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The FBI is investigating the circumstances surrounding the coal mine blast in West Virginia that killed 29 miners. Sources say the FBI is looking into potential criminal negligence on the part of Massey Energy, the owner of the Upper Big Branch coal mine. Sources also say the probe involves allegations of bribery involving the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. A Department of Justice spokeswoman denies the mine safety agency is part of the investigation, however.

Sophie Hannah's new psychological crime thriller is about the cruel machinations of outwardly nice married folks with too much time on their hands.

Elizabeth Bear's new novel makes thoughtful use of steampunk elements in a lively tale of brothel inhabitants defending their house against a rival — and in the process uncovering a political plot.

African-American philosopher Cornel West's new book laments the decline of "prophetic" black leadership, lifting up examples of people who were willing to risk their lives in the service of the truth.

Paul Tremblay's new novel is, on the surface, a story about a book about a reality show about a real-life event, but reviewer Jason Heller says it becomes an "unsettling conversation about the truth."

Miranda July's new novel The First Bad Man defies neat summaries; reviewer Annalisa Quinn calls July "a master of the intimate weirdnesses of human thought," who treats dusty mental corners with care.

Psychologist Carl-Johan Forssen Ehrlin designed his best-selling (and self-published) story The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep to help kids doze off. We visited a local naptime to see if it works.

Polish author Olga Tokarczuk's new collection is a cabinet of curiosities — surreal, loosely connected stories about the human body, about movement, about two-headed calves and saints' relics.

This week saw the hottest day around the world since records began. How do we know that, and what can we expect in the future?

As consumers cut back their spending in the worsening economy, the effects are being felt even in the wastepaper recycling and exporting industry. Decreased demand for products means a drop in the need for packaging — and the recycled materials that it's made from.