Mysteries with Purpose—Martin and McLain (Book Reviews)
Sometimes mysteries are whodunit stories—relatively straightforward missing person or homicide with some thrilling moments and twisty endings. But I read two mysteries lately with just a little more. In both cases, the authors included relevant issues from our...Alan Drew — The Recruit (Book Review)
Alan Drew creates a thoughtful mystery with multiple viewpoints in The Recruit. It’s set in 1987 and happens around a small city in Orange County, California. Drew uses a smart approach to his suspenseful story. He’s unafraid to confront the big issues of the day,...Kelley Armstrong — A Rip Through Time (Book Review)
In A Rip Through Time, Kelley Armstrong creates Vancouver police detective Mallory Atkinson. Mallory is visiting her gravely ill grandmother in Edinburgh, Scotland. The year is 2019. Until one evening when Mallory goes jogging and unexpectedly finds herself waking up...John Searles — Her Last Affair (Book Review)
John Searles creates a captivating and genre-defying story in his upcoming book, Her Last Affair. Skyla Hull is a widowed former nurse who’s losing her eyesight, and might just be losing her mind as well. Her property includes two small houses, and as the book opens...Steve Robinson — In the Blood (Jefferson Tayte #1) Book Review
Steve Robinson taps into the genealogy craze in the first book of his Jefferson Tayte series, called In the Blood. The tracking of family trees is an inherently nerdy hobby. But, especially with the advent of DNA testing, more people are investigating than ever. And...S. A. Cosby — Blacktop Wasteland (Book Review)
S.A. Cosby is a master of suspense and thrills in his 2020 novel, Blacktop Wasteland. He combines intensity, rapid pacing, and a command of the sentence that boggles my mind. This is a heist thriller, and its action sequences sizzle like hot metal on pavement at 120...Escape with a Good Mystery: My Holiday Weekend Plan
Summer is a time to escape, even if you don’t vacation at that time. Around the July 4th holiday, I chose two mysteries as summer escape reading. One is formulaic and the other has some twists at the end that turn typical formulas on their head. Because the author...Viveca Sten — Still Waters (Sandhamm Murders #1) (Book Review)
Viveca Sten starts a new mystery series in Still Waters. Sten is Swedish and thus her story is too. First published there in 2008 and then translated to English in 2015, the Sandhamm Murders series is a sensation. Nine books are available in English, and there’s even...The Maidens — Literary Mystery from Alex Michaelides
The Maidens from Alex Michaelides is an erudite, binge-worthy mystery. Set in Cambridge, England among ivy-covered buildings many centuries old, it draws from Greek tragedy and mythology. But the murders at the story’s heart are definitely in the here and now. It’s...Mia P. Manansala — Arsenic and Adobo (Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery #1) (Book Review)
Debut author Mia P. Manansala starts a cozy foodie AAPI mystery series with Arsenic and Adobo. Set in small town Shady Palms, main character Lila Macapagal works for her auntie, Tita Rosie. Lila left Shady Palms to attend college in nearby Chicago, but recently...Liz Moore — Long Bright River: A Mystery About Mothering and Addiction (Book Review)
Liz Moore writes a tribute to unconventional motherhood in her 2020 novel Long Bright River. Or maybe my mind is just on that topic with the recent Mothers’ Day holiday. Either way, the story here centers around two sisters, Kacey and Michaela (Mickey) Fitzpatrick....Jean Hanff Korelitz — The Plot: a Bookish Thriller (Book Review)
When the new book from Jean Hanff Korelitz, called The Plot, arrived on my doorstep, I dove right in. Even though it isn’t due to publish until May 2021, I just couldn’t wait. I have a thing for books about authors and the craft of writing. Especially when, like this...Danielle Girard — Exhume: Dr. Schwartzman #1 (Book Review)
Danielle Girard introduces readers to Dr. Annabelle Schwartzman, Medical Examiner in a new series. This first book is called Exhume and it includes a variety of themes. First, of course is the world of morgues and autopsies. Second, is the way her role of gathering...Kerry Greenwood and Phryne Fisher: Cocaine Blues is Historical Mystery Par Excellence (Book Review)
Author Kerry Greenwood introduces a new mystery heroine in her 2012 book, Cocaine Blues. Phryne Fisher is different from a typical late 1920’s female sleuth in many ways. First, she’s based in Melbourne, Australia instead of the more typical New York, London, or...The Red Lotus: A Prescient Mystery for 2020 from Chris Bohjalian (Book Review)
The Red Lotus is another strong entry in the mystery / thriller genre from Chris Bohjalian. And this time, he chose an oddly prescient topic for a 2020 release. The story centers around Alexis Remnick, a New York City ER doctor. She’s on a bicycling trip to Vietnam...Bookshop.Org Affiliate
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