Claire Legrand is the author of children's and young adult literature, including novels and short stories. She is best known for her _New York Times_ bestselling Empirium trilogy. Her new book, [**_A Crown of Ivy and Glass_**]( https://likewise.com/books/bf2GEAAAQBAJ), follows XXXXXXXXXX

# Q&A

**Likewise:** You've had incredible success writing young adult fiction. Why did you want to write an adult novel this time?

**Claire Legrand:** When deciding what book to write next, I pay close attention to what my gut tells me: what feels right, what doesn't feel right, what kind of story resonates with me most deeply. Right now, both as a writer and as a reader, I'm most excited about stories for adults. I couldn't tell you why, exactly; I think it's as simple as the fact that tastes and moods change over time. Sometimes you want to watch bonkers action movies; other times, entire months go by when all you want to watch is cozy rom-coms. It's possible that my interest will eventually shift back to writing stories for younger readers, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

**Likewise:** Your main character, Gemma, is fascinating and complex, but she's not always likable. What inspired her character?

**CL:**  Gemma is, in part, a tribute to challenging, unlikable heroines like Emma Woodhouse and Amy March (the latter of whom I've always been particularly fond and protective of). At the beginning of the book, Gemma is selfish and spoiled, reveling in her wealth and good looks, but much of that is a façade crafted to hide her true, crushing sadness. She's the only one in her family who can't perform magic, and she lives with chronic pain and debilitating anxiety that often manifests in panic attacks. She's constantly lying to herself and others so she doesn't have to look too hard at how absolutely miserable she is. 
 
And this is the part of her character that's directly inspired by my own experiences living with anxiety and depression, which have become more and more challenging as I've gotten older. The difficult, destructive feelings Gemma experiences are feelings I've experienced as well. Her unfortunate habit of aggressive avoidance as a method of self-preservation is a coping mechanism I lean on too hard, just as she does. Hers is a journey toward acceptance and healing, and like any such journey, it's a messy one. But she does grow tremendously by the end of the book, and even though she lives with mental illness, she's still the hero of her story. She still falls passionately in love, fights evil, and saves the day. Depicting that was very important to me when writing her book, and, in general, the candid discussion of mental health challenges continues to be important as I write the next books in the series. There's no quick fix for Gemma; her problems don't magically disappear. But she does learn how to better manage her mental health, she learns how to live more fully and generously in the world, and through her romance with Talan, she learns how to love and be loved in ways she's never experienced before. 
 
Gemma's not always likable; that's true. But she is capable of extraordinary growth, love, and courage, and isn't that the most important thing? I'll always gravitate toward writing characters like her. They fascinate me, perhaps because I'm likewise fascinated by the "unlikable" qualities of humans in the real world, including myself.

**Likewise:** A Crown of Ivy and Glass is the first book in a trilogy where each novel is inspired by a different ballet. What is it about classic story ballets that intrigues you?

**CL** I've always loved ballet—the dancing, of course, but also the music accompanying it. Growing up, Tchaikovsky's ballet scores in particular were in constant rotation, and when you obsess over things like that as a child, they become an immovable piece of your foundation. I swear, there's a section of my brain that's just the Swan Lake score playing on repeat; ballet as an art form is part of my subconscious. I also like the fairy tale-esque quality of classic romantic ballets, many of which are based on fairy tales or pieces of folklore themselves. The story unfolding on stage through dance and music is simple, leaving me a lot of room to play with theme and plot. Each of the books in the Middlemist Trilogy is indeed inspired by a ballet, though none of the books are a direct retelling. [**_A Crown of Ivy and Glass_**]( https://likewise.com/books/bf2GEAAAQBAJ) is inspired by Giselle, and books 2 and 3 are inspired by The Firebird and Swan Lake, respectively. Fans of the ballets will notice elements from each work woven into its corresponding book and will, I hope, be as delighted to read the references as I was to write them.


_Check out more author interviews [here](https://likewisetv.com/blog/tag/q-and-a)!_


Claire Legrand answers our burning questions about her new fantasy novel, A Crown of Ivy and Glass!

