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Crime by the Book

A girl investigates crime fiction from around the world, by the book.
  • Blog
  • Quick Reviews
  • Nordic Noir
    • Introduction
    • Background
    • Book Recommendations
    • By Country
    • Interviews
    • Reviews
    • Features
  • #ReadWithCBTB
  • Features
  • Reading Lists
  • Events
  • Go-to Book Recs
  • As Seen In
  • About
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the cbtb blog

One girl's ongoing investigation of the crime fiction genre.

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The Woman in Cabin 10 CBTB.jpg
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CBTB's Guide to Ruth Ware Thrillers

May 16, 2020

There are so many talented crime writers at work today, but there’s no one quite like Ruth Ware. Ruth Ware has been a staple of Crime by the Book since I first began my Instagram and blog—her debut novel was published just a few weeks after I launched my Instagram account, and it was one of the first I photographed for my Instagram, too! (Spot the very early CBTB-Instagram photo above!) Her books will always hold a special place in my heart, but nostalgia isn’t the only reason I’m such a die-hard Ruth Ware fan. Ruth Ware is one of those authors whose writing just consistently works for me. Picking up a new Ruth Ware book is, for me, the ultimate pleasure: it’s an instant-escape, and a return to a writing style that never fails to captivate me and sweep me up in a thrilling, page-turning mystery. Ware has been called “the Agatha Christie of our generation” (by David Baldacci, no less!), and that very high praise is so well-deserved. Ware’s books feature an irresistible blend of the old and the new, crafting clever crime stories that would make the Queen of Crime proud. In today’s blog post, I’ll be walking you through Ruth Ware’s books—including a general overview of why I love her crime stories, what kind of reader I think will best appreciate each of her books, and a little glimpse into her 2020 release, too! Ruth Ware is one of my absolute favorite authors, and I hope this blog post will encourage you to give her work a try. Read on for my guide to Ruth Ware’s thrillers! 

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In Book Recommendation, Reading List Tags Ruth Ware, In a Dark Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, The Lying Game, The Death of Mrs Westaway, The Turn of the Key
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Best Psychological Thrillers of 2018

December 26, 2018

Twisty plots, unreliable characters, binge-worthy pacing—there’s so much to love about a really good psychological thriller, and 2018 gifted us crime readers with tons of excellent options to add to our reading lists. Over the course of the year, we saw fantastic new releases from longstanding authors to debut authors and everyone in between; we immersed ourselves in psychological thrillers laced with gothic suspense, creepy summer camps, murderous family members, and, yes, even beetle collecting. There truly was a fantastic variety of psychological suspense released in 2018—and today on the blog I’m rounding up my very favorite psychological thrillers of the year! Read on for my picks for twisty, addictive, page-turning 2018 suspense.

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In Book Recommendation, Reading List Tags The Night Visitor, Lucy Atkins, The Death of Mrs Westaway, Ruth Ware, Lying in Wait, Liz Nugent, The Last Time I Lied, Riley Sager, In the Vines, Shannon Kirk, Our House, Louise Candlish, Sometimes I Lie, Alice Feeney
4 Comments
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CBTB's Weekend Checklist - 5/25/18

May 24, 2018

Happy Friday, reader!! I don’t know about you, but I am so ready for this long weekend. I have a nice big TBR set to keep me company, and I’m so excited to dig into it! Today’s blog post is my second Weekend Checklist; I was thrilled by your response to my first-ever Checklist last week, and hope you’ll love this post, too! Read on for the crime fiction binge-reads and other crime-y entertainment I’m recommending for this Memorial Day weekend.

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In Weekend Checklist Tags Weekend Checklist, Emelie Schepp, Ruth Ware, The Death of Mrs Westaway, Yrsa Sigurdardottir, I Remember You, Marked for Life, Jana Berzelius, Mysterious Bookshop
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Recommended May 2018 Releases

May 22, 2018

Spring is officially here, folks, and this is great news for us crime readers—because it means a number of really fantastic new releases are upon us, too! This May saw the release of one of my most-anticipated reads of the year (hint: the new Ruth Ware!!), a fantastic serial killer thriller, the paperback reprint of a 2017 release I loved, and more. We’re definitely in the swing of “beach reading” now - even if the weather here hasn’t exactly been beach-friendly just yet! I’m so excited about the books in today’s Recommended Releases post, so let’s dive right in.

