The Spectrum of Suspense and Reading Literary Mysteries

Summary

Podcast Summary: Book Talk, etc. – Episode: The Spectrum of Suspense and Reading Literary Mysteries

Hosts:
Tina (@tbretc) and Hannah (@hanpickedbooks)

Release Date:
November 5, 2024

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November Reading Plans and Community Engagement

In the opening segments of the episode, Tina and Hannah delve into their plans for November, emphasizing their commitment to enhancing their reading experiences and engaging more deeply with their audience.

Netgalley November Challenge
Tina [03:35]:
Tina shares her excitement about participating in "Netgalley November," a self-imposed challenge where she commits to reading exclusively Netgalley books throughout the month. She reveals her motivation stems from previously neglecting to provide timely feedback on the galleys she receives. Tina states,

"I'm going to provide the feedback because the crazy thing is I'm actually reading the galleys I get. I talk about them on the air on the podcast. Am I telling Netgalley about it? No, I'm not."
She encourages listeners to join her and participate in the challenge through their Patreon community, fostering a collective effort to stay accountable and connected.

Hannah’s Approach
Hannah [04:48]:
While Hannah acknowledges the value in Tina's challenge, she opts for a more flexible approach. She plans to read at least one or two Netgalley books that she doesn't already own in print, aiming to improve her reading ahead and review habits.

"I'll put in my review after I've had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook or the print copy."
Together, they highlight the benefits of their Patreon community, including access to bonus content, Discord discussions, and live events like reacting to Goodreads Choice Awards nominees.

Community Read: Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors

The duo discusses their October community read, "Blue Sisters" by Coco Mellors, a novel centered on the lives of three sisters grappling with the aftermath of their fourth sister’s passing.

Tina’s Perspective [13:19]:
Tina appreciates the depth of the characters and the realistic portrayal of grief and addiction within the family dynamic. She remarks,

"It feels realistic that Nikki was almost revered and sort of seen as this perfect one because she's passed away."
However, she notes some frustrations with the characters' self-destructive behaviors, expressing a desire for more resolution in their struggles.

Hannah’s Insights [15:36]:
Hannah resonates with the sibling dynamic, drawing parallels to her own family experiences and to classics like "Little Women". She highlights the emotional complexity and the book’s exploration of mental health, stating,

"This book really highlighted that mental health really isn't a monolith."
Hannah gives the book a tentative rating of 3.5 out of 5, considering potential updates after further discussions with their Patreon community.

Defining Literary Suspense

Transitioning to the episode's main topic, Tina and Hannah dissect the nuances of literary suspense, distinguishing it from traditional mystery and thriller genres.

Tina’s Definition [23:31]:
Tina references Mystery & Suspense.com to define literary suspense as a genre that emphasizes rich narrative depth, stylistic sophistication, and an introspective focus on character and theme.

"Unlike traditional thrillers that focus on fast-paced plots, literary suspense intricately entwines suspense with emotional depth and psychological complexity."
She underscores the importance of clear marketing and genre labeling to set accurate reader expectations, advocating for descriptors like "slow burn" and "character-driven" in book blurbs.

Hannah’s Agreement [23:49]:
Hannah concurs, emphasizing that literary suspense allows for deeper thematic exploration and nuanced storytelling.

"I think that this book [literary suspense] had a great balance of plot, stage setting, and character development."
She appreciates how literary suspense can maintain reader engagement through complex characters and thought-provoking themes, rather than relying solely on plot twists.

Book Recommendations and Discussions

1. Things Don't Break on Their Own by Sarah Easter Collins [37:43]
Tina introduces this debut novel, highlighting its intricate plot and character development. The story follows Willa, whose sister's mysterious disappearance has haunted her for 25 years.

"The ending was excellent. The ending really fully flushes things out. You definitely find out what happened."
While Tina praises the resolution, she critiques the complexity of managing multiple characters, suggesting that a tighter focus on the protagonists could enhance the narrative.

2. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng [41:36]
Hannah discusses this emotionally charged novel about a Chinese American family dealing with the sudden death of their favorite child, Lydia.

"This book really explores how heartbreaking it can be to realize that even with the people that you love the very most, you may never get the chance to fully know them."
She praises the authentic portrayal of interracial marriage struggles and the profound impact of societal pressures, awarding the book five stars for its depth and emotional resonance.

3. The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins [46:21]
Tina shares her enthusiastic review of Hawkins' "The Blue Hour", describing it as a slow burn that ultimately delivers a satisfying payoff. The novel is set on the isolated island of Eris, where new secrets emerge following a shocking discovery in London.

"Books like this are exactly why I like reading literary suspense. You get the writing, you get the plot, you get the characters."
Tina expresses admiration for Hawkins' ability to weave complex themes of loneliness, obsession, and fear, recommending the book as a standout in the genre.

4. The Secret History by Donna Tartt [50:34]
Hannah recounts her experience with Tartt's classic, applauding its rich character study and intricate plot. The novel follows a group of elite college students under the influence of their charismatic professor, leading to profound moral and existential dilemmas.

"I felt like it had a great balance of plot, stage setting, and character development."
She awards it five stars, lauding its engaging narrative and the seamless integration of classical themes with contemporary settings.

Shelf Editions

Tina’s Shelf Edition: The Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy [55:36]
Tina previews this upcoming novel, anticipating its blend of surreal and grisly elements with potential supernatural undertones.

"When the wolf finally comes home, none will be spared."
She expresses excitement for Cassidy's return, noting the book's intense premise and the author's knack for delivering compelling, if bonkers, narratives.

Hannah’s Shelf Edition: The Queen by Nick Cutter [56:08]
Hannah introduces Cutter's novel about Margaret Carpenter’s quest to find her missing friend, sparked by a mysterious iPhone message.

"I'm excited to see where this one goes."
She is intrigued by the book’s premise and anticipates a gripping journey with elements of suspense and mystery, positioning it as a potential tiebreaker in her reading preferences.

Conclusion and Community Engagement

As the episode wraps up, Tina and Hannah encourage listeners to engage with their content through various platforms. They highlight the benefits of subscribing, leaving reviews, and joining their Patreon community for exclusive content and deeper discussions.

Tina [57:30]:
"Links to all the books mentioned can be found in the show notes. If you enjoyed today's episode, you can help us by following us wherever you listen and by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts."

Hannah [57:42]:
"Remember, everything's better with books."

The hosts express their commitment to being a positive distraction and a valuable resource for fellow book lovers, inviting ongoing conversation and community building.

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Notable Quotes:

• Tina [25:28]:
  "There is nothing better for me than when a literary suspense book really nails it."

• Hannah [32:08]:
  "It is fair to want something a little bit deeper. I think that this type of book had a great balance of plot, stage setting, and character development."

