Read or Dead

It's Time for the 2026 Read Harder Challenge!

Listen Later

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

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter!


Things Discussed

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


    • This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.


    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)

      If you want to send an email with feedback or show suggestions, you can reach us at [email protected]. Otherwise you can:

      Find Kendra on Instagram and Twitter @kdwinchester

      Find Katie on Twitter @kt_librarylady

      And we will talk to you all next time!


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

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store
      Read or DeadBy Book Riot
      • 4.2
      • 4.2
      • 4.2
      • 4.2
      • 4.2

      4.2

      218 ratings

      More shows like Read or Dead

      View all
      What Should I Read Next? by Anne Bogel

      What Should I Read Next?

      5,196 Listeners

      All the Books! by Book Riot

      All the Books!

      1,222 Listeners

      Book Riot - The Podcast by Book Riot

      Book Riot - The Podcast

      1,023 Listeners

      Get Booked by Book Riot

      Get Booked

      552 Listeners

      Overdue by Headgum

      Overdue

      2,258 Listeners

      Well-Read by Ann Cox and Halle Carlson

      Well-Read

      242 Listeners

      From the Front Porch by The Bookshelf Thomasville

      From the Front Porch

      1,227 Listeners

      The Book Club Review by The Book Club Review

      The Book Club Review

      129 Listeners

      SFF Yeah! by Book Riot

      SFF Yeah!

      167 Listeners

      Reading Glasses by Brea Grant and Mallory O'Meara

      Reading Glasses

      2,057 Listeners

      Annotated by Book Riot

      Annotated

      486 Listeners

      Hey YA by Book Riot

      Hey YA

      170 Listeners

      When In Romance by Book Riot

      When In Romance

      131 Listeners

      Bad On Paper by Becca Freeman & Olivia Muenter

      Bad On Paper

      4,114 Listeners

      Currently Reading by Meredith Monday Schwartz and Kaytee Cobb

      Currently Reading

      1,793 Listeners

      Sarah's Bookshelves Live by Sarah Dickinson | Sarah's Bookshelves

      Sarah's Bookshelves Live

      787 Listeners

      Books Unbound by Ariel Bissett and Raeleen Lemay

      Books Unbound

      496 Listeners

      Novel Gazing Podcast by Book Riot

      Novel Gazing Podcast

      63 Listeners

      Book Talk, etc. by Tina @tbretc and Hannah @hanpickedbooks

      Book Talk, etc.

      637 Listeners

      The Book Case by ABC News | Charlie Gibson, Kate Gibson

      The Book Case

      937 Listeners

      First Edition by Book Riot

      First Edition

      94 Listeners

      Zero to Well-Read by Book Riot

      Zero to Well-Read

      590 Listeners