Is the idea of a crime taking place in a locked room the most primal version of the mystery novel? As a young reader, I devoured plenty of mystery stories, beginning with the Hardy Boys and Encyclopedia Brown and graduating to Agatha Christie’s novels. Lately, I’ve been exploring the world of John Dickson Carr, whose mysteries also revolve around crime scenes that defy logical explanations.
In our afternoon reading: interviews with Will Oldham and Lucy Sante, thoughts on Ezra Feinberg’s new album, and more.
And now it’s October; we’ve entered the home stretch of the year. In other news, one of our editors is still unsure of whether or not they should be writing “2022” on checks, so — it’s been that kind of year. But hey, at least there are books. What follows is a look at some of the titles due out this month that we’re most excited about — ranging from cosmic horror to meditations on the nature of essays. Whether you’re seeking intellectual stimulation or visceral thrills, this list of new books has plenty to offer.
In our morning reading: an interview with Sara Driver, books with strange timelines, and more.
In our afternoon reading: an interview with Percival Everett, translators on translation, and more.
In our weekend reading: thoughts on Jeff Parker’s new album, an interview with Lee Lai, and more.
In our afternoon reading: a review of Brandon Hobson’s new novel, an interview with Mogwai, and more.
In our morning reading: revisiting the life of Walter Tevis, an interview with Eddy Boudel Tan, and more.