"Novels were designed to entertain, and those of us who wish to keep the art form alive need to keep this in mind." ~ Elizabeth George, American author
|
|
| Death at Dovecote Hatch by Dorothy CannellHistorical Cozy. In 1932 England, the delightful head housekeeper of a country estate, Florence Norris, turns sleuth for the 2nd time after Murder at Mullings. This time, she suspects that a wealthy local man was pushed, rather than fell, to his death. As the police investigate, they discover a second will and an unsuspecting new heir...whose life may now be in danger. If you enjoy leisurely paced tales and have been missing Downton Abbey or longing for a satisfying country house mystery with a Golden-Age feel, try this delightful new series by a veteran author. |
|
| Between the Living and the Dead by Bill CriderMystery. When his math professor friend takes the summer off to hunt ghosts, Texas sheriff Dan Rhodes is dubious; after all, he doesn't believe in ghosts (even if many of his employees do). But when an anonymous caller reports that there's a body in the local haunted house, he knows everyone in his small town is going to be talking about the paranormal no matter what he believes. Like the other fun books in the Dan Rhodes mysteries, this 22nd entry will keep readers "guessing and chuckling" (Kirkus Reviews). |
|
| The Drowned Boy by Karin FossumScandinavian Crime Fiction. When the body of a toddler with Down syndrome is discovered in a backyard pond, it seems like a tragic accident. But Inspectors Skarre and Sejer aren't sure about that as the 19-year-old mother's behavior seems odd. When an autopsy reveals the boy had soap in his lungs, the teen changes her story and claims the boy died in the tub while she was having an epileptic seizure; realizing he was dead, she panicked and put him in the pond. Though there's no hard evidence that a crime occurred, the detectives' instincts keep them on the case. With steady pacing and psychological themes, fans of both Ruth Rendell and Minette Walters should be pleased with this 11th Inspector Sejer novel. |
|
| Last Ragged Breath: A Novel by Julia KellerMystery. Forty years ago, the Buffalo Creek flood, caused by negligent coal mining practices, killed over 100 people and left thousands homeless. Now Royce Dillard, who as a toddler survived the disaster that claimed the lives of his parents, is a bit of a recluse, quietly living in a small house with his beloved dogs -- but a large corporation wants his land for a resort. Royce won't sell, the businessman who'd been hounding him is murdered, and Royce is arrested. Dedicated county prosecutor Bell Elkins can't see Royce killing the man and investigates, finding ties to the past. With a real-life tragedy providing a historic backdrop, Bell's 4th outing is "a beautifully crafted mystery" (Kirkus Reviews) that'll please fans of evocative, elegantly written tales. |
|
| The Tournament by Matthew ReillyHistorical Mystery. In something of a departure for him, internationally bestselling thriller writer Matthew Reilly (Ice Station, Area 7, etc.) has penned a mystery set in 1546. In it, the feared sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Suleiman the Magnificent, issues a chess tournament challenge to European royals. England's chess champion heads to Constantinople along with scholar Roger Ascham, who's accompanied by his 13-year-old pupil, Bess (later to be known as Elizabeth I). When the game turns deadly amid depravity and dangerous court machinations, the sultan asks Ascham to find a murderer, and of course, Bess helps. Readers who enjoy this "rollicking good yarn" (Kirkus Reviews) and want more Bess can try Karen Harper's Elizabeth I mysteries. |
|
If You Like: Elizabeth George
|
|
Elizabeth George's elegant use of language, expertly evoked settings, and aristocratic police detective -- Scotland Yard DI Thomas Lynley, the eighth earl of Asherton -- are reminiscent of books from mystery's Golden Age, but her incorporation of contemporary social issues and character psychology create a darker and more realistic tone that's closer to the style and sensibility of modern crime fiction. George's 18th Thomas Lynley mystery, A Banquet of Consequences, is due in October. Readers eagerly awaiting its arrival might enjoy some of the books below while they wait.
|
|
| Black Dog: A Cooper & Fry Mystery by Stephen BoothMystery. When a 15-year-old girl from a wealthy local family is murdered, Detective Constable Ben Cooper works with ambitious newcomer DC Diane Fry to solve the case -- but the two police officers each have their own personal troubles to deal with even as an attraction grows between them. Black Dog is the 1st in a series that now numbers 14. Each intricately plotted mystery leans more towards the realm of psychological thriller than do Elizabeth George’s, yet they still share George’s thoughtful pacing as well as a male/female detective team with very different perspectives, which results in a compelling interpersonal dynamic. |
|
| All Shall Be Well by Deborah CrombiePolice Procedural. When he finds his friend and neighbor, 50-year-old Jasmine Dent, dead, Scotland Yard Superintendent Duncan Kincaid rejects the idea of suicide. So he investigates along with his sergeant, Gemma Jones, a single mother who isn't convinced Duncan is right. This is the 2nd book in a series after A Share in Death, and a good place for newcomers to start. Deborah Crombie, like Elizabeth George, is an American who writes compelling, literary mysteries set in England that follow the ups and downs of the detectives' personal lives, which sometimes complicates their professional ones. |
|
| The Crossing Places by Elly GriffithsMystery. In Norwalk, England, forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway lives in the remote Saltmarshes. Asked by Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson to examine the bones of a child found there, Ruth discovers that the remains date from the Iron Age. Disappointed DCI Nelson, who'd hoped to give the parents of long-missing Lucy Downey closure, shares details of that cold case with Ruth, including the strange letters about ritual and sacrifice sent to him. Ruth, intrigued by archaeological and literary references in the missives, helps Nelson investigate when another little girl goes missing and more letters arrive. Just as Elizabeth George's books do, Elly Griffiths' novels have a strong sense of place and her characters’ relationships and complicated personal lives progress throughout the series. |
|
| Still Life by Louise PennyMystery. When a retired and well-liked schoolteacher is shot through the heart with a bow and arrow, almost everyone in the small village of Three Pines thinks it must have been a hunting accident. But Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of Canada's Sûreté du Québec discovers there's a murderer in the quaint town's midst. In starred reviews, Booklist calls this award-winning debut novel "a real gem of a book," and Kirkus Reviews says it's "stellar." Fans of Elizabeth George who try Louise Penny's critically acclaimed books will find that both authors write wonderfully complex, layered mysteries that resemble Golden Age mysteries and feature characters and plot threads that develop throughout the series. |
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|