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Q&A with Claire Legrand, author of A Crown of Ivy and Glass

A decade after crossing the stage at her college graduation, Lily must return to college to relive her senior year after discovering she’s a few credits shy of completing her degree-only to find one of her TAs is her old college boyfriend. _Publishers Weekly_ calls [**_The Do Over_**](https://likewise.com/Books/5dZ4EAAAQBAJ/5a8cab4c958d870a34ae10fe), “a winner… Park’s pitch-perfect comedic timing and knack for creating heartstring-tugging moments make this thoughtful romance really shine.”

Former comedian and bestselling author of [**_So We Meet Again_**](https://likewise.com/books/D7IGEAAAQBAJ), Suzanne Park is known for her hilarious and heartwarming romances with unforgettable Korean-American characters. To celebrate the release of her new book, we spoke to Suzanne about her inspiration.

# Q&A

**Likewise:** There are a lot of second-chance romances coming out right now, but Lily's story is as much a second-chance at college story as it is a romance. What inspired the back-to-school plot?

**Suzanne Park:** For years I’ve had a common school anxiety dream in which I need to take a final exam for a class I’ve never attended. Early in the pandemic, this recurring nightmare disrupted my sleep so badly that I began to journal everything I was feeling to get it out of my head and onto paper. 

**SP (cont'd):** One day I wondered, "What if I write a book about this? Surely this is something others can relate to," and that’s when I pitched the idea to my editor. When I started writing the book, I wanted to make the setting feel authentic so, with the help of a university admin friend, I visited a local college campus while school was in session to capture what being in college is like now.

**LW:** Before you became a novelist, you were a stand-up comedian! How does your comedy career influence your writing?

**SP:** My adult and YA fiction includes both observational and absurd humor, similar to what I had in my stand-up comedy acts. I’ve found that for both stand-up comedy and writing humorous novels that context, specificity and timing can be just as important as word and phrasing choices. For me, the biggest difference between writing jokes for stand-up and putting comedy in books is that with stage comedy, you can use physical humor to help convey a joke, but on page, you only have your words, so that was an adjustment for me.

**LW:** There are a lot of fun secondary characters in _The Do-Over_, from Lily's best friend Mia to her hyper-positive roommate Beth. Do you have a favorite?

**SP:** What a tough choice! It would probably be between Mia and Beth—I love them both and they each bring different energy to their friend group. Beth’s optimism and excessive stress-baking is so funny and relatable, and Mia is a rough-around-the-edges friend you want in your corner when things get rough. Ali Hazelwood read the book and commented to me “Is Mia getting her book? Please tell me we'll see Lily and Jake again in Mia's book,” so I know Mia has a big fan!

**LW:** Tell us about three books that inspire you as a writer.

**SP:**
1. [_Morris the Moose Goes to School_](https://likewise.com/books/xyOy5WKBZ-cC):** The first funny book I read (and owned) is _Morris the Moose Goes to School_—it was the first time I remember laughing out loud while reading. My humor has evolved since first grade though (at least I hope it has), but looking back this book inspired me to find comedy in everyday life.
2. [**_Me Talk Pretty One Day_**](https://likewise.com/books/WVKiq9stTNgC) by David Sedaris made me realize that dysfunctional families could be wonderful fodder for a book, and reading David Sedaris’ body of work made me want to become an author.
3. **[_Pachinko_](https://likewise.com/books/oFRsDAAAQBAJ):** The novel I can’t stop thinking about is _Pachinko_ by Min Jin Lee. Lee is such a gifted writer, being able to write spare prose and create imagery that is somehow both accessible and rich at the same time. She inspires me to improve my craft with each book I write.

_[**The Do Over**](https://likewise.com/Books/5dZ4EAAAQBAJ/5a8cab4c958d870a34ae10fe) by Suzanne Parks is out now!_

_Check out more author interviews [here](https://likewisetv.com/blog/tag/q-and-a)!_

Author Suzanne Parks talks about her hilarious and heartwarming second-chance romance, 'The Do Over!'

The cover of Suzanne Park's novel titled 'The Do Over,.'

