While most people wouldn't commit the crimes they read about, crime fiction allows readers to get familiar with the private, darker sides of human nature.

The Mystery of the Crooked Man by Tom Spencer "Sometimes you know immediately that a book is going to get under your skin and stay there," said Sarah Weinman in The New York Times.Within the first ...

The smart, spiky series, set in 1940s New York City, is pure joy to read, and this installment — in which Pentecost faces a murder charge herself — is the best yet.