Synopsis
Read or Dead is a bi-weekly show dedicated to the worlds of mystery and thriller literature.
Episodes
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Summer Reads from Real People
30/05/2025 Duration: 51minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend summer reads! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! Ready to level up your reading life? Become a Book Riot All Access member and explore our full library of members-only content, including must-reads, deep dives, and reading challenge recommendations. For a limited time, the first 50 new All Access annual members get a FREE copy of Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz courtesy of Tor Publishing! Join Book Riot All Access to level up your reading life and claim your free copy of Automatic Noodle. News AI Summer Reading List with the Chicago Sun Times All the Sinners Bleed coming to Netflix Crime Reads Summer Reading List This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Books Discussed Victorian Psycho - Virginia Feito #FashionVictim - Amina Akhtar Mur
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The 2025 Edgar Awards!
16/05/2025 Duration: 49minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend books from this year's Edgar Awards finalists! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! Ready to level up your reading life? Become a Book Riot All Access member and explore our full library of members-only content, including must-reads, deep dives, and reading challenge recommendations. For a limited time, the first 50 new All Access annual members get a FREE copy of Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz courtesy of Tor Publishing! Join Book Riot All Access to level up your reading life and claim your free copy of Automatic Noodle. News A master class in writing taught by an AI version of Agatha Christie? An Unsettling AI Agatha Christie Is Here to Teach You How to Write 2025 Edgar Awards Books Discussed This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. The
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Our 200th Episode!
02/05/2025 Duration: 54minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester celebrate 200 hundred episodes of Read or Dead! Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations! The professional book nerds (aka bibliologists) at TBR have recommended over 160,000 books to readers of all kinds. Let TBR match you with your next favorite read! Simply fill out a quick survey about what you want more of in your reading life, and your bibliologist will scour their bookish knowledge to find three reads they think you’ll love. Choose from receiving just the recommendations via email, or opt to have paperbacks or hardcovers delivered right to your door. Get started for only $18! Mystery author Peter Lovesey has died at 88. Kerry Greenwood, author of the Phryne [FRY-nee] Fisher mystery series, has died at 70. 1849 titles 835 unique authors 1147 unique titles 40.1% authors of color TOP Author mentions: Sujata Massey - 28 Tana French - 26 Riley Sager - 24 Alma Katsu - 20 Attica Locke, Jane Harper, SA Cosby
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Genre-Bending Mysteries, Thrillers, and Horror Novels
18/04/2025 Duration: 47minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend genre-defying mysteries, thrillers, and horror novels! Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations! The professional book nerds (aka bibliologists) at TBR have recommended over 160,000 books to readers of all kinds. Let TBR match you with your next favorite read! Simply fill out a quick survey about what you want more of in your reading life, and your bibliologist will scour their bookish knowledge to find three reads they think you’ll love. Choose from receiving just the recommendations via email, or opt to have paperbacks or hardcovers delivered right to your door. Get started for only $18! News The American Library Association has sued the Trump administration for the gutting of IMLS. Attorneys general from 21 states have also filed a lawsuit EveryLibrary condemns the Trump administration’s termination of IMLS grants as an attack on libraries, museums, and archives everywhere Tracking the Trump Administration’s attacks on l
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Tackling Our Backlist TBRs
04/04/2025 Duration: 45minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books from their never-ending backlist TBRs. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations! The professional book nerds (aka bibliologists) at TBR have recommended over 160,000 books to readers of all kinds. Let TBR match you with your next favorite read! Simply fill out a quick survey about what you want more of in your reading life, and your bibliologist will scour their bookish knowledge to find three reads they think you’ll love. Choose from receiving just the recommendations via email, or opt to have paperbacks or hardcovers delivered right to your door. Get started for only $18 at mytbr.co! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. News Robert de Niro is starring in the adaptation of Alex North’s thrille
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Mysteries and Thrillers for Your Next Book Club
21/03/2025 Duration: 50minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend mysteries and thrillers for book clubs! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations! The professional book nerds (aka bibliologists) at TBR have recommended over 160,000 books to readers of all kinds. Let TBR match you with your next favorite read! Simply fill out a quick survey about what you want more of in your reading life, and your bibliologist will scour their bookish knowledge to find three reads they think you’ll love. Choose from receiving just the recommendations via email, or opt to have paperbacks or hardcovers delivered right to your door. Get started for only $18 at mytbr.co! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. News Louise Penny announces that she will not have any book tour dates in th
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Feminist Mysteries
07/03/2025 Duration: 50minKatie McLain Horner and honorary reading assassin Liberty Hardy talk about mysteries with feminist themes for Women's History Month. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations! The professional book nerds (aka bibliologists) at TBR have recommended over 160,000 books to readers of all kinds. Let TBR match you with your next favorite read! Simply fill out a quick survey about what you want more of in your reading life, and your bibliologist will scour their bookish knowledge to find three reads they think you’ll love. Choose from receiving just the recommendations via email, or opt to have paperbacks or hardcovers delivered right to your door. Get started for only $18 at mytbr.co! News Bram Stoker Award finalists Janelle Monáe to Play Tanya Smith, Con Artist Behind $40 Million Heist, in ‘Never Saw Me Coming’ Movie Adaptation Th
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Destination Book Recommendations
