Hello, mystery fans! Welcome to another round of what’s happening in the world of news that I think you’d like to know. There’s plenty of adaptation news, an NPR roundup of books, a UK book that is finally—35 years later—available in the US, and more!
Gonna start with the sad news: Kerry Greenwood, author of the Phryne Fisher series, dies aged 70
NPR has reading suggestions: Here are 6 tales of mystery and mishap to dive into this weekend, including Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto.
For true crime readers: “Based on Walter Roth’s non-fiction book “Soko Erle,” the series reimagines a 2016 police investigation following the brutal murders of two young women in southern Germany.”
The completed TV series Killing Eve, an adaptation of Luke Jennings’ book series, is rumored to have a prequel series that I am very much here for: “…the BBC’s new Cold War spy drama, Honey, is actually a Killing Eve prequel, despite the fact that the connection between the two shows has not been explicitly advertised.”
In I-Want-It-Now news: “A secluded country estate. A famous scientist, murdered. Five suspects, each capable of having done it.” Erewhon Books Announces All Her Potential by Lev AC Rosen (While you wait, I recommend all of Rosen’s backlist titles, including his historical mystery series, Lavender House.)
Speaking of prequels: Dexter Original Sin was renewed by Paramount+ for a second season.
And we continue to bring back all the once popular adaptations: ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ First-Look Draws Cheers at CinemaCon and I Know What You Did Last Summer Director Teases If Brandy Will Return to Franchise (Exclusive)
In something-actually-new news: “The film, which is based on the upcoming book 38 Londres Street by Philippe Sands, follows an ex-spy hired to prevent the escape of the Chilean dictator after his capture in London unleashes geopolitical unrest.” ‘The Settlers’ Writer-Director Felipe Gálvez Sets Spy Thriller ‘Impunity’ As Second Project
Anne Cleeves’ 1990 novel A Lesson In Dying, which starts the Inspector Ramsay series, finally publishes for US readers: One of Anne Cleeves’ early mysteries is now available in the US for the first time
Browse the books recommended in Unusual Suspects’ previous newsletters on this shelf. See upcoming 2025 releases, and mysteries from 2024 and 2023. Check out this Unusual Suspects Pinterest board and get Tailored Book Recommendations! Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Bluesky, Goodreads, Litsy, and Substack.
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The following comes to you from the Editorial Desk.
This week, we’re highlighting a post that had our Managing Editor Vanessa Diaz feeling a type of way. Now, even five years after it was published, Vanessa is still salty about American Dirt. Read on for an excerpt and become an All Access member to unlock the full post.
Picture it: The United States, January 2020. A book with a pretty blue and white cover is making the rounds on the bookish internet. The blue ink forms a beautiful hummingbird motif against a creamy background, a bird associated with the sun god Huitzilopochtli in Aztec mythology. Black barbed wire, at once delicate and menacing, cuts the pattern into a grid resembling an arrangement of Talavera tiles. The package is eye-catching, ostensibly Mexican in feel, and evocative of borders and the migrant experience.
The book tells the story of a bookstore owner in Acapulco, Mexico, who is forced to flee her home when a drug cartel murders everyone in her family except for her young son at a quinceañera. She and the boy are forced to become migrants and embark on a treacherous journey north to the U.S. border, evading the cartel and befriending fellow migrants along the way. The book is being lauded not just as the “it” book of the season but as the immigration story. It gets the Oprah treatment and is praised by everyone from Salma Hayek to the great Sandra Cisneros, who called it “the great novel of Las Américas.”
It’s been over five years, and this book is still the bane of my existence.
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