Crime Fiction Links of the Week for June 3, 2023

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 Gallows Pole, Steeltown Murders, Poker Face, the series finale of Barry, The Machine, the new Fatal Attraction, Yellowjackets, White House Plumbers, the ongoing WGA strike, the debate about AI writing and art programs, tributes to John Dunning and much more:

Crime fiction in general:  

• Crime Reads shares ten new crime novels coming out this week. 
• Crime Reads shares twelve new crime novels coming out this June.
  
• Paul Burke discusses crime novels released in April and May of 2023. 
• Sam Holland shares her top six fictional serial killers.
  
• Tamara Berry shares cozy mysteries for book lovers. 
• Emily Edwards lists country house murder mysteries set in the US. 
• Isabella Maldonado shares eight modern locked room mysteries. 
• Nicole Hackett shares six crime novels dealing with motherhood. 
• Alison Goodman discusses the difficulties of writing a Regency mystery with a pair of female sleuths.
  
• Daniel Weizmann shares five noir novels set in Hollywood's music industry. 
  
• Jim Ruland takes a look at the intersection of punk and crime in popular culture and real life. 
• Paperback Warrior takes a look at Lawrence Block's writings for men's adventure magazines in the 1950s and 1960s.
  
• Shehan Karunatilaka explains how Choose Your Own Adventure books taught him to write and helped him win the Booker Prize.
• Lizzy Steiner shares seven true crime podcasts to listen to this summer.
  
• Beth Skwarecki explains how to make sure you actually read the books you buy.
  
• Sarah Shaffi reports that Vaseem Khan has been appointed chair of the Crime Writers Association CWA. 
• Martin Pengelly reports that "Blackmail", a lost story by noir writer James M. Cain, has been rediscovered and will be published in The Strand.  
  

 

Tributes to John Dunning:

• Mystery author and bookseller John Dunning has died aged 81.
• J. Kingston Pierce remembers John Dunning. 
• George Easter remembers John Dunning.
  

 

Film and TV:

• Dwyer Murphy lists the best new crime shows to watch this June.
  
• Leslie Felperin calls Hitmen a messy and gratuitously violent revenge thriller. 
• Peter Bradshaw calls Reality an uncannily brilliant word for word replay of an FBI interrogation. 
• Cath Clarke calls Carmen an awkward present day update of the classic tale.
  
• Olivia Rutigliano declares that Master Gardener doesn't see the forest for the trees
• Mary Kate Carr shares her thoughts on the season 4 premiere of Nancy Drew. 
  
• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Citadel. 
• Martin Edwards shares his thoughts on Framed. 
• Jack Seale calls The Days a diappointingly insight-free drama about the 2011 Fukushima disaster that cannot hold a candle to Chernobyl.  
  
• Dwyer Murphy shares his favourite Elmore Leonard adaptations. 
• Ryan D'Agostino profiles Harrison Ford who played Han Solo in Star Wars as well as Indiana Jones, Rick Deckard in Blade Runner and many others.  
• Charles Bramesco hopes that the trend of splitting movies into two parts for box office and length reasons will end soon.   
• Guy Lodge delves into the lengthy history of the gay best friend character in Hollywood films.
• Dwayne Epstein revisits the 1967 war movie The Dirty Dozen. 
  
• Jason Sacks revisits the 1968 spy movie Danger Diabolik.  
• Germain Lussier revisits the 1984 adventure movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. 
  
• Peter Bradshaw revisits the 1991 road movie Thelma and Louise.
  
• Justin Carter shares the full list of shows removed from Disney Plus and Hulu.
• Screenwriter Joe Gayton, who worked on Hell on Wheels, Faster, Uncommon Valor, Bulletproof and many others has died aged 66.
  
• Actor and stunman Gary Kent has died aged 89. 
• Actor George Maharis, best known for his roles in Route 66, Naked City, Fantasy Island, Night Gallery, The Bionic Woman and many others, has died aged 94.

 

Comments on The Gallows Pole: 

• Lucy Mangan calls The Gallows Pole a must-see period crime drama. 
• Paul Hirons shares his thoughts on the first episode of The Gallows Pole.
  
• Terri White interviews Shane Meadows, creator of the historical crime drama The Gallows Pole. 
• Michael Hogan interviews Shane Meadows. 
• Miranda Sawyer interviews Michael Socha, star of This Is England and The Gallows Pole.
  

 

Comments on Steeltown Murders: 

• Paul Hirons shares his thoughts on episode 2 of Steeltown Murders.
• Paul Hirons shares his thoughts on episode 3 of Steeltown Murders.
  

 

Comments on Poker Face: 

• Joel Golby calls Poker Face a perfect detective show that turns up the fun-o-meter until it explodes 
• Lucy Mangan calls Poker Face a superfun detective show and praises the performance of Natasha Lyonne. 
• Rebecca Nicholson declares that the female private investigator shows Poker Face and High Desert are the most wildly entertaining TV shows of 2023.

