Entertainment
8 Classic Mystery Books That Are Perfect From the First Page to the Last
Mystery might just be the greatest book genre, like, ever. But whoever thinks it’s easy to just sit down, write a book, and make it thrilling, entertaining, and totally make sense from start to finish hasn’t tried writing at all. Mystery writers are some of the most ingenious (if not a tad eccentric) artists out there because there’s something truly brilliant about a mystery novel that can hook us from sentence one and never let go.
The mystery novels where every chapter hides a clue, where every clue matters, and where the payoff is so good that you immediately want to flip back to page one and find all the hidden elements of the puzzle are rare, but they exist. They especially hide among the classics, and these eight don’t just belong on a shelf; they should be in your hands right about now, preferably with a drink of choice and a free afternoon. Here are the classic mystery books that are perfect from the first page to the last.
‘The Murders in the Rue Morgue’ (1841)
Edgar Allan Poe is often considered the pioneer of the horror/mystery genre; if not the inventor, he’s definitely one of the earliest examples of writers who had the ability to transport readers and give them the absolute creeps while setting up a clever, somewhat tragic whodunit. Even when it comes to fictional detectives, before The Murders in the Rue Morgue, there weren’t any, really; there definitely was no Sherlock Holmes, no Hercule Poirot, and no Sam Spade. Poe’s C. Auguste Dupin was the prototype for every brilliant, eccentric sleuth who followed.
In The Murders in the Rue Morgue, two women are found brutally murdered in a locked room in Paris, and the police are baffled. However, Detective Dupin, using nothing but his formidable powers of observation and deduction, pieces together a solution that is as shocking as it is logical. Rue Morgue is a short story, so you can read it in a single sitting, but its influence is massive: the locked-room mystery, the armchair detective, and the final reveal presented before the reasoning that leads to it. The prose may be a bit dense by modern standards, and Poe did love his lengthy philosophical digressions, but if you want to understand where every mystery novel you’ve ever loved came from, Rue Morgue is where you start.
‘The Turn of the Screw’ (1898)
When we talk about The Turn of the Screw, questions arise: Is it a ghost story? Is it a psychological thriller? Is it a fever dream about a woman slowly losing her grip on reality? Is it a mystery about a family lineage? The answers, though, are simple—Henry James‘ gothic novella is all of the above, and this ambiguity and all-encompassing nature are exactly what makes it so gripping. The Turn of the Screw is probably one of the most adapted mystery novels, including film, theater, and television, with the most acclaimed version being The Haunting of Bly Manor by Mike Flanagan.
The Turn of the Screw follows a young governess who is hired to care for two orphaned children at a remote English estate called Bly. She soon becomes convinced that the grounds are haunted by the ghosts of two former servants, but here’s the thing: you never quite know if the ghosts are real or if the governess is an unreliable narrator projecting her own anxieties onto innocent children. What makes The Turn of the Screw a perfect book is precisely that—it doesn’t give a straight answer at all. It’s a mystery that invites you to become the detective, parsing every sentence for clues about what’s actually happening. It’s unsettling, beautifully written, and unforgettable. And if you read it once and think you’ve figured it out, read it again; you probably haven’t.
‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ (1902)
The Hound of the Baskervilles is a Sherlock Holmes novel that pretty much everyone knows about, even if they’ve never read it. There is, of course, a perfectly good reason for that: the book is a masterpiece. Arthur Conan Doyle masterfully balances supernatural dread with Holmes’ insistence on logic and evidence. Watson, who narrates most of the story, is at his most competent and engaging, and Holmes’s eventual solution is as satisfying as they come. It’s the book that brought Holmes back from the dead (literally—Doyle had killed him off in a previous story), and thank goodness for that. Some detectives just can’t be killed.
Set on the fog-shrouded moors of Dartmoor, The Hound of the Baskervilles follows Holmes and Watson as they investigate the death of Sir Charles Baskerville, who apparently died of a heart attack while fleeing from a gigantic, supernatural hound. The legend says a demonic dog has haunted the Baskerville family since the English Civil War, and now Sir Charles’ heir, Sir Henry, may be next. The novel is a perfect blend of gothic atmosphere and classic puzzle-box detective work, but its strength is almost always in the rapport between Holmes and Watson, including the moments of deduction that would impress anyone. There are many Sherlock Holmes stories out there, but The Hound of the Baskervilles is universally beloved.
‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ (1955)
Patricia Highsmith‘s The Talented Mr. Ripley is the rare mystery that doesn’t care who committed the crime—because, well, you not only already know who the culprit is, but you’re also rooting for him. Highsmith skillfully takes us into the mind of a man utterly indifferent to evil, and somehow, impossibly, we can’t look away. The Talented Mr. Ripley is a novel about envy, identity, and the terrifying lengths we’ll go to become someone else—to live the life of another, at any cost. With this novel, Highsmith introduced one of literature’s greatest antiheroes, later writing four sequels with Tom Ripley as the protagonist (known as the Ripliad). People nowadays know this story because of the same-name film adaptation starring Matt Damon.
Tom Ripley is a young man scraping by in New York through small-time cons. When a wealthy shipping magnate, Herbert Greenleaf, hires him to travel to Italy and convince his wayward son, Dickie Greenleaf, to return home, Ripley sees an opportunity. He befriends Dickie and grows obsessed with his lavish lifestyle, so much so that his obsession takes a final extreme (let’s try without spoilers, unless you’ve seen the adaptations). Though less of a mystery and more of a psychological thriller, Talented Mr. Ripley turns the mystery genre inside out, presenting it as a setup for understanding Ripley’s psyche (the true mystery). If you’ve only seen the Matt Damon film (or the Netflix miniseries Ripley, starring Andrew Scott), do yourself a favor and read the book, too. It’s mind-blowing.
‘The Maltese Falcon’ (1930)
Dashiell Hammett‘s most famous novel, The Maltese Falcon, is the godfather of hard-boiled detective fiction—it’s what we call a lean, mean, well-oiled machine; it’s also utterly devoid of sentimentality, and yet it provokes sentiment in the reader with every line of beautifully crafted dialogue. Hammett essentially invented the noir detective mystery genre, and his influence can still be found everywhere, from the first noir films starring Humphrey Bogart (who also starred in the film version of the novel) to the most recent Nicolas Cage-led Spider-Noir. Hammett’s style and influence can be found in every cynical private eye, double-cross, and femme fatale.
The Maltese Falcon follows private detective Sam Spade, who is hired by a beautiful woman to follow a man named Floyd Thursby. His agency partner takes the first shift and ends up dead, and soon Spade is caught in a web of murder, betrayal, and a desperate search for a gilded statuette of a falcon that everyone seems willing to kill for. The novel is told entirely in external third-person; there are no internal thoughts and no feelings on display, just what characters say and do, making The Maltese Falcon a sharp mystery that forces you to pay attention to every gesture and word. It’s a quick but incredibly entertaining read that (re)set the standard in the hard-boiled detective genre.
‘Rebecca’ (1938)
Daphne du Maurier‘s gothic mystery masterpiece, Rebecca, begins with one of the most famous opening lines in literature: “Last night, I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” While it’s easy to claim you’ll be hooked from the first line, it’s actually true with Rebecca. Du Maurier’s most famous novel is a true page-turner because of how she sets up the story, where her writing takes us, and how she incorporates her own life into the mystery. Rebecca has never gone out of print, selling millions of copies. Of course, film fans remember that Alfred Hitchcock famously adapted Rebecca into an Oscar-winning film in 1940, but the book is where the true magic lives, and it’s as gripping today as it was in 1938.
Rebecca follows an unnamed young woman (and narrator) who marries the wealthy widower Maxim de Winter and moves to his grand estate, Manderley. But she soon discovers that the memory of his first wife, Rebecca, haunts every corner of the house and most notably the sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, who seems determined to remind the narrator of it. She leaves an entire wing of the estate intact in Rebecca’s honor and makes sure to undermine the narrator at every step, making her unreliable and isolated. The story is a slow-burning psychological mystery/thriller that builds to an interesting, emotional revelation; it’s a story about identity and jealousy, and it’s, by du Maurier’s own admittance, somewhat inspired by her own life and relationship.
‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’ (1926)
While Murder on the Orient Express may be Agatha Christie‘s most famous novel, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is her greatest achievement and quite possibly the greatest mystery novel ever written. It’s so perfectly constructed that the British Crime Writers’ Association voted it the best crime novel of all time in 2013, when they celebrated their 60th anniversary. It’s another novel Christie herself sorted among her personal favorites. It’s quite the typical setup for a Poirot mystery, but it’s still, even a century later, the gold standard of the genre.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is set in a quiet English village, where a wealthy widower named Roger Ackroyd is stabbed to death in his study. The local doctor, as well as the story’s narrator, James Sheppard, assists the now-retired detective Hercule Poirot in finding Ackroyd’s killer. The suspects are numerous, the motives are plentiful, and the clues are persistent, but the solution is so audacious and brilliant that it changed the genre forever. I know what you might be wondering, and no, knowing the ending doesn’t ruin the book; in fact, it makes it even better, because you can observe just how precisely Christie plants every clue and red herring. If you must read only one mystery book in your life, make it The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.
‘Murder on the Orient Express’ (1934)
Half of the novels on this list were written by women (two by the same author), which is a source of pride for many female mystery fans. Highsmith, du Maurier, and Agatha Christie in particular influenced the psychological mystery/thriller genre in literature in numerous ways. If you believe that women can only write romances, romantic fantasy, or smut, you’re mistaken. The true monarch of mystery and detective novels is, in fact, a queen, and her name is Agatha Christie. Murder on the Orient Express is a masterpiece of detective fiction, but it’s much more than just a whodunit. It is a meditation on justice, revenge, and the limits of the law that shows how vengeance consumes a person. Christie herself rated this novel as one of her favorites.
Murder on the Orient Express follows Hercule Poirot, the world’s greatest detective, as he is traveling on the luxurious Orient Express when a passenger is found stabbed to death in his compartment. The train is stranded in a snowdrift, and the killer is still on board. Poirot has a finite number of suspects and a finite amount of time to solve the mystery, and the solution is one of the most shocking and morally complex in crime fiction. The plotting is immaculate, the characters are vivid, and Poirot is at his most brilliant; Orient Express is the kind of book that makes you want to flip back to the beginning as soon as you finish.
Entertainment
The Next Fourth Wing Book Is Officially Coming This Fall
Basgiath is looming in the near distance, and readers won’t have long to wait to return to fantasy’s most terrifying War College. Rebecca Yarros has officially announced the latest addition to her bestselling fantasy series that promises to take fans back to the world of dragon riders, and it’s going to bring us something we’ve been waiting for since the very beginning: Xaden’s Threshing Day.
Sharing the announcement with fans, Fourth Wing creator Yarros wrote: “Welcome to Conscription Day, Cadets! I’m thrilled to share the title and cover of my next book (not book four!) in the Empyrean series: Threshing Day! This collection contains thirteen threshing stories about some of your favorite characters and their dragons.”
Yarros also teased the deluxe edition’s artwork, calling the illustrations “seriously… all so gorgeous,” before reassuring international readers to watch for release updates from their local publishers. Closing the announcement, she wrote: “I hope this gives you a fun trip back to Basgiath while I’m writing book four! So grab your leathers… The dragons are waiting!”
The series follows the life of Violet Sorrengail, a young woman who expects to spend her life among books as a scribe before her imposing mother, a general, forces her to enroll at Basgiath War College, where candidates will train to protect the kingdom of Navarre as dragon riders.
Is There a Fourth Wing TV Series?
Not yet — but there soon will be. Prime Video is now officially bringing Fourth Wing to series, to be produced by Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society, with Meredith Averill serving as showrunner and executive producer. Lisa Joywill direct the first episode and also executive produce, while Yarros is involved as an executive producer alongside Jordan and Elizabeth Raposo. Jordan has already explained that he wants to deliver for fans on every level.
“We are making sure that this is going to be a exciting show that delivers on all of the things the fans want and some of the things that they won’t be expecting either. But trust me, I know how beloved this franchise IP is and we’re diligently… We’re in the lab, we’re cooking up. We got it. It’s coming. It’s early stages, but I feel how much people care about this one. It’s not lost on us.”
Threshing Day goes on sale on September 29, 2026, giving Fourth Wing fans a chance to revisit Basgiath while they await the next mainline novel in the blockbuster fantasy series.
Entertainment
I Play Rocky Trailer Reveals the Inspiring Story Behind Sylvester Stallone’s Greatest Fight : Coastal House Media
A major Marvel rumor is making waves online, with reports claiming that Adam Driver is being lined up to play Magneto in Marvel Studios’ highly anticipated X-Men reboot.
