Crime Fiction Links of the Week for June 1, 2024

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 new The Sympathizer, Eric, Dark Matter, tributes to Caleb Carr, the bankruptcy of the RWA and much more:

Crime fiction in general:  

• Crime Reads shares ten new crime novels coming out this week. 
• Crime Reads shares the best debut crime novels for May 2024. 
• Crime Reads shares the bets reviewed crime novels of May 2024.
  
• Criminal Element share their most anticipated crime novels for June 2024.
  
• Sam Garonzik shares his five favourite amateur sleuths of all time.
  
• Lily Sampson talks about the rise of suburban noir. 
• Caroline Cleveland explains why the US South is a great setting for crime novels and mysteries.
  
• Kaira Rouda explains why resorts are the perfect settings for mysteries.
  
• Jaime Lynn Hendricks shares thrillers where the past catches up with the protagonist.  
• Daniel Weizmann shares his favourite psychedelic mysteries. 
• L.M. Chilton finds parallels between crime novels and romance.
  
• Molly Templeton talks about books which trigger emotion
• Elizabeth Minkel talks about early fandoms and the words used to describe them. 
• Stephen E. Smith profiles Manly Wade Wellman.  
  
• ROH Press profiles Italian adventure fiction writer Emilio Salgari, creator of Sandokan and the Black Corsair. 
• Maureen Marshall explains how a family secret inspired her latest historical mystery The Paris Affair. 
• Scottish writer John Burnside a.k.a. Benjamin Black died aged 69.  
• Brazilian writer R.F. Lucchetti, who wrote books, comics, radio plays, TV and movie scripts in many genre, has died aged 94.   
• Historian and historical crime fiction author Caleb Carr has died aged 68. 
• J. Kingston Pierce remembers Caleb Carr.
  

 

Film and TV: 

• Alex Wallace calls The Fall Guy pure and simple fun 
• Leslie Felperin calls The Girl in the Trunk a claustrophobic car-boot kidnap thriller  
  
• Martin Edwards calls Watcher a slow burn thriller. 
• Phil Hoad calls Chief of Station a ham-fisted thriller with neither subtlety nor intrigue. 
• Phil Hoad calls New Life an effective killer virus thriller. 
  
• Paul Hirons shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Rebus. 
• George R.R. Martin calls the new Shogun the rare example of a good literary adaptation.
  
• Rebecca Nicholson calls Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult a horribly mesmerising true crime documentary. 
  
• The Guardian wonders what the greatest movie franchise of all time is. 
• Vince Keenan shares his appreciation for the crime films of Elaine May. 
• Phillip Maciak talks about the failed promise of binge TV. 
  
• Heather Havrilesky wants to bring back tearjerkers.  
• Olivia Rutigliano lists corrupt and downright criminal US presidents from movies and TV shows.
  
• Radheyan Simonpillai interviews Ron Howard, star of American Graffiti and Happy Days and director of Willow, Apollo 13, Jim Henson: Idea Man and many others.
• Madison Vain interviews Bill Skarsgård, star of The Crow, It, John Wick, Nosferatu, Boy Kills World and many others.
• Documentary film maker Morgan Spurlock, best known for Super Size Me, has died aged 53. 
• Vance Kotrla shares a tribute to Roger Corman.

 

Comments on Eric: 

• Saloni Gajjar calls Eric a weird, absorbing thriller 
• Lucy Mangan calls Eric a wildly ambitious drama and praises the performance of Benedict Cumberbatch.
  
• Zoe Williams interviews Abi Morgan, screenwriter of Eric.

 

Comments on Dark Matter:

• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on episodes 3 and 4 of Dark Matter.
• Jenelle Riley interviews Blake Crouch, creator of Dark Matter.

 

Comments on The Sympathizer: 

• Joel Golby calls The Sympathizer an electric spy thriller and praises the performance of Robert Downey Jr.
• Rebecca Nicholson calls The Sympathizer a stylish Vietnam drama and also praises the performance of Robert Downey Jr. 
• Tom Philip shares his thoughts on the season 1 finale of The Sympathizer.
  