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Q&A with Suzanne Park, Author of The Do Over 

Julia Langbein’s debut novel, [**_American Mermaid_**](https://likewise.com/books/PEKNEAAAQBAJ), has drawn raves from some of the biggest names in contemporary literature, including [**_Song of Achilles_**](https://likewise.com/books/opC3d3ltQ94C) author Madeline Miller, who called it “brilliantly sharp, funny, and thought-provoking.”  

Penelope Schleeman is a broke teacher who is as surprised as anyone when her feminist eco-thriller (also titled _American Mermaid_) becomes a bestseller. Then a movie studio buys it and offers Penelope the chance to work on the adaptation, so she quits her teaching and job and moves to Los Angeles. But when the studio pushes to make the adaptation sexier and dumber than the story that Penelope labored over, strange things start to happen, and Penelope wonders if the novel might and its marine heroine have a mind of their own. 

_American Mermaid_ hits shelves on March 21st, 2023, and we were delighted to talk to Julia about it and the books that inspire her.


**There are two stories in _American Mermaid_–Penelope's and Sylvia's. Why did you decide to use the book-inside-a-book format?**

The book-within-a-book format didn't come to me as a literary device; rather, it came from improv comedy. I had been doing tons of improv, particularly this longform game called "Harold" which involves returning over and over to the same scenes. When I started writing a novel it was just second nature to think this way. And from the get-go it just worked. I found it was producing all these hilarious connections and it was really building meaning and comedy for me better than I could have imagined. It was just luck that I was so deep into the improv at that moment that the rhythms of comic scene-building on stage were part of the way I was thinking. 
 
**Teenagers play a not-insignificant role in this story. What intrigues you about adolescence?**
 
I wasn't a stereotypical teenager. I didn't really rebel, I was very docile and well behaved (this isn't rose-colored glasses–my dad even said recently, "you were never obnoxious as a teenager, that happened in your thirties," LOL). But I do remember a kind of intellectual openness, of reading a poem and feeling I was inside of it, reading a book and feeling it was about me, for me. I lived what I read. Then later in my career, when I was a PhD student and an early-career researcher, I taught college students and came into contact again with that depth of reading. Even the kids who were not A students, they had access to this depth. As Penelope, the high school teacher, observes in _American Mermaid_, some day her students will "have their familiar chords and modulations. But now they’re atonal, so dumb they’re avant-garde."  
 
**There are so many hilarious secondary characters in _American Mermaid_. Do you have a favorite?**

So many people who have read this book love Susie, the kind of politically-incorrect but extremely confident and caring sister. I have to say, I have read those scenes with her a thousand times and they still make me laugh. She might come back in another book, in another guise. 
 
**Can you tell us about three books you love? One sentence each would be great!**
1. [**_A Way of Life, Like Any Other_**](https://likewise.com/books/u0Yjp88EjdkC), by Darcy O'Brien (1978). The NYRB re-released _A Way of Life_ in 2001 with a gorgeous intro by Seamus Heaney.  It's a semi-autobiographical story of a boy growing up in LA with eccentric parents caught up in the biz. It's absolutely drop-dead hilarious, and captures Los Angeles not as a stereotype but as intimate and strange and comically warping. 
2. [**_The Girl with the Louding Voice_**](https://likewise.com/books/3C6aDwAAQBAJ), by Abi Daré (2020). I read this not long ago and it has stayed with me–it is a perfectly told, electrifying story of one girl fighting for her physical and intellectual survival in rural Nigeria and then Lagos, but what really astonished me was the voice itself. From the first sentence, she's hilarious, she's herself, you understand from the first page how important she is, and you're in the fight with her 1,000%. 
3. [**_The Force of Such Beauty_**](https://likewise.com/books/oqZPEAAAQBAJ), Barbara Bourland (2022). With clear parallels to the life of Princess Charlene of Monaco, this story of an athlete turned princess turned prisoner of her own luxurious life–Bourland is fantastic on the sheer material trappings–is both an empathetic portrait of an individual caught in a nightmare fairytale and a chilling reminder of the real economic inequalities that "princess" myths obscure. 