The casting rumor quickly gained traction after surfacing through industry scoopers before spreading across social media, Reddit, and several entertainment news outlets. While Marvel Studios has yet to confirm the report, Driver’s name has rapidly become one of the most talked about possibilities for the iconic mutant leader.
If the rumor proves true, Driver would become the third major actor to portray Erik Lehnsherr on the big screen, following legendary performances by Sir Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender. The role is widely considered one of Marvel’s most complex characters, requiring an actor capable of balancing both villainy and sympathy, something many fans believe Driver has consistently demonstrated throughout his career.
Adding even more excitement to the speculation is the timing. Marvel Studios is expected to return to Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con later this month, and many insiders believe the presentation could serve as the stage for the studio’s first official X-Men casting announcements. While rumors continue to point toward Hall H as the place where Marvel could unveil its new mutant lineup, the studio has not confirmed that any X-Men casting announcements are planned, making the speculation just that for now.
Recent reports have suggested Marvel is assembling a fresh roster of mutants following the events of Avengers: Secret Wars, with younger actors reportedly being sought for characters like Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, and Nightcrawler. Veteran actors are still believed to be in the mix for legacy characters such as Magneto and Professor X, making Driver’s rumored involvement a believable fit if Marvel chooses to go that route.
Magneto, Marvel
Driver is no stranger to blockbuster franchises, having portrayed Kylo Ren throughout Disney’s Star Wars sequel trilogy while also earning Academy Award nominations for Marriage Story and BlacKkKlansman. His ability to portray emotionally layered characters has made him a longtime fan favorite for several Marvel roles.
For now, however, fans should approach the rumor with caution. Marvel Studios has remained silent regarding its X-Mencast, and numerous names have been linked to the reboot over the past year without becoming official.
With San Diego Comic-Con just around the corner, fans may not have to wait much longer to learn who will lead the next generation of Marvel’s mutants. Whether Adam Driver ultimately dons Magneto’s iconic helmet remains to be seen, but if the Hall H rumors prove accurate, the official reveal could be just days away.
Entertainment
NLE Choppa Debuts Maroon Pixie Wig For Album Tease
NLE Choppa never fails to keep the internet talking, especially when it’s time to step into a new music era. Throughout his career, the rapper has become known for his wild fashion choices, eye-catching visuals, and risqué lyrics that keep fans talking with every rollout. Now, he’s once again shaking up the timeline after debuting a bold new look while teasing his upcoming album.
RELATED: NLE Choppa Sparks Debate After Addressing Clips Of Him Flirting With Other Women In Front Of His Fiancée (VIDEOS)
NLE Choppa Shows Off His New ’Do Across His Socials
Over the weekend, NLE Choppa popped out on Instagram wearing a white Chrome Hearts tee, leather pants, and a maroon pixie wig. The rapper debuted his new “Shiloh” era while teasing his upcoming album and shared the meaning behind the transformation.
He wrote, “Introducing SHILOH…
Shiloh: Tranquility, Peace, & Gods gift. The Light Bringer
Maroon Hair Color: Renewal Of The Mind
But Still Desporado
I’ve turned my back on this lane, but here is my return!
Eyes out my rear view l’ve seen my influence shape the music we hear today.
Time To Reclaim The THRONE
IM READY !!!!
#Shiloh444 #ALBUMREADY.”
Over on X, NLE Choppa shared more photos wearing the maroon pixie wig while posing in the studio with a leather jacket. He kept the caption simple, writing, “Keep yo peace Shiloh…”
Social Media Reacts
Folks gathered under The Shade Room Teens’ comment section as many began to react to NLE Choppa’s new look. Many shared their thoughts on the hairstyle, while others questioned what to expect from his new era.
Instagram user @latrell.tremayne wrote, “Cmon 27 piece!! 💁🏾♂️ 😍 😂 “
Instagram user @fatbellyjam added, “ Anita Choppa, or NLE Baker??”
While Instagram user @_jayeedoll wrote, “Pls nle i cant keep defending you 😭😭”
Instagram user @lukebucurr_ wrote, “Bro done changed his avatar so many times”
Instagram user @aliiyahmone added, “I wonder about him … what goes on in his brain when he does these things 👀 😂 And I ain’t trying to say nothing wrong. I just want to know how these things come about.”
