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A Fatal Lie
by Charles Todd
Dispatched from London to investigate the discovery of an unidentified body in a peaceful Welsh village, Ian Rutledge uncovers a tangle of deception involving a child’s tragic fate and a woman bent on hiding the past.
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| Bryant & May: Oranges and Lemons by Christopher FowlerWhat happens: Someone burns down a London bookstore and then a high-profile politician is almost killed by a crate of falling oranges and lemons. With an odd nursery rhyme connection and powerful leaders wanting answers, the Peculiar Crimes unit is reinstated, with eccentric senior detectives Arthur Bryant and John May on the case.
Series alert: This is the delightful 18th outing for the amusing duo.
Want a taste? "Every act of recollection alters a narrative. Stories are strange fruits that ripen and mutate." |
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| Germania: A Novel of Nazi Berlin by Harald GilbersWhat happens: In 1944 Berlin, Jewish former police detective Richard Oppenheimer, who's alive because his wife is Aryan, is forced to investigate a serial killer murdering women connected to powerful Nazis.
Series alert: This 1st Richard Oppenheimer novel is an international bestseller and the only entry so far to be translated into English.
Read it for: the well-researched historical details; the atmospheric portrayal of Berlin at the end of the war. |
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| Absence of Mercy by S.M. GoodwinWhat it is: a gritty historical mystery with an "ingeniously clued and perfectly executed plot" (Booklist) and the 1st in a new series.
Starring: Detective Inspector Lightner, who's an injured Crimean War veteran, a stutterer, and the second son of an English duke.
What happens: In 1857, Lightner leaves London's Met police in order to train New York City investigators. But things don't go as planned, and he ends up investigating three curious murders -- including that of the detective who hired him -- with disgraced cop Hieronymus Law. |
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Faithless in Death
by J. D. Robb
Investigating a woman whose report about an artist’s murder is not adding up, Eve Dallas uncovers a fanatical conspiracy that leads to Dallas’ partnership with the FBI. By the best-selling author of Vendetta in Death.
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| Watch Her by Edwin HillWhat happens: Harvard research librarian Hester Thursby and her friend, Boston sergeant detective Angela White, attend a for-profit art school's open house and are soon investigating a suspicious burglary, financial transgressions, a decades-old tragedy, and murder.
Series alert: This is the 3rd outing for Hester; she made her 1st appearance in Little Comfort.
Reviewers say: "Complex characterization and a masterly mystery make this a superior read" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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If You Like: Deanna Raybourn
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| And Only to Deceive by Tasha AlexanderWhat it's about: Tired of her overbearing mother, Emily marries a viscount and is widowed before she even gets to know him. Meeting his associates, including his handsome best friend, she learns he may have been involved in illegal activities -- and could even still be alive.
Series alert: This lively book introduces Lady Emily Ashton, whose 15th outing, The Dark Heart of Florence, comes out in March.
Why Deanna Raybourn fans might like it: Both Lady Emily and Lady Julia Grey star in lighthearted romantic Victorian mysteries featuring widows who first investigate by delving into their husbands' deaths. |
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| The Woman in the Water by Charles FinchStarring: Charles Lenox, a 23-year-old aristocrat in 1850 London, who's beginning to formally pursue his interest in detection -- an interest that is considered unseemly for someone of his station -- with his loyal valet Graham always ready to assist.
Series alert: Since this is a prequel, new readers can easily start with this 11th Charles Lenox mystery. The latest Lenox book, An Extravagant Death, comes out this month.
Why Deanna Raybourn fans might like it: Though the main character is male, he's a witty, charming sleuth in an atmospheric Victorian London, and the books have character-driven plots and a bit of romance. |
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| A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry ThomasWhat it's about: After her social ruination, extraordinarily clever Charlotte Holmes created the alter ego male detective Sherlock. Now, amid other cases, she helps a woman find a missing former love...who turns out to be Charlotte's own illegitimate half-brother.
Series alert: Though this is the 2nd Lady Sherlock book, it's fine for newcomers. If you like first things first, pick up A Study in Scarlet Women. Want the latest? Murder on Cold Street came out in October.
Why Deanna Raybourn fans might like it: Charlotte is an intelligent and convention-defying character in a vividly depicted England. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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