Guilt

In Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, a character remarks, "If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake; that will be punishment—as well as the prison." In other words, guilt is its own form of imprisonment, from which someone may never be released. In this collection explore titles that probe the questions and implications raised by the idea of guilt.

1922

by Stephen King

Publication year 2010

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Masculinity, Place, Good & Evil

Tags Horror & Suspense, Historical Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction

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2666

by Roberto Bolano

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Memory, Nostalgia, Regret, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Race, Sexual Identity, Midlife, The Past, Family, Immigration, War, Art, Good & Evil, Literature, Truth & Lies

Tags Latin American Literature, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Trauma & Abuse

2666 (2004) is a novel by Chilean author Roberto Bolaño, published one year after Bolaño's death. Centering around a reclusive German author and his role in investigating the ongoing unsolved murders in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, Mexico, 2666 jumps in location, narrative style, location, and characters over its five sections. The novel is widely acclaimed and was adapted into stage plays three times. The New York Times Book Review ranked 2666 as the... Read 2666 Summary

28 Summers

by Elin Hilderbrand

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Guilt, Death

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Food, Relationships, Politics & Government, Love & Sexuality, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

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Abend Der Worte

by Paul Celan

Publication year 1950

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Memory, Safety & Danger, Art, Fear, The Past, Good & Evil, Guilt

Tags Lyric Poem, Modernism, Post-War Era, Trauma & Abuse, Grief & Death, European History, World War II, Holocaust

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Absolution

by Alice McDermott

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, Guilt, Conflict, Femininity, Friendship, Colonialism, War

Tags Historical Fiction, Vietnam War, Military & War, World History, Fantasy

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Acceleration

by Graham McNamee

Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Safety & Danger, Fate, Good & Evil, Wins & Losses, Mental Health, Perseverance, Guilt, Conflict

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Relationships, Realistic Fiction

Acceleration (2003) is a young adult novel by Graham McNamee, who is also known for the fantasy-horror novel Bonechiller (2008). Narrated in the first person, Acceleration tells the story of 17-year-old Duncan as he learns of a potential serial killer in his city and his attempt to stop him. It examines themes of guilt, forgiveness, mental health, poverty, and more.Plot SummaryThe story opens with 17-year-old Duncan working a two-month stint at a lost and found... Read Acceleration Summary

A Different Kind of Power

by Jacinda Ardern

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Perseverance, Grief, Guilt, Hope, Love, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Midlife, Future, Place, Family, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Education, Nation, Politics & Government, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Truth & Lies

Tags Memoir & Autobiography

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A Flicker in the Dark

by Stacy Willingham

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Memory, Love, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Safety & Danger, Order & Chaos, Childhood & Youth, Death, The Past, Midlife

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction

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A Great Deliverance

by Elizabeth George

Publication year 1988

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Gender Identity, Social Class

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, British Literature

A Great Deliverance is the first novel by American mystery and crime author Elizabeth George. The 1988 novel follows Inspector Thomas Lynley and Sergeant Barbara Havers as they investigate the murder of William Teys, who was found beheaded on his farm in the Yorkshire Moors. As the investigators get wrapped up in the murder, dark family secrets are unearthed, and the culpability of Teys’s youngest daughter, Roberta, who confessed to the beheading, becomes more and... Read A Great Deliverance Summary

A Great Reckoning

by Louise Penny

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Memory, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Love, Grief, Perseverance, Nostalgia, Conflict, Safety & Danger, Wins & Losses

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Trauma & Abuse

A Great Reckoning (2016) is the 12th novel in the Inspector Gamache series. The series consists of contemporary mysteries written by the Canadian author Louise Penny. Like the other novels in the series, A Great Reckoning revolves around the small village of Three Pines, Quebec, and its inhabitants. The novel includes a standalone murder mystery plot and references to events in other novels within the series; Penny explores themes of parenthood, loss, and betrayal. This... Read A Great Reckoning Summary