• Tina [33:33]:
  "I feel like it's also like you could use it for journaling and scheduling."

• Hannah [36:05]:
  "Y'all should see Tina right now. She's literally flailing."

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Key Takeaways:

• Literary Suspense Defined: A genre that prioritizes emotional depth, character development, and thematic richness over fast-paced action, distinguishing it from traditional mysteries and thrillers.

• Community Engagement: Active participation through challenges like Netgalley November fosters a supportive and interactive reading community.

• Book Selection Tips: Clear genre labeling and author reputation aid in setting accurate reader expectations, ensuring satisfaction with book choices.

• Diverse Perspectives: Tina and Hannah's discussions highlight the importance of diverse lenses in interpreting literature, enhancing the richness of book conversations.

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Recommended Listening:
For intricate explorations of literary suspense and insightful book discussions, tune into "Book Talk, etc." with Tina and Hannah. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast platform, and consider joining their Patreon for exclusive content and community interactions.

Transcript

[Tina]

Happy Election Day.

[Hannah]

We hope everyone got a chance to get out there and make your voice heard today.

[Tina]

Maybe we're in your ears right now as you're at the polls.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I don't know.

[Tina]

Unclear.

[Hannah]

Unclear. Who's to say?

[Tina]

Who's to say? Welcome to Book Talk Etc, a podcast bound to grow your tbr. I'm Tina from TBR Etc.

[Hannah]

And I'm Hann from Handpicked Books.

[Tina]

This is a conversational podcast about books and more from two Midwest Mood readers who are easily distracted by new releases. And today we're talking about one of my all time favorite subgenres, literary suspense.

[Hannah]

If you enjoy listening, we'd love for you to follow us on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app. And if you have a quick minute, please consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or sharing us on social media. It truly helps us connect with other book lovers.

[Tina]

Hey everyone. It's the start of a new month so we wanted to take the time to invite you to join us on paper Patreon. Patreon is an online membership platform that gives you a way to financially support our podcast. And for $5 a month you get access to all of our bonus content. By becoming a Patreon member, you'll get access to our new bonus content, our backlist bonus content, and our Patreon community. If you've ever wanted your reading to be more of a social experience, this is a great way to find that connection. For $5 a month, you'll get access to two bonus episodes and one recorded event each month, as well as invites to our Discord server and Facebook group. We also host a monthly community read in Discord, which is our text based book club that feels like a big group chat without the pressure of being on camera. We've got some fun things planned for November. We've got a DNF chat where we'll share about books that did not work for us, another installment of niche novels where we share overly specific book recommendations. And these are recommendations for books we've already finished. And our live event. I cannot wait for this. Hannah and I are going to live react to the Goodreads Choice Awards or nominees. So really excited for that.

[Hannah]

I am literally like it's on my calendar. Like I've got a countdown going.

[Tina]

I cannot wait. I cannot wait. We're probably gonna have a cocktail together and just, you know, talk some smack.

[Hannah]

About the nominees cause they're always a treat.

[Tina]

They're always a treat, right? Our community read too is like a perfect balance to that we're reading Framed Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful convictions by Jim McCloskey and John Grisham. Can't wait for that discussion. But if all this sounds like something you would love to be involved in, please join us on patreon, head to patreon.com booktalk etc or look for the link in our show notes. Thank you so much for your support.

[Hannah]

Hi Tina.

[Tina]

Hi Hannah. How are you?

[Hannah]

I'm doing great. How are you?

[Tina]

We are here as we are dropping this. It's election day, so if you're listening, don't forget to go out and vote. But I'm feeling good. Welcome to November. It's kind of crazy to think there's only two months left in the year. Like a little anxiety inducing if I'm not if I'm being honest.

[Hannah]

Yeah. And definitely starting to think about kind of my end of year tbr, so to speak, and the books that maybe released this year that I'm still really wanting to read by the end of the year. I know all of that stuff doesn't technically quite matter, but it's fun to think about and I definitely have a list of a few books that I want to try to get to before 2025.

[Tina]

Same here. And I'm very excited for my November reading. I've been talking about this, I think I mentioned it on the show, but I am participating in my very own Netgalley November. So what I'm doing is I'm reading only netgalley books in the month of November. Unless I'm in a pinch and I need to read something for the podcast. That's the only exception I'll make. I'm a little nervous. So the reason I'm doing this self imposed, I guess challenge is my netgalley number. My my feedback ratio is abysmal and so in October I sort of let myself go a little crazy. I'm like, you know what? Oh, you're sending me this book. Great. I'll accept. Because I in November, not only am I going to read netgalley books, more importantly, I'm going to provide the feedback. Because the crazy thing is I'm actually reading the galleys I get. I talk about them on the air on the podcast. Am I telling netgalley about it? No, I'm not. So my goal is to get caught up. Join me. We have a little thread in Discord for everybody who also wants to work on their netgalley goals. It's just kind of a fun challenge I've set. So in addition to obsessing over end of year lists and what am I going to read? I'm working on my NetGalley number.

[Hannah]

That's such a good goal and I think that it is something that many of us who our NetGalley users can deeply relate to. So I was was telling Tina I don't think that I'm going to be as like strict on a NetGalley November. However, I am definitely planning on taking part alongside her in an effort to just read some more NetGalley books. I'm hoping like maybe at least one or two that I don't also have in print form because that's also something that I tend to do. I'll put in my review after I've had the opportunity to listen the audiobook or the print copy. And I'd like to be better about maybe reading a little bit more ahead, even if it's just a month or so. So yeah, I'm excited to do that with you.

[Tina]

