Book Review: One More Lie The murder of a child is a horrible tragedy. When a child is murdered by other children, that’s horrific. These visceral socio-cultural reactions form the backbone of One More Lie, the story of a convicted killer who just wants a normal life after being released from prison. As […]
Category Archives: Reviews
Book Review: And Then They Were Doomed: A Little Library Mystery
Book Review: And Then They Were Doomed: A Little Library Mystery As the title indicates, And Then They Were Doomed is inspired by Agatha Christie. Right of the bat, readers should be warned that the endings to about half a dozen Christie novels are referenced here, including And Then There Were None, Murder on the […]
Book Review: Agatha Christie’s Golden Age: An Analysis of Poirot’s Golden Age Puzzles
Book Review: Agatha Christie’s Golden Age: An Analysis of Poirot’s Golden Age Puzzles There are many books that summarize the novels of Agatha Christie, but while many companion works address the plots, John Goddard’s book purports to be the first to analyze the placement of clues and how the novels work as fair play […]
Book Review: Paper Son: A Lydia Chin/Bill Smith Novel
Book Review: Paper Son: A Lydia Chin/Bill Smith Novel Paper Son is the latest in S.J. Rozan’s Lydia Chin series, about a Chinese-American private detective based in New York who works with her investigative partner Bill Smith. In this book, Lydia is drawn out of her familiar metropolis when her mother pressures her to […]
Review: The Paris Diversion by Chris Pavone
THE PARIS DIVERSION By Chris Pavone New York: Crown, 2019. $27.00 Chris Pavone burst onto the thriller scene with his 2012 debut The Expats. Drawing rave reviews for its compelling setting, devious plot twists, and unique take on the spy genre, The Expats became a New York Times bestseller. Pavone’s next two books, stand-alone novels […]
Review: 3 Women 4 Towns 5 Bodies & Other Stories by Townsend Walker
3 Women 4 Towns 5 Bodies & Other Stories By Townsend Walker Deeds Publishing 2019 $18.95 Townsend Walker’s collection of short fiction, 3 Women 4 Towns 5 Bodies & Other Stories, is a compilation of tales reflecting numerous different women, their lives, their loves, their hates, their crimes, and their plotting. The title […]
DVD Review—Gosnell: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer
If you’re addicted to crime dramas, then you’ll want to check out Chris Chan’s DVD Review of Gosnell: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer. “Message drama” is the bane of many television crime dramas. Not to name names, but many TV shows routinely produce subpar episodes when they decide to address a hot-button issue. […]
The Story of True Crime and Arson: Damn the Old Tinderbox! Book Review
Check out Chris Chan’s book review of a true crime category that is often overlooked by writers and historians: arson. Damn the Old Tinderbox!: Milwaukee’s Palace of the West and the Fire that Defined an Era by Matthew J. Prigge is the missing piece that fans of true crime will need to check out this summer. […]
DVD Review—Father Brown Season Six
Father Brown has been on the rise over the last few seasons, and Chris Chan has his DVD review to let you know if Father Brown Season Six should be added to your queue. The sixth season of Father Brown shows a notable improvement over the early seasons, as well as the continuation of […]
DVD Review—Acquitted, Spring Tide, and Those Who Kill
Looking for your next binge-worthy show? Why not try one of these Scandinavian crime dramas! Acquitted, Spring Tide, and Those Who Kill have something for every crime drama aficionado, from the classic “whodunnit?” to even more twisted, dark stories. DVD Review–Acquitted: Seasons One and Two (Norwegian language series), Spring Tide: Season One (Swedish language series), and Those Who Kill (Danish […]
DVD Review—Top of the Lake: China Girl
DVD Review—Top of the Lake: China Girl Coming about half a decade after the release of the original series Top of the Lake, the second season, subtitled China Girl, is striking by both how similar the sequel is to its predecessor, and how simultaneously shockingly different it is as well. The original series […]
For True-Crime Enthusiasts: The Belle of Bedford Avenue by Virginia A. McConnell
In today’s society, it’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole of true crime, from the never ending stream of documentaries to the countless turning pages of books. But don’t worry, The Strand Magazine is here to point you in the right direction with this week’s new book review. Discover the story behind Florence Wallace […]