Books of Brilliance

Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley gives book clubs an uncomfortable question to wrestle with: why can following a criminal’s thoughts make us invested in his escape? Tom Ripley’s desire for a better life is recognizable. Wh...

Mascot horror is a horror subgenre that turns friendly characters associated with children’s entertainment into sources of fear. Think restaurant animatronics, smiling cartoon characters and colorful toys that become dangerous once the lights go out.

Five Nights at Freddy’s, Bendy and the Ink Machine and Poppy Playtime are recognizable exa...

Looking for a Halloween read with terrifying monsters, memorable characters, and something to say? Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark deserves a place on your list. This horror and dark fantasy novella packs an impressive amount of imagination into a short book, combining supernatural violence with the ugliness of American racism.

What makes it such a compelling ...

A museum preserves the version of history someone wants us to remember. An old country house can do much the same thing for a family. Put a murder inside either one, and suddenly every treasured object, locked door, and carefully maintained reputation becomes suspicious.

These mystery novels set in museums and historic houses make their surroundings part of the intr...

LAIKA’s Wildwood keeps the rescue mission at the heart of Colin Meloy’s novel, but changes how the adventure begins and ends. The most consequential differences involve Prue’s control of the forest’s magic, Alexandra’s defeat, and Curtis’s decis...