While Instagram user @4xfettii wrote, “First he was young boy then Kirk Franklin then Tupac now he Tory”
Instagram user @_kyla.jade wrote, “I would be so mad if this was my bd”
Instagram user @banksbig4 added, “Pooh Shiesty Gon Have A Field Day With Ts”
While Instagram user @yafav_scj wrote, “Nah I think I’m starting to love NLE 😭😭 he’s so random”
What Can Fans Expect In This Era From NLE Choppa?
While fans await new music from NLE Choppa, it seems like the rapper is stepping into his next chapter, ready to come back stronger than ever. It’s been nearly two years since NLE Choppa released a full-length project. Since then, he’s kept fans fed with projects like SLUT SZN and installments in his Shotta Flow series while continuing to evolve both personally and creatively.
Lately, the rapper has been very vocal about his personal growth and sobriety journey. Back in May, he wrote on X, “I didn’t realize how much smoking weed was hindering me until I stopped.”
He later followed up with more reflective posts, including “Excuse me for forgetting who I was,”
Based on his recent messages, 2026 appears to be a year of growth and reflection for the rapper. He even recently hit the studio with his daughter, Clover, to create a bop for the kiddies.
RELATED: NLE Choppa Clarifies His “Intimacy” Preference Amid His Risqué Song Teaser Going Viral
What Do You Think Roomies?
Entertainment
Netflix’s Overlooked R-Rated Action Comedy Brings Famous Noir Detective To Life
By Matthew Swigonski
| Published

There’s just something about buddy cop movies that makes them so entertaining. From the heaping helping of cheesy one-liners to the eventual uncovering of some nefarious conspiracy, the buddy cop recipe might remain the same, but it’s tried and true. Although it might be overlooked, the Netflix original film Spenser Confidential is an entertaining addition to the genre.
A Modern Take On A Classic Character

Don’t let the Netflix original title fool you, Spenser Confidential is based on a character that has been decades in the making. First introduced in 1973 in the novel The Goldwulf Manuscript, by author Robert B. Parker, Spenser has been around the block once or twice. As a detective, he’s as hard-nosed as he is intelligent.
Parker wrote 40 novels detailing the adventures of the witty detective until his death in 2010. Since 2013, author Ace Atkins has taken over the detective series. With nearly 50 years of Spenser material to work with, Netflix decided to green-light a film adaptation of Atkins’ novel Robert B. Parker’s Wonderland in 2018.
Mark Wahlberg Is Spenser

In March 2020, Netflix released Spenser Confidential on its streaming platform. The film is directed by veteran director Peter Berg, who has directed films such as Lone Survivor, Patriot’s Day, and Mile 22. The screenplay is penned by screenwriters Sean O’Keefe and Brian Helgeland.
Tapped to star as the titular character was frequent Berg collaborator Mark Wahlberg. The longtime actor may not be known for being the world’s greatest actor, but he can certainly play the role of a foul-mouthed determined cop. Actors Winston Duke, Alan Arkin, Bokeem Woodbine, and Iliza Shlesinger help round out the cast.
Teaming Up With Hawk

Spenser Confidential follows Spenser after he is sentenced to prison after assaulting police captain John Boylan (Michael Gaston). But after he does his time, it appears that the former cop has put his past behind him and moved on. Spenser is released from prison and finds a place to stay with Hawk (Winston Duke), an up and coming MMA fighter.
However, things take a messy turn when Boylan is murdered, making Spenser a suspect in the case. To make matters worse, another detective also winds up dead shortly after. Smelling something fishy going on, Spenser decides to investigate the case himself.
A Predictable But Satisfying Outing

Unbeknownst to Spenser, his impromptu investigation catches the eye of a small group of dirty cops. With the help of his friend Hawk, Spenser must quickly unravel the mystery before the dirty attempt to tie up loose ends.
For most diehard Spenser fans, Spenser Confidential might seem like a bit of a letdown. The plot is slightly watered down to fit into the 110 minute runtime. With little to no surprises in the story, the movie can also be predictable at times.

Despite its predictability, the movie is an enjoyable experience to sit back and watch Wahlberg and Duke play off of each other. The duo work very well together in their respective roles. Shlesinger is also a breath of fresh air, utilizing a surprisingly effective Boston accent in a comedic role.
While not groundbreaking, Spenser Confidential is a fun buddy cop movie. With solid performances and a decent amount of action, there’s plenty to like about this movie. Maybe it’s not the best film out there, but it is certainly worth a watch.

