Read or Dead

Latest Episodes:

Forever, Read or Dead May 29, 2026

Show notes

To our Read or Dead listeners: After 9 years of bringing mysteries and thrillers to your ears, we are sorry to say that this will be our last episode. We want to thank you all for making this show so excellent, and we hope you’ll stick around as we celebrate our favorite Read or Dead memories in today’s episode.

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Books Discussed

The Widows of Malabar Hill - Sujata Massey
The Hunger - Alma Katsu
Miracle Creek - Angie Kim
Our Share of Night - Mariana Enriquez, Translated by Megan McDowell
The Reformatory - Tananarive Due
Seven Fallen Feathers - Tanya Talaga

If you want to send an email with feedback or show suggestions, you can reach us at readordead@bookriot.com.

Otherwise you can:

Find Katie on Twitter @kt_librarylady

Find Kendra on Instagram and BlueSky @kdwinchester

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Our Most Anticipated New Book Releases 2026 Pt. 2 May 15, 2026

Show notes

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their most anticipated new book releases for the second half of 2026.

News

Edgar Awards Winners 2026

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Books Discussed

Wisdom Corner - David Heska Wanbli Weiden (July 7th)
Helpless - Jessica Knoll (July 7th)
The Secret Dinner - Raphael Montes, transl. Zoe Perry (Aug 18th)
Back for Blood: Never Whistle at Night Part II b Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.(August 18th)
Mazywood - Tananarive Due (September 22nd)
The House of Gardenias - Isabel Cañas (September 29th)

If you want to send an email with feedback or show suggestions, you can reach us at readordead@bookriot.com.

Otherwise you can:

Find Katie on Twitter @kt_librarylady

Find Kendra on Instagram and BlueSky @kdwinchester

And we will talk to you all next time!

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Let's Talk About Retellings May 01, 2026

Show notes

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss retellings.

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Books Discussed

Wild Dark Shore - Charlotte McConaghy
Beth Is Dead - Katie Bernet
In the Hall With the Knife - Diana Peterfreund
The Weight of Blood - Tiffany D. Jackson
Jane Steele - Lyndsay Faye
And Then She Fell - Alicia Elliot
Boring Asian Female - Canwen Xu
Molka - Monika Kim

If you want to send an email with feedback or show suggestions, you can reach us at readordead@bookriot.com.

Otherwise you can:

Find Katie on Twitter @kt_librarylady

Find Kendra on Instagram and BlueSky @kdwinchester

And we will talk to you all next time!

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The Edgar Awards 2026 Apr 17, 2026

Show notes

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss some of the books nominated for the Edgar Awards!

News

Freida McFadden’s true identity revealed!

Things Mentioned

Book Club Pick: Butter - Asako Yuzuki, Translated by Polly Barton

The Edgar Awards

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Books Discussed

Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers - Caroline Fraser
The Dream Hotel - Laila Lalami
Blood in the Water - Tiffany D. Jackson
Wild Dark Shore - Charlotte McConaghy
Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man - Jessie Q. Sutanto
Japanese Gothic - Kylie Lee Baker
A Violent Masterpiece - Jordan Harper

If you want to send an email with feedback or show suggestions, you can reach us at readordead@bookriot.com.

Otherwise you can find Katie on Twitter @kt_librarylad and find Kendra on Instagram and BlueSky @kdwinchester. We will talk to you all next time!

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Missing Person Mysteries and Thrillers Apr 03, 2026

Show notes

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss missing person mysteries and thrillers.

News

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Books Discussed

In the Woods: A Novel (Dublin Murder Squad)In the Woods - Tana French
Monday’s Not Coming - Tiffany D. Jackson
Murder at Gull’s Nest - Jess Kidd
Find Her - Ginger Reno
Olive Oakes and the Haunted Carousel - Kalynn Bayron
Nothing Tastes As Good - Luke Dumas
The Keeper - Tana French

If you want to send an email with feedback or show suggestions, you can reach us at readordead@bookriot.com.

Otherwise, you can:

Find Katie on Twitter @kt_librarylady

Find Kendra on Instagram and BlueSky @kdwinchester

And we will talk to you all next time!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's Going On With True Crime? Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss the genre of true crime, the ethics behind it, and what writers are tackling questions around the genre today.

