Thursday, March 22, 2018

Something new for fans of crime fiction: CrimeReads



HALLIE EPHRON: There's something new in the crime fiction universe, a site from the folks who bring us Literary Hub: CrimeReads.

Their tag line describes them perfectly:

Showcasing the best writing from the worlds of crime, mystery, and thrillers 

Here's just one of their articles with a reading list of "gaslit crime, apparitions, and 19th century detectives."
http://crimereads.com/a-victorian-gothic-reading-list/
On day one of Crime Reads, they ran Laura Lippman’s celebration of James M. Cain’s transgressive noir, an essay on spy fiction and the black American experience, a personal story about a life of activism and writing mysteries, and a conversation with the godfather of legal thrillers, Scott Turow.

They promise a new monthly column from “The Crime Lady” Sarah Weinman, and  fiction from Jo Nesbo, Lars Kepler, Donna Leon.

http://crimereads.com/motherhood-does-not-kill-creativity/

I asked Molly Odnitz, co-editor of CrimeReads with Dwyer Murphy, to share their plans.

MOLLY ODNITZ:
We're a gathering place for conversations about the genre, with essays, reading lists, and think pieces. We partner with publishers for some of our content, we write some ourselves, and we also have freelancers contributing to the site, so it's a hodgepodge of thought and ideas from a host of sources, including fans, editors, authors, collectors, and translators.

I wouldn't say that the site is so much about what's being published in crime fiction, although much of our content is tied to upcoming releases. It's more about what fans of mysteries, thrillers, and crime are thinking about - in the genre, in their political context, in their personal lives, or in their reading lives - and how that ties in to a larger conversation.

For example, we have a bunch of themed content to go along with International Women's Day, including a think piece on the limits ofthe Bechdel Test in the context of the Staunch Prize for thrillers. 
http://crimereads.com/lets-make-a-bechdel-test-for-crime-fiction/

We have an op-ed about the rise of fascism from Volker Kutscher, an excerpt on Omar from the new oral history of The Wire, and a piece in honor of Mickey Spillane's 100th birthday.

We're partnering not just with publishers, but also with mystery organizations, bookstores, blogs, etc.

HALLIE:
And Jungle Red Writers is delighted to be partnering with you as well, celebrating and embracing crime fiction in its many incarnations and media.

Go to their web site and subscribe to their newsletter.
Warning: Do not go unless you're prepared to spend a good long time browsing, because it's packed with terrific excerpts, articles, reading lists, podcasts, and more.

I'll be sharing this post with the editors so please, weigh in with your ideas of what you'd be interested in reading about.
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23 comments:

  1. Okay, I’ll be off browsing for quite a while . . . .
    This feels a bit like being a kid let loose in the candy shop . . . absolutely amazing.

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    1. No kidding! Thought provoking and fun, a great combination.

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  2. Wonderful resource! Thanks, Hallie.

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  3. I love it! What a huge undertaking—and it’s beautifully realized. I’m hooked!

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  4. Oh, dear! Can someone figure out how to add an hour or two to the day? I'm going to need it.

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  5. I saw this somewhere else (would tell you where but my CRS syndrome is bad today) and subscribed to their briefs. There is a lot more there than I have time to go through carefully, but I'll be going back, repeatedly I'm sure, as time allows.

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  6. I just subscribed. And I'll find the time.

    I have a question about the Bechtel test. Right now I'm reading Elizabeth George's latest, in which Lynley has a very small presence. Havers and Isabelle are off together in the wilds of Ludlow, and they're having a ton of conversations. My question is, does talking about a male perp fail the Bechtel test? Or a male victim? There's a lot of that going on. It feels pro-Bechtel to me, but what do I know.

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    1. I'd argue that the Bechdel test is a hammer and sees everything as a nail. There are shades. No, I don't think 2 female detectives talking about a male suspect is what it's aiming at.

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    2. Late to this Bechdel test thing, but I surely agree with Hallie’s hammer and nail theory.

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  7. I'm all signed up! What a cool idea this is. Although I agree on needing extra hours!

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  8. It is an amazing website, with some truly quality minds behind it. Looking forward to mentioning it in my next Blog Bytes column for Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.

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  9. I'm hoping they'll include plenty about cozies.

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  10. What a fab site. I've been reading Criminal Element, which is funded by Macmillan, and I've enjoyed their blend of fiction, reviews, etc. There just aren't that many well-edited sites that function as online magazines/watering holes for the genre, so I'm excited to see CrimeReads join in. Off to subscribe!

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  11. Very exciting! I am a huge fan of noir and I am always looking for new books and TV dramas in that genre. I also read "True Crime" and would be interested in links to good quality writing in that world. This sounds great. I am going right now to sign up.

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  12. Oh joy! More time sinks. Thanks, JRW.

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  13. Awesome!! I love the article about motherhood and creativity. Thanks for sharing!

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  14. I just got back from reading the piece on Omar from "The Wire." What a cool site! New releases are terrific, but sometimes I get in a groove and want to read something similar to what I've enjoyed recently. I love getting recommendations (and not from an algorithm) about books I might like. For example, what British mysteries does Deborah Crombie like to read? Or mysteries set in the Middle East that are recommended by Ausma Zehanat Khan?

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  15. This is such a great new site! The water cooler for the mystery/crime community. I have a feeling that my attempts to spend less time online just got shot down. I've already signed up, so let the fun begin.

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  16. Since I began frequenting JRW (every day), It feels like I have happily fallen down the all things mystery rabbit hole. Hear we go again.....a more than willing victim.

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  17. Just read the Bechdel Test piece and I loved it! What a great new resource ^^

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  18. Off to sign up! This looks amazing and what a perfect pairing :)

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