This week’s #BOTW is Jill Johnson’s Devil’s Breath (2024). In this first installation of Johnson’s Professor Eustacia Rose Mystery series, Eustacia, a professor of botanical toxicology, is drawn out of her routines and quiet life into a world of murder and deceit.

🚨NEW #ICFABlog Post🚨 Our 6th interviewee for the Q&A Blog series is Dr. Abby Bentham! ➡️ sites.google.com/view/icfa/bl....

🎉Happy Birthday to #GeorgesSimenon, #bornonthisday in 1903. Belgian master of French-language crime fiction, he created the iconic Inspector Jules Maigret. Author of 400+ books, he explored motive and atmosphere in Maigret tales and dark psychological “romans durs.” #CrimeFiction

This week’s #OpenAccess article analyses how the criminalisation of post-revolutionary developments in the Czech TV series The Nineties contributes to legitimising a post-socialist liberal democracy. ➡️ buff.ly/hLokyvN.

My next talk is The Science of Sleuthing: The Hidden History of Victorian and Edwardian Detectives, hosted online by the Society of Genealogists on Mon 16 Feb at 7 pm. I'm really looking forward to sharing my doctoral research for the first time. All welcome! 🔗 portal.sog.org.uk/Event/view/1...

#TrueCrime and British Culture symposium: 'An Awkward Marriage: considering the serial killer’s social standing in a changing British culture' March 30, 2026 9:00am - 4:30pm Worchester City Campus www.worcester.ac.uk/events/true-...

5 days remaining for you to submit your #CapCrim13 abstracts to us! Please submit your 250-word abstracts for 20-minute presentations and proposals for panels and a short bio-note (about 100 words) via email to Dr. Kerstin-Anja Münderlein ([email protected]).

Our #BOTW, The Second Woman by Kenneth Cameron, is set in 1900s London, where the American author Denton unexpectedly takes on the role of sleuth after a woman is found dead in his garden. Investigating the murder leads him to a web of political intrigue and anarchist unrest.

🎉 Happy Birthday to #JohnGrisham, #bornonthisday in 1955. A former lawyer, he’s written 50+ #1 bestsellers like “The Firm” and “A Time to Kill,” which highlight corruption, justice, and courtroom drama—many adapted for film. #CrimeFiction

🎉 Happy Birthday to #CharlesDickens, #bornonthisday in 1812. Dickens helped shape early crime fiction. From London’s foggy underworld to Inspector Bucket in Bleak House, his novels explored murder, justice, and the social roots of crime in Victorian society. #CrimeFiction

Baučeková’s “The Flavour of Murder: Food and Crime in the Novels of #AgathaChristie” explores how Christie uses food for more than atmosphere with meals and domestic routines functioning as literary tools that help to shape characters or to advance the plot. buff.ly/nsFcrsk.

🎉 Happy Birthday to #HenningMankell, #bornonthisday in 1948. Mankell reshaped crime fiction as a master of Scandinavian noir. Creator of Kurt Wallander, he used dark, atmospheric mysteries set in Sweden to explore morality, inequality, and the human condition. #CrimeFiction

#BOTW: A house-party prank goes wrong, someone ends up dead, and suddenly secret societies, ticking clocks, and London chaos, collide. The Seven Dials Mystery is #AgathaChristie at her best: playful and twisty crime with a story that is a perfect fit for its 2026 film adaptation.

Last two weeks to submit an abstract to us! 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

🎉Happy Birthday to #DoloresRedondo,#bornonthisday in 1969, is Spain’s queen of mystic noir. Author of the bestselling Baztán Trilogy, she blends crime, psychology & Basque mythology. Premio Planeta winner, translated into 35+ languages, with novels adapted for film.#CrimeFiction

#OpenAccess: 'Designing Crime Fiction Modules: The Literature Classroom and Interdisciplinary Approaches' by Rebecca E. Martin. ➡️ buff.ly/3QSgbhY.

#BOTW: Young Blood (2010) by Sifiso Mzobe. 17-year-old Sipho joins a car hijacking syndicate, aiming to escape his family's poverty. With his peers, & under gang leader's guidance, Sipho delves into the dangerous world of crime while partying and managing relationships.

