Mystery
August 2019
Recent Releases
A Better Man: a Chief Inspector Gamache Novel
by Louise Penny

Catastrophic spring flooding, blistering attacks in the media, and a mysterious disappearance greet Chief Inspector Armand Gamache as he returns to the Sûreté du Québec in the latest novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author Louise Penny.
It's Gamache's first day back as head of the homicide department, a job he temporarily shares with his previous second-in-command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir. Flood waters are rising across the province. In the middle of the turmoil a father approaches Gamache, pleading for help in finding his daughter.
As crisis piles upon crisis, Gamache tries to hold off the encroaching chaos, and realizes the search for Vivienne Godin should be abandoned. But with a daughter of his own, he finds himself developing a profound, and perhaps unwise, empathy for her distraught father.
Increasingly hounded by the question, how would you feel ..., he resumes the search.
As the rivers rise, and the social media onslaught against Gamache becomes crueler, a body is discovered. And in the tumult, mistakes are made.
In the next novel in this "constantly surprising series that deepens and darkens as it evolves" (New York Times Book Review), Gamache must face a horrific possibility, and a burning question.
What would you do if your child's killer walked free?
Terns of Endearment
by Donna Andrews

When her family’s cruise vacation is interrupted by a ship breakdown and reports of a passenger’s suspicious leap overboard, Meg races against time to uncover the truth. By the Agatha Award-winning author of Toucan Keep a Secret.
A Killer Edition
by Lorna Barrett

Balancing a baking contest with her rocky volunteer efforts at the local animal shelter, Tricia Miles searches for answers when a woman is found dead in the aftermath of a neighbor dispute. By the best-selling author of Poisoned Cages.
Twisted at the Root: A Jane Lawless Mystery
by Ellen Hart

Private investigator Jane Lawless works with her father, Ray, on a wrongful conviction case he defended originally to get justice for a grieving widower, in the latest addition to the series following A Whisper of Bones.
Play With Fire
by William Shaw

A latest Breen and Tozer mystery is set during a hedonistic summer in 1969 London, where the death of a former Rolling Stone band member challenges the team to investigate his unexpected connection to a prostitute’s murder.
If You Like: Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow novels
Donna Andrews writes the humorous Meg Langslow mysteries, which star blacksmith Meg and her eccentric, animal-loving friends and family, including a husband and children as the series progresses. Set in Yorktown, Virginia, these cozy mysteries feature laugh-out-loud moments and well-developed characters, and can be read in any order (but newcomers who want to start at the beginning should pick up Murder, with Peacocks). Looking for the latest in the series? The 25th entry, Terns of Endearment, just came out. On the hold list? Check out these books. 
 
 
Aunt Dimity and the Summer King
by Nancy Atherton

What it's about: Overseeing her baby, a family wedding, and her own approaching birthday celebration amid rumors that a developer has unwanted plans for Finch village, Lori bonds with an inventor only to discover his true intentions.

Series alert: This 20th Aunt Dimity novel is just as charming as the other entries in the delightfully cozy and slightly supernatural series; the 24th book, Aunt Dimity and the Heart of Gold, came out this summer.

Why Donna Andrews fans might like it: the charming village, the highlighting of life with young twins, and the quirky characters. 
Bones to Pick
by Carolyn Haines

What happens: The well-to-do 23-year-old author of a tell-all book about her hometown is found dead in a cotton field. The main suspect's upper-crust brother hires southern belle and intrepid PI Sarah Booth Delaney and her partner Tinkie to find the real killer -- and they quickly unearth some "accidental" deaths that might be related.

Series alert: This is the 6th in a humorous cozy series which now has 20 books (the latest, Game of Bones, was recently published).

Why Donna Andrews fans might like it: the witty humor, the zany characters, and the Southern small-town setting.
Wicked Witch Murder
by Leslie Meier


What happens: After getting an unnerving psychic reading from Diana Ravenscroft, Tinker's Cove's newest resident, Lucy Stone stumbles upon the dead body of Malcolm Malebranche, a seemingly harmless magician who worked children's birthday parties--and who is linked to Diana.

Series alert: This is the lighthearted 16th Lucy Stone book; the 26th, Invitation Only Murder, hits shelves in November. 

Why Donna Andrews fans might like it: the details of family life, Lucy's civic engagement, and the entertaining townspeople.
The Body in the Birches
by Katherine Hall Page

Featuring: Caterer Faith Fairchild, her minister husband, and their kids, who live with a friend while renovating their Maine vacation cottage.

What happens: A murder occurs at the next-door neighbor's coastal estate, where relatives have gathered to hear the elderly owner's decision of who will inherit the coveted home.

Why Donna Andrews fans might like it: The pleasing mix of crime, beloved characters, and domestic life found in this 22nd Faith Fairchild mystery (which is fine for newcomers) and all the Faith books (the 25th and most recent novel is The Body in the Wake). 
Contract your librarian for more great books!
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