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Books Discussed

“On True Crime” - Myriam Gurba
Beth Is Dead - Katie Burnet
Whidbey - T Kira Madden
Unspeakable Acts: True Tales of Crime, Murder, Deceit, and Obsession - Sarah Weinman
Creep - Myriam Gurba
Everyone In This Bank Is a Thief - Benjamin Stevenson
The Curse of Hester Gardens - Tamika Thompson

If you want to send an email with feedback or show suggestions, you can reach us at readordead@bookriot.com.

Otherwise you can:

Find Katie on Twitter @kt_librarylady

Find Kendra on Instagram and BlueSky @kdwinchester

And we will talk to you all next time!

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Book Club: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore Mar 06, 2026

Show notes

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their second book club pick, The God of the Woods by Liz Moore.

Things Mentioned

Discussion Guide

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Books Discussed

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

If you want to send an email with feedback or show suggestions, you can reach us at readordead@bookriot.com.

Otherwise you can:

Find Katie on Twitter @kt_librarylady
Find Kendra on Instagram and BlueSky @kdwinchester

And we will talk to you all next time!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's Celebrate Black History Month All Year Long Feb 20, 2026

Show notes

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend books for Black History Month.

News

God of the Woods - Liz Moore - next book club read! - March 6th
E. Lockhart and Sarah Mlynowski are cowriting a new series featuring Nancy Drew as a divorced 40-year old Brooklyn mom who finds herself back in the sleuthing saddle.

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Books Discussed

A Hymn to Life - Gisele Pilicot, Translated by Natasha Lehrer and Ruth Diver Performed by Emma Thompson
The Body - Bethany C. Morrow
One of Us Knows - Alyssa Cole
Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America’s Most Powerful Mobster - Stephen Carter
The Star from Calcutta (A Perveen Mistry Novel) - Sujata Massey
Hooked: A Novel of Obsession - Asako Yuzuki, Translated by Polly Barton
Goodbye Earl - Leesa Cross-Smith
Dollface - Lindy Ryan

If you want to send an email with feedback or show suggestions, you can reach us at readordead@bookriot.com.

Otherwise you can:

Find Katie on Twitter @kt_librarylady

Find Kendra on Instagram and BlueSky @kdwinchester

And we will talk to you all next time!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Historical Mysteries Feb 06, 2026

Show notes

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend some of their favorite historical mysteries!

News

God of the Woods by Liz Moore - our next book club read! - March 6th
Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware series is being adapted for TV.
Adrian McKinty’s The Chain is getting a series adaptation at HBO.

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Books Discussed

Island Witch - Amanda Jayatissa
At the Water’s Edge - Sara Gruen
Murder at Gulls Nest - Jess Kidd
Murder at the Spirit Lounge - Jess Kidd
Even As We Breathe - Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle
Such a Perfect Family - Nalini Singh
Trad Wife - Saratoga Schaefer

If you want to send an email with feedback or show suggestions, you can reach us at readordead@bookriot.com.

Otherwise you can:

Find Katie on Twitter @kt_librarylady

Find Kendra on Instagram and BlueSky @kdwinchester and on TikTok @kendrawinchester

And we will talk to you all next time!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Time for the 2026 Read Harder Challenge! Jan 23, 2026

Show notes

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss some mystery and thriller recommendations for the 2026 Read Harder Challenge!

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Things Discussed

God of the Woods - Liz Moore - next book club read! - March 6th
Read Harder Challenge 2026

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Books Discussed

22) Nonviolent True Crime: The Dinosaur Artist: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Quest for Earth's Ultimate Trophy - Paige Williams
17) Cults: Kismet - Amina Akhtar
6) Read a gothic novel published in the last ten years - The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story - Olga Tokarczuk, Translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones
21) Read a genre (SFF, horror, mystery, romance) book in translation - Death Takes Me - Cristina Rivera Garza, Translated by Robin Myers and Sarah Booker
My Husband’s Wife - Alice Feeney (January 20th)
On Sundays She Picked Flowers - Yah-Yah Scholfield (Jan 27th)