| The Body by the Sea by Jean-Luc BannalecWhat happens: When a murder occurs near his home in the harbor town of Concarneau, Commissaire Georges Dupin is determined to find the killer, even though he's short-staffed. But more violence awaits.
Want a taste? "It seemed to Dupin there was more light in Brittany than there was in other places. Its extraordinary luminosity made the colors there extraordinary too."
Series alert: This delightful 8th Georges Dupin novel features a strong sense of place with tempting descriptions of food and a clever plot that references a Georges Simenon mystery. |
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| Swamp Story by Dave BarryTreasure! Jesse Braddock is stuck in the Everglades with her baby girl and her handsome-but-no-good boyfriend, a wannabe reality star. When she stumbles upon hidden treasure, Jesse thinks her problems are over, but she's soon dealing with a made-up monster, two mean brothers, TikTokers, and mobsters.
Reviewers say: "Crime fiction doesn’t come much funnier" (Publishers Weekly); "hilarious...Florida’s humorist laureate finds chaos and comedy in the Everglades" (Kirkus Reviews).
For fans of: Tim Dorsey and Carl Hiaasen. |
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| All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. CosbyWhat it's about: Ex-FBI agent Titus Crown is the first Black sheriff of Virginia's Charon County. That's tough enough, but then there's a school shooting of a teacher by a former student, which quickly turns into a hunt for a serial killer who's been targeting children for years.
Reviewers say: "superb" (Publishers Weekly); "fresh and exhilarating" (New York Times); an "unforgettable, flawed hero" (Library Journal).
Read this next: If you want more gritty, atmospheric crime fiction, try Eli Cranor's novels, which take place in Arkansas, or Attica Locke's Texas-based Highway 59 novels. |
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| The Last Remains by Elly GriffithsAn old crime: The body of a Cambridge student missing for 20 years is found in a wall. She was last seen with a group that included Cathbad, a druid and friend of forensic anthropologist Dr. Ruth Galloway.
What happens: Ruth tries to clear Cathbad while dealing with her complex relationship with DCI Harry Nelson, the married father of her child, and the closure of her university department.
Series alert: This follow-up to The Locked Room is the 15th and possibly final book in this stellar series known for memorable characters and intricate plotting. Newcomers may want to start with an earlier entry. |
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| Unnatural Ends by Christopher Huang1921 Yorkshire, England: At the remote Linwood Estate, Sir Lawrence Linwood has been found bludgeoned to death with an old mace.
What happens: When his three adopted children arrive home, they learn that according to his will, whoever solves the murder inherits everything.
Reviewers say: a "stellar historical mystery that channels Agatha Christie" (Booklist); "a puzzle worthy of Golden Age detective fiction" (Library Journal). |
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| Small Mercies by Dennis LehaneGone in a night: In 1974 in Boston's Southie neighborhood, racial tensions simmer during a heatwave. Against this backdrop, a desperate mother, Mary Pat Fennessy, looks for her missing teenage daughter, who disappeared the same night a young Black man was killed in the subway.
What happens: The cops investigate the murder, and Mary Pat refuses to give up her search, even as it draws unwanted attention to the neighborhood's Irish mobsters.
Read this next: For more complex, gritty crime fiction, try Deepti Kapoor's Age of Vice or Colson Whitehead's Harlem Shuffle. |
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| Code of the Hills by Chris OffuttWhat happens: After 20 years in the Army, most as an investigator, Mick Hardin is retiring. But before he heads to Paris to see where life takes him, he's back in Kentucky to help his sheriff sister solve a couple of murders in a case that has ties to Detroit.
Series alert: This 3rd Mick Hardin novel after The Killing Hills and Shifty's Boys once again offers a gritty, fast-paced story and atmospheric settings.
Reviewers say: "Excellent Kentucky noir...The dialogue is a highlight, consistently sharp, quick, and funny" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima RaoNew in town: In 1914, after a mistake in Hong Kong, young Punjabi Sikh police sergeant Akal Singh is sent to Fiji. Six months in and he's still adjusting to his new life among his Fijian, Indian, and British coworkers.
Missing: When an indentured Indian servant disappears from a sugar plantation, a vocal missionary demands action. Tasked with solving the case and quieting bad press, Singh deals with colonialism and the caste system.
For fans of: atmospheric historical mysteries, such as Sujata Massey's Perveen Mistry novels or Abir Mukherjee's Sam Wyndham books. |
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| Charlotte Illes Is Not a Detective by Katie SiegelAll grown up? Charlotte Illes, a 25-year-old semi-famous former child detective, is at loose ends, living with her mom in New Jersey while looking for work and love. So when her old blue landline phone rings, she (reluctantly) takes the case...but she never dealt with murder as a kid.
Did you know? Prior to starring in this "rollicking debut" (New York Times), Charlotte was a character on author/actor Katie Siegel's TikTok.
For fans of: Lisa Lutz's The Spellman Files novels or Mia P. Manansala's Tita Rosie's Kitchen mysteries. |
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| A Stolen Child by Sarah Stewart TaylorA new old job: Having moved to Dublin, Ireland, with her teenage daughter, former Long Island homicide detective Maggie D'Arcy has finished Garda training and once again walks a beat in uniform.
What happens: Maggie and her partner Jason are on the scene when an ex-model is found dead in her apartment...and her toddler is missing.
Series alert: Readers can start with this evocative, well-plotted 4th Maggie D'Arcy novel, but those who want to read her 1st outing should pick up The Mountains Wild. |
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