Jeff Popple

Just in time for Xmas we have a new Harry Bosch novel - The Hollow. Another thrilling read by @michaelconnelly.bsky.social that will have you keenly turning the pages all the way to the end. @allenandunwin.bsky.social #HarryBosch Spoiler-free review here: murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/new-2026-har...

This week in the Canberra Weekly I review 3 new crime novels that range from the Austrian Alps to small town Australia and a big city serial killer. @michaelrobotham.bsky.social Tara Goedjen A.W. Hammond murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/canberra-wee...

November is always a good month for thrillers and this year there 3 very good ones from @jackheathwriter.bsky.social @linwoodbarclay.bsky.social #SimonKernick to get stuck into before Xmas. murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/late-2026-th...

2026 has been a great year for spy fiction & 2027 is shaping up to be just as good with new books by @aspyalone.bsky.social Paul Vidich @almakatsu.bsky.social and others announced. I also just got the new @davegoodman.bsky.social thriller & it looks great murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/looking-forw...

Fans of Elmore Leonard-esque crime will enjoy these 2 early 2000s novels by Patrick Quinlan. Featuring a former bombmaker on the run from the Mob with $2.5 million of their money - they are good fun with quirky characters and violence #Noir #CrimeFiction murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/throwback-th...

@ianrankin1.bsky.social is in good form with his first standalone crime novel in 20 yrs - The Heights. Set in London, and featuring a good detective pairing in DS Gillian and DI Jack Milton, it is an engaging tale that grips to the end. Short rev attached murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/the-heights-...

2026 has been a stellar year for spy fiction, with a steady stream of outstanding books. Now to finish it off are two excellent books by #SimonConway, #DavidMcCloskey & an atmospheric Nazi hunter thriller by #WilliamCook #SpyFiction #2026Thrillers murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/new-spy-fict...

Recently I have added some obscure small press titles to my collection (mainly digests from the 1940s) and two different Australian versions of a Carter Brown novel, that had its title changed when released in America. #1940s #1950s #1960s #CoverArt #pulp murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/trashy-tuesd...

Christmas is quickly approaching and here are two very different, but good, crime stories with a festive setting. Great present ideas #PeterSwanson, @carterwilsonauthor.bsky.social @faberbooks.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/its-the-seas...

Some great crime fiction titles arriving Xmas: here are my picks @michaelconnelly.bsky.social @michaelrobotham.bsky.social @ianrankin1.bsky.social @shelleyburr.bsky.social @jackheathwriter.bsky.social @carterwilsonauthor.bsky.social etc #crimefiction murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/forecast-fri...

George Easter has just sent out the latest issue of his Deadly Pleasures Magazine. It is packed full of reviews, interviews, a valuable list of the best crime books released in 2026. It is also now free! More information on the issue and how to access it: murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/deadly-pleas...

In the Canberra Weekly I reviewed 3 new Aust crime novels that ranged from tough noir to literary crime to an international thriller set in Vietnam and Tasmania! @davidwhish-wilson.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/canberra-wee...

While holidaying I caught up with 3 very different but enjoyable crime novels by @tessgerritsen.bsky.social @chrisewan.bsky.social @jordanharper.bsky.social All well worth a read! murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/holiday-read...

With 3/4s of 2026 almost gone, I thought I look at my favourite crime thrillers so far. Including: @timayliffe.bsky.social @dervlamctiernan.bsky.social @michaelconnelly.bsky.social @jomurraywrites.bsky.social @natconyer.bsky.social @anthonyhorowitz.com murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/spring-clean...

While on holidays, I have been reading the new thriller from Australian James Dunbar. A good holiday read with some interesting contemporary twists on the usual spy story. murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/australian-c...

In my recent column for the Canberra Weekly I cover three new releases that traverse the spectrum of the thriller genre from spy novel to horror to a tense Australian crime story. Short reviews attached. murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/canberra-wee...

2026 has already seen some very good spy fiction by CharlesCumming, David Goodman & James Wollf and now here are another outstanding pair by #WilliamBoyd (forthcoming) and #AnthonyByrt to add to the reading list. #spyfiction #1960svibe murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/spy-fiction-...

