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| Magpie Murders by Anthony HorowitzMystery. Readers can imagine the frustration of book editor Susan Ryeland: the final chapters are missing from author Alan Conway's latest mystery manuscript starring his Poirot-esque detective! Conway’s sudden, suspicious death means that Susan must piece together the ending by interviewing his friends and family; then she realizes that the novel’s characters are stand-ins for real people and that the book may be related to the author’s death. Containing a novel-within-a-novel, suspense, and plenty of details that Golden Age mystery fans will relish, the cleverly plotted Magpie Murders has something for everyone. On the hold list? Read some of the original Golden Age authors, like Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, or Margery Allingham. |
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Meddling Kids : A Novel
by Edgar Cantero
SUMMER 1977. The Blyton Summer Detective Club (of Blyton Hills, a small mining town in Oregon’s Zoinx River Valley) solved their final mystery and unmasked the elusive Sleepy Lake monster—another low-life fortune hunter trying to get his dirty hands on the legendary riches hidden in Deboën Mansion. And he would have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for those meddling kids. 1990. The former detectives have grown up and apart, each haunted by disturbing memories of their final night in the old haunted house. And Andy, the once intrepid tomboy now wanted in two states, is needs answers. To find them, she will need Kerri, the one-time kid genius and budding biologist, and Tim, an excitable Weimaraner descended from the original canine member of the club. They will also have to get Nate, the horror nerd currently residing in an asylum in Arkham, Massachusetts. Luckily Nate has not lost contact with Peter, the handsome jock turned movie star who was once their team leader (which is remarkable, considering Peter has been dead for years). The time has come to get the team back together, face their fears, and find out what actually happened all those years ago at Sleepy Lake.
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Rusty Puppy
by Joe R. Lansdale
While Hap, a former 60s activist and self-proclaimed white trash rebel, is recovering from a life-threatening stab wound, Louise Elton comes into Hap and Leonard's PI office to tell him that the police have killed her son, Jamar. Months earlier, a bully cop pulled over and sexually harassed Jamar's sister, Charm. The officer followed Charm over the course of the next couple of months, leading Jamar to videotape and take notes on the cop and his partner. The next thing Louise hears, Jamar got in a fight and is killed in the projects by local hoods. It doesn't add up: he was a straight A student, destined for better things, until he began to ask too many questions about the racist police force. Leonard, a tough black gay Vietnam vet and Republican, joins Hap in the investigation, and they stumble upon the racial divides that have shaped their Eastern Texas town. But if anyone can navigate these pitfalls and bring the killers to justice, it's Hap and Leonard.
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A Distant View of Everything
by Alexander McCall Smith
A new baby brings an abundance of joy to Isabel Dalhousie and her husband, Jamie--but Isabel's almost four-year-old son, Charlie, is none too keen on his newborn brother. In fact, Charlie refuses to acknowledge Magnus, and Isabel must find a way to impress upon her older son the patience and understanding that have served as guiding principles in her own life. These are, of course, the qualities that bring Rosemary Hipple, an old acquaintance of Isabel's, to seek her help in a tricky situation. Rosemary is something of a matchmaker and has brought together a cosmetic surgeon and a successful banker at her most recent dinner party. But new information comes to light about the cosmetic surgeon that causes Rosemary to doubt the auspiciousness of the match. Isabel agrees to find out more, but her inquiries take an unexpected turn, and she starts to wonder which of the two she should be investigating after all. As ever, her intelligence, quick wit and deep empathy for others will come to her aid as she grapples with the issues that are her bread and butter: friendship and its duties, the obligation of truthfulness and the importance of perspective.
