Excerpt: THE TOWER OF BEGGARS by Torsten Weitze (Absurd Ventures)

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Today, we have a short excerpt from The Tower of Beggars, the first novel in Torsten Weitze‘s Stormfell Academy series. Weitze is a prolific German fantasy author, and this marks his first publication in North America and in the UK. Due to be published tomorrow, by Absurd Ventures, here’s the synopsis:

When tragedy strikes her family, Niri finds herself penniless and alone in a city determined to turn their back on ‘her kind’.

Her only possession is also her only hope – a copper coin that grants her admission to the prestigious Stormfell Academy, renowned for its magical and combative training.

But the coin only offers her a place to sleep, and Niri must learn to adapt and fight if she is to survive the Academy – and its occupants.

The Tower of Beggars is the first enthralling instalment in the bestselling Stormfell Academy series that has captivated millions of readers in Europe, now available in the US and UK for the first time.

Welcome to the Academy…

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Upcoming: IRRESISTIBLE MONSTERS by Natalie Haynes (Picador)

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Like many people, after watching Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, I found my interest and love for Greek Mythology reignited this summer. This led me, earlier this month, to read Natalie Haynes‘s Divine Might and Pandora’s Jar — two superb, engaging books about Greek Mythology. After finishing them, and buying a few of her novels, I started to look about for any other books the author might be working on. That’s what led me to find Irresistible Monsters, another book about mythology; this time, Haynes takes a look at the “creatures in Greek Mythology”. Here’s the synopsis:

From snaky Echidna – mother of monsters – to the fearsome Minotaur, the strange and terrible creatures of Greek myths have been grabbing our attention for thousands of years. In Irresistible Monsters, bestselling author, broadcaster and passionate classicist Natalie Haynes turns her inimitable gaze on the inhuman, and reveals that even the things we thought we knew aren’t necessarily so: a Cyclops doesn’t always have one eye, and Cerberus doesn’t start out with three heads.

Along the way, she examines how we think about monsters: what makes a monster, and why do we need them? Do they subvert the world as we know it, or subtly reinforce our expectations? Is a monster human or animal, mortal or divine? And how do you defeat a multi-headed snake when it has a giant crab as its henchman?

This is now one of my most-anticipated books of early 2027. Really looking forward to reading it.

Irresistible Monsters is due to be published in the UK by Picador, on March 4th, 2027. At the time of writing, I couldn’t find a North American publisher — Haynes’s aforementioned Divine Might and Pandora’s Jar (and novels) are published in North America by Harper Perennial, so maybe they will pick this one up as well.

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, BlueSky

Excerpt: THE GREAT CATSBY BY HILTON by Rod Carley & Juliette Miron (Smart House Books)

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The Great Catsby by Hilton, the latest book by award-winning and acclaimed author Rod Carley will be published shortly by Smart House Books. Illustrated by Juliette Miron, it is a “catification” of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, “a playful parody poking fun at love foiled and ambitions foisted” within an uncertain 1920s world of cats. Here’s the synopsis:

Jay Catsby, the feral son of impoverished barn cats, has built his kibble fortune selling illegal catnip. When Nick Cattaway moves in next cat-door, Catsby’s only a whisker away from winning back his beloved Daisy, the beautiful Persian he lost to the arrogant Tom Cat Burmese two lives earlier.

Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby as an indictment of the reckless wealth of post-World War I America. The selfish and careless fat cats of The Great Catsby by Hilton similarly ring true.

Part of the charm of the book is that Hilton, a seven-year-old rescue tabby adopted by Rod, “writes” it. He is the voice of Nick Cattaway, the first-person narrator. Reimagining the story through the eyes of a domestic housecat has allowed Hilton to be frisky with the text. Hilton also writes the Preface.

The Great Catsby by Hilton also features twenty full-page colour illustrations in addition to an assortment of black and white drawings.

The Great Catsby by Hilton adds some much-needed whimsy to the world. In these uncertain times, we could all use a few more cats and a little more catnip in our nine lives.

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Excerpt: LET ME DOWN by Callie Rae O’Reilly (ECW Press)

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Let Me Down, the new memoir by Callie Rae O’Reilly is out today, published by ECW Press. It is the “vivid and vulnerable account of an abusive relationship”, by the co-founder of the Apostrophe Podcast Company; the home of some of Canada’s most popular podcasts, including Under the Influence and We Regret To Inform You.

To mark the release, the publisher has provided CR with an excerpt to share with our readers. First, though, here’s the synopsis:

At 18, Callie’s encounter with Reed, a brooding and arty student four years her senior, begins a youthful infatuation, a casual “thing.” But as their relationship deepens, what once seemed like innocent passion soon morphs into a cycle of manipulation, control, and violence.