21/02/2025 Duration: 43minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend books set in the locations of their 2025 vacations! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! A new year means a new Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons. To get recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. All Access subscribers get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. You can become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year to get unlimited access to all members-only content in 20+ newsletters, community features, and the warm fuzzies of knowing you are supporting independent media. To join, visit bookriot.com/readharder. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commiss
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Mysteries and Thrillers for Black History Month
07/02/2025 Duration: 45minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend mysteries and thrillers for Black History Month! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! A new year means a new Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons. To get recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. All Access subscribers get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. You can become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year to get unlimited access to all members-only content in 20+ newsletters, community features, and the warm fuzzies of knowing you are supporting independent media. To join, visit bookriot.com/readharder. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission
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Our Book Recommendations for the 2025 Read Harder Challenge
24/01/2025 Duration: 44minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend mystery and thriller books to fulfill prompts for the 2025 Read Harder Challenge. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! A new year means a new Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons. To get recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. All Access subscribers get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. You can become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year to get unlimited access to all members-only content in 20+ newsletters, community features, and the warm fuzzies of knowing you are supporting independent media. To join, visit bookriot.com/readharder. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we
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Our Most Anticipated Books of 2025
10/01/2025 Duration: 36minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their most anticipated thriller and mystery books of 2025. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! A new year means a new Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons. To get recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. All Access subscribers get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. You can become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year to get unlimited access to all members-only content in 20+ newsletters, community features, and the warm fuzzies of knowing you are supporting independent media. To join, visit bookriot.com/readharder. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate co
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[Rerun] Our Most Anticipated Books of the First Half of 2024
27/12/2024 Duration: 49minWe are off this holiday week, so we're sharing this rerun from the top of the year to reflect back on the titles we were most looking forward to in the first half of 2024! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. NEWS “Our Most Anticipated Crime Fiction Novels of 2024” (Novel Suspects) BOOKS DISCUSSED One of the Good Guys - Araminta Hall (January 9) The Night of the Storm - Nishita Parekh (Jan. 16th) The Hunter - Tana French (March 5) Blessed Water - Margot Douaihy (March 12th) The Woods All Black - Lee Mandelo (March 19th) The Angel of Indian Lake - Stephen Graham Jones (March 26th) Butter: A Novel of Food & Murder - Asako Yuzuki, transl. Polly Barton (April 16) One of Us Knows - Alyssa Cole (April 16) Supplication - Nour Abi-Nakhoul (May 24th) Middle of the Night - Riley Sager (June 18
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Our Favorite Books of 2024
13/12/2024 Duration: 49minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their favorite books from 2024! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! At Tailored Book Recommendations, we’ve recommended over 150,000 books to readers of every type. And we’ve got good news— TBR makes a novel gift for the book lover on your list! All your gift recipient has to do is fill out a survey about their reading likes and dislikes, and our expert bibliologists will use their bookish knowledge to round up three personalized recommendations for reads we think they’ll love. Whether they’re a mystery maven, a historical fiction fanatic, or a contemporary connoisseur, we’ve got the chops to match the book lover in your life with their next favorite read. And it only takes a few clicks to gift TBR! Simply head to mytbr.co/gift to get started. You can even schedule the delivery of the welcome email, which means no more waiting on gifts to arr
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Mysteries and Thrillers for Indigenous Peoples' Month
29/11/2024 Duration: 42minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books for Indigenous Peoples' Month! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! Keep up to date with the world of books and reading with Today in Books, Book Riot's daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. Our editors offer commentary, context, and the occasional clap-back to keep you informed and entertained. Visit bookriot.com/todayinbooks to subscribe for free, or become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year and get unlimited access to members-only content in 20+ newsletters, community features, and the warm fuzzies knowing you are supporting independent media. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Books Discussed Exposure - Ramona Emerson Highway of Tears: A True Story of Racism, Indifference
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Holiday Gift Guide 2024
15/11/2024 Duration: 51minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their 2024 holiday gift guide! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! Keep up to date with the world of books and reading with Today in Books, Book Riot's daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. Our editors offer commentary, context, and the occasional clap-back to keep you informed and entertained. Visit bookriot.com/todayinbooks to subscribe for free, or become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year and get unlimited access to members-only content in 20+ newsletters, community features, and the warm fuzzies knowing you are supporting independent media. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. News Goodreads Choice Awards 2024 Books Discussed They All Fall the Same by Wes Browne The Alienist b
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Scary Season Send Off!