Yes, I'm glad. I love an accountability partner. I had the most audacity this morning when I was messaging Hannah. I said, well I didn't. I was sort of racing to finish this book because I only had the audio in print. I didn't have the E version. And I thought you are truly a maniac. Like you need books in all three formats. And to that I say yes I do. If I'm going to get to it in a specific time period, yes, I need all three because nighttime reading, I'm not pulling out a physical book. I can't do audio at night cause I'll go straight to bed. So I do need all three formats. In a perfect world, you're busy bees, you know what I mean? But I'm going to jump things off by sharing one of my latest obsessions. This is my loving lately it is Notion. And if you've listened to me talk on booktok, et cetera for any amount of time, you know that I am always interested in trying new ways to plan, to book track, to stay organized. I've tried them all. I think at this point I've always been a little intimidated by Notion. If you're not familiar, Notion is a productivity platform that helps you organize your work and manage projects. It's a little bit hard to describe. It's a website, it's also got an app and I've known about it for years, but I was always hesitant to try it out because I thought it would be difficult to learn. I'm like, I don't have capacity to learn a new format and I honestly, I swear to you, I was sleeping one day and it just hit me. I'm like, I bet you Notion would be a good way for me to keep track of content calendars, my reading journal, my to do list, all in one space. Because I tried physical planners. I've tried like any list, which I still like for some things, but it was all over the place. I really wanted something to be all in one. What I like about it, it's a digital planner that allows you to create anything you like. I haven't really played around with creating my own complex templates. You can if you want. What I've done is use others pre existing. I've only tried the free template so far. There's definitely more advanced ones that you can pay for and some people are really, really creative with it. I'm like an early user, right? I'm kind of just doing the baseline. I'm currently working from Notion. Right now I'm using this to write my script in place of Google Docs, which is so wonderful because I'm like, wow, I can actually keep my book reviews instead of just deleting them. I think this will help with my netgalley reviewing and all of that. I've got my content calendar, a reading journal, a place to keep my shelf editions, my TBR list, and a weekly to do list. And again, I just like that it's all in one place. I've also really been enjoying this reading journal. I created it and basically I've got a space for the title. I've got a space for, you know, all sorts of different things that are important to me when tracking. But I also include the synopsis in live reading updates. The live reading updates are just me kind of talking into the phone as I'm reading it. I'll stop and pause what I'm reading and just give myself. Okay, so here's what's going on. It's really helpful when I'm going back to write these complex book reviews for the show. Anyway, I've been loving Notion. This is just my plug to I guess try it out if it's something that you've been curious about. I don't really have any tips or tricks, but I would say if you've been thinking about it, give it a whirl. This is Notion.

[Hannah]

Is there a way? Well, I am very excited for you and I've loved hearing you very passionately express how much you're loving it. There is nothing like a great tracker. I mean it sounds like it's also like you could use it for journaling and scheduling. I know that's right up your alley. Is there a way, as I'm being slowly convinced, to potentially try it, to collaborate in Notion?

[Tina]

I reckon. I do reckon. And interesting. Okay, again, I'm a beginner, so I'm not a hundred percent sure how all that would work. There's definitely calendars that integrate with, you know, your phone or whatever. It was so funny. I really got into a hyper fixation and at one point I messaged Hannah, Hannah, I can't stop. Like, I cannot stop using Notion. I paid for the full version, like $10 per month. Oh. It looks like if you wanted to do it for small teams, you'd also have to pay $10 a month or we would have to pay. But it allows you to have unlimited uploads and just some other functionality that I was interested in. But at one point I was just so fixated on it. I was like, can? I just gave them $120, like, somebody send help. Because I cannot stop using it. But I feel like it has made me more productive overall and I've been really enjoying it.

[Hannah]

That's great. I love that. And I'm curious to potentially look into it myself.

[Tina]

Yeah, why not?

[Hannah]

My loving lately is a gel moisturizer that I've been using and loving. It's called Versed. And this is a Dew point gel moisturizer. And what I really like about this is how lightweight it feels. I've really been liking gel moisturizers. They just feel a little bit lighter on my skin, which is definitely my preference. I feel like it moisturizes without ever feeling really heavy or oily. It also absorbs really quickly, so I don't have to wait around before applying makeup if I'm going to be putting makeup on that day. And then another win is it's clean, it's vegan, it's cruelty free, and it has very minimal to no fragrance, which I love because I prefer products, especially face products, without any overpowering scents. I don't mind anything that's a little bit lighter or maybe a light citrus scent. But in general, I don't want any overpowering scents, especially on my face. I tend to be pretty sensitive to that, so that's definitely a big bonus for me. The formula itself is also packed with really, really good ingredients. I've noticed that it really keeps my skin feeling hydrated for pretty much the whole day. It doesn't clog my pores. I think this could be a good fit for a lot of different Skin types and it also comes in a really small container and then you can also get a bigger one if it's a product you like and you want to continue using. If you're looking for a moisturizer that performs at a drugstore price, then I think that this would be a great try. And that's Versed Dew Point Gel Moisturizer.

[Tina]

Nice. I am just so proud of you and your skincare journey. Like, this is very exciting for me. Thank you. I've seen this stuff. Did you get it at Target or where'd you order it from?

[Hannah]

Yeah, I got it at Target. You can also get it off Amazon. I do think that it's a little bit more affordable on Amazon and by that I mean like maybe a couple of dollars cheaper. I think I paid almost 20, if not around $20 when I purchased it at Target. I'm looking on Amazon right now and it looks like the price point for the same. A bottle that I have, which is just a 2 ounce container is $14 and some change on Amazon. So definitely this is not a really fancy product, but it works well for just a daily moisturizer if you're not looking to spend, you know, money on more expensive products. And the two ounce container, I've been using this for about a month now and I still have plenty left. You really don't need a lot to get full face coverage. So, yeah, a good option.

[Tina]

This is good. And I'm looking at the ingredients, a lot of ones that I like, so. And I do like a gel moisturizer.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I like it.

[Tina]

Well, look at you.

[Hannah]

I know my sister Miriam, if. If she's listening. Hello and thank you. Provided me with some new face products too for my birthday because she knows I'm kind of on my skin care journey. So I'm excited to try those things out too.

[Tina]

I love that. Speaking of scissors, do you want to talk about our latest read?

[Hannah]

Yes, let's talk about our latest read. I know we both have quite a bit to say about Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors.

[Tina]

Yes. So this is our October community read and if you're not familiar, it's about the three Blue sisters. They are exceptional and exceptionally different throughout the book. It takes place one year after one of their. Their fourth sister has passed. Passed away. So it's one year later and you come to know the different girls and you come to know the sister that passed away through them. You have Avery, who's the eldest and a recovering heroin addict turned straight lace lawyer who lives in London with her Wife Bonnie, a former boxer turned bouncer in la following a devastating defeat. Lucky, who is the youngest, is a model in Paris. While trying to outrun her hard partying ways. Nikki's death has left them reeling, naturally. And they are a mess, obviously. Right. But they're each sort of handling their grief in very different ways. But then their family decides to sell the apartment that they grew up in in New York. So when the book opens, are all spread out, but they're now coming together back in New York to take care of their sister's belongings and reunite with one another. And that's when, you know, the drama sort of kicks off. Although I will say there's pretty much drama throughout. How did you like this one?

[Hannah]

I would say that I liked it. I had some pretty high expectations going into it. I read Cleo and Frankenstein last year, which is this author's debut, and I loved it. That was a five star read for me. It ended up on my favorites of the year. So I definitely had some high expectations going into this one for that reason and also because I am also one of four sisters. And so we. When books have that particular sibling dynamic, which doesn't happen very often, I can think of like two books off the top of my head that do. I get really excited because that's just, you know, a personal part of my life. And I always like to hear authors takes. And so I did really appreciate that element even though obviously one of my sisters has not passed away. So I don't have like that grief perspective to bring to it. I did really enjoy reading about the sisters perspectives. I would say that I liked it. I want to say more, but I also want to hear how you felt about it initially, of course.