The next special issue of Victorian Popular Fictions Journal is “Human–Animal Relations in Victorian Popular Literature and Culture” and will be guest-edited by Dr Bethany Dahlstrom & Dr Helena Esser. For full CFP and submission guidelines, please see: victorianpopularfiction.org/wp-content/u...

#OpenAccess: 'Crime Stories and Urban Fantasy' by Stefan Ekman. ➡️ buff.ly/Hzlc7nB.

#BOTW: None So Blind (2017) by Alis Hawkins. Set in #Victorian #Wales, the novel follows the investigation of a young woman found buried at the base of a tree. A barrister, forced into retirement by his blindness, knows exactly whose bones they are & is determined to expose the killer...

🎉 Happy Birthday to #EdgarAllenPoe, #bornonthisday in 1809! He influenced modern literature with dark genius, creating detective stories like 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' and writing 'The Raven'. He explored madness, death, and the human mind. #CrimeFiction

🎉 Happy Birthday to #PatriciaHighsmith, #bornonthisday in 1921! A master of psychological suspense, she created Tom Ripley and wrote Strangers on a Train, reshaping crime fiction by exploring identity and morality. #CrimeFiction

Fantastic—We’re so glad to hear that! 🤩🫆🔍

🚨 #CapCrim13 Deadline EXTENSION 🚨 As January is a busy time of year for us all, we are extending the Call for Papers deadline from January 15th to February 15th. We do hope this extension will provide you with enough of a buffer to enable you to join us in June for Captivating Criminality 13!

Based on our BOTW, In the Cut, this article by Christopher Yiannitsaros (2012) examines the genre dissolution between the traditional gothic romance and the erotic thriller. buff.ly/LzaMX4K.

#BOTW: Susanna Moore’s In the Cut (1995) is a thriller about lust and murder that fuses noir conventions with feminist critique. Exploring desire, power, and violence, it blurs the boundaries between victimhood and agency while pushing limits through its explicit sex scenes.

🚨 #CapCrim13 Deadline EXTENSION 🚨 As January is a busy time of year for us all, we are extending the Call for Papers deadline from January 15th to February 15th. We do hope this extension will provide you with enough of a buffer to enable you to join us in June for Captivating Criminality 13!

On behalf of the editors of #TrueCrime: Digital Culture, Ethics and True Crime Audiences, we are delighted to announce its publication! Use PALAUT for 20% off at check out, or encourage your university libraries to purchase. 🤓 link.springer.com/book/10.1007...

Sanja Matković’s “The Conventions of Detective Fiction, or Why We Like Detective Novels: Hercule Poirot’s Christmas” explores how classic conventions, such as clues or suspects, make crime novels both comforting and intellectually satisfying. buff.ly/1BsGNHI.

🎉 Happy Birthday to #WilkieCollins, #bornonthisday in 1824! A pioneer of detective fiction, he authored The Woman in White and The Moonstone—considered the first modern detective novel—shaping crime fiction with complex plots, suspense, and social themes. #CrimeFiction

👥 Call for Peer Reviewers! 👥 Crime Fiction Studies are on the hunt for colleagues interested in collaborating with the journal as #peerreviewers. If you would like to work with us, please get in touch via our email ([email protected]) with your research areas & interests! #AcademicSky

🎉 Happy Birthday to #KarinSlaughter, #bornonthisday in 1971! A #1 NYT bestselling crime author of dark thrillers like Will Trent and Grant County, with hits like Pretty Girls. She’s sold millions and champions libraries through Save the Libraries. #CrimeFiction

#BOTW: Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret (2024) by Benjamin Stevenson is a festive crime fiction novel told in an advent-calendar style. Each day reveals new clues as a Christmas gathering turns into a clever murder mystery full of twists, secrets, and dark humor.

