| A Bitter Wind by James R. BennA Boston cop prior to World War II, United States Army Captain Billy Boyle is on leave just before Christmas 1944. Walking with his English girlfriend along the White Cliffs of Dover, he discovers a murdered U.S. Air Force major in a case that leads him to Axis-controlled Yugoslavia. Though this is the 20th outing for Billy Boyle, readers can start here. For fans of: well-researched war mysteries with memorable characters, especially ones based on historical figures. |
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| Death at the Door by Olivia BlackeRuby, a young woman new to Boston, and Cordelia, a ghost who haunts Ruby's apartment, narrate this fun supernatural cozy. The unusual duo's friendship grows as they investigate after a deli delivery guy is found dead at Ruby's new job in this charming sequel to A New Lease on Death. |
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| Two Truths and a Murder by Colleen CambridgeAgatha Christie's housekeeper, Phyllida Bright, has developed a reputation as an amateur detective, so much so that Agatha's neighbor invites Phyllida to dinner. When a fellow guest claims she once witnessed a murder, this leads to another killing and a new case for Phyllida in her 5th outing. For other mysteries where Agatha Christie plays a role, try Amanda Chapman's Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library or Rosanne Limoncelli's The Four Queens of Crime. |
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| The Hidden City by Charles FinchIn 1879 London, aristocratic sleuth Charles Lenox aids his former housekeeper, who's unsettled by a stranger hanging about her new home where a murder once occurred. Also, Lenox's wife's suffrage work draws threats, and he helps a cousin and her Indian friend settle in England. Though this is the 15th book starring Lenox (and the first since 2021), newcomers will enjoy this smart, atmospheric tale. For fans of: Louise Penny; historical mysteries with clever plotting and erudite sleuths. |
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| A Killer Wedding by Joan O'LearyGloria Beaufort, the billionaire matriarch of American beauty company Glo, handpicks magazine journalist Christine to cover the wedding of her beloved grandson at an Irish castle. When Gloria is murdered and the Beauforts refuse to call the police until after the wedding, Christine digs into the toxic family's secrets in this slow-burn, funny first novel. Read-alike: The Plus One by S.C. Lalli; The Author's Guide to Murder by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White. |
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| Mirage City by Lev AC RosenIn the 1950s, ex-cop turned San Francisco PI Evander "Andy" Mills takes a case that (unhappily) leads him home. A woman who's part of a secretive gay rights organization tells him three members have gone missing, which leads Andy to Los Angeles where he deals with a motorcycle club, a psychiatric clinic, and his estranged mother in his gritty 4th outing. |
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| We Had a Hunch by Tom RyanTwenty-five years ago, twin sisters Sam and Alice teamed up with their techy friend Joey to catch a Massachusetts serial killer, which resulted in the murder of the twins' father and the arrest of their high school janitor. But now someone is using the same modus operandi, leading the three now-middle-aged sleuths to put aside their earlier trauma and investigate. |
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| A Case of Life and Limb by Sally SmithThe 1901 Christmas peace of the Inner Temple, the picture-postcard home of London’s elite lawyers, is disturbed when Sir William Waring receives a beautifully wrapped package containing a severed human hand. Brilliant Gabriel Ward, a fellow Temple resident, investigates while also working on a sensationalistic defamation case in this entertaining follow-up to A Case of Mice and Murder. Try this next: Claudia Gray’s The Murder of Mr. Wickham. |
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| The Dentist by Tim SullivanDS George Cross, who’s autistic and detail-oriented, investigates an unhoused man’s murder in South West England. Noticing clues that others miss and with help from his partner DS Josie Ottey, George unearths links to an old killing in this acclaimed series starter and bestselling police procedural from the United Kingdom. For other books with neurodivergent detectives, try Brandy Schillace’s Netherleigh mysteries. |
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Recent Cozy Mystery Releases
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A Grave Deception
by Connie Berry
Antiques expert Kate Hamilton and her husband, Detective Inspector Tom Mallory, have settled into married life in Long Barston. When archaeologists excavating the ruins of a nearby plague village discover the miraculously preserved body of a fourteenth-century woman, Kate and her colleague, Ivor Tweedy, are asked to appraise the grave goods, including a valuable pearl. When tests reveal the woman was pregnant and murdered, the owner of the estate on which the body was found, an amateur historian, asks Kate to identify her and, if possible, her killer. Surprised, Kate agrees to try. Meanwhile, tensions within the archaeological team erupt when the body of the lead archaeologist turns up at the dig site with fake pearls in his mouth and stomach. Then a third body is found in the excavations. Meanwhile, Kate's husband Tom is tracking the movements of a killer of his own. With the help of 700-year-old documents and the unpublished research of a deceased historian, Kate must piece together the past before the grave count reaches four.