[Tina]

So I liked a lot about it. I was hooked right away. I did the audio. I will say I did not prefer the audio at all. I did not like the narrator. So I was flipping back between audio when I needed to in the print copy. This is messier than I was expecting. I don't, I don't know what I was expecting, but I, I guess I thought, I think I had in my brain going in that it was going to be like a hello, beautiful. And I would not call it that it's a sister story, but it's very different. These characters, when you meet them, are all very disparate. So there's. They're in la, Paris, London. Right. So you're, you're coming to know them individually. I kind of liked that. Because you find that the characters get ample time. I Never was wondering who was who, when. Which can be a pet peeve of mine when there's multiple characters and they're kind of all the same. This one, they are very different. They are fully fleshed out. I also really appreciate that Nikki comes alive in their memories. It felt realistic that Nikki was almost revered and sort of seen as this perfect one because she's passed away. So you didn't get to see her dark underbelly or sort of the struggles that she had. Because as so often happens when people pass away, they're remembering them as the best of them. In some ways, addiction is one of the themes in this book. And I know you feel this way as well. I thought it was pretty well done in terms of the addiction representation. It made me want to be more present for my kids because they talk about their mom, they talk about how their mom didn't want to be there. And God, it really broke my heart. The characters were quite self destructive and I struggled with that. I really did. Because you do get to understand a little bit about why they struggle. And it's a me thing. But for me, I'm like, y'all don't have it that bad. You're dealing with grief, but like, get your shit together, quite frankly. You've got this amazing career, you've got this wife, you've got this or that, the other thing. And I kind of want them to just get it together and not be struggling with that. However, this book made me feel. It made me feel sort of really irritated by these characters, which is a sign of good writing. Cause I actually did care about them.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I agree. And I think even in hearing you talk about, particularly like addiction and even some of these mental health struggles that these sisters were going through throughout the book and how those really were highlighted, especially as they were navigating grief, it also is, I think, a good reminder how mental health really isn't a monolith. And you can have your life really sorted out and you can have everything going for you and still be in a mental and emotional position. Whether that's circumstantial or chemical. Yeah, it can really impact everything. And I think that this book really highlighted that. Well, I will say, and I don't even know. I don't even know how to pinpoint it exactly, there did seem to be something missing, like. Like some kind of emotional disconnect. But again, I don't know if that was intentional because I mean, these characters were very much disconnected in the season of life that they were in and desperately Kind of trying to find their way back to each other. And so maybe that's why. One other thing that I wanted to mention that I didn't really realize until you just mentioned the sister that passed away, which is not a spoiler. This happens at the beginning of the book. Nikki. How she was really kind of made come to life through these memories that these sisters had of her and how she was kind of the perfect one and ended up being the one that passed away. And I am seeing a lot of parallels now to Little Women and how Beth ended up passing away and she was kind of this very revered daughter in this family of four girls. And even a lot of similarities with the youngest and, you know, going and studying abroad and doing her own thing. This was just a very, very, very messy version of that, the not clean version. But I definitely am seeing a lot of parallels. And so that might be a fun pairing if you like Little women or enjoy comparing literature in that way.

[Tina]

I will say I'm an only child and I'm very fascinated by sisters stories. I tend to not like them, especially when they're big families and they're really messy and the girl women don't get along and, like, I just want to shake them. I'm like, do you know how good you have it? Do you know how special this is? I feel like they do. They do acknowledge that in a lot of ways. I also took a little bit of offense to what the author said about only children. Like, she sort of wrote it off like, oh, you'll never understand this. And I'm like, well, right? I don't have lived experience. I can't have empathy, and I can't understand. And by the way, you can have friends, believe it or not, that feel as close as family, in my opinion. Although I will say she does literally say that in the book. Oh, she's an only child, so she tries to make friends into family at every turn. And I was like, well, dang, you got me there. Because it's true. But I liked it. I liked a lot about it. I think it'll be a really fun chat. Usually when we share our community read on the podcast, we've already chatted about it with our patrons. That's not the case today. We're chatting later tonight, like, in real time. So I don't know how our patrons felt. I'm really excited to chat about it. Overall, I recommend it. I liked it. It's not a perfect book. I will try the author again, but we'll have to wait and see. I, I don't think it'll be on my best of 2024 list. And I'm kind of surprised by that. Cause I thought it potentially without even knowing really much about it. I thought it could be a contender, but I don't think it will be.

[Hannah]

Yeah, same. I don't know if you want to share your rating. I will say I'm debating after our discussion and we'll again see after we chat about it with our patrons tonight. Right now it's sitting at about a 3.5 for me. But it has the potential, I feel, to bump up more, more to a four than a three.

[Tina]

I'm right, I'm right there with you. Three. Seven, five. If we're using quarter stars. But I do want to chat with some more people and sort of flesh some things out. But overall I don't think it's a bad book. It's just left me with some things I'm like. But again, they felt like real characters. If you like character driven family stories that have a lot of family drama, I think this one could be interesting for you.

[Hannah]

Totally agree. And that was Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors. And now to completely change the subject.

[Tina]

Now to completely change the subject. Yes, sort of. So our episode topic for today, obviously, as you probably figured out, we are talking about literary suspense or literary mystery. And I'm so pumped to talk about that. It is one of my very favorite sub genres. I feel very strongly that there is a difference between suspense, mystery and thriller. I feel very strongly about that. And I think people, if they go into a book under this umbrella with incorrect expectation, they think it's a thriller and it's not. I think that's where a lot of people say, oh gosh, I'm always let down by thrillers. Even me, when I'm categorizing and tracking my books, I use the acronym TMS in my personal tracker 1. It's my initials but also it stands for thriller, mystery and suspense because I think they are very different. And I'm quoting from mysteryandsuspense.com because I was curious. I feel like literary suspense is one of those things. I know it when I see it. But the what the website says or what this particular website says is that literary suspense sets itself apart through its rich narrative depth, stylistic sophistication and an introspective focus on character and theme. So unlike traditional thrillers that focus on fast paced plots, literary suspense intricately entwined suspense with emotional depth and psychological complexity. Oftentimes these are slower burns but when done right, there's an excellent payoff.

[Hannah]

I really like that distinction. And if you're curious to also read more and check out this website, I will link that in the show notes as well. But yeah, I really like that distinction. I love that you're tracking that in your reading. I also love that that's your initials. How fun. Especially since it's like your wheelhouse.

[Tina]

It's my wheelhouse, it's my initials. It makes sense.