SPENSER CONFIDENTIAL SCORE
Entertainment
Babylon 5 Stars Favorite Episode Is A Nearly Perfect Hour Of Sci-Fi
By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated

Babylon 5 was intricately plotted out from the very beginning; this is made clear in the eighth episode of Season 1, “And The Sky Full Of Stars,” which not only calls back to the pilot episode, “The Gathering,” but also lays the groundwork for a grand conspiracy. It was one of many episodes written by creator J. Michael Straczynski and has become a fan favorite thanks to the performance of both Michael O’Hare as a captured and tortured Sinclair and Christopher Neame as the sadistic interrogator Knight Two. It also gets to the heart of an early series mystery: what did happen at the Battle of the Line to end the Earth-Minbari War?
The Earth-Minbari War

There’s no secret that Earth was going to lose against the Minbari. Humanity’s technology was no match for the Minbari ships, and yet, the Minbari surrendered to Earth. As mentioned in “The Gathering” by one of the Minbari, Sinclair has a “hole in his mind” and can’t recall one day during The Battle of the Line. That’s what the unnamed Knight One (Judson Scott) and Knight Two (Neame) have arrived at the station to find out. They have the theory that Sinclair has been compromised and is a Minbari Sleeper Agent.

By abducting Sinclair and putting him in an elaborate digital reconstruction of Babylon 5, Knight Two wants to torture the information out of the Commander. Using pain and psychological warfare by walking Sinclair through his military career, up to the day so many of his comrades died, Knight Two relentlessly digs at the truth (and chews the scenery with a purposely hammy performance), when Sinclair gives in, dives into his missing memory, and recalls his time on a Minbari ship where he met the Minbari Grey Council. And Delenn was there.
Michael O’Hare’s Favorite Episode

“And The Sky Full Of Stars” was one of O’Hare’s favorite episodes, and for good reason. He had brothers who served in the military and wanted to respect the real danger that comes from serving your country. The incredible moment where he’s turning and seeing his comrades killed, over and over with each turn, was a bit of stage direction suggested by O’Hare himself.

The wham moment of the episode, which reveals Delenn (Mira Furlan) being there while Sinclair was a Minbari prisoner, would go on to impact the rest of Babylon 5. Up to this point, Delenn had been the most reasonable of the ambassadors, a representative for the Minbari Religious Caste, and at no time gave a hint that she was directly involved with the Grey Council. With one lift of a hood, everything fans thought they had figured out regarding Human/Minbari relations went right out the window.
Originally, Walter Koenig was supposed to take on the role of Knight Two, but his health prevented him from being available for filming, resulting in the character of Bester being created for him. Patrick McGoohan, creator and star of the legendary sci-fi series The Prisoner was the second choice, but he was also unavailable. It all worked out, as Christopher Neame’s performance was so good, it’s still praised by fans to this day.
Babylon 5 eventually revealed the entire mystery behind the Grey Council and the Minbari, along with Sinclair’s ultimate destiny, but it took awhile to get there. Since there was always a story in place, unlike other sci-fi shows that claimed to have a plan when none existed, “And The Sky Full Of Stars” is able to pay off what came before, set up what comes later, and, in retrospect, stand out for laying all the pieces in front of the audience before they even knew the puzzle existed.
Entertainment
Growing Pains’ Ashley Johnson Talks Almost On-Set Kidnapping
Growing Pains alum Ashley Johnson revealed she was almost kidnapped as a child while filming the hit ‘90s sitcom.
Johnson, 42, recalled the terrifying experience during the Wednesday, July 8, episode of her “Weird Kids” podcast, detailing that members of the show’s live studio audience would stand close to actors as they exited their trailers.
“I’m walking with my mom and I just remember some guy hops out of the line and he grabs me up and starts booking it,” Johnson, who joined the cast as a six-year-old when she began portraying Chrissy Seaver, said. “He ended up, clearly, going to jail. He had a gun.”
The child star, who currently works as a television voice actress, added that on-set security helped her avoid a very dangerous situation. “All I remember is, like, there was security that somehow got on him after some time. The security comes out, they wrestle him down [and] I just remember flying around in the air,” she told her podcast cohost, Taliesin Jaffe. “I was clueless as to what was happening but I was very upset and they were talking to me about it after.”
