Mystery
June 2026
Recent Releases
A Very Vexing Murder
by Lucy Andrew

Harriet Smith isn't the gullible girl she appears to be in Jane Austen's Emma, but a clever young con woman. Known in the village of Highbury as someone who can help with delicate matters, she's hired by Mrs. Churchill to break up her nephew's engagement and get back the jewelry she thinks his betrothed stole. But there's also a killer about, and Harriet is afraid it's someone from her past. Try these next: Vanessa Kelly's Emma Knightley mysteries; Kelly Gardiner and Sharmini Kumar's Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Investigator.
The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton
by Jennifer N. Brown

History professor Alison Sage finds a manuscript containing the lost prophecies of Elizabeth Barton, a 16th-century nun who went against Henry VIII and was killed. Invited to a conference in Canterbury where Barton lived, Alison hears rumors of treasure, and then a shocking murder occurs. Covering both Alison's and Elizabeth's times, this is a well-researched, suspenseful debut. Try this next: A.D. Bell's The Bookbinder's Secret.
A Murder Most Camp
by Nicolas DiDomizio

Instead of spending the summer partying, 29-year-old Michael "Mikey" Hartford IV is forced to work at the struggling upstate New York summer camp attended by his introverted 12-year-old aunt, Annabelle, or he'll be cut off from the family fortune. While adjusting to camp life and flirting with cute lifeguard Jackson, Mikey helps Annabelle and her new friends investigate the cold case of a missing camp counselor, who may have been murdered. Try these next: Lev AC Rosen's The Disaster Gay Detective Agency; Bellamy Rose's Pomona Afton series.
Deadly Force
by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

When a Notting Hill police constable is brutally murdered, every London cop wants to find the killer. The body was found in Shepherd's Bush, so DCI Bill Slider is in charge, leading him and his unconventional team to dig into the dead man's life and failed marriage. Then another murder occurs and pressure mounts on all sides. This is Slider's 26th outing, but new readers can start here. For fans of: witty, banter-filled British police procedurals; acclaimed, long-running series with appealing characters.
Moonlight Murder
by Uzma Jalaluddin

Kausar Khan moved away from Toronto's Golden Crescent neighborhood 18 years ago after her teenage son's hit-and-run death. Returning to be near family, she needs to use her aunty detective skills when her granddaughter's high school friend goes missing and is later found dead. Investigating the new case, Kausar sees links to her son's killing in this "stellar" (Booklist) 2nd outing. Try these next: Ausma Zehanat Khan's Inaya Rahman novels.
It Happened One Murder
by Liz Lawson

Having lost her New York City reporting job, Harriet Baker is living at her mom's New Jersey beachfront estate, where the over-the-top 26th birthday party her eccentric mom throws her ends in murder. Wanting her old job back, Harriet teams up to investigate the case with Nic, a fling from high school whose sister has been arrested for the crime. For fans of: fun romantic mysteries; Sarah Fox's Definitely Maybe Not a Detective.
The Dead Can't Make a Living
by Ed Lin

Though busy with business classes and his food stall in Taipei's night market, Jing-nan investigates after finding an undocumented Filipino worker dead by the market's trash cans. When the victim's brother then disappears, Jing-nan goes undercover at a food processing plant to find answers. Keeping a light touch, this 5th outing for Jing-nan is an atmospheric, timely tale and works for newcomers. Try these next: Vivien Chien's Noodle Shop mysteries.
How to Cheat Your Own Death
by Kristen Perrin

After her artist mother finds a new apprentice dead on her doorstep with her heart removed, amateur sleuth Annie Adams heads to London to help. She learns the case has ties to her village of Castle Knoll and also connects to a prediction by a fortune teller. Switching to 1968, Annie's great aunt Frances enjoys life in swinging Soho until a friend is killed and her heart removed. This dual-timeline mystery is the 3rd Castle Knoll novel but can work for newcomers. Try this next: Jess Armstrong's The Curse of Penryth Hall.
The Tuxedo Society
by Paul Rudnick

Struggling New York City actor Andrew Birnbaum goes with his best friend to an exclusive Tuxedo Society dinner, where Andrew learns that due to his improv and acting skills, he's being recruited to join an espionage group made up of LGBTQIA+ people. Jetting around the world, Andrew and the group look for missing jewels and protect the United States' popular first lady in this fun, action-packed 1st adventure. For fans of: lighthearted spy stories; Steven Rowley's The Guncle.
Agnes Sharp and the Wedding to Die for
by Leonie Swann

When two of Sunset Hall's octogenarian housemates hear about a cancellation at a posh manor turned event space, their friends pull together to make a wedding happen in two weeks. Then a threatening note has retired copper Agnes investigating who it's from and hiring a PI for help, but that doesn't prevent murder and more. This final book in the Miss Sharp Investigates trilogy has a surprise ending and works best for those who've read the earlier novels. For fans of: mysteries with senior sleuths and dark humor.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Batavia Public Library
10 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia, Illinois 60510
630-879-1393
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