Series: Kate Hamilton mystery #6
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From Cradle to Grave
by Rhys Bowen
Georgie may be figuring out what it means to be a new mother but she does know one thing for sure: she absolutely despises the strict nanny who was foisted upon her by her meddlesome sister-in-law. In search of a new nanny, Georgie travels to London to see her old friend ZouZou only to find her about to depart for a funeral, after the unexpected death of a young man in her social circle. It quickly becomes clear there's more than one mysterious death around town, when another friend reveals he's also just returned from the funeral of a school friend, who seemingly died in a boating accident. But when word arrives that the son of family friend has also died tragically and unexpectedly, Georgie is certain it can't be a coincidence. As Georgie delves deeper, she can't help worrying that her own husband, Darcy, may be next. It seems likely there is a serial killer at work and Darcy fits the bill to be their next victim. Will Georgie solve the murders before it's too late for Darcy, and manage to find the perfect nanny all at the same time?
Series: Royal Spyness mystery #19
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Newlyweds Can Be Knocked Off
by Amanda Flower
Mass market paperback original
After years on her own, Millie has been busy adjusting to married life once again. Meanwhile, her best friend, Lois Henry, is still salty that Millie didn't have a big wedding where she could get dressed up and be maid of honor. But there's a way Millie can make it up to her: with a dreary January upon them, it's the perfect time for a girls' trip to the Amish community in sunny Pinecraft, Florida. On the tour bus that transports Ohio's Amish snowbirds to Florida every year, Millie and Lois strike up a friendship with a young woman traveling alone. But even before the end of their first day in Florida, tragedy strikes. Millie and Lois find their new friend dead on the beach, seemingly drowned. But who would want to hurt the sweet young woman? Is there a murderous snowbird among them? Or was it someone vengeful from her past? Clearly, vacation time is over for Millie and Lois, and it's time to dive beneath the surface to hook a killer . . .
Series: Amish matchmaker mystery #6
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Shot Through the Book: A Lighthouse Library Mystery
by Eva Gates
Lucy McNeil is back on the case, but this time she's on the case alone. The upcoming YA book festival at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library is bringing in renowned authors from all over the world. When best selling author Todd Harrison unexpectedly visits librarian Lucy McNeil at her Outer Banks beach house after a meeting, she is puzzled by his presence, since they're virtually strangers. After she steps inside to get him a drink, she's shocked to discover that he's been murdered on her deck in the few minutes she left him alone. Not knowing why he wanted to meet with her in private, or how someone managed to kill him in the time it takes to make lemonade, Lucy is determined to help with the investigation and figure out what happened. Caught between an intrusive fan club mourning Todd, squabbling authors fighting for prominence in his absence, and a politically ruthless widow, Lucy must roll up her sleeves and and catch the killer before the chapter closes on justice.
Series note: Lighthouse Library mystery #12
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Death and the Librarian: A Blue Ridge Library Mystery
by Victoria Gilbert
It's summertime in Virginia, but things are about to get out of hand when murder darkens the annual arts festival. Library director Amy Muir has always been suspicious of wealthy art dealer Kurt Kendrick. As a close family friend, the ties that bind them are strong, but his murky past is concerning, especially since he is the godfather to Amy and her husband Richard's six-year-old twins. When a visitor to their small, historic Virginia town is found dead after publicly accusing Kurt of committing a decades-old murder, Amy is determined to prove that Kurt didn't kill anyone, in the past or the present. But the evidence Kurt's accuser sent to Sheriff Brad Tucker before her untimely demise indicates otherwise. With family and friends harboring suspicions about Kurt and Amy bedeviled by her own wavering trust in his innocence, she must fight to uncover the truth before a hidden killer strikes again.
Series note: Blue Ridge Library mystery #9.
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Gull & Bones
by Sally Goldenbaum
The residents of Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, have a celebration to look forward to, until a killer calls sudden death . . . Izzy and the other Seaside Knitters are busy planning Angus's 100th birthday bash, knitting his beloved gulls into everything they make. With bands rehearsing and the menu set, Angus's celebration promises to be unforgettable. But the day before, when Charlie stops by Angus's cottage, he finds the old man has died in his sleep. Shocked and saddened, the town decides to go ahead with the festivities, which will now become a celebration of the old man's life. But when Angus's closest friend, Father Northcutt, is found on the floor of Angus's cottage, unconscious from a deadly blow to his head, Angus's death is examined more closely, and soon is a suspected homicide. As the knitters delve into Angus's history, more questions than answers surface. Soon the whole community is concerned over what now looks like murder, a tragedy buried deep in a shameful chapter in Sea Harbor's past. And one that may point to a killer still in their midst . . .
Series: Seaside knitters mystery #8
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Death and Dinuguan
by Mia P. Manansala
As Valentine’s Day approaches, thieves are targeting women-owned businesses in Shady Pines, Illinois, leaving café owner Lila Macapagal worried for friends and family. Then things get worse when a friend is attacked and a murder occurs.
Series finale: This is the charming 6th and final entry in the award-winning Tita Rosie’s Kitchen series with recipes included!
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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