 

Awards:

• The finalists for the 2024 Macavity Awards have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2024 Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence in Canadian Crime Writing have been announced.
  

 

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Literary Hub shares Ursula K. Le Guin's advice for becoming a writer.
  
• The Library of America shares Dashiell Hammett's suggestions for detective story writers.
• Emma Copley Eisenberg explains how collage can help create compelling characters
  
• Nathan Gower talks about using photos as inspiration for fiction. 
• Yael van der Wouden shares advice for writing great sex scenes. 
• Anita Murray explains how to handle sex in historical fiction. 
• Alexandra Alter reports how a self-published self-help book called The Shadow Work Journal by Keila Shaheen turned into a bestseller thanks to TikTok.
  
• Ashley Belanger reports that Nvidia claims the illegal "shadow libraries" whose pirated books they used to train their AI large language model are not actually pirate sites.
  
• The Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association is announced its policy on generative AI. 
  
• Claire Kirch reports about Uncle Edgar's and Uncle Hugo's mystery and science fiction bookstores in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  

 

Comments on the RWA filing for bankruptcy:

• Mike Glyer reports that the Romance Writers of America have filed for bankruptcy. 
• Jonathan Randles reports about the bankruptcy of the RWA and blames internal battles about diversity, equity and inclusion 
• Dietrich Knauth also reports about the RWA bankruptcy. 
• Her Hands, My Hands shares a lengthy summary of the many racism, homophobia and other issues besetting the RWA.

 

Interviews: 

• Aunt Agatha's interviews Patrice McDonough
• The Red Hot Chili Writers interview Claire Douglas and David McCloskey  
• Stephen J. Golds interviews S. Craig Zahler. 
• Crime Time interviews M.R. Mackenzie.
  
• Scott Blackburn interviews Henry Wise. 
• E.B. Davis interviews Marilyn Levinson.
  
• Shane Whaley interviews Gordon Henderson. 
• Self-Publishing Review interviews Anthony Lee.
  
  

Reviews:

• In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel reviews The Mercy Chair by M.W. Craven  
• Kevin Tipple reviews First Frost by Craig Johnson 
  
• Joseph B. Hoyos reviews The Unquiet Bones by Loreth Anne White
• Lesa Holstine reviews Disturbing the Dead by Kelley Armstrong 
• Doreen Sheridan reviews Disturbing the Dead by Kelley Armstrong  
• Matt Pechey reviews A Calamity of Souls, by David Baldacci
  
• Aunt Agatha's reviews Return to Blood by Michael Bennett. 
• Alyson Baker reviews Return to Blood by Michael Bennett. 
  
• Gabino Iglesias reviews The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton.
  
• Raven Crime Reads reviews Murder under the Midnight Sun by Stella Blómkvist, translated by Quentin Bates  
• Sonja van der Westhuizen reviews Murder under the Midnight Sun by Stella Blómkvist, translated by Quentin Bates  
  
• Paul Burke reviews Cinnamon Girl by Daniel Weizmann 
• Col's Criminal Library reviews Cinnamon Girl by Daniel Weizmann 
  
• Tzer Island reviews Camino Ghosts by John Grisham
  
• Marilyn Brooks reviews If Something Happens To Me by Alex Finlay.
  
• Mary Picken reviews Think Twice by Harlan Coben. 
• Ryan Steck reviews Think Twice by Harlan Coben.
• The Library Ladies review Missing White Woman by Kellye Garrett  
  
• Doreen Sheridan reviews She Left by Stacie Grey 
• Carolyn Scott reviews Long Time Gone by Charlie Donlea
  
• Mandie Griffiths reviews You Can’t See Me by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir, translates by Victoria Cribb 
• The Unseen Library reviews Behind a Closed Door by J. D. Barker
  
• Kurt Anthony Krug reviews I Will Ruin You by Linwood Barclay 
• Tzer Island reviews A Rough Way to Go by Sam Garonzik  
  
• Blue Book Balloon reviews Toxic by Helga Flatland, translated by Matt Bagguley.
• Raven Crime Reads reviews Toxic by Helga Flatland, translated by Matt Bagguley.
• Kevin Tipple reviews Toxic Prey by John Sandford. 
• Mandie Griffiths reviews Killer Intent by Tony Kent
  
• Doreen Sheridan reviews Man’s Best Friend by Alana B. Lytle 
• Oline H. Cogdill reviews Next of Kin by Samantha Jayne Allen 
• Jen Lucas reviews Guilty Mothers by Angela Marsons 
• Mandie Griffiths reviews Stigma by Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger
  
• Joy Kluver reviews The Wild Swimmers by William Shaw. 
• Chris Beakey reviews The Switch by Lily Samson.
  