_Check out more author interviews [here](https://likewisetv.com/blog/tag/q-and-a)!_

Author Julia Langbein talks about her weird and wonderful debut novel, 'American Mermaid.'

Black and white photograph of author Julia Langbein parallel to the cover of her novel 'American Mermaid.'

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Q&A with Julia Langbein, Author of American Mermaid

Jesse Q. Suntanto is the author of [**_Dial A for Aunties_**](https://likewise.com/books/d8PhzQEACAAJ) and four other books for teens and adults that masterfully combine humor, romance, and thrills. Her new book, [**_Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers_**](https://likewise.com/books/IB11EAAAQBAJ), follows a Chinese lady of a certain age who sets out to solve the mystery of the dead body in her tea shop and comes out March 14, 2023.

# Q&A

**Likewise:** Vera is such a fun and memorable character. What inspired her?

**Jesse Q. Sutanto:** 100% my mom! Vera is basically just my mom with the dial turned up to a hundred. I was very nervous to have my mom read it, but luckily she _LOVED_ Vera. She devoured the book in less than two days and said, "I like this one. I shall give a copy to all my friends." Which is like a standing ovation coming from her.

**Likewise:** Readers hear from a big cast of characters over the course of the novel. What intrigued you about writing from multiple points-of-view?

**JS:**  I thought it would be fun to do a murder mystery where each POV character is a possible suspect. It was so interesting getting to dive into such different characters' heads, although I definitely found it challenging having to hint at some kind of secret with each of them without revealing what the secret was.

**Likewise:** What's your favorite part of writing a mystery?

**SH:** The big reveal! There's something so incredibly satisfying about pulling back the curtain and finally revealing the truth and showing all of the little bits of clues that I've sprinkled along the way. 

**Likewise:** Tell us about three books that inspire you.

**JS:** So many! [**_Gone Girl_**](https://likewise.com/books/mmWODQAAQBAJ) is definitely one of them. This book single-handedly changed the entire suspense genre. I used to not read too much suspense even though it's my favorite genre, because it was so male-dominated and every story had some kind of graphic rape scene. But _Gone Girl_ shook things up and now we have such a rich subgenre–psychological suspense–and every day I am thankful that Gillian Flynn wrote this brilliant masterpiece. The second book would be [**_Witches Abroad_**](https://likewise.com/books/cSYMngEACAAJ) by Terry Pratchett. It's just so hilarious and so subversive, and the witches have totally influenced me because they made me want to write about older women who have run out of f*cks to give! Third book would be [**_Babel_**](https://likewise.com/books/ZWRQEAAAQBAJ) by RF Kuang, because it's one of those books where as soon as you read the first chapter, it becomes obvious that it was written by an actual, real-life genius. It's a work of staggering depth and I really need to read it a second and third time over to fully grasp the breadth of Kuang's research.

_Check out more author interviews [here](https://likewisetv.com/blog/tag/q-and-a)!_



Author Jesse Q. Suntanto talks about her charming new mystery, 'Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.'

The cover of the new book, Vera Wang's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, by author Jesse Q. Sutanto.

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Q&A with Jesse Q. Sutanto, Author of Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

# Q&A Transcript

**Likewise:** What made you fall in love with paranormal romance?

**Sarah Hawley:** My mother shared her fantasy/sci-fi collection with me when I was a kid ([Andre Norton](https://likewise.com/books/xb-mAwAAQBAJ), [Ray Bradbury](https://likewise.com/books/HM-Y6zWNkjwC), [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://likewise.com/books/pD6arNyKyi8C), [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://likewise.com/books/M45vPwAACAAJ), [Douglas Adams](https://likewise.com/books/BvjFAAAAIAAJ), etc. etc.), and I’ve always gravitated towards SFF novels with romantic subplots in them ([Tamora Pierce](https://likewise.com/books/Lm_4rQEACAAJ)’s books were a strong early influence). Once I discovered the romance genre in college, I was thrilled to find books that had all the magic I wanted plus satisfying romantic arcs! One thing I love about paranormal romance is how creative it can be in terms of worldbuilding and stakes (there’s an entirely different level of stakes when characters are immortal or have fated mates, for instance). The only limits are the author’s imagination.

