Crime Fiction Links of the Week for December 1, 2019

It's time again for Crime Fiction Links of the Week, our weekly round-up of interesting links about crime fiction from around the web, this week with the best crime fiction of 2019 and the decade, Knives Out, The Irishman, Blue Story, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, The Nightingale, Watchmen, Harley Quinn, the ethical issues of true crime podcasts and much more.

Crime fiction in general:

• Molly Odintz shares twenty-five short crime novels you can read in an afternoon. 
• Ryan Steck shares six thrillers to read this November. 
• Kelsey McConnell shares thirteen deadly and delicious Thanksgiving mysteries.
• Rosemary Ross shares her favourite culinary cozy mysteries.
• V.M. Burns talks about the timeless joy of pet cozies.
• Lisa Preston lists six authors of rural crime fiction.
• Margot Hunt lists five thriller characters who have had enough of domestic suburban life. 
• Mark Lawson takes a look at Seventy-Two Virgins, a very bad thriller written by UK prime minister Boris Johnson.
• Michael Hughes talks about growing up in Northern Ireland during the so-called troubles and how it influenced his writing.
• Jill Schlesinger reports that small bookstores are booming after nearly being wiped out. 
• Rebecca Davis reports that DC Comics has pulled a promotional image for a new Batman comic after criticism from the Chinese government who claimed that the image was inspired by the Hong Kong protests and subsequently came under fire for bowing to Chinese government pressure.
  

Best of lists:

• The Washington Post lists the ten best mysteries and thrillers of 2019. 
• Laura Wilson shares her favourite crime novels and thrillers of 2019.
• BOLO Books share their favourite crime novels of 2019.
  
• Crime Reads celebrates the rising stars of crime fiction in the 2010s.
  

Film and TV:

• Camille LeBlanc lists the best thriller and crime movies to watch this Thanksgiving weekend.
• Mekeisha Madden Toby lists all the Thanksgiving TV series marathons airing in the US this weekend. 
• Peter Bradshaw calls the latest version of Charlie's Angels a pointless, unfunny, brain-deadening dud. 
• Ignatiy Vishnevetsky calls Queen and Slim a Bonnie and Clyde riff with more style than substance.
• Peter Bradshaw shares his thoughts on the documentary Shooting the Mafia.
• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Ray Donovan.
• Lynette Rice reports about the upcoming 250th episode of NCIS: LA, which was co-written by Eric Christian Olsen, who plays Marty Deeks.
• Tom Power interviews Chadwick Boseman, star of Black Panther and 21 Bridges.
• Xan Brooks interviews Edward Norton, writer, director and star of Motherless Brooklyn.
• Luke Buckmaster interviews Sandy Harbutt, writer/director of the 1974 biker movie Stone. 
• Finn Cole lists eight movie accused of plagiarism, including several genre movies. 
• Mike Fleming Jr. reports that Netflix is planning a prequel to the 1974 classic crime movie Chinatown. 
• Pamela Hutchison reports about Max Linder, the world's first movie star.  
• Tom Nicholson reports that the upcoming 25th James Bond film No Time To Die will definitely be Daniel Craig's last. 
• Actor Michael J. Pollard, who appeared in Bonnie and Clyde, House of 1000 Corpses, the original Star Trek and many others, has died aged 80. 
• Actress Joan Staley, who appeared in Batman, 77 Sunset Strip and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken among others, has died aged 79.
  

Comments on Knives Out:

• A.A. Dowd declares that Knives Out both revives and subverts the old style whodunnit. 
• Olivia Rutigliano calls Knives Out a surprisingly subversive mystery. 
• Peter Bradshaw calls Knives Out a sharp country house mystery. 
• Leah Schnelbach declares that Knives Out is so much more than just Clue for a new generation.
• Tom Nicholson declares that Knives Out gives Daniel Craig the opportunity to be very, very funny.
• John Boone interviews Rian Johnson, director of Knives Out and The Last Jedi.
• Katie Rife interviews Rian Johnson.
• Charles Bramesco interviews Rian Johnson.
• Marah Eakin interviews Rian Johnson.
• Marah Eakin interviews Daniel Craig and Jamie Lee Curtis, two of the stars of Knives Out.
• Marah Eakin interviews Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, two more stars of Knives Out.
• Tim Lewis interviews Don Johnson, star of Miami Vice and the Knives Out. 
• Marah Eakin interviews Don Johnson.
• Marah Eakin interviews Katherine Langford and Jaeden Martell, two of the stars of Knives Out.
• Lauren Huff interviews David Crank, production designer on Knives Out.

Comments on Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood:

• Marah Eakin interviews Arianne Philips, costume designer for Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood.  
• Tom Nicholson also interviews Arianne Philips. 
• Marah Eakin interviews Zoe Bell, stunt coordinator for Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood.
• Marah Eakin interviews Julia Butters, a 10-year-old actress who appeared Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood.
  

