Crime Fiction Links of the Week for July 12, 2025

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 season 2 of Poker Face, season 3 of Squid Game, Ballard, Dexter: Resurrection, Sovereign, tributes to Julian McMahon and Mark Snow and much more.
 

Crime fiction in general: 

• CrimeReads shares ten new crime novels coming out this week,   
• Katharine Schellman shares queer crime fiction to read this summer. 
• Erik Rickstad explains why criminal profiling is a pop culture myth. 
• Liza Tully explains how to keep murder mysteries fresh. 
• Clémence Michallon talks about the allure of destination thrillers
• Bonnie Burke-Patel explains why British seaside towns make great setting for crime fiction. 
• Anna Barrington shares social thrillers that will make you wonder who you can trust 
• Christopher J. Yates explains why daylight killings are so deeply disturbing 
• Isis Crawford explains what baking means to her as a mystery writer 
• Veronica Bane explains what working as a theme-park princess taught her about writing thrillers  
• Gregory Galloway talks about evil and bloodthirsty dogs in crime fiction and film. 
• Matthew Clark Davison and Alice LaPlante declare that genre is a container, not a cage, a tool, not a limitation  
• Sam Leith shares his fifteen favourite literary Substacks.  
• Michael Gonzales shares his appreciation for Donald E. Westlake's Parker novels. 
• Elena Gosalvez Blanco recounts her time as the assistant of Patricia Highsmith.
• Dennis Higgins talks about becoming a debut crime fiction author at the age of 92. 

 

Film and TV:  

• The New York Times shares the allegedly one hundred best movies of the twenty-first century. 
• Readers of the New York Times share their one hundred favourite movies of the twenty-first century. 
• Paul Hirons shares his ten favourite amateur sleuth TV shows of all time
• Paul Hirons calls Murder Most Puzzling a twisty, quirky take on cosy crime that doesn’t quite crack the case 
• Phil Hoad calls Suit Hung. Tied Tongue a rabble-rousing revenge drama 
• Tim Lowery calls Rage a black comedy that follows five women on the verge of a nervous breakdown 
• Adrian Horton calls Sorry, Baby a smart film about sexual assault 
• Lucy Mangan calls Poisoned: Killer in the Post a harrowing documentary. 
• Paul Hirons shares his thoughts on episodes 3 and 4 of Shrublands: Silver. 
• Saloni Gajjar interviews LaToya Morgan and Rachel Hilson, stars of Duster. 
• Rachel Pronger interviews B-movie director Stephanie Rothman  
• Blake Turck revisits the 1975 shark movie Jaws.  
• Paul Hirons revisits the 1989 historical crime drama Campion. 
• Martin Edwards revisits the 1996 noir thriller Mulholland Falls. 
• Peter Bradshaw revisits the 2000 Argentinian grifter movie Nine Queens  
• Catherine Shoard wonders why Hollywood is so focussed on remakes and sequels these days.  
• Stuart Heritage talks about plot holes in TV shows such as character's parents dying off-screen multiple times. 
• Actor Peter-Henry Schroeder, best known for his appearances in Star Trek: Enterprise and Argo, has died aged 90. 
   

Tributes to Julian McMahon:

• Australian actor Julian McMahon, best known for his roles in Charmed, Fantastic Four, Profiler, FBI: Most Wanted and Nip/Tuck, has died aged 56.
• Caolán Magee and Sian Cain remember Julian McMahon. 
• Nellie Andreeva remembers Julian McMahon. 
• Justin Carter remembers Julian McMahon. 
• Glenn Garner shares tributes to Julian McMahon from former co-stars. 
• The Guardian shares photos from Julian McMahon's career. 

 

Tributes to Mark Snow:

• Television composer Mark Snow, who composed the themes for X-Files, Smallville, Ghost Whisperer, Blue Bloods and many others, has died aged 78.
• Justin Carter remembers Mark Snow. 
• William Hughes remembers Mark Snow. 

 

Comments on season 2 of Poker Face: 

• Noel Murray shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Poker Face. 
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Poker Face. 
• Saloni Gajjar interviews Patti Harrison who plays Alex in Poker Face.

