This is the Book Review Podcast and I'm Gilbert Cruz, editor of the New York Times Book

Review.

We'll be taking a few weeks off here in late summer in order to plan some exciting

episodes for the fall book season, those months when big books hit shelves and rapid succession.

This week though, we have a special treat, a double interview show for you.

First I'll be speaking to Amore Tolls, author of the best-selling book's rules of civility,

a gentleman in Moscow and the Lincoln Highway.

We recently ran a very fun essay by Amore that looks at the history of crime fiction

through the very particular perspective of the long-suffering corpse, cadaver, victim.

Then, after the break, Sarah Lyle, a regular guest here on the podcast and the Book Review's

Thriller columnist, is a beautiful conversation with the actor Richard E. Grant.

He first talks about his new memoir, A Pocket Full of Happiness, and then, as part of

a recurring segment here on the podcast, discusses the book he has read most in his life, Louis

Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

First though, here's my conversation with best-selling author Amore Tolls.

Amore Tolls, welcome to the Book Review Podcast.

Thank you for having me, it's good to be here.

So your recent piece in the Book Review's Thriller issue is adapted from your introduction

to the mysterious bookshop presents, the best mystery stories of the year 2023, which

is going to be published in September.

I would love to know how this works, because I've seen the mysterious bookshop put out

a ton of big collections, you always get your best essays of the year, books like that.

...