Comments on Blue Story:

• Simran Hans calls Blue Story a familiar but convincing movie about warring gangs in South London. 
• Sarah Marsh and Oliver Taylor report that cinema goers in Peckham, London, have applauded Blue Story and claim that it accurate depicts the conditions in their neighbourhood.
• Aaron Walawalkar and Josh Halliday report that Blue Story has been pulled from the British cinema chain VUE after a riot broke out following a performance in Birmingham, UK.
• Izzie Gilleard also reports about the brawl in a Birmingham cinema following a showing of Blue Story. 
• Rory Fish reports that Blue Story director Andrew Onwubolu a.k.a. Rapman wonders whether his movie was pulled because of racism, because other problematic movies like Joker were not pulled.
• The Guardian reports that the VUE chain has reinstated Blue Story after its decision to pull the movie was criticised as racism.

Comments on The Irishman: 

• Jason Guerrasio calls The Irishman a monumental movie that only Martin Scorsese could attempt and pull off. 
• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on The Irishman.
• Tom Nicholson interviews Martin Scorsese, director of The Irishman.
• Tom Nicholson interviews Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, stars of The Irishman.
• Tom Nicholson reports how actor Stephen Graham was cast for The Irishman.
• Angela Serratore shares the true history behind Martin Scorsese's ganster movie The Irishman
• Mauro Altamura who worked as an extra on The Irishman recalls his family connection to the events depicted therein.
• Nahila Bonfiglio reports that The Irishman has renewed interest in the disappearance and supposed murder of Jimmy Hoffa.
  

Comments on The Nightingale: 

• Peter Bradshaw calls The Nightingale a gut-churning colonial rape/revenge drama.
• Steve Rose wonders whether The Nightingale means that cinema is finally dealing with the ugly aspects of Britain's colonial past.
  

Comments on the latest version of Watchmen:

• Leah Schnelbach shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Watchmen.
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Watchmen.
• Phoebe Wagner shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Watchmen.
• Joelle Monique shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Watchmen. 
• Jamelle Bouie is pleased that Watchmen dares to imagine a righteous black vigilante. 
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw discusses the character of Hooded Justice in Watchmen and the significance of his costume.
• Sam Barsanti declares that the plot threads regarding Rorschach and Adrian Veidt a.k.a. Ozymandias in Watchmen are needlessly confusing. 
• Randall Colburn discuses the portrayal of the 1940s superteam the Minutemen in Watchmen.
• Sonia Rao interviews Tim Blake Nelson who plays Looking Glass in Watchmen.
• Noah Berlatsky discusses the Australian science fiction series Cleverman, which he views as a sort of precursor to the current version of Watchmen.
  

Comments on the animated Harley Quinn:

• Shannon Miller calls the animated Harley Quinn series hilariously gnarly and a win.
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw calls Harley Quinn a surefire hit. 

Comments on true crime podcasts: 

• Kelly Leigh Cooper asks if the current fascination with true crime is problematic. 
• Jack Seale asks if true crime podcasts are a disaster waiting to happen.
• Flora Drury explain how true crime podcasts can help to find clues that the police missed.
• Alice Cuddy reports that the Dutch police has started a true crime podcast to help solve a 1991 murder.
  

Awards:

• The finalists for the 2019 Goodreads Choice Award have been announced.
• The winners of the 2019 Scarlet Stiletto Awards have been announced.
• The winner of the 2019 Staunch Book Prize has been announced.
• The shortlist for the 2019 Bad Sex Awards has been announced and you can read some of the nominated scenes here. 
• Actors William Shatner and Donald Sutherland as well as forensic anthropologist and thriller author Kathy Reichs and TV producer Christina Jennings were awarded the Order of Canada.
  

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Lisa Regan talks about researching dogs for her Josie Quinn mystery series.
• Christine Poulson talks about researching her crime novel An Air That Kills.
• Erica Vetch discusses if you should experiment with other genres. 
• Joseph Hurtgens shares seven ways to write great characters. 
• Bonnie Randall talks about creating names and titles. 
• Barbara Ashfod shares some tips for making the big moments in your stories sing. 
• Kristine Kathryn Rusch talks about longterm career prospects and raising the bar. 
• Victoria Strauss reports about the ACX promo code scam.
  

Interviews:

• Hillel Italie interviews Janet Evanovich.
• Rupert Hawksley interviews Ian Rankin.
• Eve Jackson interviews Harlan Coben.
• Lesa Holstine interviews Diane Kelly. 
• The Dark Phantom interviews Deborah Serani.
• Con Lehane interviews Randal Brandt, librarian in charge of Berkeley university's collection of detective fiction.