 

Comments on Ballard: 

• Saloni Gajjar declares that the Bosch spin-off Ballard mostly does its predecessor proud
• Jay Snow calls Ballard exceptional, earnest and kick-ass. 
• Paul Hirons explains how Ballard is connected to Bosch. 
• Watch a trailer for Ballard.  

 

Comments on Dexter: Resurrection:

• Brian Tallerico declares that Dexter: Resurrection embraces the pulpy potential for killer summer escapism 
• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the first two episodes of Dexter: Resurrection. 
• Stuart Heritage interviews Michael C. Hall who plays the titular character in Dexter: Resurrection. 

 

Comments on Sovereign: 

• Brianna Zigler calls Sovereign a skin-deep extremist story 
• Jesse Hassenger declares that Nick Offerman plays a scarier version of the kind of character he normally plays in Sovereign. 

 

Comments on season 3 of Squid Game: 

• Tom Phillips shares the comments by actor Bryan Brucco, who played one of the VIPs in Squid Game, about the much criticised dialogue of those characters. 
• James Pero reports that people who dislike the ending of Squid Game are using AI to "fix" it.
• Cheryl Eddy reports that all three season of Squid Game currently sit at the top of the Netflix charts. 
• Cheryl Eddy reports that the reality show Squid Game: The Challenge is getting a third season as well.  

 

Writing, publishing and promotion: 

• Charlie Jane Anders explains why she doesn't want to write about arsehole protagonists right now. 
• Lincoln Michel talks about worldbuilding.
• A.P. Howell shares their appreciation for the Submission Grinder. 
• Dean Simons talks about the politics of printing in China. 
• Ella Creamer reports that the UK start-up Globe Scribe offers an AI translation service for fiction and was promptly and rightfully slammed. 
• Francis Hamit reviews the BBC's online mystery writing class taught by an AI-generated Agatha Christie.  
• Ella Creamer reports that Raynor Winn, author of the bestselling memoir The Salt Path, has been accused of making most of the story up. 
• Lucy Knight notes that controversy has been stalking the memoir since it emerged as a separate genre. 

 

Awards:

• The longlist for the 2025 McIlvanney Prize has been announced.
• The winner of the 2025 Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition has been announced. 
• The winner of the 2025 Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award has been announced. 
• The winners of the 2025 David Thompson Special Service Award have been announced. 

 

Interviews: 

• Alex Dueben interviews Elly Griffiths. 
• Ayo Onatade interviews Ruth Ware.
• Abir Mukherjee and Vaseem Khan interviews Steph McGovern. 
• Wrong Place, Write Crime interviews Scott McCrea. 
• Grace Topping interviews Barb Goffman. 
• Suspense Magazine interviews Travis Kennedy. 
• Alex Dueben interviews Gabriel Urza. 
• Alan Petersen interviews Alex R. Johnson. 
• James Polchin interviews Robert Fieseler. 

 

Reviews:

