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"Mother, Lord Grantham has made the unwelcome discovery that his heir is a middle-class lawyer, and the son of a middle-class doctor." ~ Downton Abbey, season one, episode two
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New and Recently Released!
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| Reykjavik Nights by Arnaldur IndriðasonPolice Procedural. In this "stellar" (Booklist) prequel to the internationally acclaimed Erlendur Sveinsson mysteries, Erlendur is a rookie Reykjavik cop, already spending his time off digging into old crimes that catch his interest. Unable to forget the year-old drowning death of a homeless acquaintance, who was found in a pond, Erlendur starts to believe that it’s not just a case of a drunk landing in the wrong place, but may be linked to the disappearance of a young woman. If you enjoy reading about serious-minded, dogged detectives living in insular locales, you should meet Erlendur, and this book is a great introduction to the series. If you're already a fan and would enjoy something similar but with a more upbeat tone, try Swedish author Henning Mankell's Kurt Wallander mysteries. |
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| The Dragon of Handale by Cassandra ClarkHistorical Mystery. In 14th-century England, King Richard II is on the throne (though not everybody's happy about that), and former nun Hildegard, who's just returned from a year-long pilgrimage in Spain, isn't sure she wants to rejoin her religious order. Her prioress advises her to go to Handale Priory in the remote north to contemplate her future -- however, what Hildegard finds there isn't peace but unholy excess for some, deprivation for others, a young man's ripped-up body, and rumors of a dragon living in the woods. For another well-wrought, descriptive medieval mystery series set in the same decade, try Bruce Holsinger's new John Gower novels; the 1st is A Burnable Book.
Cassandra Clark's web page |
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| The Cat Sitter's Whiskers by Blaize and John ClementCozy Mystery. In Florida's Siesta Key, pet sitter Dixie Hemingway is up early checking on a Maine Coon whose owners collect antique masks, when she's knocked out by an intruder wearing one of the valuable artifacts. She calls the cops, but there's no sign of a break in or a theft. However, before long Dixie discovers the body of someone she knows, and using her skills from her time as a police officer, sets out to learn who knocked her out and who killed her friend. Though author Blaize Clement died in 2011, her son John writes new mysteries using her notes; The Cat Sitter's Whiskers is the 10th in an engaging series that's purr-fect for cat fanciers as well as anyone who'd like a lighthearted read.
Blaize and John Clement's web page |
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| The Valley by John RenehanCrime Novel. After a past incident left him emotionally traumatized and scorned by some, young Lieutenant Black became a loner desk jockey in Afghanistan who reads Michael Connelly novels and never leaves the safety of his Army base. But when he is randomly assigned to investigate complaints about unwarranted shots fired by American soldiers that killed a goat, he finds himself -- ready or not -- going to the Valley, a remote outpost that's the most dangerous place around. There, he needs to interview hardened soldiers and sort out what happened, but he finds the acting officer suddenly on leave and most others unwilling to talk. Mystery readers who enjoy intense war stories like Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and would like a detailed look at Army life in Afghanistan will find it in this compelling first novel by John Renehan, who served in Iraq.
John Renehan's web page |
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| Whispering Shadows: A Novel by Jan-Philipp SendkerCrime Novel. After his young son died of leukemia three years ago, Paul Leibovitz couldn't move on, but his wife did. Now a divorced recluse, he finds himself on the anniversary of his son's death agreeing to help a desperate American mother whose businessman son is missing. Paul calls on his old friend Zhang Lin, a Shenzhen homicide detective, for help, and the two men soon discover that the executive was killed. While investigating why and by whom, they find that their case may be linked to both business and politics. For more crime novels set in modern China that often combine crime and political issues, try Eliot Pattison's Shan Tao Yun mysteries, Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen Cao mysteries, or Lisa See's Red Princess mysteries.
Jan-Philipp Sendker's web page |
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If You Like: Downton Abbey
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If you're a fan of the deliciously melodramatic TV show Downton Abbey, which follows the lives of an aristocratic family and their downstairs counterparts during the 1910s and 1920s, then you've probably heard the recent good/bad news: a sixth season has been commissioned, but it'll be the last. While you enjoy re-watching past episodes and wait for season six, you may want to try a few of these mysteries that cover similar ground as Downton.