Reviews:

• Michelle Mastro reviews The Last Affair by Margot Hunt. 
• Jeff Popple reviews The Last Hunt by Deon Meyer.
• Toni V. Sweeney reviews The Last Thing She Told Me by Linda Green.
• Logan Noble reviews Lock Every Door by Riley Sager. 
• Angie Barry reviews Death Brings a Shadow by Rosemary Simpson.
• Tricia Chappell reviews Snow Kills by R.C. Bridgestock.
• Bethanne Patrick reviews They Will Drown by Johannes Anyuru. 
• Raven Crime Reads reviews Black Wolf by G.D. Abson.
• Karen Chisholm reviews Shamus Dust by Janet Roger.
• Bitter Tea and Mystery reviews The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen, translated by Lisa Hartman. 
• Kirkus reviews Murder Off the Page by Con Lehane. 
• Lesa Holstine reviews Murder Off the Page by Con Lehane.
• Doreen Sheridan reviews Murder with Cherry Tarts by Karen Rose Smith and tries a recipe from the book. 
• Carol Westron reviews Chocolate House Treason by David Fairer.
• Radmila May reviews Edgar Allan Poe and the Empire of Death by Karen Lee Street. 
• Lizzie Sirett reviews The Clockmaker by Jane A. Adams. 
• Jana Nyman reviews The Games House by Claire North.  
• For Winter Nights reviews The Pursuit of William Abbey by Claire North. 
• Doris V. Sutherland reviews Little Darlings by Melanie Golding
  
• Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Photographing the Dead by Dean R. Koontz. 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Catfishing on CatNet by Naomi Kritzer. 
• Anjanette Delgado reviews Cutting Edge: New Stories of Mystery and Crime by Women Writers, edited by Joyce Carol Oates. 
• Martin Edwards reviews Bodies from the Library 2, edited by Tony Medawar.
• Sonja van der Westhuizen reviews Crime Fiction: A Reader's Guide by Barry Foreshaw.

Classics reviews:

• David Vineyard revisits the 1928 Anthony Bathurst mystery The Mystery of the Peacock's Eye by Brian Flynn. 
• Crossexamining Crime revisits the 1929 Anthony Bathurst mystery The Murders Near Mapleton by Brian Flynn.
  
• Crossexamining Crime revisits the 1937 crime novel Trial and Error by Anthony Berkeley.
• K.A. Laity revisits the 1938 crime novel The Man Who Watched the Trains Go By by George Simenon.
• Sean Carswell revisits the 1942 noir novel Deadlier Than the Male by James Gunn.
• Crossexamining Crime revisits the 1946 mystery Puzzle for Fiends by Patrick Quentin. 
• Crossexamining Crime revisits the 1950 mystery The Man Who Got Away With It by Bernice Carey.
• Crossexamining Crime revisits the 1952 mystery collection Calendar of Crime by Ellery Queen a.k.a. Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee.
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1956 heist novel Operation Murder by Lionel White. 
• Martin Edwards revisits the 1957 suspense novel Marion a.k.a. Murder of the Record by John Bingham.
• Carol Westron revisits the 1958 Inspector Brett Nightingale mystery The Christmas Egg by Mary Kelly.
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1968 adventure novel East of Desolation by Jack Higgins a.k.a. Henry Patterson. 
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1973 revenge novel Brannon! by Daniel T. Streib. 
• Bitter Tea and Mystery revisits Killed in the Ratings by William L. DeAndrea, winner of the 1978 Edgar Award for Best Debut Novel. 
• B.V. Lawson revisits The Bulrush Murders, a 1991 Claire Sharples mystery by Rebecca Rothenberg. 
• John Valeri revisits Bones by Jan Burke, winner of the 2000 Edgar Award for Best Novel.
• Adam Wagner revisits The Bottoms by Joe R. Lansdale, winner of the 2001 Edgar Award for Best Novel.
  

Con and event reports:

• Lizzie Hayes reports about the Magna Cum Murder crime fiction festival in Indianapolis, Indiana. 
• Martin Edwards reports about the International Mystery Game Expo in Shanghai, China, and shares several photos.
• Broadway World Boston announced a panel discussion featuring three crime fiction writers following a stage performance of Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie in Boston, Massachusetts.
  

Research:

• Kate Connolly reports about the jewellery heist at the Green Vault museum in Dresden, Germany, where priceless antique jewellery was stolen.
• Kevin Connolly reports about the case of six-year-old Mary Boyle who went missing in Ireland in 1977 and was never seen again. 
• Sean O'Hagan profiles photographer Letizia Battaglia, who photographed mafia murders and the aftermath in Sicily.
• Diane Kelly shares nine fascinating facts about K-9s.
• The BBC reports that the Boston police is testing robot dogs.
• Maria Farrell remembers criminal justice reform campaigner Jack Merritt who was killed in the London Bridge terror attack.
  

Free online fiction:

•  "Piano Man" by Graham Wynd in Punk Noir Magazine.
• "Cleaning Up Your Act" by Tim Gerstmar in Shotgun Honey.
• "Something I Can Never Have" by Tom Andes in Tough.
• "Justice for Elijah" by Earl Staggs in Kings River Life.
• "Ya Never Know" by Gail Farelly in Kings River Life.
• "Lucita's Salacious Secret" by Jesse "Heels" Rawlins in Punk Noir Magazine.
• "Hello, Funny Horse" by Anna Ziegelhof in Crimson Streets.
• "Appraisal" by J.D. Smith in The Five-Two.