[Hannah]

Yeah, absolutely. Although I'm not as well versed in, I feel like, all of the subcategories of mysteries and thrillers. Part of why we wanted to do this episode is because I do feel like my sweet spot personally is that literary suspense. And I think it's an interesting conversation too, because you're totally right. People's expectations can really make or break a book. And where I feel like when I know I'm going to enjoy a book specifically in this category is when someone is reviewing something and I feel bad because they didn't enjoy it. But if they're reviewing a thriller and they were like, I thought this was going to be this really fast paced thriller and it was actually more of this, you know, slow burn family drama, immediately I'm kind of like, okay, cool, that's my kind of book.

[Tina]

Yeah. Yeah, right. I feel you. Exactly. And I think these books work best for me. One when I know it going in. Because I don't like to be surprised either. Like, if they tell me it's going to be a thriller, give me a thriller. I know about myself, though, I can be a little impatient. Like, I know, and I don't get impatient because I'm bored. I get impatient because I'm like, okay, you better land it. You better stick the landing. You're making me learn all of these different things now. You better hold up your end of the bargain and give me that payoff. One of mine today. I am so happy about it landed so hard for me. I'm so pumped. I was like, screaming as I was finishing it, flipping the pages. Not really screaming, but quietly in my head.

[Hannah]

I love watching you talk about this. Y'all should see Tina right now.

[Tina]

I know.

[Hannah]

She's literally flailing.

[Tina]

I'm flailing. Hannah's getting the full point of view. I'm really excited about this because when a book does this, well, it's just. There's nothing better for me. There is nothing better for me than when a literary suspense book really nails it. And you're like, oh, my God, this breadcrumb Here, ties over here. Like, it's really fun.

[Hannah]

Yeah. So what do you think would be a good way for these books to maybe be better pitched or marketed so that as consumers and readers, we know exactly what kind of mystery or thriller we're getting into? Because obviously, like, when a book is shelved at Barnes and Noble or the bookstore or the library, it's not like they can have all of these subcategories for everything within a genre. What do you think would be a good tell or a good way for readers to know? Like, okay, this isn't going to be like my popcorn thriller. This is going to be a literary suspense. Something slower paced, more character driven, more emotionally deep.

[Tina]

I think it's an interesting question and I wish there was an easy way. I know for me, I keep track with my tms. It sort of helps me, like, I don't know why it works for me to do that. It just helps me sort of delineate. I don't read a lot of the m. The mystery part of it. I'm usually thriller or suspense, but I do think there is a difference. I feel like suspense could even be sort of its own category. But I will say suspense is not. Of course, any genre can use suspense as a literary device. It's not just relegated to this mystery space or thriller, mystery, suspense space. I think when I am reading plot or I'm reading synopses, there's two ways that I sort of clue myself in. Obviously, it's by the words that the blurbs use or the words that the publisher is using in the synopsis. If obviously we're seeing breakneck speed, fast paced. If you use the word thriller on the back of your book and it's a literary suspense, slow paced, that's your fault. Like, that is not, you know, you don't. I feel like if I see thriller, I'm expecting it to be more plot driven. It could have good characterization, but I'm expecting the plot to be there. Whereas suspense, I'm seeing slow burn. I'm seeing payoff is worth it. I'm seeing sort of atmospheric, maybe character driven mystery. Those are the words that I would be looking for when I'm sort of trying to delineate. I'd also look at the author blurbs, who's blurbing as you come to read more in this space. Like, I knew when I picked up, for example, the Paula Hawkins book, I knew what I was getting into. It's not a thriller, she's not a thriller writer. And it helps to know who it is that writes thrillers and who it is that does not. Right. But sometimes authors will surprise you. I'm thinking John Marrs. John Marrs does this great thing where he can write a thriller really well, but he also writes in the speculative space. And so. But they do a good job marketing his books because I feel like going into it, you know which one you're getting.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I think that's a good point. I think that, you know, I saw a lot of people, I shouldn't say a lot. I saw a few people review the new Liz Moore book over the summer saying that they were disappointed because it wasn't really thrilling. Whereas I've read Liz Moore before. And so I knew what to expect based on her last book, which was literary suspense. It definitely was not a thriller. So I had that expectation that it wasn't going to be fast paced. Kind of, you know, to your point too about Paula Hawkins having that experience and lens of knowing what to expect from a certain author. I think again to your point, when you are reading about the book, you know, like with God of the woods as an example, it's set at a camp, it's about a family, it's got multiple timelines and so kind of knowing what I know about how these books are typically formatted, I can kind of make a guess that this is going to be more of a literary suspense than a fast paced thriller, if you will. I think that although I would say that mystery for both of us is probably our least read within this TMS category. But I will say I think that with mysteries a good indicator is that I feel like those follow a pretty strict formula. Almost like romance. Right. Where it just seems a little bit more formulaic in nature. And then thrillers being more like fast paced, really plotty, literary, having more of that emotional depth and character drive and then having that payoff at the end.

[Tina]

No, that's really well said and I'm glad that I don't attune to the formula of it all because I don't want to. I think that's why I like to read in this space so much because I'm always surprised. I don't know what to expect. You would think I read so many of these books, but I'm still, I shouldn't say, like I'm completely blind. Like I sort of have these expectations going in. But when it's well done, I'm not thinking about the formula of it. I'm not thinking about anything other than okay, what's going on here? Is this going to be important later, what's happening? We all know I'm a terrible detective. I never guess. And when I do, even if I do guess, I'm not usually mad about it. I'm like, okay, cool, right? I got it right this time. Something I also wanted to add or ask you was, or I guess mention was that literary suspense within that. What you should expect with literary suspense is strong writing. It almost has this sort of judgmental tone to it though. Just the word literary fiction in general or literary in general. It's like, oh, these are, this is highbrow. The writing is more solid. It's more, you know, there's almost this inherent versus like commercial. I love a good commercial fiction book. I love a good popcorn thriller. I love a good literary fiction book. I think you can have all of these things. I think it's important to temper one's expectations when they're picking up these types of books so that they aren't let down and they're not disappointed. I don't really have a question in there. I just wanted to, I guess make mention of the fact. I mean, do you agree that when you see literary that you're expecting a certain type of writing?

[Hannah]

Yes, definitely. And it's hard because some of that is subjective, but not all of it is subjective. You know, I, I didn't study English, obviously, and I know you didn't either. We are though, very seasoned readers and I do think that we do have, yes, certain expectations with writing with these books. To a certain degree. It's a little bit subjective, but I think that it is fair to want something a little bit deeper. I think is the word that I'm gonna go with when picking these kinds of books up.

[Tina]

Yeah, no, I think you're absolutely spot on. There's also an element to these and I think again, why it works so much for me is because you get that human condition study of human condition. You are still getting an entertaining and thought provoking story that, you know, has some elements that are fast paced or shocking or you know, have those traditional themes of what you come to expect from a thriller. But it's not just about the thrill. It's also about the humans that are doing the thing and like the behind the why. Why people do the things they do. That's really like, that's really what gets me with these types of books.