 

Comments on the series finale of Barry: 

• Matt Schimkowitz finds the series finale of Barry appropriately sombre. 
• Olivia Rutigliano calls Barry Wile E. Coyote with a gun. 
• Stuart Heritage calls Barry the true best show on television.
  

 

Comments on The Machine:

• Luke Y. Thompson calls The Machine a mediocre kidnapping comedy elevated by the performance of Mark Hamill. 
• Jesse Hassenger declares that The Machine has a lot of visual flair, but little laughter in spite of starring comedian Bert Kreischer. 
• Brady Langmann interviews Mark Hamill, one of the stars of The Machine.
  

 

Comments on the new Fatal Attraction : 

• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the first season of the new Fatal Attraction.
  
• Charlie Mason shares his thoughts on the season 1 finale of the new Fatal Attraction.
• Katcy Stephan interviews Lizzy Caplan, one of the stars of the new Fatal Attraction.
  

 

Comments on White House Plumbers: 

• Joel Golby calls White House Plumbers a terrible Watergate thriller with an excellent cast who seem to be in completely different movies.
• Rebecca Nicholson calls White House Plumbers a meandering and dull political farce, but also praises the star-studded cast.  
• Julia Sirmons takes a look at the true story behind White House Plumbers.
  

 

Comments on Yellowjackets: 

• Leila Latif declares that Yellowjackets has taken survival horror to new heights.
• Hattie Lindert shares her thoughts on the season 2 finale of Yellowjackets. 
• Brian Qualey shares his thoughts on the season 2 finale of Yellowjackets.
  
• Meredith Hobbs Coons shares her favourite 1990s songs used on the soundtrack of Yellowjackets
• Samantha Highfill reports that Yellowjackets will get a bonus episode between seasons 2 nd 3.
  

 

Comments on the strike of the Writers Guild of America:

• Nellie Andreeva interviews Francesca Orsi, head of HBO's drama department, about the impact of the WGA strike on HBO shows.
  
• Linda Codega reports that several Star Trek actors have been spotted on the picket lines supporting the WGA strike.
  
• Justin Carter reports that production on the Marvel projects Thunderbolts and Wonder Man has been put on hold due to the ongoing WGA strike.
• Justin Carter reports that the TV show Blade Runner 2099 has also stopped production due to the ongoing WGA strike.

 

Awards:

• The thriller Anatomy of a Fall has won the Palme d'Or at the 2023 Cannes film festival.
  
• The winner of the 2023 David Thompson Special Service Award has been announced.
  

 

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Walter Rhein explains how to write something of literary merit that appeals to a popular audience. 
  
• Lauren Mechling wonders what happens if your partner does not like your writing.
  
• Victoria Strauss talks about termination fees in publishing.
• Sarah Shaffi reports that the American Library Association, the Authors Guild and other groups are sueing the state of Arkansas over a new law that bans giving books deemed "obscene" to minors.
  

 

Comments on the AI controversy: 

• Jason Sanford shares a round-up of the latest state of the AI controversy.
  
• Neil Clarke shares a statement on the use and training of AI large language models.
  
• Matt Binder reports that a lawyer used ChatGPT to draft a legal filing, only to find that the AI program had cited non-existent cases.
• John Walker reports that Nvidia is trying to replace many game developers with AI. 
• Naomi Klein notes that AIs are not hallucinating, but that their creators are. 
• Paul Rudnick shares a not entirely serious look at what AI written film and TV scripts might look like.

 

Interviews: 

• Dwyer Murphy interviews Megan Abbott.
  
• The Red Hot Chilli Writers interview Robert Dugoni.
• Nancie Clare interviews Jordan Harper. 
• E.B. Davis interviews Alison Goodman. 
• Lisa Haselton interviews Regina Buttner.
  
• Books & Looks interviews Mary Ann Miller.
  

Reviews:

• Ali Karim reviews Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka.
  
• Jen Lucas reviews Killing Moon by Jo Nesbo.
  
• Blue Book Balloon reviews The Last Passenger by Will Dean. 
• Mary Picken reviews The Seventh Victim by Michael Wood. 
• Jen Lucas reviews The Seventh Victim by Michael Wood. 
  
• Raven Crime Reads reviews To Die in June by Alan Parks.
  
• Mary Picken reviews The Last Dance by Mark Billingham. 
  
• Becky LeJeune reviews The Spider by Lars Kepler, translated by Alice Menzies. 
• Mandie Griffiths reviews The Spider by Lars Kepler, translated by Alice Menzies. 
  
