Unreliable Sources cover art

Unreliable Sources

Unreliable Sources

By: Mike Donohue Books
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 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.Mike Donohue Books Art Literary History & Criticism
Episodes
  • Ep. #19 | 5 Reacher-like Series, Sherlock Holmes, The Wicked Bible, and Dark Times

    Ep. #19 | 5 Reacher-like Series, Sherlock Holmes, The Wicked Bible, and Dark Times
    Apr 3 2026

    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 series that come closest to scratching that same itch.


    Books & topics mentioned:– The eternal appeal of Sherlock Holmes– Yale's errata exhibition and the Wicked Bible of 1631– Barnes & Noble's brick-and-mortar comeback

    – Film Noir quotes– The Keeper by Tana French (final Cal Hooper novel)– Sorry for Your Loss by Georgia McVeigh– Two Kinds of Stranger by Steve Cavanagh (Eddie Flynn #9)

    – The Survivor by Andrew Reid– Reacher deep dive: Peter Ash (Nick Petrie), Orphan X (Gregg Hurwitz), The Gray Man (Mark Greaney), Joe Pike (Robert Crais), Quinn Colson (Ace Atkins)– What I'm reading/watching: Dark Times (Nick Petrie), Don't Let Him In (Lisa Jewell — audio)

    📚 Like twisty books and tense shows? Subscribe for bi-weekly episodes packed with killer reads, news, and sharp takes.

    🌐 Learn more: ⁠https://mikedonohuebooks.com⁠


    Until next time—stay sharp, follow the clues, and don't trust anyone who skips to the end.
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    15 mins
  • Ep. #18 | 2025 Thrillers You Missed, London Book Fair, Hard Times & War Machine

    Ep. #18 | 2025 Thrillers You Missed, London Book Fair, Hard Times & War Machine
    Mar 20 2026
    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 books of 2025 that flew completely under the radar—six hidden gems that deserve a second look before they hit paperback.Books & topics mentioned:London Book Fair 2026 wrap-up & Idris Elba's Exiles thriller dealA Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay — adaptation finally movingJohn Marrs on the author impersonation scam targeting writersBookRiot's Best Mystery & Thrillers of the Century So FarThe Hiding Season by Ava GlassEveryone in This Bank is a Thief by Benjamin StevensonFinlay Donovan Crosses the Line by Elle CosimanoHard Times by Jeff BoydMissed 2025 thrillers deep dive: Ruth, Run (Elizabeth Kaufman), The House on Buzzards Bay (Dwyer Murphy), Leverage (Amran Gowani), Crooks (Lou Berney), Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Ace Atkins), The Living and the Dead (Christoffer Carlsson)What I'm reading/watching: The Dark Time (Nick Petrie), The Guilty Sleep (Jeremy Baker — audio), War Machine (Netflix)📚 Like twisty books and tense shows? Subscribe for bi-weekly episodes packed with killer reads, news, and sharp takes.🌐 Learn more: ⁠https://mikedonohuebooks.com⁠Until next time—stay sharp, follow the clues, and don't trust anyone who skips to the end.
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    13 mins
  • Ep. #17 | The Amateur Sleuth, Left Coast Crime & Wolf Hour

    Ep. #17 | The Amateur Sleuth, Left Coast Crime & Wolf Hour
    Mar 6 2026

    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 more culturally urgent, from Poe and Miss Marple to Gone Girl and Richard Osman's 15-million-copy empire.


    Books & topics mentioned:– Alabama Booksmith — The New Yorker's profile of America's strangest bookstore– The book-to-film adaptation debate — NPR & Cultured magazine– Publishing scams — New York Times investigation– 2026 Left Coast Crime Lefty Award winners– RIP Dan Simmons — Hyperion, The Terror, and the Joe Kurtz noir trilogy– The Tree of Light and Flowers by Thomas Perry– The Crossroads by C.J. Box– I Did Not Kill My Husband by Linda Keir– The Best Little Motel in Texas by Lyla Lane– Amateur sleuth deep dive — Poe, Christie, Flynn, Osman, and the psychology of institutional distrust– What I'm reading/watching: Wolf Hour (Jo Nesbø), Home Is Where the Bodies Are (Jeneva Rose — audio), Steal (Amazon Prime Video)


    📚 Like twisty books and tense shows? Subscribe for bi-weekly episodes packed with killer reads, news, and sharp takes.

    🌐 Learn more: https://mikedonohuebooks.com

    Until next time—stay sharp, follow the clues, and don't trust anyone who skips to the end.
    Show More Show Less
    13 mins
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