(Books, Music, Movies)
A renegade CIA officer must infiltrate an extremist group in the heart of Europe Ari Falk has just blown the lid off a massive conspiracy at the highest level within the CIA. While some hail him as a hero for exposing government corruption, others brand him as a dangerous traitor to his country. His quiet Continue reading Quick Review: CORMORANT HUNT by Michael Idov (Scribner)
Featuring: David Baldacci, Jonathan D. Beer, Janice Hallett, Mike Lawson, Lauren Nossett, K.J. Parker, Iain Reid Ellie Foumbi, Joe Manganiello, Amy Rossi, Richard Russo, Hans van de Ven, Kevin Wade * David Baldacci, ALL IN (Grand Central) The 6:20 Man is leaving U.S soil—this time drawn into a storm of billion‑dollar secrets and international Continue reading New Books (July-August)
It s almost that time of year again: new Michael Connelly! I recognize that I have become something of a broken record here on CR, when it comes to Connelly s novels. He is quite probably my favourite author. Despite being a relative late-comer to his Bosch-verse, I have actually now read all of his books (including Continue reading Upcoming: THE HOLLOW by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown/ Orion)
Today, ECW Press publishes Maybe It s Me, the new memoir by Adrian Michael Kelly; who is also the author of the story collection Ambassador Of What. It the raw story of someone navigating in a world marked by frustration, unrealized dreams, of getting in one s own way, and finding a way through. Here s the synopsis: Continue reading Excerpt: MAYBE IT S ME by Adrian Michael Kelly (ECW Press)
Today we have an excerpt from the latest genre-bending mystery novel by acclaimed author Leslye Penelope: The Inevitable Undoing of Zahara Douglass. Due to be published by Redhook, in August, the publisher has provided CR with an excerpt to share. Before we get to that, here s what the novel is about: For four years, Zahara Douglass Continue reading Excerpt: THE INEVITABLE UNDOING OF ZAHARA…
Back in 2020, I read Dan Franklin s excellent history and examination of heavy metal, Heavy. His latest book, which I somehow missed until yesterday, is Somewhere Between Screaming and Crying, a new biography of the band Slipknot. Published yesterday by Constable, the book s release was timed to coincide with the anniversary of the band s second album: Iowa. Continue reading Out Now: SOMEWHERE…
Congressional fixer Joe DeMarco s misadventures in and around Washington and America s politics continue! Now, though, he s pitted against a merciless, far better-resourced opposing fixer In February 2027, Atlantic Crime are due to publish The Operator, the 20th novel in Mike Lawson s excellent series an incredible milestone for the series and author. This has been Continue reading Upcoming: THE…
Featuring: Andrew Lewis Conn, Ron Currie, Charles Cumming, Patrick deWitt, Carey Dunne, Susan Fox, Chrystia Freeland, Paul Grimstad, Anne Meredith, Tore C. Olsson, Meredith Mileti, Louise Willder * Andrew Lewis Conn, I SWORE I D BURN THIS BOOK (Simon Six) A Nabokovian mystery about the ultimate literary scandal, in which the son of a world-famous author Continue reading New Books (June-July 2026)
Over the weekend, I spotted the trailer for the upcoming film Sons (probably on Instagram). The name jumped out at me, because back in 2014 I read (and very much enjoyed) a novel of the same name by David Gilbert. And, it turns out, it is indeed an adaptation of that book. I was a Continue reading Upcoming: SONS (Icon Film)
On Wednesday (July 15th), Apple TV will start releasing episodes of Lucky, their new show adapted from Marissa Stapley s novel of the same name. Produced by Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter for Hello Sunshine, it stars Anya Taylor-Joy (also executive producer), Timothy Olyphant, Annette Bening, William Fichtner and others, this has been on my to-watch Continue reading Upcoming: LUCKY Season…
An engaging introduction to a certain period of US history, through the lens of one of the greatest video games ever made A pathbreaking new way to examine US history, through the lens of a bestselling video game Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption II, set in 1911 and 1899, are the most-played American Continue reading Quick Review: RED DEAD S HISTORY by Tore C. Olsson (St. Martin s…