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| Murder at Mullings: A Florence Norris Mystery by Dorothy CannellHistorical Mystery. Florence Norris first arrived at Mullings in 1900 as a 14-year-old kitchen maid, but left to marry a soldier. After World War I left her a widow, she eventually returned as housekeeper. In charge of the large country house, she dotes on seven-year-old Ned, the orphaned grandson of Lord Stodmarsh -- but finds the recent death of Lady Stodmarsh strange, and isn't at all fond of his lordship's unpleasant second wife. "Downton Abbey fans will pick up on the tone immediately: imagine the ever-reliable Mrs. Hughes narrating a mystery" (Library Journal).
Dorothy Cannell's web page |
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| The Bee's Kiss by Barbara CleverlyHistorical Mystery. This 5th installment in the award-winning Joe Sandilands series finds our detective home from India and enjoying Jazz Age London and his new Scotland Yard position. That is, until the bludgeoning death at the Ritz Hotel of Dame Beatrice Jagow-Joliffe, founder of the Wrens (Women's Royal Naval Service). Joe's superiors pressure him to discreetly close the case, but when young Wrens start dropping like flies, Joe knows he has to dig deeper. If you're a Downton viewer interested in what life was like in 1920s London, pick up this "beautifully plotted, character-driven masterpiece" (Library Journal). |
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| Heirs of the Body: A Daisy Dalrymple Mystery by Carola DunnHistorical Mystery. Sorting out the rightful heir to an entailed estate causes trouble -- and possibly murder -- in late 1920s England. When her cousin Edgar and his wife ask for help interviewing possible lawful heirs, the Honourable Daisy Dalrymple Fletcher agrees. After advertising far and wide, the family lawyer has found four claimants to the title: a wealthy South African diamond broker, a hotelier from Scarborough, a Jamaican sailor, and a twelve-year-old Trinidadian boy. When everyone gathers at Fairacres, the family estate, for Edgar's 50th birthday, suspicious accidents cause Daisy and her husband, DCI Alec Fletcher, to investigate. Though this is the 21st in a popular series, Downton fans may want to start with book one (Death at Wentwater Court) as Daisy, a victim of male primogeniture like Downton's Mary Crowley, makes her way on her own terms.
Carola Dunn's web page |
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| Dandy Gilver and the Proper Treatment of Bloodstains by Catriona McPhersonHistorical Mystery. In 1926 Edinburgh, Scotland, aristocratic sleuth Dandy Gilver uses tips from her own lady's maid to work undercover as one in Dandy Gilver and the Proper Treatment of Bloodstains, her 5th outing. After receiving a request for help from a Mrs. Balfour indicating that her husband is going to kill her (and that she'd "rather he didn't"), Dandy can't refuse. But as she gets to know the other 11 servants and watches over her client, a labor strike rivets the country and a murder occurs. If you like Downton Abbey's focus on upstairs-downstairs relationships in a changing time, you'll relish the details of such in this witty mystery, which won a Macavity Award.
Catriona McPherson's web page |
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| Maisie Dobbs: A Novel by Jacqueline WinspearHistorical Mystery. In her 1st outing, Maisie Dobbs -- a former housemaid turned Cambridge student turned World War I nurse -- starts a one-woman detective agency in 1929 London. The first of her "discreet investigations" involves what initially appears to be a simple case of marital infidelity, but quickly develops into something more complex and sinister as her sleuthing uncovers a convalescent home for soldiers that may not be what it seems. If you enjoy Downton Abbey's fascinating relationships between various social classes in early 20th-century Britain and its look at war veterans, you'll appreciate that similar themes appear in Maisie Dobbs.
Jacqueline Winspear's web page |
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Contact your librarian for more great books! |
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Get Your Personal Reading ListLooking for your next book? Librarians at Houston Public Library will create a customized reading list for you, based on your exact preferences. Ask a LibrarianHouston Public Library's info 24/7 chat reference service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Newsletters for All InterestsWe've added newsletters! See what's new. Author AlertsGet notified by email or text message when the Library orders new titles by your favorite authors or performers.
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Neighborhood Library Events
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Join us Thursday, June 4 at 1 pm to discuss Cop Town by Karin Slaughter.
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