In this instalment, we explore the thrilling world of mystery and crime novels from North America.
North American authors have significantly impacted the mystery genre, with many of the most popular and iconic detectives hailing from these countries.
So grab a cup of coffee, settle into your favourite reading spot, and let’s explore the world of North American mystery together!
This year, for my reading challenge, I wanted to read mystery and suspense books from around the world. What started with just a handful of books snowballed into a more extensive collection of different story-telling techniques and subject matter within the same genre.
As the pages turned and plot twists unfolded, each mystery and thriller book became a gripping escape into a fast-paced world of suspense and intrigue. In this post, I reflect on the captivating worlds I’ve explored this year.
Fiction is such a wide ranging genre that it encompasses almost every reader’s preference. Here, stories can be based on reality, or your imagination can take flight, offering fantastical landscapes and intricate characters. Non-fiction, however, unveils the treasures of reality, providing a kaleidoscope of knowledge and perspectives.
Below are some of the books I read this year as part of my reading challenge.
This is just one of three posts on my 2023 Reading Challenge. My other posts list out Biographies and Mystery/Thriller books I read in 2023.
When I read books in my younger days, I was always looking for adventure and escapism. Non-fiction didn’t seem to offer any of these. I was one of those kids who had 7 Habits of Highly Effective People forced onto me in both written and audio formats as a teenager. That was no fun at all.
In my 20s, I realised that non-fiction doesn’t have to be tedious and drab. Biographies, essays, and informative books based on research are rich with fun and intrigue, sometimes more than fictional books.
Here are some great non fiction books I enjoyed in 2021
A lot of people highly recommend this book. Yearbook by Seth Rogen is a collection of real-life anecdotes from his childhood onwards. Go for it if you’re looking for a light read (so light you’ll be flying high) or for stories about his (strange?) interactions with some celebrities. I don’t identify with stories that involve utter carelessness and often irresponsible behaviour. I don’t find them funny either. So this book wasn’t for me.
“Great leaders are not always in front, they also know who to follow.” I knew this book would be eccentric; I just didn’t realise how much. Matthew McConaughey Oscar winner actor is anything but your regular cup of tea, and this memoir of sorts just gives you a glimpse of that wild life. Greenlights is not a tell-all book. He hardly discusses any of the movies he worked on and doesn’t talk about anyone he filmed with or dated. It’s a book about his upbringing, his experiences and explorations, and what he’s learnt along the way. So if you’re here looking for some gossip, this is not for you. Greenlights is part memoir and part life guide. He has a few insightful observations which have shaped the way he lives his life. Just go for what you want and be true to yourself. The universe will give you green lights as you move ahead. Take a break on yellow lights when you need it, and watch out for the red lights. “The inevitability of a …
I love stories. These stories become even more meaningful when you know they’re true. I’ve not always read non-fiction, and I started reading biographies even later. Since then, I’ve read stories from people’s lives that are inspiring, heart-breaking, and relatable. I cannot classify the stories I’ve read into good or better stories. Each book brings its own charm. However, some books are well-written, and some books pull you in and make you pause as you feel each word that’s penned down. This is a list of those books. Decoded by Jay-Z It gave me a refreshing perspective of the hip-hop culture and rap music – a genre I always overlooked. The lyrics have been beautifully written and explained and is comparable to pure poetry. That is not to say that there isn’t some lousy hip-hop doing the rounds (pointless violence and sex), but good rap, as Jay Z points out, is very powerful and has several layers. Even the cover of a Rorschach blot is a stroke of genius…just like rap music, it conveys different …
“Animal lovers are a special breed of humans, generous of spirit, full of empathy, perhaps a little prone to sentimentality, and with hearts as big as a cloudless sky.” John Grogan, Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog Every story becomes better with an animal in it. In books and movies about violent deaths, the animal’s death is the most painful (for me, at least). Since I’ve started reading biographies, I’ve come across some amazing stories about animals and how they’ve impacted the lives of people around them. Each one is a tear-jerker – happy and sad. Here are my top recommendations for biographies with animals. Marley and Me by John Grogan I fell in love with Marley’s pure and goofy heart from the start. His joy refused any limits on his behaviour. His love and loyalty were boundless, too. It is also a story about Marley’s parents, who adopt him as a young couple. Marley shares their heartbreak over a miscarriage and joy at their first pregnancy. He grows old …
For someone who loves to read and has studied English literature in school and college in India, it was very disappointing to learn about writers like Maanto and Chughtai so late in life. It enrages me that we teach a handful of English writers and completely ignore great Indian writers. “Faith is one thing, the culture of one’s country is quite another. I have an equal share in it, in its earth, sunshine and water. If I splash myself with colour during Holi, or light up diyas during Diwali, will my faith suffer an erosion? Are my beliefs so brittle and judgements so shaky that they will fall to pieces?” Ismat Chughtai – the story-teller Ismat Chughtai was a contemporary of Saadat Hasan Manto. They wrote during the time of India’s independence. Both were put on trial for indecency in their writing then finally acquitted. However, it put a downer on both their temperaments. Chughtai’s Lihaaf or the Quilt was considered quite progressive for its time, talking about female sexuality. She has also written screenplays …
Why are farts so funny to little kids? Why are they obsessed with poop? Anything to do with the bottom end of our business instantly piques their interest. Child fascination with poop usually continues to adulthood with some! Do you get embarrassed to talk about it with your kids, or try to change the topic? Or do you join in with some potty humour of your own? Everyone poops, so why not discuss it without getting flustered? There are plenty of poop book for toddlers. Books about poop are fun and educational. Whether you’re trying to potty train your child or just learn about normal bodily functions, funny poop books are the way to go. These are 2 books on poop and fart that we enjoy reading together. It gives us plenty of laughs and information. We hope you enjoy them too! Does it Fart? By Nick Caruso, Dani Rabaiotti and illustrated by Alex G. Griffiths: This book started as a result of research for adults, then adapted for younger curious minds. There’s another book …
Love, Life, & Beyond 