Callie shares the complexity of falling in love with someone who also hurt her — emotionally, physically, and sexually. Through her clear-eyed storytelling, she grapples with the blurred lines of consent, shame, and trauma and explores how these toxic dynamics seeped into every corner of her life. Her process of extracting herself from Reed’s universe reveals the psychological toll of abuse that doesn’t always leave visible scars but is no less damaging.

Let Me Down provides a candid reflection on the realities of modern relationships, highlighting issues like gaslighting, revenge porn, and the impact of social media on survivors. With delicate intimacy and literary sensibility, O’Reilly’s memoir charts the complex and nonlinear path of self-acceptance, healing, and reclaiming one’s life from the lingering effects of trauma.

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Excerpt: SEETHING LANE by Jack Jewers (Moonflower)

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Today, we have an excerpt from Seething Lane, the latest novel by London historian Jack Jewers, and the second book in the author’s Samuel Pepys mysteries. (The acclaimed first book, The Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys, is out now.) Samuel Pepys was famous for his diaries, which offer an unfiltered look into his life and times, not to mention his unvarnished thoughts of people he met and events of the day. Jewers has drawn inspiration from this when conceiving of and writing his historical crime series, casting Pepys in the role of detective.

Due to be published by Moonflower Books next week, September 3rd, here’s the synopsis:

January 1670. London is enduring its worst winter in decades.

But for Samuel Pepys, the darkest days are yet to come.

When a strange young man turns up at his office on Seething Lane asking for help, Samuel Pepys is too distracted to take him seriously. Nell Gwyn is about to make her scandalous return to the stage and he wouldn’t miss it for all the world.

But in the cold of a winter’s dawn, tragedy strikes. Called upon to investigate the brutal murder of a libertine aristocrat, Pepys discovers that the dead man is connected to his mysterious visitor in the most shocking way possible.

A trail of secrets leads Pepys from the backstreets of London to the glamorous world of the theatre, where nothing is quite as it seems. But whatever the dangers, he may find that the deadliest threat lies closer to home…

Reimagining one of Britain’s greatest historical figures through a 21st century lens, Seething Lane sees the return of infamous diarist Samuel Pepys, complete with his trademark audacious wit, keen eye for observation and gripping historical adventure.

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Interview with NICOLE LUNDRIGAN

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Let’s start with an introduction: Who is Nicole Lundrigan?

I’m a Toronto-based author. My education was in science, but I started writing fiction on a whim many years ago, my tenth novel was just released in May. My previous book was a bestseller, and my work has been shortlisted twice for the Crime Writers of Canada’s Best Crime Novel award. I write at the kitchen table, with a slew of stickie-notes, and my senior dog is usually snoring not far away. Each of my books has (at least one) murder in it.

Your latest novel, The Case Study, was just published by Viking. How would you introduce it to a potential reader?

The Case Study is a psychological thriller that follows the obsessions of two women: One is the wife of a psychiatrist, and the other is the murderous subject of his famous case study. Mia is fixated on her husband’s patient, and begins watching their recorded therapy sessions. And Lainey, who developed a rare delusion after killing her uncle, grows increasingly interested in her doctor — and his family. The book is dark and the behaviours get quite unhinged, but it (mostly) works itself out by the end. Continue reading →

Upcoming: BEASTS OF THE WILD BLACK by RJ Barker (Podium)

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Beasts of the Wild Black is a new series of sci-fi novellas by RJ Barker that was announced last week, and due to be published starting in October 2026 by Podium: Beasts of the Wild Black, Pride of the Wild Black, and Lost in the Wild Black.

The excellent covers for the three novellas were first unveiled by Runalong the Shelves, and immediately caught my attention. I’ve been a fan of Barker’s work ever since his excellent debut, Age of Assassins, so the fact that his name was on this was the first reason it is a must-read. Then I read the premise, which further cemented my interest.

The three books will first be available individually, before being published as a collected edition (in January 2027), in print, eBook, and audiobook — read by Clare Corbett and Vidish Athavale. Here’s the series synopsis:

Explore the Wild Black — where any signal could be a trap, any planet a mystery, and any companion a lifeline — in this trio of high-concept space adventures.

