s name—and it’s updated daily!
I, of course, looked for mystery authors: I Have Some Questions For You author Rebecca Makkai wrote “Because you shouldn’t throw your vote away”; Shutter Island author Dennis Lehane wrote “Because she’s the fighter; he’s the bully”; The Lions of Fifth Avenue author Fiona Davis wrote, “Because she will uphold the peaceful transfer of power.”
Exciting Adaptation News
- Riku Onda’s Japanese crime novel The Aosawa Murders is being adapted into a limited series! (Bestselling Japanese Crime Novel The Aosawa Murders Set for Limited Series From Jonathan Kier, Matt Brodlie’s Upgrade Productions)
- Paul Feig—who directed a handful of very funny films, including Spy and Ghostbusters (2016)—will direct a psychological thriller adapted from Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid. (Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried to Star in The Housemaid Adaptation From Director Paul Feig, Lionsgate)
- Don Winslow’s short story Crime 101 is being adapted by Amazon MGM Studios. (Halle Berry Lands Female Lead Opposite Chris Hemsworth In Amazon MGM Studios Thriller Crime 101)
- Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, which follows an author who stole a dead author’s manuscript to pass it off as their own, will be adapted into a series! (Lionsgate TV Options Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, Karyn Kusama Attached to Direct)
- Patrick Radden Keefe’s true crime history Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland has been adapted into a series, releasing in November, and Vanity Fair wrote a great piece. (Say Nothing Asks a Provocative Question: Can Violence Save the World?)
- Start 2025 with a new medical mystery on CBS / Paramount+ starring Watson! (Morris Chestnut CBS Drama Watson to Premiere Following AFC Championship Game)
- If you like thrillers and spies, the Slow Horses adaptation has really nailed the pacing and fun tropes that come with the subgenre. Also, chef’s kiss to the dark humor. (Apple TV+ just confirmed its best show is getting a Season 6)
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The Baby Reindeer Lawsuit
If you want to keep up with the ongoing case related to the Netflix show Baby Reindeer—which is based on the creator’s claim that Fiona Harvey stalked him— Them has the latest, and backstory: Baby Reindeer is Not a “True Story,” Judge Rules. Fiona Harvey Can Proceed With Her Lawsuit
In Mystery Book Announcement News
- Megan Abbott announced her next novel on Instagram: “EL DORADO DRIVE, coming your way summer 2025″ and Jenna Bush had the cover reveal on Read With Jenna’s Instagram!
- Reese Witherspoon co-wrote a thriller with Harlan Coben, which will release in 2025. (Reese Witherspoon Reveals Co-Written Thriller With Harlan Coben In The Works) Jeff and Rebecca asked a lot of the questions I had on the Book Riot Podcast, starting with: If Reese has talked endlessly about creating her book club and production company over her frustration with the lack of women’s stories, was she turned down by all the amazing women writing in the crime genre when it came to writing this book? Or did publishing offer this deal? Or, is it based on Coben already having many of his books adapted?
Busybody Mysteries
Amazon Original Stories has put out a collection of stories from a handful of current mystery writers. The theme? Busybodies, because they notice everything, of course. Pick up One Lucky Subscriber by Kellye Garrett, Staged by Elle Cosimano, The Reunion Dinner by Jesse Q. Sutanto, Crime of Fashion by Emma Rosenblum, The Nosy Neighbor by Nita Prose, and A Classic Case by Alicia Thompson while you wait for their next novels, or use this as a great way to “sample” a bunch of great current writers.
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 Goodreads, and Litsy.
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