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| Among the Dead: A Rachel Carver Mystery by J.R. BacklundPolice Procedural. Rachel Carver quit North Carolina's SBI six weeks ago after her last case went bad. Called to a small mountain town by a friend and former colleague, the talented investigator finds herself consulting on a most peculiar crime: a murder in a town that never has them by someone who knows what he's doing. Though readers learn who one murderer is early on, those who like to figure out why (and who's behind it all) while reading a compelling story with a strong female detective will enjoy this accomplished debut novel and series starter. |
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| Fast Falls the Night by Julia KellerMystery. In a 24-hour period, Raythune County, West Virginia faces a record number of overdose victims thanks to heroin laced with elephant tranquilizer. Sheriff's deputy Jake Oakes, other cops, and EMTs try to save who they can, but not everyone lives, and opinions vary among locals if an addict's death matters. Investigating the source of the tainted drug in her Appalachian hometown, prosecutor Bell Elkins learns more about her past and new secrets from her ex-convict sister. Critics love this atmospheric, gritty 6th in the Bell Elkins series. Looking for more beautifully written rural crime novels? Try Tom Bouman's Henry Farrell novels. |
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| Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica LockeMystery. In a rural East Texas town of fewer than 200 people, the body of an African American lawyer from Chicago is found in a bayou, followed several days later by that of a local white woman. What's going on? African American Texas Ranger Darren Mathews hopes to find out, which means talking to relatives of the deceased, including the woman's white supremacist husband -- and Mathews soon discovers things are more complex than they seem. With fully realized characters and a timely look at race relations in the U.S., this book by award-winning novelist Attica Locke (who's also written and produced for TV's Empire) is the 1st in her Highway 59 series. |
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| Lightning Men: A Novel by Thomas MullenHistorical Mystery. In this highly anticipated follow-up to last year's Darktown, African American police officers Tommy Smith and Lucius Boggs find themselves once again navigating volatile racial tensions in Atlanta. This time, it's 1950, and their attempt to stop the influx of illegal alcohol and drugs is complicated by the involvement of whites, whom they're not allowed to arrest. Meanwhile, neo-Nazis are in town stirring up trouble as black families move into formerly whites-only neighborhoods. Examining the cops' professional and personal lives, Lightning Men provides a well-rounded look at fascinating characters in an explosive setting. |
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| The Fifth Petal: A Novel by Brunonia BarryMystery. It's Halloween, 2014, in Salem, Massachusetts, aka "Witch City," when a murder occurs. Alcoholic chief of police John Rafferty investigates the new death as well as its connections to a 25-year-old triple homicide involving three descendants of Salem Witch Trial victims and the Witch Trials themselves. Those who enjoyed the author's Lace Reader will find familiar faces here. The Fifth Petal mixes supernatural elements, crime, history, and multiple perspectives to make a perfectly haunting Halloween read. Prefer a more lighthearted Halloween mystery? Try Donna Andrews' Lord of the Wings. |
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| The Witch Hunter's Tale: A Midwife Mystery by Sam ThomasHistorical Mystery. In York, England, the summer of 1645 was brutally hot, then it was so rainy that crops rotted in the fields, and now winter is just as bleak. When the weather and several deaths are blamed on witches, midwife Bridget Hodgson and her assistant Martha try to do what they can to calm things, but that results in Bridget's nephew Will being accused of murder. Meanwhile, Bridget's Puritan nephew Joseph and her old enemy Rebecca are both ringleaders in the witch hunt. How far is Bridget willing to go to protect her loved ones -- and can she find the real murderer? To find out, read this impeccably researched 3rd entry in the Midwife Mysteries, set during the English Civil War. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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