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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: Fiction
Invisible Helix – Keigo Higashino (Author), Giles Murray (Translator)
(Reviewed by JD Jung) “ If you’re searching for a crime thriller that grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go, Invisible Helix is the novel for you. When homicide detectives investigate a plausible murder: a man floating … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, Far Eastern Literature
Tagged crime thriller, family, homicide, murder, Tokyo
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Second Pocket First – Gregory Grosvenor
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Issey had always been a thief, but not a particularly good one. The thrill of lifting someone’s property was overwhelming since he was a boy stealing mail. Lockpicking was his specialty, but as an adult working … Continue reading
The Book Censor’s Library – Bothayna Al-Essa , translated from the Arabic by Ranya Abdelrahman and Sawad Hussain
(Reviewed by JD Jung) This cautionary tale takes place “sometime in the future, in a place that would be pointless to name, since it resembles every other place.” All I know is that it is at a time … Continue reading
Posted in Middle Eastern Literature, Political fiction, Sci-Fi/Speculative/Fantasy/Mythology, Social Justice
Tagged censorship, freedom, liberty, library, Social satire
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Tenth Commandment: A Cat Caliban Mystery (The Cat Caliban Mysteries) – D. B. Borton
(Reviewed by Pat Luboff) “I’m too tired. I just want to go to bed with a book.” In Chapter 1, sixty- one -year-old Cat was asked what she was good at. She thinks: “Certainly not marriage or motherhood or … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged book reviews. fiction, murder
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Trust Issues – Katherine Nichols
(Reviewed by JD Jung) From the moment you pick up Trust Issues and are drawn in by its intriguing cover, you might expect a romance or women’s fiction story. But don’t be fooled—this novel packs a crime thriller punch, brimming … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged Atlanta, corruption, Crime, crime fiction, murder, mystery, suspense
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Curdle Creek – Yvonne Battle-Felton
(Reviewed by JD Jung) It’s around 1960 and the residents of Curdle Creek never leave for any reason. Black residents have lived there for generations and believe that anywhere outside this small remote town is dangerous. An exception to … Continue reading
Posted in Dark/Sordid/Bizarre, Horror, Sci-Fi/Speculative/Fantasy/Mythology
Tagged horror, magic, mystical, ritual
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California Rain – Frank McAdams
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Set against the backdrop of 1950s America, California Rain delivers a gripping noir thriller that blends the intrigue of political scandal, the fight for justice, along with the glamour of old Hollywood. With an evocative sense … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, Historical Fiction
Tagged crime fiction, Hollywood, murder, noir
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Pieces: Maddy Reynolds in the Crosshairs – John Netti
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Detective Maddy Reynolds was so burned out from her job that she decided to take early retirement and move to the small, quiet town of Berry Lake, New York. Little did she know that her … Continue reading
Posted in Crime, Mystery and Thrillers
Tagged Crime, New York, serial killers
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Low-Hanging Fruit: Sparkling Whines, Champagne Problems, and Pressing Issues from My Gay Agenda – Randy Rainbow
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Who would write a Dear John letter to social media in order to get control over his attention span and basically his entire life? And how do you even navigate the damn thing? Or how about … Continue reading
Posted in Bios and Memoirs, Humor & Satire, Non-fiction
Tagged comedy, essays, social media, Social satire
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The Propagandist – Cécile Desprairies, translated by Natasha Lehrer
(Reviewed by JD Jung) Our protagonist had to navigate between truth and lies, reality and denial for her entire childhood. Now as an adult and a historian, she must face these truths and the role her mother played in Fance … Continue reading
Posted in French Literature, Historical Fiction
Tagged anti-antisemitism, France, Nazism, propaganda, WWII
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