Unreliable Sources

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers Goodreads' mid-year most-read list and what it reveals about where genre readers are right now, Anna Kendrick finally taking the director's chair on The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo , and a feel-good story about authors opening bookstores for all the wrong (right...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue takes on the Guardian's 100 Best Novels of All Time list (crime fiction fans will have thoughts), the Atlantic's piece on typos, and James Patterson putting $10 million behind getting kids to read. He then dives into ten crime series for readers who've burned through...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue runs through a bumper crop of awards news — ThrillerFest winners, Anthony nominations, the Capital Crime Fingerprint Award shortlists, and a belated Edgar catch-up. On the streaming front, the creator of Adolescence has a new limited series that won't help you sleep. He spot...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue celebrates Indie Bookstore Day, investigates the habits of people who read hundreds of books a year, and previews the stacked Theakston Crime Writing Festival lineup in Harrogate. On the adaptation front: talking sheep solve a murder (seriously), and Nicolas Cage goes noir as a...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers the biggest author identity reveal in years, Norway's century-old Easter crime fiction obsession that will make you want to book a cabin immediately, and the London crime festival you should already have on your calendar. He then dives deep into the best crime and thr...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers the timeless appeal of Sherlock Holmes, Yale's fascinating new exhibition on five centuries of publishing typos (really), and the unlikely resurgence of Barnes & Noble. He then dives deep into the knight errant formula that makes Jack Reacher work—and spotlights f...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers the biggest news out of the London Book Fair—including Idris Elba's splashy new MI6 thriller series—a cautionary tale about scammers impersonating authors to target aspiring writers, and a BookRiot list worth bookmarking for your next TBR emergency. He then dives into...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue celebrates the world's strangest bookstore, weighs in on the eternal book-to-film adaptation debate, warns aspiring authors about a growing wave of publishing scams, and pays tribute to the late Dan Simmons. He then dives deep into the amateur sleuth exploring why ordinary p...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue digs into the controversy around Michael Connelly's true crime podcast Killer in the Code and why even the best crime fiction minds can fall into confirmation bias, covers Mike Flanagan's latest Stephen King adaptation announcement, and spotlights strong new releases fro...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue explores the rise of absurdly long book titles dominating mystery shelves, shares a heartwarming story about a decade-old book club at Rikers Island, covers the boom in book retreat travel, and gets excited about Damon Lindelof adapting Adrian McKinty's The Chain for HBO. He...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue explores the harsh economics of indie bookshops (and why we still dream of owning one), celebrates classic crime stories entering the public domain, and shares exciting adaptation news for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware novels. He spot...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers encouraging reading habit data proving mysteries and thrillers still dominate, the most borrowed library books of 2025, and the massive wave of crime fiction adaptations hitting screens in 2026. He spotlights stormy new releases from Rachel Hawkins, Lucy Clarke, and Lori...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue explores the slow death of mass market paperbacks, unpacks why certain books become overnight blockbusters, and celebrates the eclectic 2026 Tournament of Books shortlist that doesn't shy away from genre fiction. He spotlights new releases perfect for winter reading, then dives...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue celebrates the enduring magic of used bookstores, profiles Manhattan's legendary Argosy Books (still run by three sisters in their 80s and 90s), explores the fascinating origins behind this year's Booker Prize shortlist, and pays tribute to country noir master Daniel Woo...

Welcome to Unreliable Source s—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue examines year-end "best of 2025" lists from Barnes & Noble, Publisher's Weekly, and Esquire, reports on the Baker & Taylor bankruptcy crisis threatening library book access nationwide, and explores the complicated ethics of posthumous manuscripts. He then d...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers a real-life rare books heist that reads like fiction, updates on Miami Vice and Bosch adaptations, and spotlights massive fall releases from Joe Hill, Louise Penny, and John Grisham. He then dives deep into why horror mystery thriller mashups are so addictive—exploring th...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers the latest crime-fiction headlines—including Vince Gilligan's mysterious new Pluribus series, casting updates for Netflix's All the Sinners Bleed , and the rise of book bikes bringing literature to communities. He spotlights compelling new releases ranging from ps...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue explores why Boston makes the perfect crime fiction setting, celebrates major literary discoveries, and examines new books analyzing Hitchcock's thriller masterpieces. He spotlights fresh releases, then takes a deep dive into our complicated fascination with serial killer fi...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue explores the death of narrative podcasts (RIP Serial), examines the beautiful hellscape that is Goodreads, and covers Bouchercon 2025 highlights including Anthony Award winners. He also spotlights new fall releases, dives into how Hitchcock's suspense techniques still influe...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue explores the cozy crime revival led by Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club , checks out international award news from New Zealand's Ngaio Marsh Awards, and dives into the wild world of modern book clubs—from Bad Bitch Book Club summer camps to audiobook walking groups....

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers fall's most anticipated crime fiction releases, disappointing news from the AP, and international award recognition. He spotlights new releases including a time-loop Japanese mystery, takes a deep dive into Canadian crime fiction beyond Louise Penny, and shares what he's...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue runs through the week’s crime-fiction headlines — from the Obamas’ Higher Ground picking up S.A. Cosby’s All the Sinners Bleed for Netflix and flags a slate of late-summer adaptations. He also spotlights new releases, dives into how 1970s crime fiction reshaped the genre (Travis...

Welcome back to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this in-between mini episode, thriller author Mike Donohue runs through the variety pack of crime fiction that he is planning to read during his August holidays. Books mentioned: - Killing Moon by Jo Nesbo - King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby - The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware - Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson - City...

Welcome back to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue dives into the world of Elmore Leonard, spurred by a revealing New Yorker profile and the new biography Cooler Than Cool . Plus: new books to watch, adaptation buzz, and crime fiction news you might have missed. Books & topics mentioned: – Cooler Than Cool by C.M. Kushi...

Welcome to Unreliable Sources —a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this debut episode, thriller author Mike Donohue lays out what to expect from the show, covers the 2025 CWA Dagger Awards, hot new releases, and breaks down three gateway mysteries for new and seasoned fans alike. 🕵️‍♂️ Books & topics mentioned: – The Book of Secrets by Anna Mazzola (CWA Gold Dagger Winner) – Dark Ri...