Reviews
Dorothy Must Die –
The BOLO Books Review
Turning sweet, innocent Dorothy Gale into a megalomaniacal “mean girl” bitch might seem like a risky proposition for any author (let alone a debut author), but that is exactly what Danielle Paige has done in her first young adult novel, Dorothy Must Die. As the...
No Place Like Oz –
The BOLO Books Review
You would easily be forgiven for thinking that the mythos of Oz had been mined of all potential prequels, sequels or spin-offs. However, along comes Danielle Paige to prove us all wrong. In preparation for the release of Dorothy Must Die, the first in her new...
Dear Killer –
The BOLO Books Review
The teenage years are when the youth of the world typically feel the most invincible. It is during these formative years when teens believe they know more than their elders and that no one should be able to tell them what to do. Thus, it is no surprise that...
The Orphan Choir –
BOLO Books Review
Sophie Hannah recently wrote a novella for horror imprint, Hammer Arrow. That novella, The Orphan Choir, owes much to prior ghost stories like Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw and Susan Hill’s The Women in White; but what makes it really stand out is one other work...
Watching You –
BOLO Books Review
It has become a bit of a cliché to say that a series just keeps getting better with the release of each new book, but in the case of Michael Robotham’s Joseph O’Loughlin mystery series, it also happens to be completely true. Certainly, this has a lot to do with the...
Kilmoon – BOLO Books review
There are certain books in which setting and character share equal billing in terms of importance. Lisa Alber’s debut novel, Kilmoon, is just such a novel. The reader is clued into this right from the book jacket. Kilmoon is given the subtitle of A County Clare...
Keep Your Friends Close –
BOLO Books Review (UK edition)
When Natasha Wainwright’s college friend decides to come over from the United States for a visit, Natasha has no idea her life is about to experience a total upheaval. Eve Dalladay’s trip may have started as an innocent holiday designed to rekindle a past friendship,...
The Accident –
BOLO Books Review
If someone were to tell you that the novel in your hands was about the behind-the-scenes processes involved with the publication of a tell-all memoir, it is unlike that your first thought would be “Oh, then it must be a thriller.” But that is exactly what The...
House of Glass –
BOLO Books Review
Sophie Littlefield’s writing career is one of the most diverse you are likely to find. She has found success and critical acclaim in a number of different genres - mystery (the Stella Hardesty series and the Joe Bashir series), young adult (Hanging By A Thread),...
Conquest – BOLO Books Review
Fans of John Connolly and his phenomenal Charlie Parker mystery series have already followed the author on several career detours: the supernatural short stories (Nocturnes), the comedic metaphysical young adult books (The Gates series) and the riff on classic fairy...
After I’m Gone –
BOLO Books Review
Over the course of seventeen years and nineteen novels, Laura Lippman has continued to stretch the bounds of what readers can and should expect from crime fiction. She has repeatedly shown that by encompassing all of society’s ills, the mystery novel can hold a...
The Deepest Secret –
BOLO Books Review
There are certain authors who know how to tap into the fears of everyday people. They excel at putting their characters in extreme situations, but situations readers can still easily picture themselves in. Writers like Linwood Barclay, Harlen Coben, and Carla...
Murder with Ganache –
BOLO Books Review
Even before opening the cover of Murder with Ganache, the latest Key West Food Critic mystery by Lucy Burdette, it is clear that this is going to be an enjoyable and entertaining reading experience. The delightful pink, purple and green color scheme of the cover...
Beyond Belief –
BOLO Books Review
Beyond Belief is the second book in Helen Smith’s delightful Emily Castles mystery series. Readers are once again entertained by Emily’s investigative escapades and the unique individuals she meets on her journey to uncover the truth. Just as in the first book in the...
What We’ve Lost is Nothing –
BOLO Books Review
The Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois is most immediately associated with the presence of Frank Lloyd Wright designed homes and Ernest Hemingway’s birthplace, but it was also a community which strived for racial integration during the turbulent 70’s. The effects...
In The Blood – BOLO Books Review
The Hallows is a small community located in upstate New York. It is also once again the setting for the latest Lisa Unger novel, In the Blood. Unlike most series, Unger has chosen this fictional setting as the link between her books, and although some characters...
Apple Tree Yard released in the US
From the Booking Desk: Last year, I reviewed the UK release of Louise Doughty's Apple Tree Yard. I enjoyed the book so much that it then made it on to my Top Reads of 2013 list. This week, the US version of the book was released and I just wanted to remind my...
True Detective –
BOLO Television Review
With shows ranging from The Sopranos and The Wire to Boardwalk Empire and now True Detective, HBO has proven that they know how to choose crime-related television projects. With only the first episode, True Detective has set itself as the bar by which future shows of...
Independent Study –
BOLO Books Review
From the Booking Desk: Today's review is the second book in Joelle Charbonneau's "The Testing" series. If you missed the review of The Testing or my interview with Joelle Charbonneau last summer, please be sure to check them out when you have time....
Dangerous Women –
BOLO Books Mini-Reviews
From the Booking Desk: Followers of this blog and my twitter feed (@BOLOBooks) likely know that I am a huge fan of George R. R. Martin and Diana Gabaldon. While I do not cover their books here on the blog, since they do not fit its focus of crime fiction, I still buy...