crime

Colson Whitehead is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and now brings his acclaimed Harlem trilogy to a close with 'Cool Machine.' The novel reunites readers with furniture dealer and reluctant fence Ray Carney as one last score draws him back into New York City’s criminal underworld.

Colson Whitehead is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and now brings his acclaimed Harlem trilogy to a close with 'Cool Machine.' The novel reunites readers with furniture dealer and reluctant fence Ray Carney as one last score draws him back into New York City’s criminal underworld.

Northshire Bookstore and Universal Preservation Hall are presenting an evening with #1 New York Times bestselling author and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Colson Whitehead on Thursday night at UPH in Saratoga Springs at 8 PM.He will discuss “Cool Machine,” the final installment of his Harlem Trilogy, a vividly imagined portrait of 1980s New York filled with daring heists, unforgettable characters, and the city’s magnetic energy.Whitehead weaves history, crime, and imagination into a gripping story that critics are calling “the literary equivalent of a great action movie” and “the greatest New York novel in years.”

Novelist Amy Bloom ventures into new territory with her first mystery novel, 'Blunt Instrument.' At the center is Dell Chandler, a failed professor and newly minted private investigator called to solve the murder of an eminent English scholar whose death by a bronze Hawthorne bust leaves an entire university full of suspects.

Novelist Amy Bloom ventures into new territory with her first mystery novel, 'Blunt Instrument.' At the center is Dell Chandler, a failed professor and newly minted private investigator called to solve the murder of an eminent English scholar whose death by a bronze Hawthorne bust leaves an entire university full of suspects.

Gangster fiction has long explored questions of power, loyalty, and survival. But in 'All Them Dogs,' Irish novelist Djamel White brings something unexpected to the genre: a deeply human story in which violence and vulnerability exist side by side. Set in the gangland neighborhoods of West Dublin, the novel follows Tony Ward, who returns home after years in exile for a killing committed in his youth. Hoping to reclaim his place in the criminal world, Tony instead finds himself drawn into an increasingly dangerous relationship with Darren "Flute" Walsh, an enforcer whose presence forces him to confront desires, loyalties, and fears he has long kept buried.

For many Americans James Comey remains one of the defining figures of the Trump Era. The former FBI Director fired by Trump and more recently once again drawn into public controversary amid investigations and escalating political attacks. Comey has also become a best-selling crime writer channeling decades inside the justice system into a series of legal thrillers. His latest is 'Red Verdict' which follows Deputy U.S. Attorney Nora Carleton. As she investigates the poisoning deaths of a defense industry executive in Manhattan, a murder that may connect to Russian Intelligence, espionage, and conspiracy reaching deep into American power circles.

Mystery novelist Alison Gaylin has built a career exploring obsession, secrets, and the dark corners of modern life. An Edgar Award winner known for novels like 'The Collective and If I Die Tonight,' Gaylin has also stepped into the world of Robert B. Parker, continuing his beloved Sunny Randall series.In 'Robert B. Parker’s Booked,' Boston private investigator Sunny Randall is hired by a bestselling author to uncover the identity of an online reviewer whose brutal takedowns are threatening careers. But when the critic turns up dead, the literary feud becomes a murder case tangled in grudges, publishing politics, and social media fury.

James Lasdun's latest is 'The Family Man: Blood and Betrayal in the House of Murdaugh,' turns to the real-life Southern saga that captivated the country. Lasdun digs beneath the headlines surrounding disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh, tracing generations of privilege, power, corruption, and violence in South Carolina’s Lowcountry.The result is part true-crime page-turner, part portrait of a family dynasty collapsing in public. His novels, memoir, poetry, and short story collections have won many awards, and his essays have appeared in the New York Times, the London Review of Books, and The New Yorker, among other publications.

'Diamond Fever!' is a bit of a departure from Steve Sheinkin's other books and is perfect for emerging readers. Both shorter and faster paced, it also features an engaging mixture of prose and comics from renowned illustrator Jon Chad. With these additions, readers will fully immerse themselves in the Great Diamond Hoax of 1872, a time full of deception, fortune, and greed.Steve Sheinkin and Jon Chad will be at Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga for a talk and signing about 'Diamond Fever' on Monday, May 18, 2026, at 6:00pm. northshire.com. You’re listening to the RT on WAMC.