Upcoming

Upcoming: RULES OF PREY TV Adaptation

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Deadline recently announced that Amazon MGM Studios have greenly an adaption of the first novel in John Sandford‘s Lucas Davenport/Prey series: Rules of Prey. The show will star Jensen Ackles (Supernatural, The Boys, etc.) in the lead role. The eight-episode first season will stream on MGM+. (Not sure if that’s available in Canada, but hopefully it’ll be available on Prime at least…)

Here’s how Nellie Andreeva describes the show’s premise, in the Deadline piece:

“Created by Bruce Terris (DTF St. Louis), who serves as showrunner and executive producer, Rules of Prey follows Lucas Davenport (Ackles), formerly a detective in the Minneapolis Police Department, drawn out of seclusion back into law enforcement to investigate a series of confounding murders designed to send a message specifically to him. When an ingenious serial killer begins murdering Minneapolis citizens, Davenport, a brilliant polymath and unconventional investigator, takes the case, sparking an intense psychological duel with an equally intelligent adversary. As Davenport deciphers the killer’s twisted moral code and personal vendetta, he must match wits with a predator operating by his own rules of justice, risking everything to stop a killer who sees their conflict as the ultimate game.”

The novel, first published in 1989, is available in North America via G.P. Putnam’s Sons. Based on that description above, there is a slight deviation from the novel, in which Davenport was very much “still” a lieutenant in the Minneapolis PD. Here’s the novel’s official synopsis:

The killer was mad but brilliant.

He left notes with every woman he killed. Rules of murder: Never have a motive. Never follow a discernible pattern. Never carry a weapon after it has been used… So many rules to his sick, violent games of death.

But Lucas Davenport, the cop who’s out to get him, isn’t playing by the rules.

With any luck, the adaptation will follow a similar approach to Prime’s Bosch, Cross, and Reacher shows; each of which has taken a highly-popular, well-established crime series, brought earlier stories up-to-date, and breathed fresh life into them, while retaining what made the books stand out and so popular. Continue reading →

Upcoming: METAL MYTHOLOGY by Andy Boot (Mirror Books)

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I stumbled across Metal Mythology, the upcoming book by Andy Boot, by accident — in fact, I can’t remember where I heard of it first. The cover was the first thing to grab my attention (fantastic image), but the synopsis cemented it as a must-read:

Metal Mythology is a deliciously-dark deep dive into the Heavy Metal music genre and the history of the folklore which inspired its music.

The book begins with the story of Heavy Metal’s early years in the 1970s, explaining how it became popular with bands from working class British backgrounds like Birmingham’s Black Sabbath (with late Ozzy Osbourne) and East End lads Iron Maiden. Today’s fanbase — so-called “Metalheads” — will account for 13% of all arena and stadium audiences this year.

It then delves into the rich — and often very British — folk legends which inspired some of heavy metal’s biggest tunes, and reveals the likely story behind them. It’s a dizzying mix from the werewolves, shapeshifters, fairies and vampires of pagan ballads, to the witch hunters and torture devices documented in historical records and the twisted characters by horror writers like Edgar Allan Poe, HP Lovecraft and Mary Shelley.

Former Kerrang writer and prolific novelist Andy Boot looks at how this folklore was passed down and mutated as Britain changed from pagan to Christian and went from the dark ages through Enlightenment and past the Industrial Revolution. It’s a mix of social history, fantasy, folklore, gothic horror, and Heavy Metal music which will appeal to several unique (and very engaged) audiences, each in a different way.

While there’s been no end of books of heavy metal, mythology or British history, there’s yet to be one of all three. And that is the magic behind this title.

I have been a rock and metal fan for as long as I can remember. The first album I ever bought was Use Your Illusion I by Guns n’ Roses, and there are few of the heavier genres from which I don’t have a favourite album. (Black Metal and grindcore might be the only ones that don’t work for me.) As is my wont, whenever I like something, I also love to read about it. In the youthful days of yore, I subscribed to at least five rock/metal magazines, poring over each new issue as soon as it arrived, keeping a list of new bands and albums I wanted to check out. (Boot used to write for Kerrang, so it’s likely that I’ve read a fair amount of his journalism.) Reading the magazines, I was also taking note of the “lore” of the genres — not just the grand tales of madness, mayhem, debauchery, and more that have come to define the genre(s), but also the stories behind the music.

