AGP Executive Report

True-Crime Spotlight: Discovery ID is set to air a new “Most Evil” episode on serial killer David Penton, featuring interviews with true-crime author Steve Jackson and Texas lawman Gary Sweet, tying the case to Jackson’s bestselling book BOGEYMAN. Learning With a Twist: A Bristol museum speaker session spotlights how a classroom project helped students tackle a real cold case, echoing the “Murder 101” true-crime phenomenon. Publishing Meets Pop Culture: Amazon’s The Love Hypothesis rom-com lands as a charming adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s novel, while Verity keeps dominating headlines with a strong North American debut despite mixed reviews. Crime & Community: Police launch a murder investigation after a woman is found dead in Norfolk, and a Montana city suspends filming on a thriller after residents cite disruption and poor communication. Books & Belonging: A new YA fantasy centers on finding your place, and a debut novel from Eritrean-American author Bsrat Mezghebe explores identity across three generations in 1991 Washington, D.C.

AI & Privacy in Publishing: Hyderabad police opened a case over an AI-morphed “Chuttamalle” video allegedly using Janhvi Kapoor’s scenes, with Jr NTR vowing legal action and urging people not to share. Cultural Survival Through Books: In Gaza, a child’s rescued book—buried after an attack and later repaired—highlights how libraries and reading are becoming lifelines amid school destruction. Crime Fiction Spotlight: A new spy debut, The Pickle Factory, turns CIA tradecraft into farce, while Halloween-themed coverage keeps pushing thriller and detective reading. Literary Events & Talks: Sydney Opera House’s Curious festival kicks off with Chip Rolley’s conversations on AI, journalism, and meaning-making. Publishing Industry Notes: Australia mourns Hilary McPhee, the editor behind McPhee Gribble, credited with nurturing writers like Tim Winton and Helen Garner. Local Book Culture: A Pumpkins and Pages festival in Daviess County will raise money for teachers, pairing fall fun with author visits.

Book-to-screen buzz: Colleen Hoover’s Verity keeps driving new search demand as Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson promote the thriller, with Variety also spotlighting the cast’s favorite “can’t-put-down” reads and the film’s real-life lakeside mansion location in New York. Crime-writing debate: Ron Franscell weighs in on whether crime writers should profit from someone else’s tragedy, as a renewed digital edition of his true-crime book The Darkest Night sparks fresh backlash. Thriller/TV watchlist: Prime Video’s Jack Reacher renewal rides alongside chatter about other streaming crime hits, while Kill Jackie expands its “Seven Demons” assassin roster in AMC+ materials. Publishing & culture: A New Yorker review of On the Mark faces criticism for linking Hebrew punctuation to colonialism, and Goodreads rankings keep feeding fall reading lists. Community reading: Libraries push Halloween programming and horror recommendations, including a local guide with 700 horror picks.

Publishing & Culture: Min Jin Lee marks the next chapter of her Korean diaspora saga with American Hagwon, reflecting on why she quit law to write after a hepatitis B diagnosis and how she’s now aiming to finish a “Korean quartet” before 70. Crime Fiction Spotlight: Spanish crime writer Alicia Giménez Bartlett celebrates 30 years of Petra Delicado with Bajo el cielo infernal, a new case shaped by grief after the death of her husband. Thriller Adaptations: Colleen Hoover’s Verity opens in Indian theatres with a modest start (about Rs 1.89 crore net on day one), while ITV confirms a release date for Elizabeth Day’s novel-to-screen The Party (starting Oct. 11). Bestseller/Franchise Buzz: Drishyam 3 keeps momentum at the box office, nearing the ₹100 crore mark globally on day one. Bookish Life & Community: Linghams Booksellers rolls out a star-studded October events programme, and Crimestoppers highlights how anonymous tips help solve and prevent major crimes.

