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| The Queens of Crime by Marie BenedictWhat it's about: Dorothy L. Sayers, a cofounder of the Detection Club, wants to prove to the male members that the women writers are just as worthy. So in 1931, she teams up with Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy to solve a real murder.
Read-alikes: Colleen Cambridge's Phyllida Bright mysteries; Nicola Upson's Josephine Tey mysteries; Nina de Gramont's The Christie Affair. |
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| I Died for Beauty by Amanda FlowerWhat it's about: During a brutal cold snap in 1857 Amherst, Massachusetts, a suspicious fire kills a young Irish American couple, leaving their toddler an orphan. Poet Emily Dickinson and Willa Noble, the young maid who narrates the story, investigate the deaths in this intricately plotted 3rd in a well-researched series.
Read-alikes: Bella Ellis' Brontë Sisters mysteries; Stephanie Barron's Jane Austen mysteries. |
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The Mistletoe Mystery: A Maid Novella
by Nita Prose
What it's about: A Secret Santa gift exchange raises questions about who Molly the Maid can and cannot trust, in a story about the true spirit of the season.
Series alert: This novella takes place between the second entry, The Mystery Guest, and the third, The Maid's Secret.
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| The Lost House by Melissa LarsenWhat it is: Agnes' grandfather left Iceland for California 40 years ago after villagers blamed him for killing his wife and child. With him dead and a podcaster wanting to explore the cold case, Agnes travels to her ancestral home hoping to clear his name and finds herself looking into a new death in this "haunting whodunit" (Kirkus Reviews).
Read-alikes: Scandinavian crime novels by Camilla Läckberg or Ragnar Jónasson. |
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| Knife Skills for Beginners by Orlando MurrinWhat it is: Though he's still mourning his husband's death, London chef Paul Delamare agrees to teach a culinary course for an injured friend. But after Paul finds his pal dead, he becomes the prime suspect and needs to clear his name. This amusing debut by a chef/food writer features a closed circle of suspects, recipes, and a bit more edge than some cozies.
Read-alike: Jessa Maxwell's The Golden Spoon. |
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| Beast of the North Woods by Annelise RyanWhat it's about: Cryptozoologist Morgan Carter, who owns the Odds and Ends gift shop, agrees to investigate when an employee's nephew is accused of killing his high school rival while ice fishing in Wisconsin's North Woods. The nephew swears a hodag committed the crime, but the police don't buy his story about a murderous mythical creature in this engaging 3rd in a fun series.
Read-alikes: Tom Ryan's The Treasure Hunters Club; Holly Danvers' Lakeside Library mysteries. |
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| Dead in the Frame by Stephen SpotswoodWhat it's about: After the evidence points her way, famed detective Lillian Pentecost is arrested for murder in 1947 New York. While Lillian, who has multiple sclerosis and lots of enemies, tries to survive jail, her determined assistant, Willowjean "Will" Parker, searches for the real killer in this suspenseful 5th series entry.
Read-alikes: Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher mysteries; Lev AC Rosen's Evander Mills novels. |
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| Murder in the Dressing Room by Holly StarsWhat it's about: In London's Soho neighborhood, Misty Divine's drag mother, Lady Lady, is found murdered in a stolen dress in her dressing room. When the cops assume the performers are guilty, Misty steps up to solve the crimes.
Reviewers say: Read it for its "lovable characters, lively dialogue, and dry humor" (Publishers Weekly). |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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