Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue examines year-end "best of 2025" lists from Barnes & Noble, Publisher's Weekly, and Esquire, reports on the Baker & Taylor bankruptcy crisis threatening library book access nationwide, and explores the complicated ethics of posthumous manuscripts.

He then dives deep into five forgotten mystery authors who deserve rediscovery—brilliant mid-century writers who dominated bestseller lists and won major awards but somehow vanished from literary memory.

Books & topics mentioned:– Year-end lists: ⁠B&N Best Mystery & Thriller 2025⁠, ⁠Publisher's Weekly Best Books⁠, ⁠Esquire Best Books 2025⁠– ⁠Baker & Taylor bankruptcy and library impact (404 Media)⁠– ⁠Posthumous manuscripts ethics (Town & Country)⁠– ⁠Exit Strategy by Lee Child/Andrew Child⁠– ⁠Wild Instinct by T. Jefferson Parker⁠– ⁠King's Ransom by Janet Evanovich⁠– ⁠The Sunshine Man by Emma Stonex⁠– Five forgotten mystery authors: ⁠Phantom Lady (Cornell Woolrich)⁠, ⁠Beast in View (Margaret Millar)⁠, ⁠The Blank Wall (Elisabeth Sanxay Holding)⁠, ⁠Home Sweet Homicide (Craig Rice)⁠, ⁠The Hours Before Dawn (Celia Fremlin)⁠– What I'm reading/watching: ⁠Shifty's Boys (Chris Offutt)⁠, ⁠Sleep No More (P.D. James — audio)⁠, ⁠Pluribus (Apple TV+)⁠

📚 Like twisty books and tense shows? Subscribe for bi-weekly episodes packed with killer reads, news, and sharp takes.

🌐 Learn more: ⁠https://mikedonohuebooks.com⁠

Until next time—stay sharp, follow the clues, and don't trust anyone who skips to the end.

Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers a real-life rare books heist that reads like fiction, updates on Miami Vice and Bosch adaptations, and spotlights massive fall releases from Joe Hill, Louise Penny, and John Grisham.

He then dives deep into why horror mystery thriller mashups are so addictive—exploring the psychology behind books that make you think and scream simultaneously, from The Silence of the Lambs to Mexican Gothic.

Books & topics mentioned:– The Pushkin Job: international rare books heist– 2025 Petrona Award winner: The Clues in the Fjord by Satu Rämö– Miami Vice feature film & Bosch prequel series Start of Watch– King Sorrow by Joe Hill– The Black Wolf by Louise Penny– The Last Death of the Year by Sophie Hannah (Hercule Poirot)– The Widow by John Grisham– Wild Animal by Joel Dicker– Horror mystery thriller deep dive– What I'm reading/watching: Proving Ground (Michael Connelly), The Wasp Trap (Mark Edwards — audio), A Man on the Inside Season 2 (Netflix)

📚 Like twisty books and tense shows? Subscribe for bi-weekly episodes packed with killer reads, news, and sharp takes.

🌐 Learn more: https://mikedonohuebooks.com

Until next time—stay sharp, follow the clues, and don't trust anyone who skips to the end.

Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers the latest crime-fiction headlines—including Vince Gilligan's mysterious new Pluribus series, casting updates for Netflix's All the Sinners Bleed, and the rise of book bikes bringing literature to communities.

He spotlights compelling new releases ranging from psychological thrillers to horror-tinged mysteries, then takes a deep dive into the divide between American and European crime fiction—exploring how geography shapes our understanding of evil, justice, and what keeps us up at night.

Books & topics mentioned:

– Vince Gilligan's Pluribus (Apple TV+)

– Book bikes expanding access (Publishers Weekly)

– All the Sinners Bleed adaptation casting

– Keep This For Me by Jennifer Fawcett

– The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens

– Darker Days by Thomas Olde Heuvelt (Out Oct 28)

– Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent

– Remain by Nicholas Sparks with M. Night Shyamalan

Blog post about American and European crime fiction.

What I'm reading/watching: To Catch a Storm (Mindy Mejia), Not Quite Dead Yet (Holly Jackson — audio),

Play Dirty (Amazon Prime)

📚 Like twisty books and tense shows? Subscribe for bi-weekly episodes packed with killer reads, news, and sharp takes.

🌐 Learn more: ⁠https://mikedonohuebooks.com⁠

Until next time—stay sharp, follow the clues, and don't trust anyone who skips to the end.