Deep Strike crews are accustomed to hostile terrain. But in Beasts of the Wild Black, Capt. Min Law and the crew of the Thunberg get more than they bargained for when they follow a garbled distress call to a seemingly quiet world. Meanwhile, in Pride of the Wild Black, Min’s mentor Maj. Gen. Alice Benner’s concern for her missing protégé draws her into a potentially wide-scale conspiracy. And in Lost in the Wild Black a wounded superintelligent cat named Bruce is trapped on a lethal planet desperate to send out a signal, no matter who — or what — hears it.

Here, too, is the synopsis for the first novella, for a little bit more information/detail:

The Wild Black wants to kill you: That’s the reality in this wildly imaginative sci-fi novella from the award-winning author of the Tide Child trilogy.

Years ago, Deep Strike cadet Min Law was left behind during what was meant to be a routine operation. Though he survived, the resulting trauma almost ended his career. Now, as captain of the DST Thunberg, he is preparing to take his crew on a similar journey to a seemingly quiet world following a garbled distress signal. The mission is simple on paper: find the source of the call, offer aid, return home.

But nothing is simple in the Wild Black at the edges of the unexplored universe. As the crew of the Thunberg searches for the signal’s source, they find strange ships and corpses that shouldn’t be there. The mysteries begin to pile up. What happened out here? And why does some of the technology look horribly familiar?

Fortunately, Min’s team of animal counterparts is prepared for anything. The bear, Sitka Pete, is eight hundred pounds of loyal muscle. The rooks are quick and coordinated, perfect for reconnaissance. And the cats, Oz and Hinder, well, they’re just cats. But together they’re more than up for whatever the Wild Black can throw at them — even if this region isn’t quite so unexplored after all…

Really looking forward to reading this series.

RJ Barker’s Beasts of the Wild Black is due to be published by Podium, on October 6th, 2026. No publication date, at the time of writing, for the second and third novellas. The collected edition is due to be published by Podium, on January 5th, 2027.

Also on CR: Interviews with RJ Barker — 2017 and 2020; Annotated Excerpt from The Bone Ships; Reviews of Age of Assassins, Blood of Assassins, and King of Assassins

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, BlueSky

Quick Recommendation: DIVINE MIGHT and PANDORA’S JAR by Natalie Haynes (Harper Perennial)

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Like many people who saw and enjoyed Christopher Nolan’s take on The Odyssey this summer, my long-standing interest in mythology has been given a bit of a boost. Unconnected to the upcoming Nolan movie, I had started reading Stephen Fry’s Mythos series last year, with Mythos and Heroes. After seeing the movie, I decided to finally finish Fry’s series, which I did over the past couple of months or so. Afterwards, I found myself casting about for something else to try, craving a bit more mythology. (It’s just so much more interesting than what’s going on in the real world, to be honest, that I’ve found myths to be a rather pleasant escape.) That’s when I noticed Natalie Haynes’s Divine Might (2024) and Pandora’s Jar (2022). Continue reading →

Quick Review: CORMORANT HUNT by Michael Idov (Scribner)

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A renegade CIA officer must infiltrate an extremist group in the heart of Europe…

Ari Falk has just blown the lid off a massive conspiracy at the highest level within the CIA. While some hail him as a hero for exposing government corruption, others brand him as a dangerous traitor to his country. His quiet exile in the Republic of Georgia is shattered when a new mission arises—one perfectly suited for someone as jaded and unpredictable as him.

A hot war in Europe and shadowy political schemes set the stage for danger at every turn. Enter Asha Tamaskar, a brilliant, neurodivergent CIA officer with her own secrets, and Felix Burnham, a chilling antagonist with radical alliances that could change the global balance of power. From Tbilisi to Prague and Andorra to Bethesda, Falk’s quest for justice takes him on a high-stakes journey around the world.

The Cormorant Hunt explores geopolitics with grit and authenticity, weaving together a narrative that is both urgent and unforgettable. Razor-sharp dialogue, heart-pounding twists, and complex characters abound—blending suspense, wit, and brilliant storytelling, this is a must-read for fans of political intrigue, espionage, and thrillers that don’t play by the rules.

This is Michael Idov’s second, fast-paced and gripping spy novel starring Ari Falk. It picks up soon after the end of the first book in the series, and offers another contemporary, well-written story, populated by engaging characters. After enjoying the first novel in the series (with just a few minor reservations), I’m pleased to say that I enjoyed this as well, and it does mark an improvement in Idov’s writing. Continue reading →

New Books (July-August)

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Featuring: David Baldacci, Jonathan D. Beer, Janice Hallett, Mike Lawson, Lauren Nossett, K.J. Parker, Iain Reid & Ellie Foumbi, Joe Manganiello, Amy Rossi, Richard Russo, Hans van de Ven, Kevin Wade

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