**Likewise:** Tell us about Glimmer Falls! What intrigued you about writing about a magical small town?

**SH:** Glimmer Falls is a small town in Washington State that’s full of paranormal people of all types. The surrounding forest contains hot springs, and the magic woven into the soil nourishes a variety of unusual plants and animals. I’ve never lived in a town that small, so it was interesting to imagine what it would be like—the politics, small businesses, festivals, and interpersonal dynamics. It was fun deciding how a town full of so many different species would work, from building construction to community events. I even wrote a year’s worth of newspapers for fun and to explore more of the world, which you can read [on my website](https://www.sarahhawleyauthor.com/glimmer-falls-gazette). 

**Likewise:** Oz is a special case, but even in general, the demons in [_A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon_](https://likewise.com/books/LNNzEAAAQBAJ) are less terrible than readers might expect. Why did you want to re-imagine demons?

**SH:** I wanted to preserve a lighthearted tone and keep religion out of the story, so that meant envisioning demons as a separate species rather than malevolent entities of darkness. The world is meant to be a diverse and inclusive one, so even though demons are generally less emotional than humans, they aren’t better or worse—just different. I also wanted to do a twist on the typical “sell your soul to a demon” narrative, which started with asking why demons need human souls in the first place. It ended up being a symbiotic relationship—demons can’t survive without the magic humans provide, and humans benefit from what demons offer in exchange for that magic.

**Likewise:** Tell us about three books that made you love romance.

**SH:**
- **[_Dreaming of You_](https://likewise.com/books/1u5FfxyjtsAC) – Lisa Kleypas:** Kleypas’s historical romances are masterpieces full of romantic tension, historical details, and fun and complex friend/family dynamics. This classic story about shy author Sara Fielding who captures the heart of dangerously sexy club owner Derek Craven is one of her best.
- **[_Demon Forged_](https://likewise.com/books/tY1Y0ov7tq8C) – Meljean Brook (from the _Guardian_ series):** Set in a paranormal world where immortal humans with magic powers fight demons to protect humanity’s free will, this book features a tough blacksmith heroine with the power to warp metal and a sexy swordsman who wields fire. It’s an angsty, complex, brilliantly crafted, and sensual novel that addresses trauma in a nuanced way.
- **[_The Hating Game_](https://likewise.com/books/5a3rCgAAQBAJ) – Sally Thorne:** Thorne’s voice is witty and fun, and this enemies-to-lovers story featuring rival executive assistants at a publishing house is a delight the entire way through. Josh is deliciously uptight while Lucy brings the best sort of chaos, and their journey from shouting at each other to falling in love kept me smiling.


_Sarah’s book is one of 15 new romances we can’t wait to read in March - [check out the others here](https://likewise.com/list/New-Romances-Were-Excited-to-Read-in-March-63efc371522db200622c2da4)!_

Author Sarah Hawley talks about her new novel 'A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon,' the debut paranormal rom-com novel set in a quirky magical town. 

The cover of A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley.

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Q&A with Sarah Hawley, Author of A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon

Author Alexis Daria and podcaster Kelly Reynolds discussed the updated edition of her opposites attract, enemies to lovers, reality TV romance 'Take the Lead.'

Alexis Daria's updated version of Take the Lead releases on Valentine's Day, 2023.

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Q&A with Romance Author Alexis Daria

Kat Rosenfield spoke to fellow writer Catherine McKenzie about her new novel 'You Must Remember This.'

Cover of 'You Must Remember This' by Kat Rosenfield.

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Q&A with Thriller Writer Kat Rosenfield

Kate Clayborn, author of seven critically acclaimed novels, spoke to podcast host Jennifer Prokop about her new release, 'Georgie, All Along.'

Georgie, All Along is the newest novel by author Kate Clayborn

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Q&A with Kate Clayborn, Author of Georgie, All Along

The Book of Magic author Alice Hoffman chats with fellow novelist Alix E. Harrow about witches, romance, genre wars, and more.

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Q&A with The Book of Magic Author Alice Hoffman

Luckiest Girl Alive author Jessica Knoll shares her behind-the-scenes journey of turning her bestselling book into a hit Netflix movie starring Mila Kunis.