• Lesa Holstine reviews Rage by Linda Castillo 
• P.D. Viner reviews The Red Shore by William Shaw 
• Kerry Hood reviews The Reluctant Sheriff by Chris Offutt  
• Ben Boulden reviews Them Bones by David Housewright 
• Kerry Hood reviews The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware  
• Tony R. Cox reviews The Devil’s Smile by Daniel Sellers  
• Mary Picken reviews The Good Father by Liam McIlvanney  
• Jen Lucas reviews The Good Father by Liam McIlvanney   
• Doreen Sheridan reviews All The Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman  
• Mary Picken reviews Deadline by Steph McGovern 
• Mary Picken reviews Dead To Me by Gytha Lodge  
• Sonja van der Westhuizen reviews The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark  
• Ali Karim reviews The Wasp Trap by Mark Edwards  
• The Quick and the Read reviews No Safe Place by Hannah Brennan  
• Vicki Weisfeld reviews Nightswimming by Melanie Anagnos 
• Doreen Sheridan reviews Saltwater by Katy Hays 
• Jen Lucas reviews Breaking Amends by Lisa Sell 
• Doreen Sheridan reviews Party Of Liars by Kelsey Cox 
• Mandie Griffiths reviews The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd Robinson 
• Jen Lucas reviews The Betrayal of Thomas True by A.J. West  
• Mandie Griffiths reviews The Betrayal of Thomas True by A.J. West 
• In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel reviews The Case Of The Mad Doctor by P.D. Lennon  
• Ali Karim reviews The Whyte Python World Tour by Travis Kennedy  
• Gwen Moffat reviews Beattie Cavendish at the White Pearl Club by Mary-Jane Riley  
• Jon Morgan reviews Kane by Graham Hurley 
• Doreen Sheridan reviews Splinter Effect by Andrew Ludington 
• Cathy Akers-Jordan reviews Knave of Diamonds by Laurie R. King.   
• Robin Agnew reviews The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant by Liza Tully:
• Robin Agnew reviews The Game is Afoot by  Elise Bryant.
• Robin Agnew reviews Tricks of Fortune by Lina Chern.
• Janet Webb reviews A Murder for Miss Hortense by Mel Pennant 
• Joseph B. Hoyos reviews A Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder by Melinda Mullet
• Lesa Holstine reviews  A Novel Murder by E.C. Nevin 
• Bruce DeSilva reviews Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman. 
• Joseph B. Hoyos reviews Murder in Pitigliano by Camilla Trinchieri 
• In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel reviews The Piazza Murders by Michael Jecks  
• Doreen Sheridan reviews Pomona Afton Can So Solve A Murder by Bellamy Rose
• Lesa Holstine reviews The Crime Brulee Bake off by Rebecca Connolly 
• Doreen Sheridan reviews There’ll Be Shell To Pay by Molly MacRae and tries a recipe from the book. 
• Marlene Harris reviews The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses by Malka Older  
• John Simpson reviews The Mission by Tim Weiner 

 

Classics reviews:

• B.V. Lawson revisits the 1918 collection Uncle Abner: Master of Mysteries by Melville Davisson Post
• Kate Jackson revisits the 1928 mystery The Man in the Dark by John Ferguson 
• Happiness is a Book revisits the 1929 mystery Whose Hand? by Vernon Loder
• Martin Edwards revisits the 1939 Mr. Pendlebury mystery Mr Pendlebury Makes a Catch by Anthony Webb. 
• Kate Jackson revisits the 1939 mystery Death in the Forest by Moray Dalton
• In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel revisits the 1967 Sir Abercrombie Lewker mystery Lewker In Tirol by Glyn Carr 
• Kate Jackson revisits the 1982 non-fiction book The Life and Crimes of Agatha Christie: A Biographical Companion to the Works of Agatha Christie by Charles Osborne.
• Lesa Holstine revisits the 2007 Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery Murder Among the Owls by Bill Crider 
• Kate Jackson revisits the 2013 Mr. Monk mystery Mr Monk Helps Himself by Hy Conrad   

 

Con and event reports:

• J. Kingston Pierce announces that he will be on a panel at Bouchercon in New Orleans, Louisiana.
• Dalya Alberge reports about an exhibition of papers and other belongings of John Le Carré in Oxford, UK. 
• Mike Chomko discusses some of the programming of the 2025 PulpFest in Mars, Pennsylvania.  

 

Research: 

• Cora Buhlert talks about the break-out of Andreas Baader from prison, which is now considered to be the birth of the Red Army Fraction terrorist group 
• Leyland Cecco reports that the Canadian police have arrested four members of a would-be militia and seized the largest ever weapons cache.
• Tom Levitt reports that Saudi Arabia has gone on an execution spree and is targetting mostly foreign citizens for alleged drug offences. 
• Gabriel Urza talks about the collapse of due process and the dangers of bad faith actors in the legal system
• Kelsey James lists occult sites in California. 

 

Free online fiction: 

• "Sins and Severed Heads" by Nathan Pettigrew in Punk Noir Magazine 
• "All You Can Eat Italian Buffet" by Armand Rosamilia in Punk Noir Magazine 
• "Sleep Numbered" by Patrick Kendrick in Punk Noir Magazine  
• "Mark’s Hot Wife" by J.D. Clapp in Punk Noir Magazine  
• "Still Waiting to Jump" by Daniel C. Bartlett in Shotgun Honey.
• "Freddie's Dead" by Pamela Ebel in The Five-Two. 
   
   

Trailers and videos: 

• Watch a trailer for On Call.