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UnderratedReads is devoted to discovering underrated books and under-represented authors. We highlight hidden gems from around the world–honest reviews only, never pay-to-play.
Category Archives: Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Rat Town Blues: Slag Ferguson, Book One – Brian Kaufman
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Mark “Slag” Ferguson, an unlicensed private investigator and part-time bartender is always trying to make ends meet. However now in his mid-thirties, he finds himself thrust into a pair of cases that quickly spin beyond his … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged detective fiction, infidelity, noir, self-destruction
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The Boys Are Back in Town: A Brody James Mystery – Karl Kling
(Reviewed by Don Jung) Brody James leaves the military to get a job in the Police Department of his hometown that he left fifteen years ago after graduating from high school. He reunites with old school acquaintances as he settles … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged crime fiction, military, police
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The Bolden Cylinder A Bruneau Abellard Novel – Norman Woolworth
(Reviewed by JD Jung) I was excited to read The Bolden Cylinder because of its promise of jazz and its New Orleans setting—two of my favorite things. What I got was so much more: a richly layered mystery involving arson, … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged friendship, history, jazz, New Orleans
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Proven Innocence – Mary J. Rocco
(Reviewed by Ann Onymous ) What would you do if you found yourself suddenly awake — In total darkness…. Where am I? You don’t know Who you are You don’t know Why When Or How you got there. This intriguing … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged addiction, greed, murder
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The SILO – G. S. Heist, Greg Heist
(Reviewed by Don Jung) This psychological thriller happens in one day. Well- written with vivid character development, we see Frank Braun on his last day before retiring from the Police Department. He gets an unusual request to interrogate young Jacob … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, Reviewers' Top Picks
Tagged abuse, psychological thriller
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All We Trust – Gregory Galloway
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Half-brothers Peck and Al, launder money for a local crime lord through a bar and hardware store. They have been partners in petty crime since childhood, but adulthood has only deepened their dependence on each other. … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged crime fiction, grief, loyalty
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Leverage – Amran Gowani
(Reviewed by JD Jung) At only twenty-seven-year-old, Ali Jafar is a high-performing hedge fund manager for Prism Capital in San Francisco. He’s smart, respected, and has earned the confidence of his powerful boss, Paul Kingsley, founder of the firm and … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged exploitation, hedge fund, investments, racism, thriller
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The Yellow Dog – Georges Simenon (translated by Linda Asher)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Originally published in 1931, in English in 1939, and now re-released in English, The Yellow Dog offers readers a taste of Georges Simenon’s signature crime storytelling. Set in the small seaside town of Concarneau, France, a … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, French Literature, Lost and almost forgotten
Tagged cozy mystery, crime fiction, France
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The Obsessions of Harvey Usher – David Putnam
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “ Eighty-three-year-old Harvey Usher is a recluse who still, after two years, mourns the death of his wife. When he finds a young woman inside his house who claims to be his wife, he’s sure that … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged Crime, crime thriller, psychological thriller
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Wordsworth in Bogotá – Scott E. Sundby
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Colombian drug lord Diego Velasquez is facing financial ruin. It’s right after 9/11, and the U.S. borders are tightening, and corrupt officials are now refusing bribes. His two sons represent the family’s split identity: Carlos, … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged drug cartels, English literature, poetry, Wordsworth
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