[Hannah]

Yeah, completely agree. They're a lot more exploratory and there are usually, I feel like, deeper themes explored too. I mean, you can read a popcorn thriller or even a mystery book. And it's really just about what happened or what's gonna happen next or what the big twist is. Whereas when you're reading something more literary, I'm going to expect some themes to be explored. How is the author going to explore those themes in a nuanced way that isn't obvious? And again, speaking to that payoff at the end, how are they gonna tie those themes in with both the plot, the mystery and you know, the. Because we are gonna expect that ending or like an answer of some sort. How are they gonna tie that into the end when they are putting together and piecing, piecing everything together toward the end of the book?

[Tina]

I know you say sometimes that this genre doesn't work for you. Is that more of the popcorn space or do you have a sentence as to why that might be?

[Hannah]

What's literary suspense? Are you talking about?

[Tina]

I don't know, just thrillers in general. I feel like you say that you struggle with them sometimes.

[Hannah]

I would say that I struggle with thrillers and mysteries more than I do. I tend to really like, like literary suspense when I pick that up. And that really seems to be my sweet spot. Spot, I think my struggle with thrillers and mysteries. Well, it's different for both. I think I struggle with the formula of mysteries a little bit, which I still need to unpack because, you know, romance has a formula and I love that and I find safety in that. But I'm also a character driven reader and maybe that's a formula that works for my reading tastes. Whereas with mystery, that formula is a little more plot focused and I'm not as much of a plot driven reader. And I also am a overthinker in general. And I think with both thrillers and mysteries, my frustration. And I'll literally have this while I'm reading. I'm like, there isn't a single character in this book that is not a potential suspect. So I'm already not surprised.

[Tina]

Ah, okay, cool.

[Hannah]

And so which I feel like makes me sound a certain way, but it's, it's not because I'm even a good detective. I don't even think I'm a good detective. I think I just think too much and it's a genre that I have a hard time suspending those thoughts with.

[Tina]

Uh huh. You're. You're skeptics, you're.

[Hannah]

I'm skeptical.

[Tina]

You are a skeptical reader and I love that.

[Hannah]

Which is why I think, and I know this doesn't work for so many readers. It's why supernatural twists don't bother me because I'm like, well, at least I couldn't have seen that coming.

[Tina]

No, not for me. Get out of town. Get out of here. I don't want it. I don't want it. Keep your supernatural in your supernatural. Unless, whatever, by and large, if this isn't a science fiction book, keep them separate. Meanwhile, I'm a reader that just, like, takes most things at face value. And I'm kind of like, okay, you told me this. I'm looking right where you're pointing me. I know there's stuff over here, but I'm not looking because I just like to be entertained. I. You know, it just. It's fun. I like to be in it.

[Hannah]

Yeah. And that's why I love exploring books and talking about them, too, as different readers, because we all bring a completely different lens to what we read. And it's fun to chat about our differences and hear how another person might look at the same thing in a totally different way.

[Tina]

Absolutely. All right, with that. Let's talk about some of the books that we read today. Did you have a hard time finding books for literary suspense?

[Hannah]

Yes, and I was able to find some. I think that it's a niche genre that certain people have, like, different opinions on what it is. And so even, like, there were a couple times I put feelers out there for what's your favorite? Literary suspense. And some of the recommendations that I got, I was like, oh, I wouldn't have thought of that as literary suspense. And for the sake of time, I didn't really have a time to explore that more. And so. And when I was googling books for this episode, too, I. The answers that I was getting were. They seemed weird to me.

[Tina]

So that's not what I'm thinking of when I see literary suspense. Yeah.

[Hannah]

But I was able to find a couple. And I think I have a better idea of what I'm personally looking forward to.

[Tina]

That's good. I'm glad that it's sort of whenever we have these more specific episodes, it forces us to really dial in and nail down what we're talking about when we're looking at these specific sub genres. I got lucky. I had one that I read back in September over a month ago at this point, maybe five weeks that I've just been holding in my back pocket because I knew it was great for literary suspense. The other one, I just happened to get lucky. And it's the Paula Hawkins book. I'll bring in a minute here. But both of mine I really enjoyed, and luckily they Work. But I will say it's, again, one of those sub genres that's hard to define. But you know it when you see it.

[Hannah]

Yes, absolutely. I'm excited to hear about your first book. What do you have for us?

[Tina]