Johnson added that she was unable to process the moment as a child, recalling her surprising response to crew members who checked in on her. “I just said, ‘I think I’m going to be in trouble … he took one of my shoes,’” she said. “I had one slipper [and] it wasn’t my shoe, it was wardrobe’s shoe. They got him … [security] saved me.”
The actress also claimed that prior to the almost-kidnapping, a fan of Growing Pains sent in a letter that threatened deadly consequences. “[It read] ‘I am coming to set and I am going to bring a gun and I am going to murder some of the cast,’” Johnson recalled.
Johnson joined Growing Pains, which starred series regulars Kirk Cameron, the late Alan Thicke, Joanna Kerns, Jeremy Miller and Tracey Gold as well as guest star Leonardo DiCaprio during its final season, in its fourth season.
It ran on ABC from 1985 to 1992 and centered on the Seavers, a family with close bonds both on-screen and away from the cameras.
Cameron, 55, said in an interview with Today two days after Thicke’s death following a heart attack at age 69, that the Seaver family felt like a real family. “We laughed and cried together, shared birthday celebrations, Christmas parties, holidays and worked together with the crew as a team to make a really special TV show,” he told the outlet at the time. “We weren’t just a TV family. In many ways, we were a real family.”
Entertainment
Marvel Officially Reveals a New Breed of Xenomorph Hybrid
Few movie monsters have remained as iconic as the Xenomorph. Ever since Ridley Scott‘s Alien introduced the “perfect organism” in 1979, the creatures have evolved through different hosts, producing countless variations across movies, comics, novels, and video games. Despite those changes, however, the franchise’s monsters have always shared one defining characteristic: the same horrifying life cycle.
Marvel’s preview for Alien: King Killer #4 suggests the franchise is about to challenge that idea. Rather than allowing Xenomorphs to evolve naturally through new hosts, the upcoming issue teases beings intentionally engineered from human, synthetic, and Xenomorph biology, revealing the unsettling truth behind the series’ mysterious Three Kings.
‘Alien: King Killer’ Reveals What the Three Kings Really Are
The preview of issue #4 opens with Idris, Aisha, and Zain traveling to the Institute where their story first began. Hoping to uncover the truth behind the Xenomorph outbreak on Sovryn, the siblings return to the abandoned scientific facility where Idris admits he hasn’t set foot since childhood. From there, Alien: King Killer shifts into a revealing flashback. The scientist responsible for creating the Three Kings addresses the young siblings as his “children,” explaining that they were never meant to be ordinary humans. Instead, he proudly describes them as “human, synthetic, Xenomorph” lifeforms, engineered to become “warrior-leaders capable of colonizing the harshest of planets.”
The revelation reframes everything readers have learned about the Three Kings throughout the series so far. Rather than simply surviving the Xenomorph invasion because of experimental enhancements, the preview suggests they were created as part of a much larger vision for humanity’s future. According to their creator, governments dismissed the Xenomorph threat as another obstacle to interstellar expansion, while he believed the species represented humanity’s next evolutionary step. He even declares the Three Kings to be “the first generation of the future” and models for what humanity must become if it hopes to survive.
The preview stops short of revealing where those experiments ultimately lead, but it offers plenty of ominous hints. As the Institute descends into chaos during the flashback, readers get a glimpse of the horrors lurking within the facility, teasing that the truth behind the Three Kings may be even darker than they imagined.
Alien: King Killer #4 is available now from Marvel Comics and at your local comic shop.
Entertainment
Shania Twain Missed Taylor’s Wedding Due to Harry Styles Tie
Shania Twain has revealed she declined an invitation to Taylor Swift’s wedding due to her tie to Swift’s ex Harry Styles.
“I would have done anything to be at Taylor’s wedding,” Twain, 60, said in an interview with Canadian entertainment outlet ETalk, published on Tuesday, July 14. “I would have done anything, and that would have been really lovely for me to be there — but I was with Harry.”
Twain was referring to her musical role in opening Styles’ 12-show residency at London’s Wembley Stadium, which overlapped with Swift’s July 3 wedding to Travis Kelce inside New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
“Taylor Swift invited me to her wedding and I couldn’t go because I was already committed to Harry’s shows. I was already committed,” the “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” hitmaker quipped. “If Harry ever gets married and he wants me at his wedding then … he’s going to have to ask me more in advance.”