Queer Lit Spotlight: Robbie Couch’s “Just the Good Parts” and Lily Chen’s “The Matcha Maker Café” both land in our Reading Rainbow interviews, with authors stressing how representation and nostalgia shape belonging. Fantasy Fall Watchlist: Goodreads’ most-anticipated October fantasy list spotlights new romantasy and dark-fantasy reads, including Sarah J. Maas’s “A Court of Splintered Harmony,” V.E. Schwab’s “Victorious,” and Ann Liang’s “To Dream in Darkness.” Crime & Publishing Community: Wild Blue Press says true-crime readers helped finalize the cover for “DIXIE’S LAST STAND,” while the Barbara Neely Awards open applications for Black mystery and crime writers. Local Book Events: Burbank’s free Book Festival returns Oct. 3, and libraries across the region roll out spooky storytimes and book clubs for October. Big Screen/Book Tie-Ins: Colleen Hoover’s “Verity” keeps dominating headlines as film coverage and reviews swirl around the thriller’s adaptation. Comics for Modern Readers: “Zorro Remastered” debuts as a deluxe, restored collection with added content.

Publishing Careers: Daniela Schlingmann Literary Scouting promoted Isabel Martin to scout and Tom Taylor to associate scout, signaling fresh talent in cross-border discovery. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Reviews and chatter keep circling Colleen Hoover’s Verity—with critics split on whether the thriller’s pulp promise lands on screen. Romance Franchise Watch: Bridgerton Season 6 is in a “blue sky” writers’ phase for Eloise’s next romance, drawing from Julia Quinn’s novels. Global Reading Trends: Chinese publishers are finding new traction in Indonesia, pitching Mandarin children’s titles with interactive formats and exploring local vs. China printing. Crime Writing Spotlight: Janice Hallett discussed her plotting approach and love of everyday overheard dialogue ahead of her new novel The Silent Appeal. Indie/Community Bookselling: Chaparral Books opened a second storefront in Portland’s Ford Building, leaning into a welcoming, low-pressure shop culture. Bestseller Watch: Common Siblings 23 held the No. 1 spot for a second week on Kyobo’s list, with fiction interest rising over the holiday period. Library & Events: October programming continues to roll out, from craft and game nights to book festival calendars.

Youth Justice Study: Vermont’s family-court handling of 18-year-olds is linked to lower repeat offending than adult criminal court, bolstering plans to expand “Raise the Age” to 19-year-olds in 2027. Publishing & Prizes: A Syrian-revolution nonfiction book, Days of Love and Rage, lands on the Baillie Gifford Prize shortlist. True Crime & Books: A new Iowa-focused true-crime title, DIXIE’S LAST STAND, revisits a long-running murder-or-self-defense case. Film-to-Book Buzz: Verity keeps dominating attention as readers and viewers debate its twists and adaptation. Tech & Reading Culture: Cory Doctorow argues big-tech “disruption” and AI won’t fix monopolies, calling for tougher antitrust action. Local Book World: Evanston Writers Workshop opens registration for “In the Trenches 2026,” headlined by Pulitzer winner Jonathan Eig. Community Events: October book calendars and author talks (including Veronica Roth) are rolling out across libraries and festivals.

Nonfiction Prize Watch: Patrick Radden Keefe’s “London Falling” is named a Baillie Gifford Prize finalist, spotlighting a teenager’s death amid London’s superrich shadow world. Publishing Appointments: Bonnier Books UK taps Stefanie Bierwerth as publisher-at-large for Zaffre, bringing crime-and-thriller leadership from Quercus/John Murray. AI & Culture: Eddie Perfect warns about AI’s creep into everyday life while adapting Molière’s “Tartuffe” as a robot-centered satire for Melbourne’s Malthouse Theatre. Books to Screen: “Verity” keeps climbing after its film release, with fresh reviews and chart chatter around Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson’s psychological thriller. Kids & Community Reading: A London hotel partners with the Natural History Museum for a dinosaur-themed suite experience, while McCracken County Public Library adds new play-area funding via local book-sale proceeds. Genre Picks: October’s sci-fi/fantasy and children’s releases get a big push, including time-travel romance and haunted-TV themed recommendations.