Mila Kunis plays Ani Fanelli in Netflix's Luckiest Girl Alive

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Q&A with Luckiest Girl Alive Author Jessica Knoll 

Andrea is a seemingly confident comedy writer, wife and mom, who comically exposes her inner immaturity and neuroses through unexpected life situations.

I'm Sorry

A missing child causes four families to help each other for answers. What they could not imagine is that this mystery would be connected to innumerable other secrets of the small town.

Dark

A dysfunctional family tries to help each other navigate the modern dating scene. Recent divorcee Tara and her bachelor brother coach each other through the crazy world of dating (on-line and off), while living under the same roof again for the second time and raising her teenage daughter.

Casual

After a very public breakdown and a subsequent philosophical awakening in rehabilitation, Amy tries to get her life back together.

Enlightened

A family's lives are irreparably disrupted when the 14-year-old son is accused of murdering a fellow classmate.

Defending Jacob

Jump into the daily routines of a diverse group of New Yorkers and how they light things up. “The Guy” is a nameless pot deliveryman whose client base includes an eccentric group of characters with neuroses as diverse as the city.

High Maintenance

25 Shows You've Been Missing Out On

Via interviews with friends, players and insiders, this docuseries examines how Aaron Hernandez went from an NFL star to a convicted killer.

Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez

A group of online justice seekers track down a guy who posted a video of him killing kittens.

Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer

This true crime documentary series investigates cases where people convicted of murder claim their confessions were coerced, involuntary or false.

The Confession Tapes

This baffling true crime story starts with the grisly death of a pizza man who robs a bank with a bomb around his neck - and gets weirder from there.

Evil Genius

This gripping, atmospheric documentary recounts the infamous trial, conviction and eventual acquittal of Seattle native Amanda Knox for the 2007 murder of a British exchange student in Italy.

Amanda Knox

A boy’s brutal murder and the public trials of his guardians and social workers prompt questions about the system’s protection of vulnerable children.

The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez

In a story that gained national attention with John Grisham’s best-selling non-fiction book, The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town, the six-part documentary series The Innocent Man focuses on two murders that shook the small town of Ada, Oklahoma, in the 1980s — and the controversial chain of events that followed.

The Innocent Man

For five years, from 1975 to 1980, the Yorkshire Ripper murders cast a dark shadow over the lives of women in the North of England. 13 women were dead and the police seemed incapable of catching the killer. No one felt safe – and every man was a suspect.

The Ripper

Using raw, firsthand footage, this documentary examines the disappearance of Shanann Watts and her children, and the terrible events that followed.

American Murder: The Family Next Door

A unique look inside the mind of an infamous serial killer with this cinematic self-portrait crafted from statements made by Ted Bundy, including present-day interviews, archival footage and audio recordings from death row.

Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes

Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, presents a gripping courtroom thriller, offering a rare and revealing inside look at a high-profile murder trial. In 2001, author Michael Peterson was arraigned for the murder of his wife Kathleen, whose body was discovered lying in a pool of blood on the stairway of their home. Granted unusual access to Peterson's lawyers, home and immediate family, de Lestrade's cameras capture the defense team as it considers its strategic options. The series is an engrossing look at contemporary American justice that features more twists than a legal bestseller.

The Staircase

Filmed over 10 years, this real-life thriller follows a DNA exoneree who, while exposing police corruption, becomes a suspect in a grisly new crime.

Making a Murderer

A zoo owner spirals out of control amid a cast of eccentric characters in this true murder-for-hire story from the underworld of big cat breeding.

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness

Death row inmates convicted of capital murder give a firsthand account of their crimes in this documentary series.

I Am a Killer

Explore the psychological machinations and immoral behavior that define the most nefarious types of criminals.

Inside the Criminal Mind

In 1974, 12-year-old Jan Broberg is abducted from a small church-going community in Idaho by a trusted neighbour and close family friend.

Abducted in Plain Sight

Henry Lee Lucas rose to infamy when he confessed to hundreds of unsolved murders. This docuseries examines the truth -- and horrifying consequences.

