Aug 27, 2026 · 4 min listen · Last updated August 27, 2026
From storyflo. This is your daily audio brief. Here are today's top 6 true crime stories. Let's get into it. First, from CrimeReads (Literary Hub). 7 Great Horror Novels Set in the American South. : magnolia trees, Southern hospitality, soul food, barbeque, and sweet tea.
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Daily True Crime Brief · August 27th
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7 Great Horror Novels Set in the American South
There are certain stereotypes associated with the Southern U.S.: magnolia trees, Southern hospitality, soul food, barbeque, and sweet tea. There’s also the heat, or worse yet, the humidity. Don’t forget the mosquitos, swamps, and alligators. They’re stereotypes, sure. And I’ve seen or experienced every one. Not only do I love writing horror based in the South, I love reading it as well.
Clare Edge on Using Small Town Settings to Create Locked Room Mysteries
When someone mentions they’re from a very small town, I can’t help but ask, “How small, exactly?” I understand this makes me sound like an asshole, but often people reply with something like “There were a hundred and fifty kids in my graduating class” or “No, it was tiny—there were only 6,000 people.” And yes, compared the suburban and urban upbringings of most Americans, those towns definitely qualify as small. But when I say I grew up in a small town, I mean small. I mean, under one thousand year-round residents. I mean, I was the top ten percent of my graduating class.
5 Novels That Explore and Expand the Possibilities of Women’s Crime Fiction
The day my editor asked me to write a Women’s Fiction series I immediately said, Yes! Followed by, what’s Women’s Fiction? Isn’t all fiction Women’s Fiction? I mean, I read everything. And it’s not like there’s a genre called Men’s Fiction. So…what are you talking about? This begs the question, why does genre matter? The classification of genre determines which section a book belongs in a bookstore or library. Genre also creates certain reader expectations. If you want an epic tale of love and loss during the Revolutionary War you’re probably not going to the Sci-Fi shelf.
The Best Psychological Thrillers of the Month: August 2026
Here are six scintillating thrillers to finish out the summer. Enjoy! Jessica Hamilton, The Woods What if your family members were all replaced…by a better family? That’s the premise behind Jessica Hamilton’s folk horror-influenced thriller, in which grieving mother Alice finds a new home for her family, hoping they can move on from a terrible loss. The new house is the site of plenty of tragedy—a family was massacred there by the matriarch, convinced her children and husband had been replaced by some thing from the woods—but it’s not their tragedy, Alice reasons.
Pantser or Plotter: How Poe, Christie, King, and Other Greats Outlined Their Mysteries
I’m currently stuck in the bog of plot and planning. I’ve been here for a week trying to outline my next murder mystery/fantasy mash up. Being a plotter (and being horrified by the thought of writing a novel flying by the seat of my pants), I want to have everything decided before I start wasting digital ink.
Which International Movie Should You Watch This Weekend?
Radha Vatsal curates a selection of international mystery and suspense. Even thinking about The Cremator makes my skin crawl. Legendary Czech actor Rudolf Hrušínský plays Karel Kopfrkingl, soft-spoken family man and crematorium manager in 1930s Prague. “We’re a beautiful and blessed family,” he says to his wife and teenage son and daughter, “and I keep feeling I do so little for all of you.” When the Nazis arrive, Kopfrkingl’s love for his job veers into horrific directions. Hrušínský’s portrayal of Kopfrkingl makes you feel the chilly, clamminess of the man.