Take a simple idea and take it seriously.” —Charlie Munger

Want to strengthen the brain? Fight off anxiety and depression? Increase empathy? Sleep better? Reading more is a simple idea … but most people don’t take simple ideas seriously.

 

Here are 3 crime fiction links, 2 quotes, and 1 question for this week:

 

3 LINKS

• At the NYTs, Stephen King weighs in on the ‘neo-noir, coast-to-coast chase’ of Lauren Beukes new thriller AFTERLAND. If you are looking to try a new writer and haven’t read Beukes before, you are in for a treat.

• Book Riot highlights 10 crime books that play around with the genre expectations and tropes. Not sure about CHESTNUT. I enjoyed it but it was almost a blueprint for a Nordic thriller.
  

• BuzzFeed contemplates what the future of true crime docs could (or perhaps should) look like as we move through the heightened awareness and scrutiny of BLM and other past marginalized groups. 

 

2 QUOTES

Two quotes from Nordic noir master Jo Nesbo this week:

• “I think it’s possible to learn. The problem is that we learn so damned slowly, so that by the time you’ve realized something, it’s too late.”
  

• “Love surrounds you like steam in the shower. You can’t see the individual drops, but you get warm. And wet. And clean.”

 

1 QUESTION

• If I were forced to pick, I’d likely go with Nesbo and his Harry Hole series? Who is your favorite Nordic noir author?

 

Until next Thursday, happy reading,

Mike

Author the Max Strong thriller series