• Beth Kanell reviews Westport by James Comey. 
• Janet Webb reviews Liar’s Point: The Texas Murder Files by Laura Griffin 
  
• BOLO Books reviews Hall of Mirrors by John Copenhaver, 
• Jen Lucas reviews Malice by Hugh Fraser 
• Kirkus reviews The Wealth of Shadows by Graham Moore. 
• Olive Fellows reviews Locked in Pursuit by Ashley Weaver
  
• The Quick and the Read reviews The Continental Affair by Christine Mangan 
• Crossexamining Crime reviews The Stranger’s Companion by Mary Horlock
  
• Marlene Harris reviews The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood 
• Marlene Harris reviews A Mischief of Rats by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett 
• Doreen Sheridan reviews The Witless Protection Program by Maria DiRico and tries a recipe from the book.
  
• Aunt Agatha's reviews Lights, Camera, Bones by Carolyn Haines.
• Lesa Holstine reviews The Diva Goes Overboard by Krista Davis. 
  
• Aunt Agatha's reviews The Diva Goes Overboard by Krista Davis. 
• Ali Karim reviews You Like It Darker by Stephen King 
   
  

Classics reviews:

• Crossexamining Crime revisits the 1929 mystery Mystery at Furze Acres by David Whitelaw  
• Crossexamining Crime revisits the 1931 mystery Put Out the Light by Ethel Lina White  
• Martin Edwards revisits the 1937 bibliomystery The Death of Mr. Dodsley by John Ferguson. 
• Martin Edwards revisits the 1941 Sir Henry Merrivale mystery And So to Murder by Carter Dickson a.k.a. John Dickson Carr
• Lesa Holstine revisits the 1943 Inspector Littlejohn mystery Death of a Busybody by George Bellairs
• B.V. Lawson revisits the 1946 Inspector Cockrill mystery Suddenly at His Residence by Christianna Brand.
  
• In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel revisits the 1956 mystery A Telegram For Le Touquet by John Bude 
  
• Crossexamining Crime revisits the 1961 Nigel Strangeways mystery The Worm of Death by Nicholas Blake 
• James Reasoner revisits the 1962 crime novel Bait by George Cassidy a.k.a. William Vance.
  
• Crossexamining Crime revisits the 1974 mystery Hanged Man’s House by Elizabeth Ferrars 
• Joe Kenney revisits the 1977 crime novel The Doll by Gerard Gormley
  

 

Con and event reports:

• Bob Byrne reports about a weekend even hosted by the Nero Wolfe fan club The Wolfe Pack at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
• C.E. Murphy shares her experience at a writing retreat at Gladstone's Library in Hawarden, Wales.  
• Lucy Knight reports that the Hay Literary Festival in Hay-on-Wye, Wales, has dropped its sponsor, investment firm Baillie Gifford, following cancellations and protests by participants.
  
• Lucy Knight reports that the Edinburgh International Book Festival has also dropped its sponsor Baillie Gifford in response to the same pressure groups.  

 

Research: 

• TeeJay Small reports that biometric data stored by the Indian police was recently hacked and leaked and discusses potentia consequences.

 

Free online fiction: 

• "Retirement Plan" by John M. Floyd in Punk Noir Magazine 
  
• "Another Day Gone" by Justin Lee in Punk Noir Magazine 
  
• "Come Hell or High Water" by Stephen J. Golds in Punk Noir Magazine
• "Lefty is Stealing Mark’s Woman" by Colin Gee in Punk Noir Magazine  
• "Goon" by Jeremy Grojean in Shotgun Honey.
  

 

Trailers and videos: 

• Watch a trailer for Moonflower Murders.