Jul 31, 2026 · 1 min listen · Last updated July 31, 2026
From storyflo. This is your daily audio brief. Here are today's top 5 true crime stories. Let's get into it. First, from CrimeReads (Literary Hub). The 8 Best Fake Crime Novels in Film and TV, Ranked.
Listen · storyflo · true-crime
Daily True Crime Brief · July 31st
0:00-1:18
Pick your daily storyteller
Subscribe to match with Theo, Jessica, Chloe, Mason, Brock — your voice, every brief.
Audio pre-rendered by Storyflo · cached + delivered from the edge
The 8 Best Fake Crime Novels in Film and TV, Ranked
So, many years ago, when we were still in-office (so, I guess, 2019), Dwyer Murphy and I joked about putting together a list of the best fake crime novels in film and TV. You know, you’ll be watching a show and one of the characters will be a writer, and they’ll be writing a book. And sometimes that book is a mystery.
How Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld Melded Their Visions for a New Novel and Turned it Into an Epic Family Crime Saga
On July 21, our first cowritten novel published. Unlike many collaborations, particularly by married couples, The Mortons isn’t a two-hander. This dark tale of an ancient crime family is told from a single point of view, but informed by our distinct upbringings. Justine was raised in Australia and moved to the US as an adult. Her favorite crime writers are Attica Locke, Charlotte McConaghy, and Walker Mosley. Scott was born in Texas and grew up all over the US. His faves are Patricia Highsmith and Jim Thompson.
Scott
“What if you made it Dark Academia?” I asked.
“No.
A mystery lover’s guide to what’s new to streaming this weekend.
The Bombing of Pan Am 103
(Netflix)
This chronicle of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing is far and away one of the best detective series you’ll come across this year. The show, which stars Connor Swindells, Patrick J. Adams, and Merritt Weaver, focuses on the years-long investigation into the tragedy, the battle on behalf of victims’ families, and the incredibly complex cross-jurisdictional hurdles to the detectives taking on the case.
Sinners, Saints and Screenplays: On Jim Thompson and Stanley Kubrick
Recently I’ve been watching my former Chelsea, NYC neighbor Ethan Hawke in the cool FX neo-noir series The Lowdown, which is streaming on Hulu. Though I won’t get into the plot of this sizzling southern tale, I was quite surprised (and happy) to see the books of author Jim Thompson get equal screen time alongside actors Keith David, Jeanne Trippehorn and Kyle MacLachian.
The Best Crime Novels, Mysteries, and Thrillers of August 2026
There’s a lot of heavy hitters coming out this August, all of which are impossible oneself away from (I should know). Below, you’ll find the following: new series installments from Robert Jackson Bennett and William Kent Krueger, the first in a new series from Robyn Gigl, moody character studies from Lawrence Osborne and Chris Bohjalian, daring thrillers from Jennifer Hillier and Josh Silver, haunting gothics from Riley Sager, Donyae Coles, and Jennifer Givhan, and high-concept mysteries from Ellery Lloyd and Raphael Montes.
Robyn Gigl, All We Hide
(Soho Crime)
I’m psyched for Robyn Gigl’s All