Our November 2025 Picks 
 
Recent Releases
In the Time of Five Pumpkins by Alexander McCall Smith
In the Time of Five Pumpkins
by Alexander McCall Smith

Freddie Mohlala has invited Mr J.L.B. Matekoni to go fishing with him on the local dam--which is home to some fairly nasty crocodiles. They do not catch anything, but something nearly catches them. In the meantime, Mma Ramotswe looks into what seems to be a straightforward matter involving a husband who thinks his wife may be having an affair. But there is a surprise in store—she, it transpires, suspects that he himself has a lover. This is obviously a case that will require tact—which of course is a quality Mma Ramotswe has in abundance.
The Librarians by Sherry Thomas
The Librarians
by Sherry Thomas

A September LibraryReads pick! "This intriguing mystery is also an in-depth character study of a group of people working for a small public library in Austin, TX. No one is quite who they seem, but when two suspicious deaths happen in the area, with both victims having recently been in the library, the staff must band together to try to decipher what happened. Books about librarians are always a win/win, and this one is particularly well done."

Douglas Beatty, Baltimore County Public Library, MD
The Dentist: A DS George Cross Mystery by Tim Sullivan
The Dentist: A DS George Cross Mystery
by Tim Sullivan

George Cross is on the autism spectrum. He struggles with simple daily interactions but his single-mindedness, attention to detail and fierce persistence make him the most successful detective in the Bristol station with a 97% conviction rate. When the body of an elderly homeless man is discovered on the edge of Clifton Downs, George insists on scrutinizing the smallest details, even after his fellow officers dismiss the murder as an act of random violence.
The Man Who Died Seven Times by Yasuhiko Nishizawa
The Man Who Died Seven Times
by Yasuhiko Nishizawa

Hisataro, a young member of the wealthy Fuchigami family, has a mysterious ability. Every now and then, against his will, he falls into a time-loop in which he is obliged to re-live the same day a total of 9 times. Little does he know how useful this ability will be, until one day, his grandfather mysteriously dies... As he returns to the day of the murder time and again, Hisataro begins to unravel its secrets. With a sizeable inheritance up for grabs, motives abound, and everyone is a suspect.
A Slowly Dying Cause: A Lynley Novel by Elizabeth George
A Slowly Dying Cause: A Lynley Novel
by Elizabeth George

Michael Lobb has just been found dead on the floor of his family's tin and pewter workshop. It's suspicious enough that his body was found by a representative of EcoMining, a company keen on acquiring his family's land, and it's made even worse when he's revealed to have been the majority owner of the business and the sole obstacle preventing a deal from being made. But it doesn't take long for Detective Beatrice Hannaford to unearth the layers of estrangement that surrounded Michael in his final days, pointing suspicions elsewhere.
Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent
Guilty by Definition
by Susie Dent

A cryptic letter with references to Shakespeare arrives at the Clarendon English Dictionary offices in Oxford, England. Senior editor Martha Thornhill thinks the odd missive might be related to her sister’s disappearance a decade earlier, so when more notes appear, Martha and her team work to solve the clues and possibly a crime. This clever debut novel by English lexicographer and TV presenter Susie Dent will please both mystery fans and language lovers. 
The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers with Alex Kiester
The Missing Half
by Ashley Flowers with Alex Kiester

Haunted by her sister's unexplained disappearance seven years ago, 24-year-old Nicole "Nic" Monroe lives with her grief-stricken dad in her Indiana hometown and struggles to move forward. When Jenna Connor, whose sister vanished in similar circumstances, asks Nic to team up, they risk everything to uncover the truth in this fast-paced debut by "Crime Junkie" podcaster Ashley Flowers. 
Fever Beach by Carl Hiaasen
Fever Beach
by Carl Hiaasen

Welcome to Fever Beach, where the sun blazes, the politics are unhinged, and the characters are as volatile as a summer storm. Dale Figgo is a half-baked crusader with the rare distinction of being kicked out of the Proud Boys—for being too dumb. His latest bad decision? Picking up a hitchhiker on a rainy afternoon while running an errand. That errand sets off a chain reaction delivering a gleefully chaotic portrait of contemporary madness.
In Deadly Fashion by Rosemary Simpson
In Deadly Fashion
by Rosemary Simpson

