Subscribe to Our Newsletters

See Back Issues
Mystery
March 2026

Death of a Groom by M. C. Beaton
Death of a Groom
by M. C. Beaton

Sergeant Hamish Macbeth returns to protect his sleepy Scottish village of Lochdubh in the latest mystery in M.C. Beaton's beloved, New York Times bestselling series. It is February and the Scottish Highlands village of Lochdubh is dealing with heavy snow and freezing temperatures. Sergeant Hamish Macbeth can handle the weather, but with a surprise influx of high-society visitors for a Valentine's Day wedding at Tommel Castle Hotel, he has bigger problems. The guest list includes not one, but two women from his own romantic past. Hamish isn't the only one disrupted by the arrival of the wedding party. The groom is involved in a series of incidents in the local pub. Tensions between guests and villagers escalate until, shortly after the lavish wedding ceremony, a body is found in the hotel dining room. The gruesome killing means Hamish suddenly has a murder investigation on his hands, one with a very long list of suspects.
Recent Releases
I'm Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home
by Fergus Craig

Fresh out of prison after 35 years, 75-year-old serial killer Carol Quinn moves into a North London retirement home. While she once targeted people she thought deserved it, she's (probably) done with murder. When a resident is killed and she's blamed, she looks for the real killer. Meanwhile, three other residents also investigate. For fans of: Robert Thorogood's Marlow Murder Club books; Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club novels; Helene Tursten's An Elderly Lady stories.
What Happened That Night
by Nicci French

Tyler Green spent 27 years in an English prison for the 1993 murder of his best mate, but he's always denied the charge. Freed, he reunites with the eight university friends present the night of the killing, which leads to another death. DI Maud O'Connor works the case, and despite what others think, she doubts Tyler's guilt. This slow-burn, locked-room mystery is the suspenseful 3rd in the Maud O'Connor series. Try this next: Jane Casey's Maeve Kerrigan novels.
The Midnight Taxi
by Yosha Gunasekera

New York taxi driver Siri Perera loves true crime podcasts, so when she picks up public defender Amaya Fernando, they bond over this and their shared Sri Lankan heritage. This connection comes in handy when Siri's next customer is somehow murdered during the ride. Arrested, Siri has five days to clear her name with help from Amaya and the childhood best friend who pays her bail. Witty and clever, this debut will please fans of Mia P. Manansala, Gigi Pandian, and Sarah Fox's Definitely Maybe Not a Detective.
A Gift Before Dying
by Malcolm Kempt

This atmospheric debut follows divorced cop Elderick Cole, who's been exiled to a troubled small town in the Canadian Arctic after mishandling a missing child case. When a young Inuit woman is found dead by hanging, Cole realizes she didn't get there on her own in this haunting, immersive story. Booklist raves, "If you only read one mystery this year, this should be it." For fans of: Peter Høeg's Smilla's Sense of Snow.
Murder by Moonrise by Patrice McDonough
Murder by Moonrise
by Patrice McDonough

In 1867, Queen Victoria and her family frequently spend time at Osborne House, their stunning coastal residence on the Isle of Wight. For the next few days, the island will also be home to Dr. Julia Lewis, London's first woman doctor. But despite the pleasant surroundings, Julia is beset by worries: Inspector Richard Tenant has left England, and anti-Irish sentiment is rising. When Julia is called to perform an autopsy on drowning victim Lizzie Dowling, a young, Irish-born servant at Osborne House and a favorite of Princess Louise, she discovers that the girl was pregnant. The distraught princess is eager for answers, and as Julia digs deeper, a second tragedy points to murder and perhaps a political scandal. There are rumors of smugglers funneling weapons to Ireland and assassins who would target the Queen herself. Motives abound but time is in short supply--and every day brings deeper urgency and threats that neither riches nor royalty may withstand.
The Murder at World's End
by Ross Montgomery

On a Cornish tidal island in 1910, 19-year-old Stephen Pike is the new footman at Tithe Hall, where Viscount Stockingham-Welt believes Halley's Comet will destroy the earth. That doesn't happen, but someone does kill the viscount in his locked study. When ex-con Stephen is suspected, the viscount's elderly, scientific-minded aunt teams up with him to prove his innocence in this delightful series starter. For fans of: atmospheric Edwardian mysteries; witty, unlikely detective duos.
Wolf Hour
by Jo Nesbø

In 2022, a Norwegian true crime writer visits Minneapolis, Minnesota, to research a set of 2016 serial killings. Back in 2016, everything starts with the sniper shooting of a gun dealer known for not asking questions. Divorced cop Bob Oz becomes obsessed with the case, working it even after he's suspended from the force, believing a taxidermist may hold the key to it all in this twisty dual-timeline standalone. Try this next: Stephen Mack Jones' August Snow series; Christoffer Carlsson's Blaze Me a Sun.
The Final Problem
by Arturo Pérez-Reverte

After bad weather cuts off an idyllic Greek island in 1960, a dead British tourist is found inside a locked cabana. Aging actor Ormond Basil, who played Sherlock Holmes in 15 films, finds himself tasked with investigating while a Spanish mystery writer acts as his Watson. Also on the island are an Italian film producer, a former opera star, and others. For fans of: locked-room mysteries; Sherlock Holmes; Anthony Horowitz; Knives Out.
Ruby Falls
by Gin Phillips

To drum up publicity and attract tourists during the Great Depression, the proprietors of Ruby Falls, a massive waterfall inside a Tennessee cave, have a psychic attempt to find a hatpin hidden inside. In case of emergency, the psychic and his group of five are secretly shadowed by Ada, a friend of the owners who knows the caves well, and Quinton, a cavern guide. Then a shocking murder occurs deep underground. For fans of: suspenseful impossible crime stories; well-researched historical novels.
Contact your librarian for more great books!


Online Library   Ask a Librarian   Visit a Branch   Subscribe to a Newsletter