Pre-order Now: Crime Ink: Iconic!

An anthology of crime fiction inspired by queer icons—co-edited by yours truly

I’m so excited to finally share this with you.

In 2023, a study looked at thirty major crime fiction anthologies and found something pretty disheartening: out of 517 stories published, fewer than 1 percent were written by LGBTQ+ authors. That stat says a lot—not just about who’s been left out of the genre, but about whose stories have been considered worth telling.

So we decided to do something about it.

Crime Ink: Iconic is a crime fiction anthology I co-edited with the wonderful Salem West (publisher of Bywater Books), and I also have a story in it. Each piece is inspired by a queer icon—James Baldwin, Radclyffe Hall, Candy Darling, Oscar Wilde, Megan Rapinoe, Laverne Cox, and others—and every story is written by an LGBTQ+ author. The collection covers a lot of ground: noir, cozy, psychological thriller, procedural. It’s a love letter to queer history and a call for more inclusive storytelling in the genre we love.

I’m honored to be in the company of such talented contributors: Ann Aptaker, Christopher Bollen, Marco Carocari, Katrina Carrasco, Meredith Doench, Margot Douaihy, Diana DiGangi, Christa Faust, Kelly J. Ford, Katherine V. Forrest, Stephanie Gayle, Robyn Gigl, Cheryl Head, Greg Herren, Renee James, Anne Laughlin, Kristen Lepionka, Mia Manansala, Jeff Marks, Ann McMan, Penny Mickelbury, David Pederson, J.M. Redmann, Jeffrey Round, and Baxter Clare Trautman.

We’re also thrilled to include a foreword by the amazing Ellen Hart and an afterword by the legendary Katherine V. Forrest—two giants of queer crime writing.

Crime Ink: Iconic is available for pre-order now. I hope you’ll check it out, spread the word, and help us bring more queer voices into the heart of crime fiction.

Hall of Mirrors audiobook now available!

I’m beyond thrilled to announce that Hall of Mirrors is now available as an audiobook! Bringing this story to life in audio format has been an incredible experience, and I couldn’t be happier with the result. Deyan Audio did an outstanding job producing it, and the performances by Sion Dayson as Judy, Ray Ford as Lionel, and Shea Taylor as Roger are nothing short of phenomenal. Hearing my words come alive through their voices has been surreal, and I can’t wait for you to experience it, too.

Whether you’re a longtime audiobook fan or new to the format, this one will pull you in and immerse you completely in the story. It’s available now wherever you listen to audiobooks, so give it a listen and let me know what you think—I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Hall of Mirrors is a 2024 New York Times Crime Novel of the Year!

About Hall of Mirrors …

An exploration of misogyny, race, and homophobia, Hall of Mirrors is a twisty, atmospheric noir about DC in the 1950s, the age of Joseph McCarthy and the Lavender Scare, a decade when politicians used fear and bigotry to harness power—a time we thought we’d left behind.

Whether you're a fan of The Savage Kind, Judy and Philippa’s dark coming-of-age story, or you’re new to the trilogy, this novel is accessible. You don't need to read the first book to get this one—although they would make an attractive pair on your bookshelf!

From the book jacket:

When a popular mystery novelist dies suspiciously, his writing partner must untangle the author’s connection to a serial killer, in award-winning John Copenhaver’s new novel set in 1950s McCarthy-era Washington, DC.

In May 1954, Lionel Kane witnesses his apartment engulfed in flames with his lover and writing partner, Roger Raymond, inside. Police declare it a suicide due to gas ignition, but Lionel refuses to believe Roger was suicidal.

A month earlier, Judy Nightingale and Philippa Watson—the tenacious and troubled heroines from The Savage Kind—attend a lecture by Roger and, being eager fans, befriend him. He has just been fired from his day job at the State Department, another victim of the Lavender Scare, an anti-gay crusade led by figures like Senator Joseph McCarthy and J. Edgar Hoover, claiming homosexuals are security risks. Little do Judy and Philippa know, but their obsessive manhunt of the past several years has fueled the flames of his dismissal.

They have been tracking their old enemy Adrian Bogdan, a spy and vicious serial killer protected by powerful forces in the government. He’s on the rampage again, and the police are ignoring his crimes. Frustrated, they send their research to the media and their favorite mystery writer anonymously, hoping to inspire someone, somehow, to publish on the crimes—anything to draw Bogdan out. But has their persistence brought deadly forces to the writing team behind their most beloved books?

In the wake of Roger’s death, Lionel searches for clues, but Judy and Philippa threaten his quest, concealing dark secrets of their own. As the crimes of the past and present converge, danger mounts and the characters race to uncover the truth, even if it means bending their moral boundaries to stop a killer.

Praise for Hall of Mirrors …

A New York Times Best Crime Novel of the Year

A Novel Suspects Best Mystery & Thriller of the Year

Featured in The Washington Post’s “12 Thrillers to Read This Summer.”

Featured on Oprah’s Bookclub’s Sizzling Summer Reads: “The Lavender Scare of the 1950s, during which gay men and women were targeted by the FBI, led to countless tragedies, lost jobs, lost loved ones, and lost lives. John Copenhaver employs the noir atmosphere of the time to great effect.” —Bethanne Patrick, Oprah Daily.

"[HALL OF MIRRORS] has haunted me since I’ve finished it. As Copenhaver details with breathtaking skill, full exposure, however terrifying, flings open the closet doors to truth." —Sarah Weinman, The New York Times Book Review

Set against the backdrop of 1950s Washington, D.C., Hall of Mirrors is a riveting mystery imbued with secrecy and a relentless pursuit of truth. —Bryon Lane, author of Big Gay Wedding for People.

Featured on Today.com’s “6 must-read books for Pride Month, according to Jenna pick author Steven Rowley (The Guncle) and Byron Lane (Big Gay Wedding),”: "As the two parties’ goals intertwine, past and present crimes collide. Set in 1950s McCarthy-era Washington, DC, Hall of Mirrors is a gripping mystery with secrets, danger, and a race to uncover the truth."

"Hall of Mirrors is a stunner and something rare for a historical mystery. Copenhaver has alchemized the intimacies and pain of midcentury queer characters into something more universal and timeless, reflecting back to us the closets in which marginalized people have been forced to live, and their righteous struggles to break free." —Paula Woods, The Los Angeles Times.

“Hall of Mirrors delivers a skillful historical mystery. We hope that Copenhaver continues this exciting series beyond three novels." —Oline Cogdill, The Sun Sentinel

“The second in the Nightingale trilogy, following The Savage Kind, is a mystery, but the historical elements add complexity as the author explores issues of passing as straight or White, concealing an identity at a time of physical and emotional violence toward LGBTQIA+ and Black people.”—Library Journal, starred review

“Copenhaver keeps things moving at a relentless pace as he introduces multiple narrators and a plethora of plot twists. Queer history aficionados will find the depiction of the period’s antigay political paranoia fascinating. This series deserves a long life.”—Publishers Weekly