Unreliable Sources
Unreliable Sources is your bi-weekly alibi for all things mystery, thriller, and suspense. Author Mike Donohue brings you 15-minute dispatches packed with shady characters, twisty plots, and dangerously good books—plus the occasional screen adaptation worth interrogating. If you crave clues, cold cases, and clever writing, tune in. Just remember: trust no one… especially the narrator.
Episodes
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem.
In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers Barnes & Noble's latest indie bookstore acquisition and what "independent" still means, the 2026 Ned Kelly Award winners, Quentin Tarantino's new Cliff Booth novel and film, and one reader's case for chopping up your books.
He spotlights new releases from Sarah Langan, Ann Cleeves, David McCloskey...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem.
Season two kicks off with thriller author Mike Donohue remembering Dolly Parton's legacy as a champion of reading. He also covers the McIlvanney Prize shortlist, a library perk that tracks how much your card saves you, and what an ampersand in a screen credit really means.
He spotlights new releases from Richard Osman, Garry Disher, Hank Phillippi Ryan,...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem.
In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers Goodreads' mid-year most-read list and what it reveals about where genre readers are right now, Anna Kendrick finally taking the director's chair on The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and a feel-good story about authors opening bookstores for all the wrong (right) reasons.
He then dives deep into why ...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem.
In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue takes on the Guardian's 100 Best Novels of All Time list (crime fiction fans will have thoughts), the Atlantic's piece on typos, and James Patterson putting $10 million behind getting kids to read.
He then dives into ten crime series for readers who've burned through every Bosch and Ballard novel and are sta...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem.
In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue runs through a bumper crop of awards news — ThrillerFest winners, Anthony nominations, the Capital Crime Fingerprint Award shortlists, and a belated Edgar catch-up. On the streaming front, the creator of Adolescence has a new limited series that won't help you sleep. He spotlights four new releases wort...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem.
In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue celebrates Indie Bookstore Day, investigates the habits of people who read hundreds of books a year, and previews the stacked Theakston Crime Writing Festival lineup in Harrogate. On the adaptation front: talking sheep solve a murder (seriously), and Nicolas Cage goes noir as a 1930s Spider-Man P.I. He then b...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem.
In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers the biggest author identity reveal in years, Norway's century-old Easter crime fiction obsession that will make you want to book a cabin immediately, and the London crime festival you should already have on your calendar.
He then dives deep into the best crime and thriller sequels ever written—w...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem.
In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers the timeless appeal of Sherlock Holmes, Yale's fascinating new exhibition on five centuries of publishing typos (really), and the unlikely resurgence of Barnes & Noble.
He then dives deep into the knight errant formula that makes Jack Reacher work—and spotlights five lone wolf thriller serie...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem.
In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers the biggest news out of the London Book Fair—including Idris Elba's splashy new MI6 thriller series—a cautionary tale about scammers impersonating authors to target aspiring writers, and a BookRiot list worth bookmarking for your next TBR emergency.
He then dives into the best thriller boo...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem.
In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue celebrates the world's strangest bookstore, weighs in on the eternal book-to-film adaptation debate, warns aspiring authors about a growing wave of publishing scams, and pays tribute to the late Dan Simmons.
He then dives deep into the amateur sleuth exploring why ordinary people solving crimes has never felt...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem.
In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue digs into the controversy around Michael Connelly's true crime podcast Killer in the Code and why even the best crime fiction minds can fall into confirmation bias, covers Mike Flanagan's latest Stephen King adaptation announcement, and spotlights strong new releases from Don Winslow, Johnny Compton, and Nal...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem.
In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue explores the rise of absurdly long book titles dominating mystery shelves, shares a heartwarming story about a decade-old book club at Rikers Island, covers the boom in book retreat travel, and gets excited about Damon Lindelof adapting Adrian McKinty's The Chain for HBO.
He spotlights new releases then dive...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem.
In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue explores the harsh economics of indie bookshops (and why we still dream of owning one), celebrates classic crime stories entering the public domain, and shares exciting adaptation news for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware novels.
He spotlights new releases including Alic...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem.
In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers encouraging reading habit data proving mysteries and thrillers still dominate, the most borrowed library books of 2025, and the massive wave of crime fiction adaptations hitting screens in 2026.
He spotlights stormy new releases from Rachel Hawkins, Lucy Clarke, and Lori Rader-Day then dives deep into...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue explores the slow death of mass market paperbacks, unpacks why certain books become overnight blockbusters, and celebrates the eclectic 2026 Tournament of Books shortlist that doesn't shy away from genre fiction.
He spotlights new releases perfect for winter reading, then dives deep into holiday book gifting&...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue celebrates the enduring magic of used bookstores, profiles Manhattan's legendary Argosy Books (still run by three sisters in their 80s and 90s), explores the fascinating origins behind this year's Booker Prize shortlist, and pays tribute to country noir master Daniel Woodrell.
He spotlights new releases from...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue examines year-end "best of 2025" lists from Barnes & Noble, Publisher's Weekly, and Esquire, reports on the Baker & Taylor bankruptcy crisis threatening library book access nationwide, and explores the complicated ethics of posthumous manuscripts.
He then dives deep into five forgotten mystery authors...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers a real-life rare books heist that reads like fiction, updates on Miami Vice and Bosch adaptations, and spotlights massive fall releases from Joe Hill, Louise Penny, and John Grisham.
He then dives deep into why horror mystery thriller mashups are so addictive—exploring the psychology behind book...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue covers the latest crime-fiction headlines—including Vince Gilligan's mysterious new Pluribus series, casting updates for Netflix's All the Sinners Bleed, and the rise of book bikes bringing literature to communities.
He spotlights compelling new releases ranging from psychological thrillers to horror-t...
Welcome to Unreliable Sources—a quick hit of mystery, murder, and mayhem. In this episode, thriller author Mike Donohue explores why Boston makes the perfect crime fiction setting, celebrates major literary discoveries, and examines new books analyzing Hitchcock's thriller masterpieces.
He spotlights fresh releases, then takes a deep dive into our complicated fascination with serial killer fiction—exploring the psycholo...
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