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Board to death
by CJ Connor
What happens: When a man who offered to sell a rare edition of the game that inspired Monopoly at a suspiciously low cost turns up dead, board game shop and café owner Ben Rosencrantz becomes the top suspect.
Series alert: This is the first book in the new series, A Board Game Shop Mystery.
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| An Evil Heart by Linda CastilloWhat happens: In Painters Mill, Ohio, Police Chief Kate Burkholder, who grew up Amish, investigates the violent death of a well-liked young Amish man...who maybe wasn't quite who he seemed.
Series alert: Longtime fans won't want to miss this entry as Kate's wedding approaches, but newcomers can still enjoy this gritty 15th in the acclaimed Kate Burkholder series.
Read this next: For other intricately plotted stories with complex characters in rural communities, try Julia Keller's Bell Elkins Mysteries or Samantha Jayne Allen's Annie McIntyre Mysteries. |
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| A Newlywed's Guide to Fortune and Murder by Dianne FreemanEngland, 1900: American-born Frances, Countess of Harleigh, agrees to help a friend who thinks recently widowed Viscountess Wingate is being poisoned. Meanwhile, Frances' new husband, who works for the Home Office, also has a case involving the Wingate family.
Reviewers say: "Numerous plot twists, well-drawn characters, and immersive details...distinguish this historical cozy" (Booklist).
Series alert: Following A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder, this is the charming 6th Countess of Harleigh mystery. Readers who'd like to pick up the 1st entry will want A Lady's Gude to Etiquette and Murder. |
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The echo of old books : a novel
by Barbara Davis
Starring: Rare-book dealer Ashlyn Greer’s affinity for books extends beyond the intoxicating scent of old paper, ink, and leather. She can feel the echoes of the books’ previous owners—an emotional fingerprint only she can read.
What happens: When Ashlyn discovers a pair of beautifully bound volumes that appear to have never been published, her gift quickly becomes an obsession. Not only is each inscribed with a startling incrimination, but the authors, Hemi and Belle, tell conflicting sides of a tragic romance. With no trace of how these mysterious books came into the world, Ashlyn is caught up in a decades-old literary mystery.
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| Mrs. Plansky's Revenge by Spencer QuinnIntroducing: Mrs. Loretta Plansky, a wealthy 71-year-old recent widow; and Dinu, a Romanian teen whose violent uncle has him scam elderly Americans by pretending to be their grandson.
What happens: Mrs. Plansky gets taken in by Dinu, and her life savings are gone in a night. After the FBI says there is nothing they can do, Mrs. Plansky heads to a small village in Romania to get her money back.
For fans of: senior sleuths, like those in Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series, Dorothy Gilman's Mrs. Pollifax books, or Jesse Q. Sutanto's Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. |
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| A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia SealesWhat happens: In Regency-era Swampshire, England, known for its squelch holes and strict code of conduct, Beatrice Steele, the eldest of three sisters, must hide her obsession with true crime. But after a murder at a ball, she teams up with a detective to solve the case.
Why you might like it: This debut novel offers whimsical narration, witty banter, a twist on genre tropes, and a locked-room murder.
Reviewers say: "Irreverent, satirical, and oh so much fun!" (Kirkus Reviews); "exceptional...Jane Austen fans will be enthralled (Publishers Weekly). |
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If you like: James Ellroy
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| One Good Deed by David BaldacciIntroducing: Aloysius Archer, a young World War II veteran just released from prison in 1949 for a crime he didn't commit.
What happens: Needing work, he takes a job in Poca City to find a car and a girl, but his investigation soon leads to him being accused of a killing in this 1st in a series.
Why you might like it: One Good Deed features a hero to root for, 1940s-era dialog, and a fast-paced plot. |
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| She Rides Shotgun by Jordan HarperFeaturing: shy, smart 11-year-old Polly (who carries her beloved one-eyed teddy bear everywhere), and Nate, her newly released ex-con father.
The problem: Nate ticked off an Aryan gang leader in prison, and now there's a hit out on him and Polly, who he hasn't seen in years. The gang has already killed Polly's mom, so Nate takes his daughter with him as he wreaks havoc on the gang's Los Angeles-area businesses.
Why you might like it: This action-packed 2017 crime novel won the Edgar Award for Best Debut and offers readers fascinating lead characters and a modern take on the gritty revenge novel. |
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| One-Shot Harry by Gary Phillips1963 Los Angeles: Black freelance photographer Harry Ingram takes pictures of a car crash that killed a white jazz musician, a guy Harry had served with in Korea. Despite what the LAPD says, Harry thinks it was murder and seeks justice for his friend in a city rife with racism as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Freedom Rally approaches.
Reviewers say: "a particularly satisfying, no-nonsense hero" (Booklist); "propulsive...crackles with authenticity" (Wall Street Journal).
Why you might like it: One-Shot Harry portrays an immersive, well-researched 1960s L.A. setting that's full of life. |
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