Local Retail Spotlight: Great Bend’s IGNITE finalists include The Book Cellar, a Claflin book-and-liquor shop aiming for curated, personalized picks—built after founders couldn’t find a book locally. International Publishing: Spain’s Liber fair opened in Barcelona with 250 exhibitors from 19 countries and thousands of meetings, as the industry pushes deeper global ties. Crime & Courts: A Kansas judge is set to decide whether a 17-year-old accused in a 2024 Fall City mass murder will face juvenile or adult court. Community Safety: Sint Maarten’s youth crime prevention plan hits staffing and paperwork snags, with probation shortfalls and limited foster placements. Publishing/Pop Culture: Colleen Hoover’s Verity keeps dominating headlines as the film lands in theaters, while Rachel Reid says Heated Rivalry should’ve come first in her hockey romance series. Adaptations & New Work: Netflix’s His & Hers team is developing Alice Feeney’s thriller Twist for TV. Genre Buzz: Amazon MGM is developing Garth Ennis’ R-rated horror-noir comic Freddie the Fix for film.

Supreme Court & Immigration: The US Supreme Court let Trump’s administration resume third-country deportations, pausing a lower-court due-process ruling while arguments are set for December. Publishing & Adaptations: Ali Hazelwood announced a sequel to The Love Hypothesis, The Two-Body Problem, arriving Feb. 2, 2027, as the romance continues to expand on screen; meanwhile, The Little Prince is getting a live-action film with Morten Tyldum directing and Simon Beaufoy scripting. Crime & Courts: A judge ordered a do-over for NYC’s pied-à-terre tax rollout after a list of residences harmed homeowners, while a high-profile case involving Lindsay Clancy heads into possible retrial talks after a mistrial. Books & Community: Alaska’s Writers Guild conference drew editors and agents for critiques and workshops, and Ireland named 12 bookshops as contenders for “Bookshop of the Year.” New Releases: Jodi Picoult’s Hollow Bones review spotlights 9/11 and postpartum psychosis, and a new women’s fiction novel, The Time After Now, centers type one diabetes alongside romance, extortion, and escape.

Publishing & Prizes: Picador has pre-empted Evie Wyld’s first crime novel in a two-book deal, while Viking has snapped up Kit Haggard’s mind-bending speculative debut. Crime & Justice: In the UK, an ex-West Midlands detective (James Cox) was found to have committed gross misconduct after taking child-abuse case phones and other sensitive material home; in Northern Ireland, Naomi Long launched “Justice Is Changing” to speed sexual-crime support, including new remote evidence centres. Book-to-screen buzz: Colleen Hoover’s thriller Verity hits cinemas with Dakota Johnson saying the film tests truth and trust; Prime Video is doubling down on Nordic crime with Danish original Snake Killer and Norway’s Rinnan. Reading culture: Decatur Book Festival returns Oct. 2–3 with 100-plus writers and 70 panels; Maryland/Delaware’s Salty Girl Books keeps growing via a TikTok-fueled mobile book boutique; LibraryPlus rolls out adult Book Bingo. Fiction spotlight: Pulitzer winner Hernan Diaz pushes back on “dystopia” for Ply, and Nina Schuyler’s climate novel Open the Floodgates centers a river’s legal fight. International crime crackdown: EU prosecutors report raids across 19 European countries over a €300m phone fraud scheme. Manga: Manga Mavericks previews 12 fall releases, including new series debuts and print expansions.

Thriller on the big screen: Colleen Hoover’s Verity hits theaters with Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett leaning into the book’s distrust-and-perception spiral. Crime & courts: A New York judge says Epstein survivors can pursue most claims against FirstBank Puerto Rico. In Toronto’s Project South probe, an officer charged with improper computer use has pleaded guilty. New crime fiction spotlight: Indiana author Michael Koryta revives the Brady Gang in the historical thriller Die Famous. Book culture & reading habits: A fresh debate flares over BookTok’s impact on “literature,” while a library-hold guide offers alternatives when you’re stuck waiting. Publishing/retail: Wild Detectives expands in Dallas with a second location focused on nonfiction. Tech & games: Blizzard’s StarCraft returns with an open-world FPS and a promise it won’t be live-service forever. Library events: Rowan Public Library announces a free author visit from Katherine Reay on Oct. 9.

Publishing & Tech: AI World Media Group launched AI World Publishing, a new division aimed at helping independent authors turn AI- and tech-focused ideas into professionally produced books. Reading Platforms: StoryGraph is pitching itself as a better Goodreads alternative, with finer-grained ratings and reader-led design. Crime & Thrillers: Nigerian novelist Paul Omeje announced Apata Boys: Syndicate Rising (Nov. 3, 2026), a cinematic 1980s Ibadan crime story about loyalty and power; Embla Books also signed a 17-book deal with self-published crime writer Alex Scarrow. Fiction & Prizes: Korean epic fantasy The Bird That Drinks Tears won France’s Prix du livre Cultissime. Libraries: E-books are straining budgets at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, with rising costs consuming about half of its materials budget. New Releases: Manjula Padmanabhan completes her Meiji trilogy with Zone after 10 years. True Crime/War Reporting: Samar Yazbek’s Your Presence is A Danger to Your Life brings Gaza voices to the page.

Book-to-screen buzz: Prime Video’s YA romance hit You+Me – Against the World surged to No. 1 on its worldwide list just days after release, adding to the streamer’s growing romance slate. Romance origins: The Love Hypothesis (based on Ali Hazelwood’s novel) keeps nodding to its Reylo fanfic roots, with the movie reportedly packing multiple Star Wars–style Easter eggs. Genre spotlight: A look at the rise of fictional African storytelling highlights how romantasy is pulling from local myths and TikTok-fueled fandom. Publishing & culture: Dorothy Sayers argues classical education is a mindset and method, not just a list of “Great Books.” True crime in print: Richard Paul Evans previews his historical fiction Mercy’s Child, while Kevin Sullivan promotes VAMPIRE: The Richard Chase Murders as a new true-crime thriller. Community reading: Dana Precious brings her paranormal romance thriller The Psychic Sisters of Oleander Street to a Montague library talk Sept. 30. Fan communities & AI: AO3 readers claim they found hidden Claude chatbot code embedded in fan fiction, sparking a fresh authorship-and-disclosure fight.

Interactive Kids Publishing: D.M. Russo’s “Coco’s New Home” lands as a 63-page early-reader that prompts kids to answer questions throughout the story. Literary Translation Milestone: An excerpt from Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s unfinished “Love the Revolution” (“Narrow Escape”) debuts in English, with context on why it was never finished and why it finally appeared in 1999. Crime, Books, and the Public Mood: A new wave of true-crime discussion asks whether jurors can stay impartial when cases become national obsession; meanwhile, a fresh psychological thriller spotlights miscarriages of justice. Publishing & Media Crossovers: “Tall Tales & Murder” (Dublin Trilogy) is set for a second season and gets a free-streaming guide; “Lanterns” detective drama recommendations point readers to more crime TV. Publishing Industry Notes: Explore Books shares fall picks, while a “Can bookshops survive the digital age?” debate keeps indie retail in focus. Pop Culture/Genre Buzz: Horror bookshops, sci-fi series, and crime-thriller streaming roundups keep genre readers hunting next reads.

Publishing & Craft: Regency-romance author Alexandra Vasti visited WKU to talk about how genre fiction gets dismissed as “cringe” and what training authors actually need. Book-to-Screen Buzz: The Love Hypothesis keeps splitting readers and viewers, with multiple pieces weighing how the film’s changes reshape the romance. Crime & Reading Culture: A roundup spotlights standout crime books since 2010, while another argues fiction reading boosts empathy and language skills. New Fiction Spotlight: “Yesteryear” is framed as a trad-wife fantasy turned chilling mystery, already optioned for film. Publishing Events: A library calendar and local festivals keep pushing author talks, book clubs, and Dungeons & Dragons for teens. Comics & Collectibles: A Golden Age comics note flags Lightning’s cover debut mismatch in Jumbo Comics #14, and a separate piece celebrates a record Fantastic Four Silver Surfer sale. Pop Culture Tie-Ins: Sanrio’s 2027 Hello Kitty rhythm game and Chessington’s 2027 Minecraft hotel both signal how gaming and books keep cross-pollinating.