01/11/2024 Duration: 43minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books for a scary season send-off! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Books Discussed The Spite House - Johnny Compton The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story - Olga Tokarczuk, Trans. Antonia Lloyd-Jones The Little Stranger - Sarah Waters The Hunger - Alma Katsu Model Home - Rivers Solomon This Girl’s a Killer - Emma C. Wells Pony Confidential - Christina Lynch If you want to send an email with feedback or show suggestions, you can reach us at readordead@bookriot.com. Otherwise you can: Find Katie on Twitter @kt_librarylady Find Kendra on Instagram and Twitter @kdwinchester and on TikTok @kendrawinchester And we will talk to you all next time! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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The New York Times's Best Books of the 21st Century
18/10/2024 Duration: 50minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss mysteries and thrillers from The New York Times’s Best Books of the 21st Century! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! This October, Tailored Book Recommendations is giving away a pair of Beats Fit Pro headphones! TBR is the perfect way to take the guesswork out of finding your next favorite read. To get started with TBR, just fill out a quick survey about your reading likes and dislikes, and we’ll pair you with a professional book nerd— aka bibliologist— who uses their bookish knowledge to match you with three books they think you’ll dig. You can sign up to receive your recommendations via email or have your bibliologist’s picks delivered right to your door as either hardcovers or paperbacks. And if you sign up or gift TBR in the month of October, you’ll be automatically entered to win a pair of Beats Fit Pro headphones! Current TBR subsc
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The It Books of October 2024
04/10/2024 Duration: 56minKatie and Kendra have been affected by Hurricane Helene, so we are bringing you this episode from the Book Riot Podcast in which Jeff and Rebecca consider 10 books (including a couple of buzzy mysteries!) and crown one of them the It Book of the Month. Subscribe to the Book Riot Podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter! Check out the Book Riot Podcast Book Page on Thriftbooks! The Book Riot Podcast Patreon This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: Operation Airdrop The Message The Mighty Red Slaveroad The Bog Wife The Boyfriend The Revenge of The Tipping Point What I Ate in One Year Sonny Boy Meditations for Mortals Absolution Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Book Picks for Latine Heritage Month!
20/09/2024 Duration: 47minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books for Latine Heritage Month! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! Join Book Riot's editorial staff and expert guest writers at The Deep Dive, your destination for deep thoughts on all things reading, behind-the-scenes insights, informed takes, and so much more. Whether we're analyzing book deal trends, whittling down the best books of the century, or letting you in on the best book club book of the summer, you'll find something to nerd out over and enrich your reading life. With decades of experience in books and publishing between us, we have a wealth of knowledge, thoughts, and curated goodness we can't wait to share with you. Go ahead and take the plunge. Visit bookriot.com/deepdive to subscribe for free, or become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year and get unlimited access to members-only content in 20+ n
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Must-Read Sequels
06/09/2024 Duration: 58minKatie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss must-read sequels! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! Join Book Riot's editorial staff and expert guest writers at The Deep Dive, your destination for deep thoughts on all things reading, behind-the-scenes insights, informed takes, and so much more. Whether we're analyzing book deal trends, whittling down the best books of the century, or letting you in on the best book club book of the summer, you'll find something to nerd out over and enrich your reading life. With decades of experience in books and publishing between us, we have a wealth of knowledge, thoughts, and curated goodness we can't wait to share with you. Go ahead and take the plunge. Visit bookriot.com/deepdive to subscribe for free, or become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year and get unlimited access to members-only content in 20+ newsletters, co