Crooked Letter, Crooked LetterCrooked Letter, Crooked Letter
Score Modern
What it's about
Tom Franklin's most accomplished novel is a Southern literary mystery about friendship, race and the past, written with a narrative power often compared to Harper Lee, Flannery O'Connor and Cormac McCarthy.
Why it's worth reading
It was an Edgar Award finalist. Tom Franklin's writing has been compared to Harper Lee, Flannery O'Connor and Cormac McCarthy.
You'll love it if you liked
Bluebird, Bluebird
Ordinary Grace
The TreesGood to know
It's a slow-burning literary mystery set in the South.
By the numbers
- Readers50 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics21 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #294 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #953 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1761 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
If you like this, read next
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
Verity
Gone Girl
The Martian
2666
Gideon the NinthExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →Quick answers
Is Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter worth reading?
Yes. It was an Edgar Award finalist. It ranks #1,761 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter about?
Tom Franklin's most accomplished novel is a Southern literary mystery about friendship, race and the past, written with a narrative power often compared to Harper Lee, Flannery O'Connor and Cormac McCarthy.
How long does it take to read Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter?
About 7 hours (288 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter?
If you liked it, try Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke, Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger or The Trees by Percival Everett.


