Heiress Prudence MacKenzie and ex-Pinkerton Geoffrey Hunter are about to become more than partners as investigators--they are to be wed at Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan. But a killer has designs on ruining the wedding as well as their lives ...--Provided by publisher.
Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man)
by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Ever since a man was found dead in Vera's teahouse, life has been good—for Vera, that is. She's surrounded by loved ones, her shop is bustling, and best of all, her son Tilly has a girlfriend: Officer Selena Gray! Then Vera comes across a distressed young woman looking for a missing friend. Fortunately, while catsitting at Tilly and Selena's, Vera finds a file about the death of an enigmatic influencer—who also happens to be the friend that the young woman was looking for.
Five Found Dead
by Sulari Gentill

Author Joe Penvale celebrates finishing cancer treatment by taking his twin sister on the Orient Express. Fellow travelers include a retired French detective, true crime podcasters, travel bloggers, and two elderly women. When a blood-soaked cabin is discovered and the train is quarantined after a new COVID variant, the group investigates. But who can be trusted? Read-alikes: Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express; Benjamin Stevenson's Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect.
Dogged Pursuit: An Andy Carpenter Mystery by David Rosenfelt
Dogged Pursuit: An Andy Carpenter Mystery
by David Rosenfelt

In this Andy Carpenter prequel, Andy goes to the shelter to adopt a dog, where he meets his beloved golden retriever, Tara. The shelter is crowded and Tara's been sharing space with a dog named Sunny; Andy hates to break them up and so asks to take Sunny, too, but since there's a pending criminal case involving the owner, he'll need to get written permission for temporary possession. Andy discovers that Sunny's owner, Ryan Tierney, has been arrested for the murder of his ex-boss. But he takes an immediate liking to Ryan and his clear dedication to his dog, and ends up with his first case.
Wild Instinct by T. Jefferson Parker
Wild Instinct
by T. Jefferson Parker

The hunt for the truth is the deadliest game. Lew Gale, a former Marine sniper, now an Orange County California Sheriff's detective, is assigned to track and shoot a mountain lion that has killed a man in Caspers Park, located in the rugged country east of Laguna Beach, California. The victim is Bennet Tarlow, a rich developer and man-about-town in upscale coastal Orange County. The investigation takes a chilling turn when Lew and his new partner, Daniela Mendez, discover that Bennet was dead long before the lion got to him. And while Bennet might have been the first to die, he certainly will not be the last--
The Last Death of the Year
by Sophie Hannah

On New Year’s Eve 1932, Hercule Poirot and Inspector Catchpool are staying in a rundown guesthouse on a small Greek island while Poirot investigates a threat against a fellow lodger. Then a note appears promising “the last and first death of the year." This clever latest by Sophie Hannah is authorized by Agatha Christie’s estate and will appeal to fans of Colleen Cambridge's Murder at Mallowan Hall.
Sherlock Holmes and the Real Thing
by Nicholas Meyer

The game's afoot for Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in this latest cleverly plotted pastiche by Nicholas Meyer. In a blizzard-stricken 1890s London, Lady Glendenning hires Holmes to find her painter tenant, who's disappeared without paying the rent and left a bloody room behind. On the way to a surprising finale, the book examines art, ambition, forgery, and love. For other Victorian London mysteries, try: Charles Finch's Charles Lenox chronicles or Will Thomas' Barker and Llewelyn mysteries.
Murder on the Marlow Belle
by Robert Thorogood

Though DI Tanika Malik asks them not to investigate, elderly crossword creator Judith, DJ and dogwalker Suzie, and vicar's wife and mom Becks can't help but look into things when a cruise chartered by the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society includes a seemingly impossible murder. This fun 4th outing for the Marlow Murder Club will please fans of earlier books as well as the TV series based on them. Try this next: Simon Brett's Fethering mysteries.
Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests
by KJ Whittle

Seven Londoners receive elegant invites to an anonymously hosted dinner party at an out-of-the-way restaurant. The evening is intriguing, but the cards each guest receives at the end are menacing, listing the year they'll die. When two of them pass away as predicted, the others try to sort it all out before their time runs out. Try this next: Andreina Cordani's The Twelve Days of Murder.
 
Want to explore more ideas?
Check out our library's Suspense book lists to browse recommendations!