If you’ve been following CR for a while, you’ve maybe read some of the interviews I’ve posted with authors, or some of their guest posts. If you have, you’ll have noticed that “influences & inspirations” are a bit part of what I’m interested in. So, you can probably see why Boot’s new book is of such interest to me. I’m really looking forward to reading this.

Andy Boot’s Metal Mythology is due to be published by Mirror Books in the UK, on October 8th — it is available for pre-order now. [At the time of writing, I couldn’t find any information about a North American publisher.]

Follow the Author: Goodreads

Upcoming: RIVALS TURNED IDOLS by Julian Kimble (Simon & Schuster)

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I’ve said it before, and no doubt I’ll say it again: I am very pleased that there appears to be a real, broad appetite for books about the NBA recently. There have been plenty of new books published about active players, but there have also been just as many that examine retired players, or particular periods of the League’s history.

As a life-long basketball player (of dubious skill), but also someone who only really was able to start watching NBA games about 14 years ago (thanks to relocating to Canada), I am particularly interested in reading books that help me fill in the historical gaps. Which brings us to Rivals Turned Idols by Julian Kimble, which examines the 1996 draft class and their incredible impact on the game and League as a whole. It will be released next Spring, and I can’t wait. Here’s the synopsis:

The must-read story of the 1996 NBA Draft class — Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash — that turned the NBA into a global force and changed culture forever.

In Rivals Turned Idols, a legendary class of players — Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, Ray Allen, and Stephon Marbury — emerged not just as stars, but as architects of the modern game and the global phenomenon it would become.

This is the story of how athletes became brands, how style and music merged with sport, and how the NBA expanded from American arenas to a worldwide stage. From Philadelphia playgrounds to Los Angeles spotlights to sold-out gyms in Beijing, the ripple effects of this class are still shaping the game and the culture around it today.

Electric, deeply reported, and rich with cultural insight, Rivals Turned Idols is the story of the draft that turned a league into a global force, and rivals into icons.

Kobe, AI, Nash? Yeah, this is a must-read.

Julian Kimble’s Rivals Turned Idols: How The NBA ’96 Draft Class Changed the Game is due to be published by Simon & Schuster in North America, on April 27th, 2027.

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads

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

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

Upcoming: THE HOLLOW by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown/ Orion)

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It’s almost that time of year again: new Michael Connelly! I recognize that I have become something of a broken record here on CR, when it comes to Connelly’s novels. He is quite probably my favourite author. Despite being a relative late-comer to his Bosch-verse, I have actually now read all of his books (including short stories and non-fiction). He is one of the rare authors who manages to publish multiple books a year with no drop-off in quality. I can’t recommend his work highly enough.

Which brings me to The Hollow, Connelly’s next novel: the latest novel in his Harry Bosch series, also featuring his half-brother, Mickey Haller (the Lincoln Lawyer). It’s due to be published in October (North America) and November (UK), and here’s the synopsis:

Retired LAPD detective Harry Bosch delves into the darkest chapter of his past…

When Harry Bosch was eleven years old, his mother was murdered and he became a ward of the state, housed in MacLaren Children’s Center, a notorious facility where abuse was rampant. Decades after its closure, a massive class action lawsuit has resulted in a multibillion-dollar settlement for former residents. But when Bosch’s half-brother, defense attorney Mickey Haller, brings him word that Harry is entitled to $400,000, Bosch says he doesn’t want the money. He wants justice.

News of the settlement awakens his memories of a place he had hoped never to revisit, and a boy named Chops, a fellow inmate who wound up dead. Chops’s body was found in a hidden space under a staircase that the staff used to discipline their charges. The kids knew it only as “the hollow.” But Chops’s death was covered up and never solved. Now Bosch knows he must reopen the investigation and learn the truth, even if the killer is long dead.

