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| Jackal by Erin E. AdamsHomecoming: Liz Rocher, a Black woman who grew up in a small, predominantly white Pennsylvania town, returns for her best friend's wedding. When the bride's daughter disappears from the reception, Liz investigates, uncovering a pattern of Black girls going missing.
For fans of: atmospheric crime-horror combos that examine social issues like class and race and don't shy away from violence.
Reviewers say: "masterful and emotionally wrenching" (Publishers Weekly); "chilling and memorable" (Library Journal). |
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| Secrets of the Nile by Tasha AlexanderDeath beside the Nile: In 1904, Lady Emily and her family enjoy a lavish cruise up the Nile. Stopping at Luxor, they visit the home of British collector Lord Deely, who's soon dead, poisoned at dinner.
Don't miss: the chapters starring an Ancient Egyptian sculptor, who has her own mystery to solve and whose creations play a role in the modern story.
Read this next: If you like this 16th Lady Emily mystery, try other historical tales set in Egypt, like Elizabeth Peter's modern classic Amelia Peabody novels or Erica Ruth Neubauer's Murder at the Mena House. |
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| All That's Left Unsaid by Tracey LienCabramatta, Australia, 1996: Vietnamese Australian teen Denny Tran, voted most likely to succeed, is beaten to death at a restaurant after his school formal. The white cops don't care, assuming he was into drugs or gangs, and multiple witnesses, including his best friend, say they saw nothing.
What happens: Melbourne journalist Ky Tran, whose parents don't speak English well, returns home to help, dedicating herself to talking to the people who were there and finding her younger brother's killer.
Read this next: For other gripping literary crime novels that also thoughtfully examine social issues, try Laila Lalami's The Other Americans or Angie Kim's Miracle Creek. |
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| Blackmail and Bibingka by Mia P. Manansala'Tis the season for trouble: When cafe owner Lila Macapagal's prodigal cousin returns to Shady Palms, Illinois, to start a winery with two friends, it isn't long before a murder occurs. To clear her Filipino American family's name, Lila investigates, while also finding time to make treats for the town's big Winter Bash.
Series alert: This 3rd in a fun series once again offers a smart mystery and a tantalizing look at Filipino cooking (recipes are included).
Read this next: For another family-centric culinary mystery series, try Vivien Chien's Noodle Shop mysteries. |
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| Lavender House by Lev AC RosenSan Francisco, 1952: After being found in a gay bar during a raid, Andy Mills has lost his job as a cop and is thinking of jumping into the bay.
What happens: He's offered PI work investigating the death of matriarch Irene Lamontaine, head of a famous soap empire. Irene's wife thinks it might be murder, but can't call the cops because almost everyone who lives at remote Lavender House is queer, including the servants.
Read this next: For other historical novels featuring LGBTQIA characters, try Nicola Upson's Josephine Tey mysteries, Stephen Spotswood's Pentecost and Parker novels, or Nekesa Afia's Harlem Renaissance mysteries. |
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| Steeped to Death by Gretchen RueIntroducing: Phoebe Winchester, who's left a bad marriage in Seattle and moved to Raven Creek, Washington, after inheriting her aunt Eudora's Victorian mansion, her book and tea stop, and her cat.
What happens: A bullying realtor tries to buy her out, but Phoebe's determined to stay, even after she finds a dead body at her shop.
She decides to investigate the murder...and to uncover if her aunt really was, as rumor says, a witch.
For fans of: Jennifer Hawkins' Chatty Corgi mysteries, which feature a tea-shop owning amateur sleuth who understands her pet corgi's barks. |
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If you like: Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch
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| The Big Sleep by Raymond ChandlerWhat it's about: Elderly General Sternwood is dealing with a blackmailer...again. To sort it out and get his daughter Carmen out of yet another jam, he hires California PI Philip Marlowe.
What happens: Before Marlowe can do much of anything, things get wildly worse in a complex case filled with murders on top of sex, drugs, pornography, and more.
Why Michael Connelly fans might like it: Readers who enjoy Connelly's snappy dialogue will find Raymond Chandler serves that up in spades. Also, this classic 1939 novel, the 1st featuring iconic PI Philip Marlowe, is a favorite of Connelly's. |
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| Lost Hills by Lee GoldbergIntroducing: Eve Ronin, a young Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department detective, who's received an unprecedented promotion after a video of her taking down an abusive Hollywood action star went viral.
What happens: With resentful colleagues beside her, Eve navigates a confusing, high-profile case: a blood-filled house with no bodies and three missing occupants, a single mother and her two kids.
Why Michael Connelly fans might like it: Lost Hills, the 1st Eve Ronin police procedural, features an evocative Los Angeles setting, twisty plotting, and tight writing. |
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| Land of Shadows by Rachel Howzell HallIntroducing: Black Detective Elouise "Lou" Norton of the Los Angeles Police Department, who has a cheating husband and a clueless new work partner.
What happens: After being assigned a suicide that turns out to be murder, Lou investigates increasingly compelling parallels between the killing and the disappearance of her teen sister 25 years earlier.
Why Michael Connelly fans might like it: With realistic cop dialogue and a gritty feel, this 1st in a series of four provides a riveting look at L.A. |
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| Charcoal Joe by Walter MosleyLos Angeles, 1968: Now part owner of a detective agency, PI Easy Rawlins is thinking about marrying his girlfriend. He also agrees to help a Black Stanford graduate student with criminal connections who's been arrested after finding the bodies of two white men in Malibu.
Series alert: Though Charcoal Joe can be enjoyed on its own, those who want to start with the 1st book can pick up Devil in a Blue Dress (which was made into a 1995 film starring Denzel Washington).
Why Michael Connelly fans might like it: The acclaimed Easy Rawlins mysteries, of which this is the 14th entry, offer an atmospheric look at 1960s Los Angeles, unforgettable characters, and compelling dialogue. |
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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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