🎉Happy Birthday to #UmbertoEco, #bornonthisday on this day in 1932! Though not a crime writer, The Name of the Rose became a top murder mystery. He blended medieval crime, philosophy, and semiotics to explore secrets and hidden knowledge through detective fiction.#CrimeFiction

🎉 Happy Birthday to #HarlanCoben, #bornonthisday in 1962! A thriller author known for twisty suspense, he created Myron Bolitar and hits like Tell No One and Fool Me Once. His stories and Netflix adaptations have captivated millions. #CrimeFiction

🎉 Happy Birthday to #KenBruen, #bornonthisday in 1951, a master of Irish noir known for gritty, poetic crime fiction. Creator of Jack Taylor and Inspector Brant, his sharp, punk-infused prose explored guilt, redemption, and Ireland's dark heart. #CrimeFiction

🎉 Happy Birthday to #MoHayder, #bornonthisday in 1962! She was a fearless British crime author known for dark thrillers. Creator of DI Jack Caffery (Birdman, Gone) and standalones like The Devil of Nanking, she left a legacy of intense crime fiction. #CrimeFiction

✨ Happy New Year from the ICFA✨ The #CfP for #CapCrim13 will be live until Jan. 15th, so we hope you will consider spending the 25th - 27th June with us for #CapCrim13 in Bamberg, Germany. We look forward to accepting your abstracts! 1/2

From all of us here at the ICFA, Merry Christmas! We hope you are able to enjoy the festive period with loved ones, and enjoy a #crimefiction conundrum or two. 🎄 🎁

From all of us here at the ICFA, Merry Christmas! We hope you are able to enjoy the festive period with loved ones, and enjoy a #crimefiction conundrum or two. 🎄 🎁

🎉 Happy Birthday to #MaryHigginsClark, #bornonthisday in 1927! Known as the “Queen of Suspense,” she authored over 40 bestselling thrillers, including "Where Are the Children?" Her work in mystery and collaborations made her a defining voice in the genre. #CrimeFiction

🎉 Happy Birthday to #DonnaTartt, #bornonthisday in 1963! Her novels mix literary fiction with mystery, dark academia, and suspense. From The Secret History to The Goldfinch, she explores secrets, moral dilemmas, and haunting characters loved by crime-fiction fans. #CrimeFiction

Come and join the ICFA! The beginning of a career in academia can be a lonely time. If you are working on or are interested in crime fiction, you can join the ICFA and gain access to our ECR network. We offer useful workshops and networking events for you to find your community!

🎉 Happy Birthday to #KateAtkinson, #bornonthisday in 1951! She’s a celebrated British author known for her Jackson Brodie crime series, including "Case Histories" and "One Good Turn", which inspired the BBC’s "Case Histories." #CrimeFiction

Treat yourself for Christmas and come join the ICFA! You will not only get access to our newsletter and conferences, but also to our journal Crime Fiction Studies, published by EUP. And if you’re an early career researcher, our ECR network is a wonderful community!

🎉Happy Birthday to #PhilipKDick, #bornonthisday in 1927! Though not a traditional crime writer, his sci-fi features noir detectives, paranoia, and conspiracies. Among others, his story Blade Runner delves into crime and mystery, appealing to crime fiction fans.#CrimeFiction

#BOTW: Dee Macdonald’s Murder in the Scottish Highlands (2024). Ally McKinley wanted a quiet life running a guesthouse in Scotland, but when her first guest is found dead, Ally can’t help but join the investigation. It's the perfect cosy crime novel to read over the holidays!

It’s the last day to send your abstracts into our guest editors of the #VirtualCrime and #Detection themed issue of #CrimeFictionStudies! #gameresearch #detectivefiction #crimefiction 👇🏻 👇🏻 👇🏻

🎉Happy Birthday to #ShirleyJackson, #bornonthisday in 1916! A key figure in psychological horror, she wrote “The Lottery” and “The Haunting of Hill House,” exploring paranoia and societal cruelty. Her blend of social critique and the supernatural was very influencal. #CrimeFiction

🎉Happy Birthday to #RossMacDonald (Kenneth Millar), #bornonthisday in 1915! He transformed crime fiction with his psychologically rich, Southern California-set stories featuring PI Lew Archer, becoming a key figure in the noir tradition alongside Hammett & Chandler.#CrimeFiction