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Quirky Family Mystery, Did They Or Didn’t They Mysteries, News + More Mystery & Thrillers!
Before I dive into your bi-weekly mystery goodness—new releases, trope-inspired backlist recommendations, and news—I have a streaming rec if you’re in the mood for a ridiculous crime/action/comedy: Jackpot (Prime). It stars Awkwafina and John Cena and is directed by Paul Feig (Spy, Bridesmaids, Ghostbusters). It’s set in a near-future California where, if you win the lottery (billions of dollars), whoever kills you before sundown gets the money. It was the absurd, turn-my-brain-off-and-enjoy-something kind of watch that I needed. And now it’s definitely time for a rewatch of Spy and Ghostbusters (2016).
Bookish Goods
![a neon sign of a ghost holding a book and the book cover can be customized](https://s2982.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Ghosts-Reading-Custom-Book-Neon-Sign-on-etsy-by-EdwinCraftGoods.png)
Ghosts Reading Custom Book Neon Sign by EdwinCraftGoods
You can have a ghost friend and customize what book it reads to you! ($180 — on sale for $90 until 8/31)
New Releases
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You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto
For fans of reading about influencer culture, psychological thrillers, drama, and toxic friendships!
I love that Sutanto writes both light mysteries (Dial A for Aunties) and dark thrillers (The Obsession)—variety is the spice of life! This is the latter, with a focus on influencer culture and toxic friendships as it dives into the lives of Aspen Palmer and Meredith Lee. Lee thinks she’s responsible for making Palmer an influencer, and after a fight that fractured their relationship, she thinks messing with Palmer’s life is her right.
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The Swifts: A Gallery of Rogues (The Swifts #2) by Beth Lincoln, Claire Powell (Illustrator)
For fans of middle grade mysteries, quirky families, and learning about different languages!
Shenanigan Swift is very busy learning how to hold her breath and tie knots in order to find a treasure she’s certain is at the bottom of their lake. That is until she’s interrupted with a mystery involving her older sister, relatives at war with the Swifts, and art theft (in their home!). That’s how she, her uncle, other sister, and cousin Erf find themselves in Paris. While learning the language, worrying that her uncle is going to leave the family, exploring the city, and getting to know her Parisian cousins, Shenanigan must also solve an art theft and murder mystery! Good thing she’s always up for a challenge.
This is a delightfully clever and hilarious series, with a quirky family at the center that loves the mystery genre and language. May it have a very long run—I’m super excited to continue with this family and their Shenanigan(s).
You can start here in the series but if you want all the goodness pick up The Swifts: A Gallery of Rogues. Also, I very much recommend the audiobook format narrated by Ayesha Antoine.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Inspired by the trope in the Apple TV+ adaptation of Presumed Innocent, here are two more books with court cases based on the “did they or didn’t they do it?” trope.
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The Verdict by Nick Stone
This is a did he or didn’t he legal thriller where you watch the case from the beginning of the crime all the way through the verdict. Terry Flynt has just been assigned a murder case and it turns out the accused is Vernon James, a man Flynt has had a grudge against since childhood. Is James guilty, and can Flynt keep his personal feelings from affecting his job while also keeping hidden from his firm that he knows James?
(TW alcoholism/ attempted sexual assault scene, discusses S&M turned to assault, including partner abuse/ mentions death questioned as murder or suicide, detail/ past child and domestic abuse mentioned/ cancer/ discusses date rape drug during court case)
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When We Were Bright And Beautiful by Jillian Medoff
This is a family drama mystery with a big dose of legal mystery that explores our rape culture. Twenty-three-year-old Cassie Quinn doesn’t believe the charge of rape against her younger brother Billy. She very much believes we live in a rape culture, but she just thinks Billy is the exception and his girlfriend is the problem, so she returns home to her entire family so they can be there to help his case.
(TW date rape case, past attempted assault/ recounts alcoholic parents/ grooming, statutory)
News and Roundups
- Murder, chaos and joy in Kate Atkinson’s Death at the Sign of the Rook
- Where The Lincoln Lawyer Left Off Ahead of Season 3
- New seasons of Grantchester and DI Ray bring the copaganda conversation to PBS
- 20 of the Most Thrilling Crime Dramas Streaming on Netflix
- Rian Johnson Wraps Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Story Filming: “This Was A Real Special Shoot”
Browse the books recommended in Unusual Suspects’ previous newsletters on this shelf. See upcoming 2024 releases and mysteries from 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, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy—you can find me under Jamie Canavés.
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