As Bosch digs into the files, he picks up the trail of a predator who not only survived, but went on to a life of vicious crime. Forced to face a history that both scarred him and launched him on his mission as a cop, Bosch must bring down a sadistic criminal and finally put to rest the demons of his past.

Michael Connelly’s The Hollow is due to be published by Little, Brown in North America (October 27th) and Orion Books in the UK (November).

Also on CR: Reviews of The Black Echo, The Black Ice, The Concrete Blonde, The Last Coyote, The Overlook, The Wrong Side of Goodbye, Two Kinds of Truth, Blood Work, A Darkness More than Night, The Narrows, The Late Show, Dark Sacred Night, Fair Warning, and The Law of Innocence

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, BlueSky

Out Now: SOMEWHERE BETWEEN SCREAMING AND CRYING by Dan Franklin (Constable)

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Back in 2020, I read Dan Franklin‘s excellent history and examination of heavy metal, Heavy. His latest book, which I somehow missed until yesterday, is Somewhere Between Screaming and Crying, a new biography of the band Slipknot. Published yesterday by Constable, the book’s release was timed to coincide with the anniversary of the band’s second album: Iowa.

The album was released shortly before I started university (and, less nostalgically, a couple of weeks before 9/11). I have many fond, quite vivid memories of buying the album on release-day, and spending the following days walking the streets of Oxford, discman in my cargo-pants side pocket, the album on repeat. It remains an excellent album, although (in my humble opinion), the follow-up — Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) — is better. I’m really looking forward to reading Franklin’s new book, and revisiting those heady days of nü-metal dominance. With Iowa blasting the background, of course…

Here’s the book’s official synopsis:

A captivating biography of Slipknot by acclaimed music writer, Dan Franklin, to coincide with the 25th Anniversary of Iowa: an album that redefined metal.

Slipknot is one of metal’s most iconic and recognisable bands. In late August 2001, Slipknot released their extraordinarily brutal second album, Iowa. With it, nine masked maniacs from the American Midwest captured the zeitgeist and reimagined the genre. The album’s emotional intensity and aggression was matched only by its commercial success, as it topped album charts and defined the nu metal era.

Two weeks after its release, the world changed forever. After the attacks of 9/11, Slipknot collided with history and a generation in upheaval. As the band’s members struggled with their own demons, it wasn’t certain that Slipknot would survive. What followed is a story that’s as tumultuous, gripping, and as real as it gets.

Somewhere Between Screaming And Crying is the story of Iowa‘s difficult birth and its remarkable impact in a world seemingly coming apart at the seams. As nu metal is embraced by a new generation today, Dan Franklin unravels how and why this much-maligned subgenre still connects so strongly and explores the ongoing influence of Slipknot as one of the most recognisable and artistically vital bands in metal today.

Dan Franklin’s Somewhere Between Screaming and Crying is out now in the UK, published by Constable. (At the time of writing, I couldn’t find any information about a North American publisher.)

Also on CR: Review of Heavy

Follow the Author: Goodreads Continue reading →

Upcoming: THE OPERATOR by Mike Lawson (Atlantic Crime)

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Congressional fixer Joe DeMarco’s misadventures in and around Washington and America’s politics continue! Now, though, he’s pitted against a merciless, far better-resourced opposing fixer…

In February 2027, Atlantic Crime are due to publish The Operator, the 20th novel in Mike Lawson‘s excellent series — an incredible milestone for the series and author. This has been a favourite series of mine ever since I read DeMarco’s debut outing, The Inside Ring, so every new volume is something to celebrate. Here’s the synopsis:

It’s fixer versus fixer, and only one can win…

Joe DeMarco is a capable man. He works as a fixer for John Mahoney, the former Speaker of the House (though DeMarco prefers the term “troubleshooter”). He’s the one Mahoney calls upon when there’s a situation that requires creative problem solving.

Carla Andretti — a cutthroat lawyer at one of the world’s top firms — is a fixer too. On behalf of the ultra-wealthy tech-mogul Leo Cage, Carla helps her boss conquer whatever he desires, even if she too must bend the law to make it happen.