Here are 3 well crafted crime novels by well seasoned veterans of the genre. Very different, but all good reads! @janecasey.bsky.social #MikeLawson @mwcraven.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/new-2026-cri...

July/August brings 3 new Australian crime novels that offer something a little different from the usual outback mystery! #ATPrewett, #SusannahGlenn #RileyJames murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/new-australi...

There have been some really good spy novels already released in 2026 & here are 3 more promising historical espionage books scheduled for release over the next few months. #WilliamBoyd #AnthonyByrt #WilliamCook #spyfiction #2026thrillers murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/historical-s...

This week in the Canberra Weekly I reviewed 3 good new Australian crime novels by @sherrylwriter.bsky.social #MattNable and Jason Summers. #AustralianCrime #CrimeFiction #Outbacknoir murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/canberra-wee...

Fans of heist stories, both new and old, must check these new releases. #GaryPhillips' The Haul is a great old style heist story brought up to date, while #PaulBishop's Complications Always Ensue is a must read collection of essays on the heist story. murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/one-last-hei...

July opens with two dark, but engaging, crime novels from a pair rising stars on the Australian crime fiction scene. #MattNable @sherrylwriter.bsky.social #AustralianCrimeFiction murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/new-australi...

Fans of exciting Arctic thrillers with a good premise and plenty of realistic action and suspense will enjoy The Ice by John Kare Raake (translated by Adam King) - probably one of the best ice thrillers since Alistair MacLean's Night Without End murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/throwback-th...

For fans of spy fiction here are two good, fast moving novels by @davegoodman.bsky.social & Jason M. Hough to enjoy Solitary Agents also works well as a straight chase thriller too for non spy fans @headlinebooks.bsky.social @crookedlanebooks.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/spy-fiction-...

In the Canberra Weekly in June I reviewed 5 enjoyable crime novels by @michaelconnelly.bsky.social @jomurraywrites.bsky.social Inessa Jackson, Mark Smith & @vavazquezwrites.bsky.social and a moving novel by #CanberraWriter Ayesha Inoon. Enjoy! murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/canberra-wee...

Fans of Aussie outback crime fiction have 2 entertaining books to choose from this month. Find Me by Holly Craig is a creepy wilderness survival thriller, while Jason Summer's Red Lake is a good, twisty detective novel. #outbacknoir #crimefiction murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/australian-c...

Australian crime fiction fans will enjoy these two new releases from Mark Smith & Inessa Jackson that traverse very different areas of the genre from political thriller to small town crime. #crimefiction #Downundercrime murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/australian-c...

Some James Hadley Chase femme fatales from across the decades from John Pollack illustrations to photographic covers, and a rare Australian cover for The Double Shuffle. #1960s #bookcovers #coverart #femmefatale #1970s murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/trashy-tuesd...

Fans of intelligent, slightly quirky British crime fiction will enjoy these new books from C B Everett @stuartmacbride.bsky.social & Chris Brookmyre. All offer clever plots and good fun. Short reviews attached. murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/british-crim...

Aust publisher Horwitz is known for their salacious war novels about the violation of pretty nurses by Japanese soldiers & notorious Nazi sex camps. But they also produced several non-fiction war books featuring striking covers. #ColCameron #1960s murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/trashy-tuesd...

This week in the Canberra Weekly I reviewed 2 dark and thrilling new crime novels by Kiwi Gavin Strawhan, and thriller maestro John Connolly and a good non-crime book by Aust author Anna Johnston murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/canberra-wee...

@michaelconnelly.bsky.social has a 2nd book in his Catalina Island series coming out next week & it is a good one! Detective Stilwell is back with a pair of intriguing cases & there is a good appearance by Renee Ballard &even a brief glimpse of Bosch! murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/ironwood-by-...

2026 continues to provide some stellar crime reading! These 3 books by @jomurraywrites.bsky.social John Connolly and Mike Ripley are very good - Murray's debut is stunning & Ripley's book is a real treat for crime aficionados. murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/may-mayhem-n...

