Read or Dead

The Edgar Awards 2026

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss some of the books nominated for the Edgar Awards! News Freida McFadden’s true identity revealed!...

Missing Person Mysteries and Thrillers

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss missing person mysteries and thrillers. News Liane Moriarty is writing a sequel to Big Little L...

What's Going On With True Crime?

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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

Book Club: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

06 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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

Let's Celebrate Black History Month All Year Long

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend books for Black History Month. News God of the Woods - Liz Moore - next book club read! - Mar...

Historical Mysteries

06 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend some of their favorite historical mysteries! News God of the Woods by Liz Moore - our next b...

It's Time for the 2026 Read Harder Challenge!

23 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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

Our Most Anticipated Books of 2026

09 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their favorite books of 2026! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get...

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens from Zero to Well-Read

26 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Read or Dead is taking a short holiday break, so we thought we'd share with you a recent episode from our newest Book Riot podcast, Zero to Well-Read,...

Our Favorite Books of 2025!

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their favorite books of 2025. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get...

It's Time for Native American Heritage Month 2025!

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend books for Native American Heritage Month and beyond. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podc...

Holiday Gift Guide 2025

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend books for Read or Dead's annual holiday gift guide. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podca...

Book Club: FIEND by Alma Katsu

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their very first book club pick, Fiend by Alma Katsu. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podca...

Down the Rabbit Hole with Fantastical Mysteries and Thrillers

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

de of the fantastic. Be sure to join us for our first book club to discuss The Fiend by Alma Katsu on October 31st. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS,...

Cozy Books, Cute Animals—What's Not to Love?

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books on the cozier end of the mystery spectrum. Plus, they all feature cute animals! Be sure to joi...

Women Writers for Latine Heritage Month

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Latine Heritage Month! Be sure to join us for our first book club to discuss The Fiend by Alma Katsu on October 31st. (Apologies—we said the 24th in...

Dark Academia Strikes Back!

05 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss dark academia novels. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even mo...

Historical Crime and Horror Novels

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss historical crime and horror novels! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. ...

Let's Celebrate Women in Translation Month!

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Month! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspec...

Books That Have Been on Our TBRs for Far Too Long

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books that they’ve been meaning to get to for far too long. No time like the present! Subscribe t...

Our Most Anticipated Mysteries and Thrillers of 2025 Pt. 2

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their most anticipated book for the second half of 2025. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Po...

Mysteries and Thrillers for Audiobook Month

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend some of their favorite mystery and thriller audiobooks. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple P...

Mysteries and Thrillers for Pride Month!

13 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend mysteries and thrillers for Pride Month. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spo...

Summer Reads from Real People

30 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend summer reads! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mys...

The 2025 Edgar Awards!

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend books from this year's Edgar Awards finalists! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts...

Our 200th Episode!

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester celebrate 200 hundred episodes of Read or Dead! Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Rec...

Genre-Bending Mysteries, Thrillers, and Horror Novels

18 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend genre-defying mysteries, thrillers, and horror novels! Trust your reading list to the experts at ...

Tackling Our Backlist TBRs

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books from their never-ending backlist TBRs. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or S...

Mysteries and Thrillers for Your Next Book Club

21 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend mysteries and thrillers for book clubs! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spot...

Feminist Mysteries

07 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and honorary reading assassin Liberty Hardy talk about mysteries with feminist themes for Women's History Month. Subscribe to the ...

Destination Book Recommendations

21 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend books set in the locations of their 2025 vacations! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcas...

Mysteries and Thrillers for Black History Month

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend mysteries and thrillers for Black History Month! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts,...

Our Book Recommendations for the 2025 Read Harder Challenge

24 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend mystery and thriller books to fulfill prompts for the 2025 Read Harder Challenge. Subscribe to the...

Our Most Anticipated Books of 2025

10 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their most anticipated thriller and mystery books of 2025. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple P...

[Rerun] Our Most Anticipated Books of the First Half of 2024

27 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We are off this holiday week, so we're sharing this rerun from the top of the year to reflect back on the titles we were most looking forward to in th...

Our Favorite Books of 2024

13 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their favorite books from 2024! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get...

Mysteries and Thrillers for Indigenous Peoples' Month

29 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books for Indigenous Peoples' Month! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. T...

Holiday Gift Guide 2024

15 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their 2024 holiday gift guide! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get ...

Scary Season Send Off!

01 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books for a scary season send-off! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. T...

The New York Times's Best Books of the 21st Century

18 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss mysteries and thrillers from The New York Times’s Best Books of the 21st Century! Subscribe to th...

The It Books of October 2024

04 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie and Kendra have been affected by Hurricane Helene, so we are bringing you this episode from the Book Riot Podcast in which Jeff and Rebecca cons...

Book Picks for Latine Heritage Month!

20 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books for Latine Heritage Month! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To ...

Must-Read Sequels

06 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss must-read sequels! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more ...

When in Romance Meets Read Or Dead!

23 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Kendra Winchester and special guest Trisha Brown discuss genre-bending romance and mystery books! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, o...

Mysteries & Thrillers for Women in Translation Month!

09 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books for Women in Translation Month! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify....

KNIVES OUT Readalikes

26 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and guest host Liberty Hardy talk about reading recommendations for fans of Knives Out! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple P...

Our Most Anticipated Books of 2024 Pt. 2!

12 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their most anticipated books for the second half of 2024! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple P...

Pride Month Recommendations for Mystery Lovers

28 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and guest host Liberty Hardy discuss LGBTQ mysteries for Pride Month! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify...

From Page to Screen

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books that they’d love to see turned into films, TV series, or mini-series. Subscribe to the podca...

