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| A Three Book Problem by Vicki DelanyStarring: Gemma Doyle, a Brit in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, who co-owns a Sherlock Holmes-themed bookstore and tea room.
What happens: Hired by a wealthy Sherlockian throwing a weekend house party, Gemma plans activities and readings while her police detective boyfriend helps out her friend Jayne, who's doing the catering. When a murder occurs, the trio investigate in this 7th in a fun series.
For fans of: bookish cozy mysteries, Sherlock Holmes references, and country house settings. |
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| Where There's a Will by Sulari GentillThe setup: In 1935, 30-something millionaire Daniel Cartwright is shot in Harvard Yard. To the outrage of his upper-class Boston family, he had made his Australian friend Rowland Sinclair the executor of his will and left everything to Otis Norcross, a man no one knows.
What happens: Gentleman artist Rowland faces pressure to declare the heir non-existent and meets a variety of people (including F. Scott Fitzgerald) as he and three friends seek information at Daniel's New York City home and other places while trying to find Otis and solve the murder.
Why you might like it: Published as A Testament of Character in some locales, this banter-filled 10th Rowland Sinclair novel "is historical mystery fiction at its finest" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Something to Hide by Elizabeth GeorgeWhat happens: After the murder of an undercover London police detective who'd been investigating the illegal practice of female genital mutilation, acting Detective Superintendent Thomas Lynley, DS Barbara Havers, and DS Winston Nkata pursue a killer in a case rife with abuse, sexism, racism, secrets, and lies.
Series alert: This 700-page, well-researched 21st outing for Lynley "is a memorable addition to a series that has aged well" (Publishers Weekly).
Read this next: For other British-set mystery series featuring a strong sense of place and richly drawn characters with complex personal lives, try Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway novels or Deborah Crombie's Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James books. |
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| Death in Cornwall by G.M. MallietA holiday: Cambridgeshire DCI Arthur St. Just and criminology scholar Portia De'Ath visit a small Cornish village to celebrate their engagement.
But make it a busman's: St. Just and De'Ath find a local aristocrat murdered in his library and agree to help solve the crime, which might be related to contentious seafront re-development plans.
Series alert: Anyone can enjoy this long-awaited 4th St. Just mystery, but those wanting to start with the detective's 1st book can pick up the Agatha Award-winning Death of a Cozy Writer. |
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| The Verifiers by Jane PekStarring: Claudia Lin, who has a secretive new job investigating online dating matches for elite clients and whose immigrant mother wants her to marry a nice Chinese man (she doesn't know Claudia likes women).
What happens: When a client presumably dies of suicide, crime-fiction fan Claudia thinks it's murder and breaks protocol to investigate, uncovering a maelstrom of deceit while also dealing with her mom and super-successful older siblings.
Reviewers say: "cool, cerebral, and very funny...[with] an inquisitive, clever, and curious narrator" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan SlocumbA lack of harmony: Violinist Ray McMillian's Stradivarius is stolen and a hefty ransom demanded weeks before a world-famous competition -- but who really owns the violin? Members of Ray's own family as well as the descendants of those who enslaved his ancestors also claim it.
Crescendo: The Violin Conspiracy flashes back to Ray's troubled early years and builds to a gripping climax as he preps for the competition and searches for the priceless violin after the official investigation stalls.
Hitting all the right notes: Offering accurate musical details, this "flawless debut" (Booklist) by a professional violinist presents a penetrating look at racism and the classical music world. |
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If you like: Downton Abbey
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| Bright Young Dead by Jessica Fellowes1925 England: Bohemian young socialites attend Pamela Mitford's 18th birthday party at her family's country house, and one of them is murdered. Turning detective, the Mitfords' nursery maid and chaperone Louisa Cannon sorts things out with help from a police officer pal.
Series alert: Following The Mitford Murders, this is the charming 2nd novel in the richly detailed series starring the real-life Mitford sisters. The 5th book, The Mitford Vanishing, was recently released.
Did you know? Author Jessica Fellowes is the niece of Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and she's also written several nonfiction books about the popular TV drama. |
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| A Death of No Importance by Mariah Fredericks1910 Manhattan: Observant lady's maid Jane Prescott takes a job with the newly wealthy Benchley family, who are a bit at sea amid the city's upper crust. But it isn't long before lovely daughter Charlotte snags already-engaged playboy Norrie Newsome, causing a stir.
What happens: After Newsome is murdered at a Christmas Eve party, Jane teams up with a handsome reporter to investigate the killing, which may involve class issues, a mine collapse, and anarchists.
Series alert: This is the atmospheric, deftly plotted 1st Jane Prescott novel; the 4th entry, Death of a Showman, comes out next month. |
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| Penny for Your Secrets by Anna Lee HuberStarring: aristocratic ex-secret service agent Verity Kent and her former Army officer husband, who are still getting comfortable with each other after having been separated for years during World War I.
1919 London: The couple investigate two murders: a marquess is shot with his wife's pistol but she claims innocence, and the sister of one of Verity's wartime colleagues dies in what looks like a suicide but isn't.
Series alert: Penny for Your Secrets is the intricately plotted 3rd entry in the Verity Kent novels; a 6th book, A Certain Darkness, is due in August. |
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| A Devious Death by Alyssa MaxwellThe setup: In August 1919, Lady Phoebe and her sister arrive for a visit at the newly purchased estate of their cousin Regina. But another guest is quite unfriendly, and Regina's mother and brother -- bitter over the unequal distribution of an inheritance -- show up to confront her.
What happens: A murder occurs, and Phoebe and her lady's maid Eva, with help from Eva's constable boyfriend, look for a killer.
Why you might like it: This 3rd book of seven so far in the Lady and Lady's Maid mysteries offers a clever country house plot and an intriguing look at upstairs/downstairs relationships. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Atlantic County Library System | 40 Farragut Avenue, Mays Landing, NJ 08330
Phone: (609) 625-2776 | www.atlanticlibrary.org
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|  | Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson
Atlantic County Board of Commissioners, Maureen Kern, Chairwoman |
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