All right, I will hop in with Things Don't Break on Their Own by Sarah Easter Collins. Oh, boy. Okay. So this one, I had to really look back at the notes and remember what it is I was thinking when I read it. But as soon as I looked back, I was like, oh, yeah. That's why I don't remember a ton, because. Because there's a lot of intricacies here. There's a lot to unpack. It starts 25 years ago. A young girl left home to walk to school. Her younger sister soon followed, but only one of them arrived and one of them didn't. Her sister's disappearance has defined Willa's life. Everybody thinks that her sister is dead, but Willem knows she isn't, because some things only sisters know about each other and some bonds only sisters can break. So you have another sister story here. You've just got two instead of four. The book opens with a great setup. You've got this dinner party with lots of old friends and lots of old grievances and just a lot of old secrets bubbling to the surface. I really liked that. And you can tell that the friends like each other. They might, you know, communicate on a regular basis. But there is something bubbling under the surface. Specifically, some of them bring in some newcomers to the group, a new girlfriend, a new person here. And that's making Willa especially uneasy. She is coming undone because her friend's new girlfriend is there. And she's like, I swear to God, that person's familiar. I feel like she knows something, or I feel like she may have a connection to what happened a long time ago. And they then start talking about memory. The whole book is very interesting in the way it's told, because on the surface, it's about this dinner party and you get all of these different characters, but in between, you're flashing way back to Willa. What happened Willa in college, what she's going through. And you know that she has a ton of guilt. Willa is a very complex character. Major content warning for domestic violence in this one. It kind of came not out of nowhere, but I was like, oh, this is a big part of the plot that I did not see coming. So know that going in. The author gives you a fair amount of red herrings with this, so you think you're Going to get one thing, and then it turns out to be something a little bit different. You also sort of get a bit of a historical fiction feel to it because it's flashing back to when they were kids and when they were growing up in the house and what happened here. You also get the same plot point revealed in a couple of different ways. I know that it's hard for me to explain, and some of you might be like, what on earth are you talking about? That's because this book is complex. One thing that did not work for me is that there's all of these characters. I couldn't keep them straight to save my life. And finally I said, you know what? I don't care who these people are. Who I care about is Willa, and I care about her sister. I think her name was Laika. That's who I care about. Let me try and focus on these two people and see if that can't settle things for me. What I liked, too, I'm kind of in the middle, getting the back and forth. What's going on? I had no clue. But the ending was excellent. The ending really fully flushes things out. You definitely find out what happened. You definitely get a resolution, which I need in my literary suspense. I liked it. Not one of my favorites for the year, but it is a debut. I will say I definitely will read this author again. I think if some storylines and some plot points could have been cleaned up, it would have been even stronger. But overall, I do recommend this. Once you get connected with the characters, their perspectives, and accept that it's this family drama meets literary suspense, I think you will like it. This book is Things Don't Break on Their Own by Sarah Easter Collins.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I have noticed, again, with the theme, with these literary suspense siblings, family being kind of a common thread. And I'm excited that you brought this one because it ties in really well with the first book that I'm going to bring, which is also a sibling story and one that I feel like everybody has read except for me. And that is Everything I Never Told you'd by Celeste Ng. Oh, and actually, both of the books that I'm bringing today, I feel like, are books that a lot of people have read. And I'm kind of late to the party, but that's okay. It's fun to talk about those ones. This book is again, like I said, a family sibling story. The starting line is, Lydia is dead, but they don't know this yet. With this haunting opening line, this book unravels a story of A Chinese American family in the 1970s in a small town in Ohio. Lydia Lee, the favorite child of James and Marilyn, was meant to achieve the dreams that her parents couldn't. But her body is discovered in a nearby lake, and from there, the fragile bonds holding this family together slowly start to unravel throughout the novel, throwing their lives into disarray. This book was really beautifully written. Again, kind of definitely held to that expectation of expecting something different from the writing when it comes to books within this genre. It was also really emotionally, I mean, gut wrenching. This book is really sad. It was really tough to witness the flaws in the characters and the missed opportunities really, between these family members, especially when a lot of their misunderstandings, although very problematic, were not always intentional. This book really explores how heartbreaking it can be to realize that even with the people that you love the very most, you may never get the chance to fully know them. And there's definitely a grief in that as well. It's an unsettling thought, I think too, especially as a parent. The portrayal of interracial marriage and the struggles of being an outsider, particularly for an Asian American family, definitely felt very heavy and authentic. I had to remind myself that the story spans from the 1960s to the mid-70s and there was definitely a distance there. I felt that distance, but it also felt uncomfortably close because that wasn't that long ago. But given how much progress we have recently made, it definitely gave me more to think about. When reading this book. It made me reflect on some of the really hurtful things that people obviously still say, but, you know, used to say more frequently and with. With less consequence in the 70s and 80s. So definitely keep in mind some of the language that is going to be used, although intentionally. It's very intentionally done. That language is hard to read and I think definitely something to consider when deciding if you want to pick this book up. The first half of the book moved pretty slowly for me, and the second half gripped me again. I think that that's something that you have to be patient with books like this. I definitely found myself racing to the end when I got there. I will say I feel like at a certain point I almost DNF'd this one, but I'm so glad that I pushed through. And an important reminder to be patient sometimes with your reading. I'm glad that I stuck with it. Everything came together in a really powerful way by the end. And I'm really glad that I finally read this one. And that is Everything I Never Told you'd by Celeste Ng well done.

[Tina]

This has been on my TBR for actual years, so I had to actually log into Goodreads. I'm like, did I read this book? Because I read her other book, which I'm. Couldn't tell you what the title is.

[Hannah]

This actually completes her catalog for me. I have read Little Fires Everywhere. Is that the one that you read? Yes. Yeah. That was made into a miniseries with Reese Witherspoon, which was also very good. Yeah, I read everything I Never Told you'd Now, which was the last one that I needed to read. Read Little Fires Everywhere. And then Our Missing Hearts, I believe, is the other one, which is a dystopian novel that she wrote a year or two ago. But I've read all three, and I believe that's her entire catalog. So this was my. Yeah, my final checkbox.

[Tina]

Speaking of authors for whom we've read their entire catalog, I am bringing the Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins. And I have read all of her books. I have loved some, I have strongly disliked some. And you will have to listen to hear what I think about this one. The Blue Hour. It's set on Eris, an island with only one house, one inhabitant, and one way out. It is unreachable from the Scottish mainland for 12 hours a day. Once it was home to Vanessa, a famous artist whose notoriously unfaithful husband disappeared 20 years ago. Now it's home to Grace, a solitary creature of the tides who is very content to be isolated and a homebody. But when a shocking discovery is made in an art gallery far away in London, a visitor comes calling, and the secrets of the island threaten to emerge. Definition of this one is slow burn. It is a slow burn. I remember. I think I shared last week that I was ready for it to land the plane. And I. I do mean that. I can tell you, for the first 55%, I'm like, okay, I'm here, I'm sat, I'm listening. What do we got? Once it gets to 55%, I was off and running. Books like this are exactly why I like reading literary suspense, though. You get the writing, you get the plot, you get the characters. You might have to be a little bit more patient with it. But I love when I'm reading a book and it's unpeeling the onion, and I'm like, huh? Okay, breadcrumb over here. There's tension over there. I see what you're doing. Where is this all going to end? What I like about these books, too, is they tend to stick with me a Little bit longer than a traditional, like, popcorn thriller would. This one's definitely going to stick with me. You know, too, that I don't like books about artists. Like, there is a lot of art in this book, a lot. And I was like, okay, the painting. Got it. She's into ceramics now. Okay. But I was fine with it because I sort of knew that going in. And it really didn't take much away from me. I think there at the end of it, if you like stories about very intense female bonds, you will get that here. Unfortunately for my listeners, this is going to be one of those where I can't say much more than that because I have about three, four paragraphs left of my raw notes that I could share. But I can only share these things with people who have read the book because I just remember I was sitting there like, oh, my God, da, da, da, da. This happened then. She told you not to do this. It was like I was having, like, the dialogue with, like, people that I was having my own personal book club by myself. So if you do read this and you have read it and you want to discuss the ending, definitely feel free to reach out to me. I would love to chat with you. This one has themes of loneliness, art, obsession, fear. And I highly, highly recommend it. I loved it. It's the Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins.

[Hannah]

Good job. You did really good at telling us. I feel like exactly what we needed to know without giving things away. And that's hard to do. So I hope that some people reach out so that you guys can talk about this one because it sounds like it was a good one for discussion.

[Tina]

It was. And I hope I've piqued your interest. This is by far and away my favorite Paula Hawkins book. I'm not a hater of the Girl on the Train. I liked it. I liked it for what it was. It was sort of one of those seminal early thrillers that you get. The Unreliable Narrator. I thought it did a lot of good things. The one I did not like was into the Water. That one was not for me.

[Hannah]

I think a lot of people felt that way about into the Water. I don't remember seeing super positive feedback about that one.