When one of Leo’s schemes begins to crumble, it threatens to expose them both on a massive scale, forcing Carla to do what she does best: fix the situation. In order to keep her and Leo’s names clean, she’ll have to go after the people responsible for the unraveling. The only problem? Joe DeMarco’s onto her — and he knows all too well the tricks of the trade.

Can’t wait to read this.

While I’m waiting, I could of course get caught up on a few of the author’s novels that I have (inexplicably) yet to get around to: Redemption (a stand-alone thriller) and the Kay Hamilton series — Rosarito Beach, Viking Bay, and K-Street — which were published under the pseudonym M. A. Lawson.

Mike Lawson’s The Operator is due to be published by Atlantic Crime in North America, on February 16th, 2027.

Also on CR: Reviews of House Rules/Dead on Arrival, House Secrets/Dead Man’s List, House Justice, House Divided, House Blood, House Odds, House Reckoning, House Rivals, and The Asset

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads

Upcoming: & SONS (Icon Film)

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Over the weekend, I spotted the trailer for the upcoming film & Sons (probably on Instagram). The name jumped out at me, because back in 2014 I read (and very much enjoyed) a novel of the same name by David Gilbert. And, it turns out, it is indeed an adaptation of that book. I was a little thrown, initially, because the novel is set in Manhattan, but the movie is set in the UK — an interesting choice, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing how this changes the story.

The trailer is above, and here’s the movie synopsis:

A world-renowned but reclusive novelist, convinced he is about to die, summons his estranged sons to his home. But instead of seeking forgiveness for his countless mistakes, he instead reveals a truly unbelievable secret that brings his beloved ex-wife back into his orbit. With decades of resentment, jealousy and rage on the verge of spilling over, this splintered family is forced to face an inevitable reckoning, for better or for worse.

The movie, directed by Pablo Trapero and distributed by Icon, has a stellar cast, too: Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Johnny Flynn, Noah Jupe, George MacKay, and Dominic West.

The movie will open in cinemas on August 21st. (I think it is also going to be on at TIFF, so I’ll do my best to see it then.)

David Gilbert’s & Sons is out now, published by Random House in North America and Fourth Estate in the UK.

Movie: Website, IMDb
Follow the Author: Goodreads

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Upcoming: LUCKY Season 1 (Apple TV)

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On Wednesday (July 15th), Apple TV will start releasing episodes of Lucky, their new show adapted from Marissa Stapley‘s novel of the same name. Produced by Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter for Hello Sunshine, it stars Anya Taylor-Joy (also executive producer), Timothy Olyphant, Annette Bening, William Fichtner and others, this has been on my to-watch list since it was first announced. Here’s the movie pitch/log-line:

A reformed criminal is forced to confront her past and return to illicit activities for one final job, hoping to secure her freedom and leave her former life behind for good.

I read and quite enjoyed the novel, and the trailer (above) has certainly piqued my interest. Here’s the synopsis for the book:

A thrilling roller-coaster ride about a heist gone terribly wrong, with a plucky protagonist who will win readers’ hearts.

What if you had the winning ticket that would change your life forever, but you couldn’t cash it in?

Lucky Armstrong is a tough, talented grifter who has just pulled off a million-dollar heist with her boyfriend, Cary. She’s ready to start a brand-new life, with a new identity — when things go sideways. Lucky finds herself alone for the first time, navigating the world without the help of either her father or her boyfriend, the two figures from whom she’s learned the art of the scam.

When she discovers that a lottery ticket she bought on a whim is worth millions, her elation is tempered by one big problem: cashing in the winning ticket means she’ll be arrested for her crimes. She’ll go to prison, with no chance to redeem her fortune.

As Lucky tries to avoid capture and make a future for herself, she must confront her past by reconciling with her father; finding her mother, who abandoned her when she was just a baby; and coming to terms with the man she thought she loved — whose dark past is catching up with her, too.

This is a novel about truth, personal redemption, and the complexity of being good. It introduces a singularly gifted, multilayered character who must learn what it means to be independent and honest… before her luck runs out.

Marissa Stapley’s Lucky is published by Simon & Schuster in North America and Hodder in the UK.

Also on CR: Review of Marissa Stapley’s The Lightning Bottles

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram