IP Picksđ: The Scariest Science Story of the Year
â A pioneering Hollywood stuntwoman and a dream cruise-turned-nightmare
Welcome to The Optionist. Thanks for reading along. Before we get into it, a quick programming note: These are the last fresh picks of 2024, but not the last newsletter of the year. I'll be back right after Christmas with a couple of things you'll definitely want to read, ideally with some egg nog nearby. I've been asking people anonymously to report back on their year, what sold and what didn't and the trends theyâre seeing. Iâll also highlight a few titles I personally liked from earlier in the year that are still available. So youâll definitely want to check back next week.
Now for the business at hand: One of the things I love about this time of year is all of the year-end lists. The more offbeat the better. I think you learn a lot more when these round-ups are not just your typical Top 10 lists. Take Publishers Weekly's rundown of its most-read reviews from 2024. I went a bit out on a limb a few weeks ago with a Medieval history book that I thought could be the basis for a real-life Game of Thrones-type show, and now itâs just popped up as one of the most clicked-on reviews. Itâs just one data point, but it certainly makes me feel like I was onto something with my outside-the-box hunch on that one.
On to this weekâs picks, which include a personal favorite coming back on the market and the scariest science story I read this year. The full lineup:
A mystery/thriller set in the NYC comic-book industry of â70s
A road-trip dramedy about estranged siblings reconciling during a weekend at a remote cabin
A biopic about a female Hollywood pioneer
A drama about a group of stranded cruise ship passengers racing across Africa to get back to their boat
A bio-thriller about how âmirror cellsâ could wreak havoc on the planet
