As a reader, I have eclectic tastes. I tend to avoid bestseller lists, which is why my shelves are filled mainly with novels from the early-nineteenth to late-twentieth centuries. Putting aside a few staple classics, such as Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, this list comprises 10 books that rank among…
This installment of Under the Radar spotlights a film in one of my favorite subgenres: southern gothic. While there are many books out there to scratch the southern gothic itch—Flannery O’Connor and William Faulkner immediately spring to mind—it’s a genre that remains vastly underutilized in film. This is a damn shame, given how so many…
Recently, I’ve noticed a genre label being used, and I don’t understand what it means. I’m hoping CE readers can help define this slippery term: “literary thriller.” It’s in use by authors, agents, marketing departments, reviewers, bloggers, tweeters and a host of others. However, its usage is also inconsistent, confusing, and mystifying. I think it’s…
