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| 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, 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. Try this next: Dead and Breakfast by Kat Hillis and Rosiee Thor. |
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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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| 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. Try this next: Robert Holtom's A Queer Case; John Copenhaver's Hall of Mirrors. |
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| Death and Dinuguan by Mia P. ManansalaAs 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. This is the charming 6th and final entry in the award-winning Tita Rosie’s Kitchen series (recipes included). Read-alikes: Jennifer J. Chow’s cozy mysteries; Abby Collette’s Ice Cream Parlor Mysteries. |
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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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| 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 in a novel that's "criminally good fun" (Publishers Weekly). |
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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 or Daniel Aubrey’s Orkney mysteries. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Des Plaines Public Library
1501 Ellinwood St.
Des Plaines, Illinois 60016
847-376-2814www.dppl.org |
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