Reading Each Other's Favorites

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books that they’ve recommended to each other! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or...

Book Picks for AANHPI Heritage Month

17 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss mysteries and thrillers for AANHPI Heritage Month! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts,...

Let's Get Cultish

03 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books about cults! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more my...

The 2024 Edgar Allan Poe Awards

19 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss mysteries and thrillers nominated for the 2024 Edgar Allan Poe Awards! Subscribe to the podcast via ...

Kill Us with Laughs

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss some books with a perfect sense of humor! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spoti...

European Mysteries and Thrillers

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss European mysteries and thrillers! Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the ...

Underrated Favorites

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss some of their underrated favorites! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To...

Book Picks Inspired By True Detective: Night Country

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books that feature super cold settings! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify...

Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books with threatening titles! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get ...

Books Old and New with Special Guest Liberty Hardy

26 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Kendra Winchester and special guest Liberty Hardy talk about old and new books. “Something old and something new, one host borrowed, the other dress...

Our Most Anticipated Books of the First Half of 2024

12 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester share the titles that they are most looking forward to in the first half of 2024! Subscribe to the podcast v...

Rerun: Our Most Anticipated Books of 2023

29 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie and Kendra are off this holiday week, but we thought it would be fun to share a rerun of our most anticipated books of 2023, which originally ai...

Our Favorite Books of 2023

15 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their favorite books of 2023! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get e...

Indigenous Authors for Native American Heritage Month

01 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books for Native American Heritage Month. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spoti...

Holiday Gift Guide 2023

17 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books perfect for holiday gifting! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To ...

All About Those Fangs — A Vampire Story

03 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester books about vampires! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more mystery...

Fall Book Club Picks

20 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss great picks for book clubs. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get eve...

Guest Post: The Reading Life of James McBride

06 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie and Kendra are out this week, so we're sharing this episode of First Edition, where Jeff interviews James McBride on the occasion of the publica...

Book Picks for Hispanic Heritage Month

22 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss book picks for Hispanic Heritage Month! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify...

Catching Up on Our Backlist TBRs!

08 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss catching up on their backlist TBRs!! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. T...

Catching Up on 2023 Releases

25 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss catching up on 2023 releases on their TBRs!! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or...

Women in Translation Month!

11 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester talk about books by women in translation! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. ...

Literary Crime Fiction

28 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss literary crime fiction! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Sign up fo...

Our Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of 2023!

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their most anticipated book for the second half of 2023! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts,...

Summer Scaries

30 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kendra Winchester and Katie McLain Horner share some of their favorite scary summer books! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Sti...

Mysteries and Thrillers for Audiobook Month

16 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kendra Winchester and Katie McLain Horner discuss mysteries and thrillers for Audiobook Month! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or...

Pride Month Picks

02 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kendra Winchester and Katie McLain Horner discuss books for Pride Month! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Sign up for...

Mystery Novels for AANHPI Heritage Month!

19 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kendra Winchester and special guest Liberty Hardy discuss mystery and thrillers for AANHPI Heritage Month! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts,...

Books Perfect for Road Trips!

05 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester talk about books perfect for reading on road trips! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or ...

Young Adult Mystery Novels

21 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss YA mystery novels! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Sign up for our...

[UPDATED] Our Annual Edgar Awards Show!

14 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss novels nominated for the Edgar Awards! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitc...

Noir Novels for Your TBR!

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss noir novels! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Sign up for our Unusu...

Middle Grade Mysteries with Special Guest Liberty Hardy!

10 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Since Katie McLain Horner is on vacation this week, Liberty Hardy joins Kendra Winchester to discuss middle grade mysteries! Follow the podcast via R...

Black Crime Writers for the Win!

24 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester crime books by Black authors. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitche...

Sinister Vibes—and Opinions!

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books with sinister vibes! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or St...

Cozy Mystery Novels

27 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss cozy mystery novels! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher...

Our Most Anticipated Books of 2023

13 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their most anticipated book releases of 2023. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcast...

Books We Wish We Read in 2022

30 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss books they didn’t manage to get to in 2022. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcast...

Our Favorite Books of 2022

16 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their favorite mysteries and thrillers of 2022. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podca...

True Crime for Nonfiction November

02 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss true crime for a (belated) Nonfiction November. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podca...

2022 Holiday Gift Guide!

18 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester discuss their gift guide for the holidays. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify...

Let's Celebrate Indigenous Heritage Month!

04 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie McLain and Kendra Winchester discuss mysteries and thrillers for Indigenous Heritage Month. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podca...

Got Villains?

21 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie and Kendra discuss novels with villain POV characters! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Sign up ...

Witchy Season

07 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie and Kendra discuss witchy books perfect for spooky season! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Sign...

Banned Books Week

23 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie and Kendra discuss books for Banned Books Week! Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Sign up for our...

Meet Our New Co-host!

09 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie McClain and new co-host Kendra Winchester discuss some of their recent favorites. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spot...

Domestic Bliss or Doom?

26 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie and Nusrah talk about domestic suspense and its continuing appeal. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitch...

Mystery Reads for Women in Translation Month

12 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Nusrah and guest host, Kendra talk about mystery and suspense works in translation in honor of Women in Translation Month. Follow the podca...

To Take or Not to Take?

29 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie and Nusrah talk about books you should take on your vacation and ones you should skip. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, ...

Let the Games Begin!

15 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie and Nusrah talk about mysteries that feature all sorts of games. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher...

Be Gay, Do Crimes

01 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in as Katie and Nusrah talk about mystery and suspense reads to keep Pride alive all year long. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spoti...