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| Murder in Bel-Air by Cara BlackStarring: Fashionable Paris PI and single mom Aimée Leduc, whose American mother has worked with both the CIA and 1970s radicals.
What happens: It's 1999, and Aimée's mother (who was supposed to be with Aimée's daughter at a playgroup) disappears. A murder near the play area has Aimée desperately seeking her mom while dealing with neighborhood secrets, spycraft, and Cote d’Ivore politics.
Who it's for: This 19th Aimée Leduc novel (which works for readers who know Aimée and those who don't) will please those who enjoy character-driven mystery novels with international settings. |
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| Almost Midnight by Paul DoironWhat it's about: A corrections officer is killed in a Maine state prison, and a prisoner, the best friend of game warden Mike Bowditch, is injured trying to help -- but it's all related to bigger crimes outside the pen.
Series alert: Newcomers can start with this 10th Mike Bowditch novel, but to follow him from his rookie year, pick up The Poacher's Son.
For fans of: C.J. Box, Nevada Barr, and William Kent Kruger's well-plotted mysteries featuring the great outdoors. |
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| The Cutting Room by Ashley DyerWhat it's about: Detectives Ruth Lake and Greg Carver, who are both still healing from their last traumatic case, work to stop a serial killer who fancies himself an artist and has a large social media following.
Is it for you? If you like gritty British police procedurals like Mo Hayder's, you'll enjoy this chilling, suspenseful sequel to Splinter in the Blood.
About the author: Ashley Dyer is the pseudonym of novelist Margaret Murphy and forensic expert Helen Pepper (who has consulted for British TV's Vera, Shetland, and Bancroft). |
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| A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder by Dianne FreemanWhat it is: a lighthearted, cozy Victorian mystery with a touch of romance; the sequel to the Agatha Award-winning A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder.
Starring: The Countess Harleigh, an adventurous American whose recently deceased husband only married her for her money.
What happens: When a woman she'd hoped would marry her cousin is murdered, Lady Harleigh plays sleuth, which has her unearthing all kinds of upper-crust gossip and possibly a blackmail plot. |
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| The Shallows by Matt GoldmanStarring: Minneapolis, Minnesota PI Nils "Shap" Shapiro, who's jaded, newly 40, and in a complex relationship with his ex-wife.
What it's about: When a prominent lawyer is found dead in a pond with a fishing stringer hooked in his mouth, multiple people (the man's wife, her lover, the cops, etc.) want Nils' help.
Series alert: This is the twisty 3rd novel (after Gone to Dust and Broken Ice) to feature Shapiro, a modern version of a hardboiled detective. |
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If You Like: Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow novels
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Aunt Dimity slays the dragon
by Nancy Atherton
What happens: Her eighth summer in the small English village of Finch happily brightened by the opening of a nearby Renaissance fair, Lori Shepherd finds the revelries shattered by dark undercurrents, including a madrigal singer's stalker, a knight's saboteur rival, and a would-be assassin who is targeting Good King Wilfred.
Series alert: This is the 15th in this series which now has 24 books (the latest, Aunt Dimity and the heart of gold was recently published.
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Bone to be wild
by Carolyn Haines
What happens: Sarah Booth Delaney is heartbroken: her fiancé Graf Milieu has decided to move to Hollywood permanently, leaving their relationship in shambles. Sarah Booth plans to dance the night away to the swinging tunes of her old flame Scott Hampton's blues band at a Halloween party. But just as the party gets going, Scott receives a mysterious message that threatens his life and the lives of his band mates.
Series alert: This is the 15th book in this cozy mystery series.
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| Birthday Party Murder: A Lucy Stone Mystery by Leslie MeierWhat happens: Part-time reporter and mom of four Lucy Stone helps plan a party for Tinker's Cover, Maine's oldest resident, Miss Tilley. But when a local attorney suspiciously dies and Miss Tilley's long-lost niece unexpectedly appears and moves in, Lucy has more things to worry about than parties, gray hairs, and her teen's coed sleepover.
Series alert: This is the lighthearted 9th Lucy Stone book; the 26th, Invitation Only Murder, hits shelves in November.
Why Donna Andrews fans might like it: the details of family life, Lucy's civic engagement, and the entertaining townspeople. |
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| The Body in the Birches by Katherine Hall PageFeaturing: Caterer Faith Fairchild, her minister husband, and their kids, who live with a friend while renovating their Maine vacation cottage.
What happens: A murder occurs at the next-door neighbor's coastal estate, where relatives have gathered to hear the elderly owner's decision of who will inherit the coveted home.
Why Donna Andrews fans might like it: The pleasing mix of crime, beloved characters, and domestic life found in this 22nd Faith Fairchild mystery (which is fine for newcomers) and all the Faith books (the 25th and most recent novel is The Body in the Wake). |
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Contract your librarian for more great books!
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Forsyth County Public Library 585 Dahlonega Street Cumming, Georgia 30040 770-781-9840www.forsythpl.org |
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