Crime Fiction Links of the Week for February 21, 2026

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 Betrayal, Wasteman,Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die, tributes to James Van Der Beek, Robert Duvall, and Bud Cort and much more.
 

Crime fiction in general: 

• CrimeReads shares ten new crime novels coming out this week.
• Laura Wilson shares her favourite recent crime novels and thrillers. 
• CrimeReads shares their favourite debut crime novels coming out in February..
• Molly Odintz shares her favourite international crime novel coming out in February.
• Kate Siegel explains why fictional detectives should have friends 
• Will Dean discusses the pull of gritty, authentic crime fiction in the era of AI slop 
•  Fergus Craig talks about cozies, humor and placing serial killers in unexpected settings
• Naomi Kaye explains why royal murder mysteries still fascinate people today 
• Frank Ladd compares and contrasts Raymond Chandler and Ross Macdonald 

 

Film and TV:  

• Olivia Rutigliano lists new crime TV series to watch this weekend. 
• Matt Schimkowitz declares that Heat clones like Crime 101 always cop out on the ending 
• Leslie Felperin calls Scare Out a twisty spy thriller that offers eye-popping stunts and future tech 
• Mike McCahill calls Peaky Blinders – The Real Story a rather unambitious crime film. 
• Jacob Oller calls How To Make A Killing a crime comedy with simple observations and a predictable lead turn.
• Benjamin Lee calls Psycho Killer a bland horror thriller which should have stayed in development hell where it belongs   
• Brian Tallerico shares his thoughts on the season 4 premiere of Dark Winds. 
• Chris Jenkins shares his thoughts on episode 4 of season 5 of Astrid: Murder in Paris. 
• Paul Hirons shares his thoughts on episode 4 of Under the Salt Marsh. 
• Brian Tallerico shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Hijack.
• Martin Edwards shares his thoughts on Dept Q. 
• Hunter Ingram shares his thoughts on the erotic thriller 56 Days.
• Radha Vatsal shares her appreciation for the Indian police procedural Santosh.
• Martin Edwards revisits the 1982 suspense thriller Still of the Night 
• Paul Hirons revisits the 1988 crime drama Midnight Caller.
• Keith Roysdon profiles actor and director William Conrad and his prolific work in the crime genre.   

 

Tributes to James Van Der Beek:

• Megan Vick declares that James Van Der Beek subverted and surpassed the legacy of Dawson Leery 
• Catherine Shoard reports that several film industry people, including Steven Spielberg, have donated to the fundraiser for the family of James Van Der Beek.

  

Tributes to Robert Duvall: 

• Actor Robert Duvall, best known for his roles in The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, THX 1138, The Handmaid's Tale, Bullitt, To Kill a Mocking Bird, The Road and many others, had died aged 95.
• Peter Bradshaw remembers Robert Duvall. 
• Director Steve McQueen remembers Robert Duvall 
• Matt Schimkowitz remembers Robert Duvall. 
• Alex Lei remembers Robert Duvall. 
• Ronald Bergan shares an obituary for Robert Duvall. 
• Cheryl Eddy takes a look at Robert Duvall's appearance in the 1962 Twilight Zone episode "Miniature". 
• Ryan Britt takes a look at Robert Duvall's appearance in the 1971 dystopian film THX 1138. 
• Joseph Houlihan discusses the real life inspiration for Robert Duvall's character in Apocalypse Now. 

 

Tributes to Tom Noonan:

• Actor and playwright Tom Noonan, star of Heat, Manhunter, RoboCop 2, The Monster Squad, The Last Action Hero and many others, has died aged 74. 
• Germain Lussier remembers Tom Noonan. 
• Greg Evans remembers Tom Noonan. 

  

Tributes to Eric Dane:

• Actor Eric Dane, best known for his roles in X-Men: The Last Stand, The Last Ship, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Grey's Anatomy and Euphoria, has died aged 54. 
• Anna Spargo-Ryan shares her appreciation for Eric Dane's performance in Grey's Anatomy. 

 

Comments on Betrayal:

• Paul Hirons shares his thoughts on episode 3 of Betrayal. 
• Paul Hirons shares his thoughts on episode 4 of Betrayal. 

 

Comments on Wasteman: 

• Peter Bradshaw calls the prison drama Wasteman as lethal and nasty as a sharpened toothbrush
• Sasha Mistlin interviews David Jonsson, star of Alien Romulus and Wasteman.  

