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| Secret Lives by Mark De CastriqueStarring: petite 75-year-old Ethel Crestwater, an ex-FBI agent who runs an Arlington, Virginia, boarding house and mostly rents to government agents; grad student Jesse Cooper, her distant cousin and new boarder.
A shot in the dark: When one of Ethel's boarders is killed in front of her house in the middle of the night, Jesse is surprised that elderly Ethel is cool under pressure. But he soon learns more about his multifaceted relative when she enlists him and others to help solve the case.
For fans of: entertaining reads with senior women as sleuths, like Deanna Raybourn's latest, Killers of a Certain Age. |
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| Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Amanda FlowerIntroducing: Emily Dickinson, a 25-year-old, independent-minded poet in 1855 Amherst, Massachusetts, whose father is a U.S. congressman; Willa Noble, the Dickinson family's new live-in maid.
What happens: Upset when her younger brother dies in a suspicious accident, Willa talks with Emily, who's always kind to her, and they commence an investigation that takes them to Washington, D.C.
For fans of: engaging historical mysteries starring famous literary women, such as Nicola Upson's Josephine Tey novels or Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen mysteries. |
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| Blackwater Falls by Ausma Zehanat KhanWhat it is: a timely police procedural and series opener starring a Muslim woman detective from Denver Police's Community Response Unit, who's assigned a volatile case in a small Colorado mountain town.
What happens: Investigating the murder of a 16-year-old Syrian refugee who was found crucified to the door of a mosque, Det. Inaya Rahman thinks the case is linked to two missing Somali girls. But to sort it all out, she must deal with sexism, anti-Islam sentiment, and police corruption.
Reviewers say: "stunning...not to be missed" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Sinister Graves by Marcie R. Rendon1970s Minnesota: Cash Blackbear is an unforgettable 19-year-old Ojibwe college student who has psychic dreams and sometimes works alongside her mentor Sheriff Wheaton.
After the Red River floods... the body of a Native woman floats down river. To identify her, Cash deals with a strange pastor and his wife.
Series alert: Sinister Graves is the atmospheric 3rd Cash Blackbear novel, but fans of fascinating characters can start here, especially those who like William Kent Krueger's Cork O'Connor mysteries or Ramona Emerson's recent debut, Shutter. |
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| A Death in Door County by Annelise RyanIntroducing: Morgan Carter, who runs Odds and Ends, a Loon County, Wisconsin, book and curiosity shop she inherited from her parents, who also passed along their passion for cryptozoology.
Stranger things: After two people are found drowned in a nearby lake with mysterious bite marks, Morgan agrees to help the police chief try to figure out what caused the injuries before word gets out.
Why you might like it: This fun 1st in the Monster Hunter series offers appealing characters (including a sweet dog) and a touch of romance. |
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| The Decagon House Murders by Yukito AyatsujiThe Murder Club: Seven Japanese university students with nicknames inspired by famous mystery authors -- Agatha, Carr, Ellery, Leroux, Orczy, Poe, and Van Dine -- plan to spend a week on an isolated island that was the scene of terrible murders six months earlier.
The problem: A new murder occurs and there's no way off the island, so they must figure out how to stay safe and who is after them.
Why you might like it: Originally published in Japan in 1987, this atmospheric novel is part of the Japanese Honkaku tradition, which prioritizes the puzzle aspect of mysteries. |
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| A Forgotten Murder by Jude DeverauxA holiday? Wealthy Florida author and amateur sleuth Sara Medlar takes her niece Sara and friend Jack for a stay at an English estate.
Surprise guests: Sara's also invited five others, all of whom were there 25 years ago when two people mysteriously disappeared. With her friends' help, Sara plans to plot out the truth.
Why you might like it: This 3rd in the Medlar mysteries series by bestselling author Jude Deveraux (who's best known for her romance novels) is an engaging modern country house mystery with an intriguing cast of characters and an entertaining wrap up. |
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| They All Fall Down by Rachel Howzell HallTrip of a lifetime: Miriam Macy, whose life is off the rails, accepts the chance to compete in a reality show competition, sailing to a private island off the coast of Mexico with six strangers: an ex-cop, a chef, a financial advisor, a nurse, a lawyer, and a happy young widow.
The lies: There isn't a TV show, and they've been lured there due to secrets they harbor. When strange accidents start to happen, Miriam realizes she must figure out what's going on or die trying.
Why you might like it: In this new take on Agatha's Christie's And Then There Were None, "Hall slips from funny to darkly frightening with elegant ease" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Magpie Murders by Anthony HorowitzThe frustration: While reading Alan Conway's latest mystery manuscript starring his popular Poirot-esque detective, his editor Susan Ryeland discovers that the final chapters revealing the killer are missing.
What happens: Conway has suddenly (and suspiciously) died, so Susan tries to piece together the book's ending by interviewing his friends and family -- which leads to her realization that his characters are stand-ins for real people, and the manuscript might be related to his death.
Why you might like it: The cleverly plotted 1st in the Magpie Murders series, which is the inspiration for a new PBS series of the same name, has suspense, a novel-within-a-novel, and delightful Golden Age elements. |
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| A Will to Kill by R.V. RamanParty time: Famed detective Harith Athreya is invited to a house party at remote (and reportedly cursed) Greybrooke Manor in southern India's misty Nilgiri Hills. His host is patriarch Bhaskar Fernandez, who's made two wills, one if he dies naturally and one if he doesn't.
Isolation: After Harith's arrival, a landslide cuts the party off from the world, and then there's a murder.
Why you might like it: With its Agatha Christie-esque detective and isolated country house setting, this 1st in the Harith Athreya series provides a fresh, fun take on beloved mystery tropes. |
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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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