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In New Releases Tags New Releases, Ruth Ware, The Death of Mrs Westaway, The Perfect Mother, Aimee Molloy, The Summer Children, Dot Hutchison, Dennis Lehane
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February 2018 Wrap-Up

February 28, 2018

Another bookish month down! I can’t believe how quickly this February has flown by. It was a great month in books for me! I managed to read 5 full-length novels and one novella this February… and I genuinely enjoyed all of them. This month was heavy on psychological suspense for me, and included a chilling boarding school mystery, a twisted serial killer story, and, perhaps most exciting of all, the new Ruth Ware book!

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In Monthly Wrap Up Tags Monthly Wrap Up, Dot Hutchison, The Butterfly Garden, Ruth Ware, The Death of Mrs Westaway, Simone St. James, The Broken Girls, Thomas Enger, Ania Ahlborn
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View fullsize My personal crime fiction collection 🕵🏻‍♀️🖤 aka my favorite corner of my apartment. 📚🙌🏻 If anyone feels so inclined, I’d love to see what YOUR bookshelves look like! Snap a pic, share in your stories, & tag me - I’d love to
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View fullsize Being stuck at home isn’t so bad when you’ve got a massive stack of books to read. 🕵🏻‍♀️🖤 What’s on your social-distancing TBR?! 📖
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View fullsize Early afternoon light & a large latte ☕️ & a gripping crime read 🕵🏻‍♀️🖤 aka the perfect combination 🙌🏻
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This right here is my usual Sunday tradition 👆🏻 BUT I’ll be spending this Sunday (and this coming week, and probabl
View fullsize My last day in the city for a while calls for a lunch break coffee stop ☕️🖤 with my totally gripping current read 🕵🏻‍♀️
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Today is my last day in Manhattan for a while 😔 we’re all transitioning to working from home to try and preve
View fullsize In the midst of a crazy week, my brain needs a quick, binge-worthy read, and I think this beauty right here is just the ticket. 👌🏻🖤 NO BAD DEED by Heather Chavez is on sale now, and I can’t wait to dive in! 🕵🏻‍♀️
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View fullsize Happy Monday, friends! 🖤 Back in NYC and back to work after an amazing (if much too short) visit to Oslo 🇳🇴 annnd currently drinking a cold brew ☕️ at my desk & hoping it keeps me awake this afternoon 😂 jet lag + not enough sleep last night =
View fullsize Last looks at beautiful Oslo 🇳🇴 for this trip. ❤️ So very sad to leave, but I’m bringing wonderful memories & a suitcase stuffed with books 📚 back to NYC with me. 😉 See you soon, Oslo... you know I can’t stay away for long. 🥰❤️
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View fullsize Spent today doing all my favorite things in Oslo, so obviously a coffee stop was included. ☕️🖤 How are you spending your Saturday?! •
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Does anyone else collect books by a favorite author?! 📚 I don’t have

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    Loved speaking with @danspapers about the first panel I’ll be moderating at @HamptonsWhodun this year, featuring… https://t.co/hwrdV45fSz
    Apr 4, 2023, 11:48 AM
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    RT @vanessalillie: I’ve had box of Blood Sister arcs unopened for two weeks waiting on tomorrow - cover reveal by @crimebythebook & IG… https://t.co/fnQ35GO1Nd
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    RT @TheMysterious: We’re making plans to head out to @HamptonsWhodun next month, Long Island’s exciting new crime fiction festival. Se… https://t.co/ra7RPgf7Fv
    Mar 30, 2023, 6:13 PM
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    RT @TheMysterious: Love mystery fiction? We’re hiring a part-time bookseller, beginning immediately. Email info@mysteriousbookshop.com… https://t.co/AJrBLH0Q1t
    Mar 29, 2023, 7:44 PM
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    RT @TheMysterious: BREAKING: We’re thrilled that our friend Michael Connelly is (finally) being recognized as a mystery fiction Grand… https://t.co/3QgWojXVVw
    Mar 28, 2023, 3:05 PM

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