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| The Right Side: A Novel by Spencer QuinnMystery. Sgt. LeAnne Hogan has one eye, a scarred face, PTSD, and short- and long-term memory issues (no matter how hard she tries, she can't remember what happened in Afghanistan). When Marci, her roommate at Walter Reed Hospital, suddenly dies, LeAnne takes off for Marci's Washington state hometown. There, LeAnne bonds with a stray dog and learns that Marci's eight-year-old daughter is missing. While trying to heal and remember, LeAnne hunts for the missing girl. Readers who adore Spencer Quinn's humorous Chet and Bernie novels will find this nuanced mystery grittier and more serious but just as good. |
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| The Birdwatcher by William ShawMystery. As the son of a homicide victim and a self-professed murderer, William South of the Kent Community Police has steered clear of murder investigations. Until now. Teamed with the new DS (the single mother of a troubled 15-year-old girl), South finds himself at the murder scene of a friend, neighbor, and fellow birder. South works to find out who killed his friend even while trying to keep his own secrets hidden and teaching his new partner's daughter about birding. Alternating between South's childhood troubles and his current ones, The Birdwatcher offers readers a strong sense of place, nice plotting, and well-drawn characters. |
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As Dark As My Fur
by Clea Simon
Blackie does not trust Care’s new client, factory owner Mr Gravitz, who has hired the young PI to shadow one of his workers, a man he suspects is stealing from him. With his feline sixth sense, Blackie knows the client is not telling the truth – but how can he protect and warn his companion, Care, when he is only a cat? Combining elements of feline fantasy and traditional whodunit, As Dark As My Fur continues the adventures of this original and unusual detective duo: two small creatures in a nightmarish urban landscape, fighting for their lives and for the memories of those they love.
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| Love & Death in Burgundy by Susan C. SheaCozy Mystery. Hoping for acceptance from her Burgundy, France village, American expat painter Katherine Goff organizes a local fête, which will include performances by her former rock star husband and a country music star. Meanwhile, the owner of the local chateau dies after a fall down the stairs and rumors abound that it was murder. Katherine can't help but nose about, and teenager Jeannette, the daughter of a local thief who's got a talent for spying, helps out. Fans of village mysteries peopled with eccentric characters should pick up this 1st in a new series. For another cozy series featuring an expat detective, pick up Elizabeth Duncan's Wales-set Penny Brannigan mysteries. |
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If You Like: Lindsey Davis
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| The Pericles Commission: A Mystery of Ancient Greece by Gary CorbyHistorical Mystery. In 461 BC, 20-year-old sculptor's son Nicolaos sees the body of democratic reformer Ephialtes land at his feet. An arrow has found its mark and toppled him from a building, but who shot it? Hired to find the assassin by the dead man's powerful political friend, Nicolaos sees an opportunity to leave sculpting behind. With the help of a priestess of Artemis and his younger brother Socrates (yes, that one), Nicolaos just might solve the crime before the assassin finds him. With its historical details, first person narration, and a few hardboiled elements, this 1st in a series should please Lindsey Davis fans. |
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| Terra Incognita: A Novel of the Roman Empire by Ruth DownieHistorical Mystery. Together with his outspoken slave/housekeeper Tilla and the Twentieth Legion, Roman Army doctor Gaius Petrius Ruso heads to the uncivilized north border region of Britannia in 118 AD. Tilla is from the area and quite happy to be home, but the recently divorced Ruso finds himself wondering what he's agreed to, especially when he's tasked with figuring out who beheaded a soldier and why. Those who enjoy Lindsey Davis' mysteries will appreciate the amusing Ruso and Tilla as well as Ruth Downie's dry wit and character-driven style; Terra Incognita is the 2nd of seven books. |
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| Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana FranklinHistorical Mystery. In 1171 Cambridge, England, someone is killing Christian children. The locals are blaming the Jews, who have taken refuge in a protected castle. King Henry II thinks the Jews are innocent (and he needs their tax revenue), so he requests the best master of the art of death (medical examiner) from a famous Sicilian school to examine the bodies -- but what he gets is a mistress of the art of death. For her part, the engaging, intelligent Adelia Aguilar struggles with life in less-civilized England as she tries to catch a killer. Lindsey Davis fans who appreciate forensic details should like this atmospheric award-winning series debut. |
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| The Seven Wonders: A Novel of the Ancient World by Steven SaylorHistorical Mystery. In this excellent prequel to Steven Saylor's popular Roma Sub Rosa series, 18-year-old Gordianus embarks on a round-the-ancient-world journey. Celebrated Greek poet Antipater of Sidon, Gordianus's tutor, accompanies him on his 92 BC quest to see the Seven Wonders...but Antipater travels under a pseudonym since he and Gordianus' father have faked his death. Along the way the poet and the boy encounter murder, human sacrifice, love, and more. If you like the rich historical details and Ancient Roman setting of Lindsey Davis' books, try The Seven Wonders as well as the 14 other books in the series. |
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