Winter Newsletter 2023 Mystery & Suspense

The science of The Martian and the suspense of a mystery, all beautifully encased in a powerful family drama. When a father goes missing and his nonverbal son becomes the main suspect, a family works to understand what happened and what it means for their sense of each other. Angie Kim narrates an evolving dynamic between husbands and wives, parents and kids, and siblings with each other, ultimately driving a nuanced and compassionate narrative about how our perceptions and beliefs are shaped, nourished, and changed by those around us.  

—Casey

In Murder by Degrees, 19th-century Philadelphia comes alive as Dr. Lydia Weston, a resourceful physician, delves into a missing persons case–turned–murder investigation. Mukerji’s meticulous descriptions of everything from anatomy to social classes provide a vivid backdrop as the book explores class divides, sexism, and Lydia’s journey to uncover a killer’s secrets. With an intriguing plot and an engaging protagonist, this historical mystery is captivating.  

—Kristina

This is the story of Hardly, a perpetual stoner drifting from one day to the next. Hardly has somehow taken on the impossible task of rescuing two abused children, a mission that appears doomed from the start. He enlists his 16-year-old clueless amusement park coworker, an antisocial goth city worker, and a sexy 40-something former private investigator. This is a thriller with heart. Another well-crafted winner from Lou Berney.  

—Trey

Baja California is full of contradictions. Deserts and oceans exist side by side. For Viridiana, Baja is cloyingly small. Acting as a translator for tourists is a way to touch the outside world without leaving, but her newest assignment may be more than she can handle. Can she take charge of her own future? Dark and twisty, this thriller will keep you guessing until the very end.  

—Ivy

Bachelorette party on a remote island? Check. Internet and phone suspiciously unavailable? Confirmed. Secrets and grudges galore? Boy howdy! Hunky yet mysterious chef? Oh, yes. The devices may seem tired at first glance but The Cliff House is extremely entertaining. I kept turning the pages and I think you will, too. This is light reading at its best; you must know what happens next!  

—Glenn

Ausma Zehanat Khan’s Blackwater Falls is an exciting, classic-feeling thriller set amidst the Colorado mountains and their diverse, sometimes clashing multicultural communities. Detective Inaya Rahman navigates a tricky balance of identities as police officer, Muslim, and woman, while trying to solve a horrific murder, trace a series of disappearances, and follow a trail of corruption. Unwinding the begrudging trust, small secrets, and bigger threats to find motive in a small town, this tense, fast-paced mystery will keep you turning pages til the explosive end.  

—Jocelyn

This newly translated novel by Jean-Patrick Manchette inspired by the works of Dashiell Hammett and Jean-Pierre Melville, perfectly encapsulates the gritty existentialism and cool dialogues widely employed in hard-boiled crime fiction. Skeletons in the Closet follows private eye Eugène Tarpon, who is tasked with solving the seemingly dead-end case of a missing philanthropist. Manchette unfolds for us a gruesome mystery, ripe with corruption and greed, that does not lack either humor or heart.  

—Magnolia

The mention of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit often starts a frenzy among true crime fans. Hannibal, Criminal Minds, and Mindhunter all dramatize the FBI’s legendary criminal investigation unit. And none of that would have been possible without Jana Monroe. Monroe’s experience as not only one of the first members of the real-life unit but the first (and at the time, only) female profiler is both frustrating and liberating, and is a must-read for fans of the genre.  

—Nikole