 

Comments on Good Luck. Have Fun. Don't Die: 

• Emmet Asher-Perrin declares that Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die has a unique take on time loop stories
• Germain Lussier declares that Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die is way over the top and that he loves that about it  

 

Writing, publishing and promotion: 

• Houman Barekat reviews Trip to the Moon: Understanding the True Power of Story by John Yorke 
• Locus reports that a group of speculative fiction writers represented by The Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency has filed a complaint against the Topps Company for breach of contract; specifically for their failure to account or pay royalties.

 

Awards: 

• The finalists for the 2025 Los Angeles Times Book Awards have been announced. 

 

Interviews: 

• Shane Whaley interviews Ace Atkins. 
• Robin Agnew interviews Jennifer K. Breedlove.
• Paul Burke interviews Tracy Sierra. 
• Olivia Fierro interviews Kaira Rouda 
• Alex Dueben interviews Valerie Wilson Weesley. 
• Garrick Webster interviews Saïd Khatibi 
• Hassan Tarek interviews Brian Raftery.  

 

Reviews:

• Janet Webb reviews Stolen in Death by J.D. Robb    
• Gayle Surrette reviews Stolen in Death by J.D. Robb   
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Sharks by Simone Buchholz, translated by Rachel Ward 
• Marlene Harris reviews The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera 
• Ayo Onatade reviews The Ark by Haruo Yuki  
• Jen Lucas reviews Adrift by Will Dean 
• Jen Lucas reviews Warning Signs by Tracy Sierra  
• Mandie Griffiths reviews The Last Witness by Denzil Meyrick 
• Mary Picken reviews  Liar Thief by May Rinaldi
• James Smart reviews I’ll Be the Monster by Sean Gilbert 
• Ayo Onatade reviews The Final Problem by Arturo Pérez-Reverte  
• Janet Webb reviews To Kill A Cook by W. M. Akers 
• Robin Agnew reviews Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove.
• Lesa Holstine reviews Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove. 
• Marlene Harris reviews Trailbreaker by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare 
• Mandie Griffiths reviews Murder On Line One by Jeremy Vine 
• John Valeri reviews How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson 
• Robin Agnew reviews I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig.
• Joseph B. Hoyos reviews Picking Up the Pieces by J.B. Abbott
• Kevin Tipple reviews Robert B. Parker’s Big Shot by Christopher Farnsworth.  

 

Classics reviews: 

• Martin Edwards revisits the 1929 mystery The Tremayne Case by Alan Thomas. 
• Randal S. Brandt revisits the 1940 noir novel High Sierra by W.R. Burnett and its many film adaptations. 
• In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel revisits the 1949 Dagobert and Jane Brown mystery Murder Begins At Home by Delano Ames   
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1953 science fiction crime novel The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester 
• In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel revisits the 1955 Mr. Fathom mystery Withered Murder by A. and P. Shaffer  
• Happiness is a Book revisits the 1958 Inspector Littlejohn mystery Corpse at the Carnival by George Bellairs 
• Cora Buhlert revisits the 1971 science fiction thriller Tomorrow is Too Far by James White  
• Happiness is a Book revisits the 1971 Luis Mendoza mystery The Ringer by Dell Shannon  
• B.V. Lawson revisits the 1993 Castlemere mystery A Bleeding of Innocents by Jo Bannister. 

 

Con and event reports:

• Ayo Onatade looks ahead at the 2026 Sykehouse Film and Writer’s Festival in Doncaster, UK.

 

Research: 

• Jeffrey Sussman profiles Louis “Lepke” Buchalter, the only mafia boss ever executed in the electric chair. 
• Ryan Gingeras discusses the blurry lines between the mafia, political extremists and narcoterrorists
• Garrett Martin notes how modern theme park rides have their roots in Victorian morality and the desire for private time with one's sweetheart.  
• Michael Gonzales shares his memories of Baltimore's red light district in the 1970s. 

 

Free online fiction: 

• "Of Two Bloods" by Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward in Reactor. 
• "Saturday at the Beach" by Craig Kirchner in The Five-Two.
  
  

Trailers and videos: 

• Watch a trailer for series 29 of Silent Witness.
• Watch a trailer for Normal. 
• Watch a trailer for Gone.
• Watch a trailer for Imperfect Women.
• Watch a trailer for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man