• Mary Picken reviews The Spider by Lars Kepler, translated by Alice Menzies. 
• Lesa Holstine reviews The Body in the Web by Katherine Hall Page
  
• Beth Kanell reviews The Last Songbird by Dennis Weizmann. 
• Tzer Island reviews The Last Songbird by Dennis Weizmann. 
  
• Mary Picken reviews The One That Got Away by J.D. Kirk.  
• Amy Myers reviews When We Fall by Aiofe Clifford.
  
• Janet Webb reviews Second Shot by Cindy Dees.
  
• The Quick and the Read reviews The Embalmer by Alison Belsham. 
• Tzer Island reviews Sing Her Down by Ivy Pochoda.
  
• Mary Picken reviews No Sweet Sorrow by Denzil Meyrick 
• Jen Lucas reviews No Sweet Sorrow by Denzil Meyrick 
  
• Mandie Griffiths reviews Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah.
• Grab This Book reviews The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel. 
• Fiona Sturges reviews Trespasses by Louise Kennedy.
  
• Beth Kanell reviews The Lock-up by John Banville. 
• Christopher Shrimpton reviews The Choice by Michael Arditti. 
• Peter Stanford reviews The Choice by Michael Arditti. 
  
• Kathy Reel reviews Blackstone Fell by Martin Edwards. 
• Moonraker reviews Ritual of Fire by D.V. Bishop. 
• Publishers Weekly reviews Tokyo Time by Dawn Farnham.
  
• Lis Carey reviews The Wilhelm Conspiracy by Charles Veley
• Bookshelf Fantasies reviews The Poisoner's Ring by Kelley Armstrong.
  
• Lesa Holstine reviews The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman.
• Kirkus reviews I Didn't Do It by Jaime Lynn Hendricks.
  
• Lesa Holstine reviews Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust by Mindy Quigley
• Doreen Sheridan reviews Murder with Earl Grey Tea by Karen Rose Smith and tries a recipe from the book.
  
• Beth Kanell reviews The President's Daughter by Bill Clinton and James Patterson. 
• Andrew Anthony reviews Into the Night: A Year With the Police by Matt Lloyd-Rose
  

 

Classics reviews:

• Happiness is a Book revisits the 1923 mystery The Abbey Court Murder by Annie Haynes.
  
• Lesa Holstine revisits the 1932 Roger Sheringham mystery Murder in the Basement by Anthony Berkeley.
  
• Vintage Pop Fictions revisits the 1940 noir nove High Sierra by W.R. Burnett. 
  
• Vintage Pop Fictions revisits the 1942 The Saint collection The Saint Goes West by Leslie Chateris.
• In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel revisits the 1946 Dr. Westlake mystery Death's Old Sweet Song by Jonathan Stagge.
  
• Crossexamining Crime revisits the May 1951 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine.
• I.S. Berry revisits the 1955 spy novel The Quiet American by Graham Greene.
  
• Vintage Pop Fictions revisits the 1959 noir novel As Bad As They Come by Orrie Hitt.
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1960 war novel The Beardless Warriors by Richard Matheson. 
• Martin Edwards revisits the 1975 Dan Cannon mystery Bored to Death by Michael Delving.
  
• Joe Kenney revisits the 1981 crime novel The Last Scam by David Harris.
• B.V. Lawson revisits the 1982 Guarnaccia mystery Death of a Dutchman by Magdalen Nabb. 
  
• Beneath the Stains of Time revisits the 1988 locked room mystery The Mill House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji 
  

Con and event reports:

• Tom Ambrose shares stories of British theatregoers behaving badly.
  

 

Research: 

• The Guardian reports that a Beluga whale suspected of being a Russian spy has been spotted off the Swedish coast. 
• Josh Haven shares some true crime stories from Post-Soviet Russia. 
• Madeline Halpert and Brandon Drenon report how the rise in gun violence and mass shootings is changing American lives. 
  
• Sarah Shaffi reports that the so-called Heege manuscript sheds light on the life and role of medieval minstrels. 
  

 

Free online fiction: 

• "The Men My Husband Brings Home For Me" by Richie Narvaez in Shotgun Honey. 
• "Burden of Proof" by Anthony Lukas in Shotgun Honey
• "Details" by Dale Sandlin in Shotgun Honey. 
  
• "There Are Places I'll Remember" by Stanton McCaffery in Mystery Tribune.
• "Knight Takes Pawn" by Tod Molloy in Punk Noir Magazine. 
• "Dollar Fortune" by Archer Sullivan in Tough. 
• "The Dream" by Adam Stemple in The Five-Two.
  
• "Thorns" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
  

 

Trailer and videos: 

• Watch a trailer for Hijack.
• Watch a trailer for season 3 of Jack Ryan. 
• Watch a trailer for Justified: City Primeval.
  
• Watch a trailer for Outpost.
  
• Watch a trailer for Based on a True Story.
  
• Watch a trailer for Killers of the Flower Moon.