Here’s what’s happening in the world of mystery news: we have two more Best of 2025 lists, authors fighting back against their work being pirated to train AI, David Baldacci’s new initiative, adaptation news, and more!
A great profile on Rian Johnson
The New Yorker has a great profile on Rian Johnson, whose work shows his deep love for Agatha Christie. “Johnson had wanted the mystery to be ‘set in the current social climate,’ he told me, ‘and to engage with that in the way that Agatha Christie did with her time.'”
3 crime authors and the $1.5 billion AI settlement
People magazine dove into the class action lawsuit Bartz vs. Anthropic, where authors accused the AI company of pirating their work to train its AI. The case has become the largest “copyright recovery in history” with a $1.5 billion settlement. You can read more about the case and the three crime authors— Andrea Bartz, Charles Graeber, and Kirk Wallace Johnson—who became the face of the lawsuit.
David Baldacci hopes to make things better
The Washington Post has a great profile on thriller author David Baldacci, with a focus on his new initiative—that includes a $13 million donation—to help reteach “the populace how to be informed members of a democracy.”
Simone St. James novel to be adapted
The Book of Cold Cases adaptation—which uses the true crime blogger trope—has sold in a bidding war to MGM Television. It’s still in early stages, but this is a great book that can make for a very eerie and dark series.
Taraji P. Henson is adapting 50 Cent’s novel
Last year Curtis Jackson (50 Cent) and Aaron Phillip Clark published the crime novel The Accomplice. Now Variety reports that the streamer Peacock has picked up the adaptation for development. Taraji P. Henson stars as a Texas Ranger chasing a thief, and you can count me seated.
More Best Mystery and Thrillers of 2025 Lists
Join All Access to read this article
Get access to exclusive content and features with an All Access subscription on Book Riot.
- Unlimited access to exclusive bonus content
- Community features like commenting and poll participation
- Our gratitude for supporting the work of an independent media company
Browse the books recommended in Unusual Suspects’ previous newsletters on this shelf, and see 2025 and 2026 releases! Until next time, come talk books with me on Bluesky, Goodreads, Litsy, and Multitudes Contained.
If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you or you read it on bookriot.com and you’d like to get it right in your inbox, you can sign up here.
English (US) · 