The Confession Killer

A Cleveland grandfather is brought to trial in Israel, accused of being the infamous Nazi death camp guard known as Ivan the Terrible.

The Devil Next Door

This docuseries examines the decades-old murder of Sister Catherine Cesnik and its suspected link to a priest accused of abuse.

The Keepers

When a controversial cult leader builds a utopian city in the Oregon desert, conflict with the locals escalates into a national scandal.

Wild Wild Country

Mark Williams-Thomas returns to ITV for an explosive and ground-breaking new investigative series that shows how real life crime can be far more compelling than fiction. The murder of Carole Packman, whose body has never been found, continues to affect the lives of many of those involved and as Williams-Thomas discovers, the shocking tale of murder, fraud, deceit and lies has left family members desperate for answers. In a UK television first, The Investigator: A British Crime Story, will follow the case over four explosive episodes, combining stylized drama with compelling documentary.

The Investigator: A British Crime Story

In this jailhouse interview, Arthur Shawcross, the Genesee River Killer, shares candid details of his crimes and his surprising family bonds.

Interview with a Serial Killer

The documentary takes a detailed look at the disappearance of 3-year-old Madeleine McCann, who vanished while on holiday with her family.

The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann

Examining the violent death of the filmmaker’s brother and the judicial system that allowed his killer to go free, this documentary interrogates murderous fear and racialized perception, and re-imagines the wreckage in catastrophe’s wake, challenging us to change.

Strong Island

Twenty years after the modern world's most notorious child murder, the legacy of the crime and its impact are explored.

Casting JonBenet

Celebrated as one of the greatest R&amp;B singers of all time, R. Kelly’s genre defining career and playboy lifestyle has been riddled with rumors of abuse, predatory behavior, and pedophilia. Despite damning evidence and multiple witnesses, to date, none of these accusations have seemingly affected him. For the first time ever, survivors and people from R. Kelly’s inner circle, are coming forward with new allegations about his sexual, mental, and physical abuse. They are now finally ready to share their full story and shed light on the secret life the public has never seen.

Surviving R. Kelly

The spectacular rise and scandalous fall of hot-yoga evangelist Bikram Choudhury is chronicled through archival footage and extensive insider interviews.

Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator

While investigating the furtive world of illegal doping in sports, director Bryan Fogel connects with renegade Russian scientist Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov—a pillar of his country’s “anti-doping” program. Over dozens of Skype calls, urine samples, and badly administered hormone injections, Fogel and Rodchenkov grow closer despite shocking allegations that place Rodchenkov at the center of Russia’s state-sponsored Olympic doping program.

Icarus

He promised supermodels and yachts, but delivered tents and cheese sandwiches. How one man engineered a music festival disaster.

Fyre

An in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality.

13th

Describing herself as a 'street queen,' Johnson was a legendary fixture in New York City’s gay ghetto and a tireless voice for LGBT pride since the days of Stonewall, who along with fellow trans icon Sylvia Rivera, founded Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.), a trans activist group based in the heart of NYC’s Greenwich Village. Her death in 1992 was declared a suicide by the NYPD, but friends never accepted that version of events. Structured as a whodunit, with activist Victoria Cruz cast as detective and audience surrogate, The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson celebrates the lasting political legacy of Johnson, while seeking to finally solve the mystery of her unexplained death.

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson

A documentary film about three cases of rape, that includes the stories of two American high school students, Audrie Pott and Daisy Coleman. At the time of the sexual assaults, Pott was 15 and Coleman was 14 years old. After the assaults, the victims and their families were subjected to abuse and cyberbullying.

Audrie & Daisy

Stories from survivors fuel this docuseries examining how convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein used his wealth and power to carry out his abuses.

Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich

Charged as a teen in the 1993 killing of a Boston cop, Sean K. Ellis fights to prove his innocence while exposing police corruption and systemic racism.

Trial 4

Follow the Indianapolis Star reporters that broke the story about USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar's abuse and hear from gymnasts.

Athlete A

Anchored by a rare interview, this docuseries details Ted Kaczynski's path from a young intellectual to one of the most feared people in US history.