As the ETalk host pointed out, Swift, 36, and Styles, 32, dated from 2012 to 2013, making Twain’s prior engagement all the more awkward. “It’s just kind of funny that it happened that way,” the country singer said in response.
Twain wasn’t the only celebrity to miss out on seeing Swift exchange vows with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, also 36, in a ceremony that attracted 1,000 of the couple’s closest family members and friends. Swift’s former bestie Blake Lively, as well as Margaret Qualley, the estranged wife of Swift’s musical collaborator Jack Antonoff, and Swift’s former pal Lorde did not attend the star-studded nuptials.

Shania Twain David Becker/Getty Images
Those who did witness the pair, who began dating in the summer of 2023, tie the knot include Selena Gomez, Jessica Alba, Gigi Hadid, Hugh Grant, Karlie Kloss, Paul Rudd, Seth Meyers, Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris and more. On the groom’s side, Brittany and Patrick Mahomes, George Kittle, Kareem Hunt and other high-profile NFL players also joined the fun.
A source exclusively shared with Us Weekly three days after the ceremony that the venue was utterly transformed. “The entire wedding had an enchanted garden-inspired vibe,” the insider told Us before revealing that the wedding’s color palette was soft blush and light peach. “There was light peach drapery everywhere as you entered, blush and white florals, tons of lush greenery, huge trees and candlelight throughout.”

Taylor Swift Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
The smaller details were equally impressive, with the source also confirming that cocktail drink napkins, signs and custom handkerchiefs were all monogrammed with “T&T” initials.
Entertainment
‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ Creators Drop Perfect Response to Gerard Way’s Shock Gaming Confession
There are some games that have become so ubiquitous it almost feels impossible to avoid them. Whether you’ve sunk hundreds of hours into them or simply watched friends romance vampires and wizards on social media, Baldur’s Gate 3 has become one of those rare RPGs that broke out of gaming circles and into mainstream pop culture. Three years after its release, it’s still finding new fans and dominating conversations whenever someone mentions Dungeons & Dragons.
That made one recent concert moment especially entertaining. My Chemical Romance has always had one foot planted firmly in nerd culture, with frontman Gerard Way openly embracing everything from comic books to tabletop gaming throughout his career, even co-creating The Umbrella Academy. So, when a fan brought a Baldur’s Gate question to one of the band’s shows, it seemed like a safe bet that Way would have opinions about one of gaming’s most beloved releases. The opposite is true.
Gerard Way’s ‘Baldur’s Gate’ Confession Caught Larian’s Attention
During My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade tour stop at Wembley Stadium, Way spotted a fan-made sign asking whether he had played Baldur’s Gate 3, but Way admitted his history with the series actually stops with the original game. “I only played Baldur’s Gate 1,” Way told the crowd. “Not that I probably wouldn’t have liked 2 or 3. I did play the Icewind Dale expansion, but I just ran out of time.” Way then turned the question back on the audience, asking if Baldur’s Gate 3 was actually worth playing. The crowd responded with loud cheers, prompting the singer to laugh before recalling just how influential the original game had been for him. “The first one was a lot of fun,” Way said. “It was the closest thing at the time to playing D&D.”
Videos of the exchange quickly spread across social media, where they eventually caught the attention of Larian Studios itself. Rather than a quick celebration of yet another celebrity acknowledging the game, the developer decided to make Way an offer. In a pair of posts on X, Larian jokingly asked how the My Chemical Romance frontman had managed to miss its critically acclaimed Dungeons & Dragons RPG before following up with an invitation. “Gerard, there’s a Baldur’s Gate 3 code with your name on it if you fancy trying it,” the studio wrote. “Lots of love, Larian xoxo.”
The revelation that Way simply hasn’t had time to get to Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t entirely surprising, considering Way has spent years balancing music, comics, writing, and numerous creative projects, and the band started touring again in 2022 after just shy of a decade apart. But when he finds the time, Baldur’s Gate 3 couldn’t be a more perfect game for the My Chemical Romance frontman. Way’s love of fantasy and tabletop games has never exactly been a secret, and references to Dungeons & Dragons have appeared throughout the band’s history. Now, thanks to Larian’s very public invitation, there’s a good chance the singer may finally find the time to see what all the hype has been about.
- Released
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August 3, 2023
- ESRB
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M
- Developer(s)
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Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
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Larian Studios
- Franchise
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Baldur’s Gate
Entertainment
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