This week in the Canberra Weekly I reviewed a trio of very good crime novels by 3 of Australia's best female suspense authors. Sarah Bailey @dervlamctiernan.bsky.social @natconyer.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/canberra-wee...

Crime readers are well served by some strong releases heading our way over the next month, or so, here are my picks of the best (mainly Aust & NZ). @annawoodsauthor.bsky.social Gavin Strawhan Matt Nable @sherrylwriter.bsky.social Jason Summers Mark Smith murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/book-haul-ne...

Fans of Aussie crime fiction can look to some good releases in May, including a great suspense novel from @dervlamctiernan.bsky.social, a homage to the classical whodunit by Dave Warner & a forthcoming Tasmania wilderness thriller from Holly Craig murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/australian-c...

April brings two very good thrillers by father & daughter teams: Paradox by Douglas & Aletheia Preston and Witch Hunt by Richard O'Rawe & Bernadette O'Rawe. Both highly entertaining with a touch of the macabre and the extraordinary! murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/2026-thrille...

Antony Trew is mainly remembered, if at all, for his naval war novels & thrillers. With The Soukour Deadline (1976), however, he ventured into the terrorist thriller with a taut tale about London being held to nuclear ransom. #1970s #ClassicThrillers murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/forgotten-th...

Aust crime fiction is not all dusty roads and outback noir! Recently there has been a rise in cosy mysteries set in suburban settings with engaging groups of amateur detectives #AmandaHampson, #JessKitching #KateSolly @pennytangey.bsky.social #cosycrime murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/australian-c...

My latest post looks at the recent number of crime books set in writers' retreats or having the author as the detective. Including new and forthcoming books by @anthonyhorowitz.com Evelyn Clarke, Victoria Brownlee, Jess Kitching @martynwaites.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/deadly-autho...

My recent crime reading has involved 2 very different, but equally enjoyable, books by @tombradby.bsky.social & @eajackson.bsky.social One is a gripping thriller with spy elements, the other an absorbing police novel. Both recommended. #BritishCrimeFiction murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/uk-crime-202...

Fans of Australian crime fiction will greatly enjoy this new release from crime queen Sarah Bailey. Set in a well described Melbourne on the eve of COVID, Click is a good follow-up to her stellar 2021 novel The Housemate. #Australiancrimefiction #crime murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/click-by-sar...

Plantation/slaver pulp was an unpleasant, but very popular sub-genre of men's fiction in the late 1960s and 70s. It is an interesting cultural phenomena to reflect on now, especially the influence of the covers. #coverart #plantationpulp #1970sculture murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/trashy-tuesd...

Fans of Australian outback noir will enjoy Sam Elliott's debut crime novel Haze. Opening with a vivid and smoky bushfire scene it goes on to entertain while ticking most of the outback crime boxes! Short review attached. @macmillanaus.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/aussie-outba...

Fans of twisty suspense novels with a romantic tinge will enjoy The Hiding Season by @avaglassbooks.bsky.social. Starting in a well described Montana ski resort it quickly has the reader cheering for the down on her luck central character. Enjoyable! murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/short-review...

This week in the Canberra Weekly I reviewed 3 new Australian (and NZ) suspense novels by @fionathehardy.bsky.social Fiona Lowe & J. P. Pomare All well worth reading! @hachetteaus.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/canberra-wee...

2026 crime books are piling up. Here are my picks of the best new releases coming in March/April @anthonyhorowitz.com @tombradby.bsky.social @sarahhilary.bsky.social Sarah Bailey Candice Fox, Sarah Barrie Victoria Brownlee murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/april-action...

This week in the Canberra Weekly I reviewed 3 very different books with a serial killer theme. @ferguscraig.bsky.social's is very funny Also enjoyable are the ones by #JohnMcMahon & @katealicemarshall.bsky.social murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/canberra-wee...

Here are 3 good Aussie crime reads to get your March reading off to a good start! @natconyer.bsky.social Fiona Lowe & J P Pomare. @hachetteaus.bsky.social Short, spoiler free reviews: murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/australian-c...