Unabomber: In His Own Words

After his son's tragic death, a Louisiana pharmacist goes to extremes to expose the rampant corruption behind the opioid addiction crisis.

The Pharmacist

In this true crime docuseries, some of the most dramatic trials of all time are examined with an emphasis on how the media may have impacted verdicts.

Trial by Media

Documentary series on the circumstances surrounding the death of María Marta García Belsunce, one of the most controversial criminal cases in Argentina.

Carmel: Who Killed Maria Marta?

This investigation examines the mysterious shooting of soul icon Sam Cooke, whose death silenced one of the most vital voices in the civil rights movement.

ReMastered: The Two Killings of Sam Cooke

After 16-year-old Cyntoia Brown is sentenced to life in prison, questions about her past, physiology and the law itself call her guilt into question.

Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story

41 Must-Watch Netflix True Crime Documentaries

The 'Bad Batch' of elite and experimental clones make their way through an ever-changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone Wars.

The Bad Batch

The body of Laura Palmer is washed up on a beach near the small Washington state town of Twin Peaks. FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper is called in to investigate her strange demise only to uncover a web of mystery that ultimately leads him deep into the heart of the surrounding woodland and his very own soul.

Twin Peaks

After getting into a near fatal car accident, Alma discovers she has a new relationship with time and uses this ability to find out the truth about her father’s death.

Undone

When astronomers detect a transmission from another galaxy, it is definitive proof of intelligent extra-terrestrial life. The world’s population waits for further contact with bated breath. They do not have to wait long. Within days, mankind is all but wiped out by a devastating attack; pockets of humanity are left in an eerily deserted world. As aliens hunt and kill those left alive, the survivors ask a burning question – who are these attackers and why are they hell-bent on our destruction?

War of the Worlds

Light Yagami is an ordinary university student. One day, he receives a "Death Note", which changes his life. The Death Note awakens his warped sense of justice and genius. He becomes murderer Kira and punishes criminals. L is a well known private detective. L appears in front of Light Yagami. L defines Kira as evil and decides to catch Kira. Then N, who has a beautiful appearance but dangerous existence, appears.

Death Note

After 250 years on ice, a prisoner returns to life in a new body with one chance to win his freedom: by solving a mind-bending murder.

Altered Carbon

A dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin. Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, it explores a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged.

Westworld

A series of unrelated stories containing drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, and/or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist.

The Twilight Zone

Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control when her secret letters to every boy she's ever fallen for are mysteriously mailed out.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

19 Mind-Bending Shows to Binge

A woman in her sixties embarks on a journey through the western United States after losing everything in the Great Recession, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad.

Nomadland

In the aftermath of Cassius Clay's defeat of Sonny Liston in 1964, the boxer meets with Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown to change the course of history in the segregated South.

One Night in Miami...

A young woman, traumatized by a tragic event in her past, seeks out vengeance against those who crossed her path.

Promising Young Woman

Two lost souls visiting Tokyo -- the young, neglected wife of a photographer and a washed-up movie star shooting a TV commercial -- find an odd solace and pensive freedom to be real in each other's company, away from their lives in America.

Lost in Translation

An independent, single mother who owns a small hotel on a Greek island is about to marry off the spirited young daughter she's raised alone. But, the daughter has secretly invited three of her mother's ex-lovers in the hopes of finding her biological father.

Mamma Mia!

Based on the real-life adventures chronicled by Cameron Crowe, Fast Times follows a group of high school students growing up in Southern California. Stacy Hamilton and Mark Ratner are looking for a love interest, and are helped along by their older classmates, Linda Barrett and Mike Damone, respectively. At the center of the film is Jeff Spicoli, a perpetually stoned surfer who faces-off with the resolute Mr. Hand—a man convinced that everyone is on dope.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

50 Incredible Films Directed by Women

A documentary about the Enron corporation, its faulty and corrupt business practices, and how they led to its fall.

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room

6 True Stories of Vicious Corporate Greed for Fans of Succession

Amy Schumer's live stand-up set performed in Chicago where she jokes about marriage, pregnancy and personal growth.