Reviews
Little Pretty Things –
The BOLO Books Review
Little Pretty Things is like a literary mash-up of Judy Blume and Megan Abbott, told in what is becoming the distinctive voice of its creator, Lori Rader-Day. On the surface, Little Pretty Things is about the death of Madeleine Bell and how her closest childhood...
Snowblind –
The BOLO Books Review (UK Edition)
Snowblind, the debut English language mystery by Icelandic author Ragnar Jónasson may not have an official domestic release until later this year, but that is not stopping die-hard fans of the genre from hunting down a copy of the novel. Translated to English by...
The Warning – A BOLO Books Short Story Review
When it comes to exposing the odd inner workings of the human mind, Sophie Hannah always manages to make the extreme seem much more common place than any of us would like to think. In her new work, The Warning, Sophie Hannah examines the concept of the sociopath from...
The Black Hood (Issue Five) –
The BOLO Books Comic Review
Back in March, I posted my first comic review when Dark Circle Comics released the debut issue of The Black Hood. Now, just about five months later, we have reached the end of that first storyline arc. Looking at this work as a whole only further solidifies the fact...
The Truth and Other Lies –
The BOLO Books Review
Crime fiction of late has been filled with stories featuring unlikeable and unreliable narrators – most of them women. Readers seem to either love or hate this narrative technique; there is very little middle ground on the subject. The Truth and Other Lies by Sascha...
Land of Shadows –
The BOLO Books Review
In Land of Shadows, Rachel Howzell Hall does for Los Angeles what Laura Lippman has done for Baltimore. Yes, that means that she is revealing the underbelly of the city – the less polished façade – devoid of the allure most tourists are attracted to. But more...
Night Tremors –
The BOLO Books Review
The name Matt Coyle may not be one that you are familiar with, but it is only a matter of time. Coyle’s debut novel – Yesterday’s Echo – was lavished with critical acclaim, racked up award nominations (and more than a few award wins), and secured a devoted fan base....
The Black Hood (Issue Four) – The BOLO Books Comic Review
Chapter Four of The Black Hood: "The Bullet’s Kiss" has just been released. With only five chapters in this first story arc, things are not getting any easier for Greg Hettinger. His only chance at redemption is to uncover the identity of the head honcho behind “The...
Burnt River –
The BOLO Books Review
Second novels are difficult to write; second novels within a series are even tougher. With Burnt River, Karin Salvalaggio makes it look easy. Salvalaggio burst on the scene last year with her debut thriller, Bone Dust White, and now she brings Macy Greeley back in a...
Summer Rain – A BOLO Books Short Story Review
There are currently over twenty books in Peter Robinson’s Inspector Banks mystery series - with more on the way. The critical and fan reception of these novels increases with each new title. Later this month, Robinson releases an e-only short story featuring Banks....
Let Me Die in His Footsteps – The BOLO Books Review
Lori Roy’s Let Me Die in His Footsteps is an unusual suspense tale filled with secrets, lies, truth and legend. It is basically an old-school Southern Gothic with a decidedly modern feel, which is ironic given that the tale is so steeped in history. Like most...
Dark City Lights – The BOLO Books Review
The authors in the new Lawrence Block-edited anthology, Dark City Lights: New York Stories, were tasked with writing short stories set in New York City. The resulting stories are as diverse as the city itself. These stories represent everything from gritty to...
Dying Brand – The BOLO Books Review
Dying Brand is the third novel in Wendy Tyson’s traditional mystery series featuring Allison Campbell. Readers familiar with the series will be excited to see Allison and her gang of cohorts again, but Dying Brand works equally well for those unfamiliar with their...
Luckiest Girl Alive –
The BOLO Books Review
Jessica Knoll’s Luckiest Girl Alive is a novel about reinvention. This debut work represents the arrival of a talented new author to the crime fiction community. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, Luckiest Girl Alive is sure to be the topic of...
The Black Hood (Issue Three) – The BOLO Books Comic Review
As issue number three of The Black Hood opens, Greg Hettinger is about as low as he can get – he’s maimed, he’s a drug addict, and now he has been arrested. Just the sort of character you would expect to find in a noir comic series written by Duane Swierczynski and...
Thin Air –
The BOLO Books Review
Ann Cleeves’ first Shetland Quartet is about as perfect a mini-series as readers are going to be able to find. In the first book, Raven Black, readers are introduced to Jimmy Perez and by the end of final book, Blue Lightning, our empathy for Jimmy has been pushed to...
Lowcountry Boneyard –
The BOLO Books Review
Her fans have been waiting patiently and finally, Lowcountry Boneyard – the latest in the Liz Talbot series by Susan M. Boyer – is available. Reading the Liz Talbot series is like sitting in your favorite rocking chair on a wraparound porch, sipping sweet tea in the...
False Tongues –
The BOLO Books Review
It has been roughly six years since Kate Charles’ last ecclesiastical mystery featuring Anglican cleric Callie Anson. Fans of the series have been waiting and False Tongues is sure to please them. Readers who have been following Callie Anson journey will be most...
Come to Harm –
The BOLO Books Review
No one can claim that Catriona McPherson plays it safe with her writing. Few authors today take as many risks as Catriona does in terms of genre, style, tone, and the various other components of writing. Even in her Dandy Gilver historical mystery series, McPherson...
What You Left Behind –
The BOLO Books Review
The idea of a crime novel which taps into the social zeitgeist of the moment is hardly a new concept. But the fact that the public’s attention span is always getting shorter means that there is constantly a new social ill worthy of being addressed through today’s...