![]() ![]() Not only do readers have to find clues that lead to the solving of the novel’s six murders (naming the murders as well as the victims), but they also have to do this when the whole story makes no sense at all, ultimately reordering the narrative. Published in 1943 (and reprinted just recently, in an edition illustrated by Tom Gauld), it is an exhausting, 100-page mystery-novel puzzle in which all the pages have been presented out of order, preventing the readers from following along to discover the culprit. It’s the brainchild of Edward Powys Mathers, the former crossword puzzle creator at Britain’s popular newspaper The Observer. Okay, so, Cain’s Jawbone isn’t a proper coffee table book, but it’s very thick and you WILL need a table to read it all. You can read about Agatha Christie’s many residences here as a preview. While this book isn’t strictly crime-focused, any fan of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction can attest to the outsized importance of these sprawling country homes to the crime reader’s imagination. House of Fiction: From Pemberley to Brideshead, Great British Houses in Literature and Lifeby Phyllis Richardson Looking for the perfect gift for the true crime fan who has everything (except, perhaps, the location to Jimmy Hoffa’s grave)? Check out this well-designed guide to the strangest of US murders committed between 18, full of infographics and original documents, but shying away from gruesome-for-gruesome’s-sake. Murder Maps, USA: Crime Scenes Revisited Bloodstains to Ballistics, 1865 -1939by Adam Selzer ![]() While I wouldn’t recommend reading all the entries at once, because I don’t want you to give up on happiness quite yet, each entry provides a fascinating lens into the strange confluences of history and personality that made Highsmith-and by extent, her characters-the defining voices of an era. What’s got even more self-loathing and amorality than a Highsmith novel? Why, Patricia Highsmith herself-that is, her diaries, now available from Norton and Co in all their horrifying glory. Patricia Highsmith: The Diaries and Notebooks, 1941-1993, edited by Anna Von Planta The perfect gift for your favorite grumpy writer! ![]() Poe For Your Problems: Uncommon Advice from History’s Least Likely Self-Help Guruby Catherine Baab-MuguiraĮdgar Allen Poe, known curmudgeon, may not be the typical figure to turn to for inspiration, but it year two of the pandemic and we could all take a pointer from Poe’s dedication to literary hustling and his constant struggle to find the right home for his work. Easy peasy.) These beautifully designed books should make perfect gifts for the fan of true crime, detective fiction, graphic novel mysteries, or film noir.Ĭheck out Olivia Rutigliano’s great list from earlier this week for crime-themed candles, mysterious wall prints, and much more. (What is a gift book, you might ask? A gift book is a book that someone would not ordinarily buy for themselves but would love to receive as a present. Looking for the perfect present for your crime-obsessed loved one? Well, look no further, for I have a host of gift books to recommend this holiday season, from oversized to pocket-sized, and everywhere in between. ![]()
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