[Tina]

Yeah, that one wasn't for me, but a slow fire burning. I actually liked that one had a smaller splash back in 2021. It wasn't like. I don't. Didn't see a lot about it. This one I really, really enjoyed and I think it's her best yet.

[Hannah]

Nice. I might. I might eventually give it a try. I Did read A Slow Fire Burning. I have not read her her first. I did read A Slow Fire Burning and I really enjoyed it. So, yeah, I might like some of her other stuff too. Okay, so I am going to end our literary suspense books with a bang and bring the Secret History by Donna Tartt.

[Tina]

I knew I had to read it. How have I, like, forgotten that you were going to tell me about it? Okay, I'm sat. I'm ready. I read this one. Tell me about it.

[Hannah]

Yes. So I feel like I am the last person on the planet to have read this, but I am so glad that I finally did. Let me tell you about it. So we're following students at a very elite, prestigious college under the influence of their very charismatic classics professor. And these very eccentric misfits at this New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is quite a world away from the existence of their contemporaries. Their, I will say how they kind of view it in the book. They're lesser than fellow students at the college. So you kind of know what you're getting into with this one, right? We've got some very pretentious students here, but when they go beyond the boundaries of morality, their lives are changed profoundly and forever. This is definitely a story in two parts. The chain of events that led to what happened and then the fallout of what happened. So one of the things that I loved about this is that this book starts just like a Greek tragedy does, and it really follows that same format, which is very meta, obviously, and intentional. These are students who study Greek and study the classics, and so it was just a fun way to tie that in. So if you are a classics student or if you really enjoy studying literature from this lens, I think that you will have a really good time unpacking this one. For such a slow burn, I will say this one felt so juicy. Like the author really takes us on a journey with our unreliable narrator, Richard, who is the one who is telling us this story. He's very slowly unpacking the characters and all of their unhinged messiness. This book really was like watching a train plummeting toward a cliff and not being able to look away so that you could watch the aftermath. Like, you want to see this train crash. Although this book is definitely character driven, if you haven't picked this one up yet because you think that it will be boring or not have much plot, I still think that you should try this. I felt like it had a great balance of plot, stage setting, and character development. Even the scenes where they're doing seemingly mundane or unimportant things, Tarte uses these moments to piece together parts of the story in a really meaningful way. Something that I noticed while reading this is that I kept forgetting that the book was set in contemporary times. I'd be so immersed in their pretentious Greek studies, and then when one of the characters would mention the Lakers playing at the pub, I would be jarred out of my trance. I was like, oh, what the Lakers? Like, I forgot that we're in contemporary times because the book just feels so like gothic and old school. I'm sure that that was intentional, but definitely something that I noticed. I really enjoyed going back with this one and finding the Easter eggs and the breadcrumbs that the author dropped for us. I had annotated this one and marked places where I thought there might be foreshadowing or hints or red herrings and it was fun to go back and see where I was right and where I was wrong. I'm going to leave my thoughts there because I am fresh from finishing this one and I can already tell that I am going to be thinking about it for a long time and continuing to put together my thoughts. I'm going to drop a video in our show notes that I watched after I finished in which a classics student unpacks all of the themes that are explored in this one. I really enjoyed watching that video after finishing it and so I think if you've read this one and want to take a deeper look, then you might enjoy watching it as well. I will say I gave this one 5 stars, absolutely loved it and I can see why everybody else does too. And that is the Secret History by Donna Tartt.

[Tina]

Ah, I'm so glad it worked for you. I feel like now I know who you are as a reader because if you were to tell you told me you were going to read this, I was like, I don't know if you'll like it. I feel like you might, but I wasn't sure. I also feel like you gave us a really good case for annotating your book because how fun to go back and say, okay, red herring here, there was a breadcrumb there and see if you were right.

[Hannah]

Yes, it was definitely really fun to do.

[Tina]

Okay, let's do shelves. My shelf edition I'm very pumped about because it is a new book from an auto read author. It's when the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy. One night Jess, a struggling actress, finds a five year old runaway hiding in the bushes outside of her apartment after a violent, bloody encounter with the boy's father. She and the boy find themselves running for their lives as they attempt to evade the boy's increasingly desperate father. Horrifying incidents of butchery follow them. At first, Jess thinks she understands what they're up against. But she's about to learn there's more to these surreal and grisly events than she could have ever imagined. When the wolf finally comes home, none will be spared. Sorry, this sounds bonkers. That's what I've come to expect from Nat Cassidy. Comes out in April of 2025. So, I don't know, it feels like it could even have a little bit of a supernatural element to it. I don't know if that's true or not, but either way I'm definitely going to read it. This was when the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy.

[Hannah]

Yeah, I'm really excited about that one too. And the COVID is really, I don't know, it's very different. I really like the COVID a lot. I just think that it is so fun. This is definitely an author that I am excited to read from as well. My shelf edition is the Queen by Nick Cutter, and this is the same author as the troop, which is a book that I read and absolutely loved. I also read this author's book last year, the Handyman Method, and didn't care for it. So this is going to kind of be, I feel like the tiebreaker book for me in deciding on whether or not this author is for me or not. This one has a really interesting premise. It's about Margaret Carpenter, who is a young woman searching for her missing friend. And one morning Margaret finds a new iPhone on her doorstep with a message from this friend who has been missing now for over a month and is presumed dead by most, including the police. Margaret goes on a journey from there. I am excited to see where this one goes. I think that that premise sounds really interesting. And that is the Queen by Nick Cutter.

[Tina]

I almost bought this one yesterday at the bookstore, but I was like, you know what? I just don't know if I want to pay full price for it.

[Hannah]

Yeah, fair enough. I will have to let you know if I feel like it's worth it or not.

[Tina]

Yes. Because I just struggle. Oh my gosh. I, I, you know, I'd rather read it and then buy it. But then also it's fun to read it because what if it is a five star and then now I own it? I'm really happy about.

[Hannah]

Well, maybe you could try it from the library.

[Tina]

There you go. All right. That's it for today. We thank you for spending a part of your day with us. Links to all the books mentioned can be found in the show notes. If you enjoyed today's episode, you can help us by following us wherever you listen and by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps us get our show out to new listeners and grows our audience. And don't forget if you would like access to exclusive bonus purchases and community in, you can join us for $5 a month on patreon.com booktalk Etc.

[Hannah]

If you'd like to connect with us you can email us@booktalk etcmail.com you can also connect with us both ooktalk etc on Instagram and tinabrec and hannahandpickedbooks. Talk to you next week. And in the meantime, remember everything's better with books.

[Tina]

Hopefully we're a good distraction for people. I'm a little nervous.

[Hannah]

Yeah, for sure. I know. I think we're all on edge for sure.