Mystery and True Crime

This may be book #2 from the internationally bestselling author Camilla Läckberg, but I jumped right into it without reading her first (The Ice Princess) and I was wonderfully thrilled. The suspense builds for detective Patrik Hedström as fresh victims revive a series of unsolved murders from the previous generation. There’s intense family drama—a twisted mesh of relation, resentment, and secrets—as well as a wonderfully fleshed-out cast of supporting characters. Evil lurks in the Scandinavian summer heat. Will Patrik solve the murders and locate the missing girl, or will a killer’s legacy claim another victim?   

Fans of Dexter will love this thriller featuring an "information retrieval" expert (read that as torturer) whose personal code of conduct leads him to betray his clients and champion a 12-year-old boy. It's fast-paced and exciting, with a great balance of action and psychological twists. You'll never love Geiger, but you'll respect him, fear him, and whole-heartedly root for him.

I picked this book up on the recommendation of a friend, when I was terribly sick and wanted a distraction. It had everything I needed and more: an inventive and well-structured plot, lively characters, twists, turns and plummets, and a seriously creepy murder mystery. I also loved that the protagonist is a journalist, which gives the book a fresh take on your average whodunit.

Could I love this book more? It has so many of my favorite things. There's the engrossing historical background of New York City as it begrudgingly welcomes both waves of Irish immigration and it's first ever police force (a turbulent time to say the least). I got to root for a hero who is both moral and noble, yet is a man of the streets. And I loved the complex and thrilling plot with an excellent payoff at the end. I wish I hadn't read it yet, so I could read it for the first time.

Never have I read a novel with such a quirky and precocious protagonist as Flavia de Luce. Eleven year old Flavia lives in her family’s historic mansion in the British countryside circa 1950 where she spends her hours cultivating a love of chemistry. When a mysterious murder turns everything upside down, she begins to piece together a dubious plot generations in the making.

Starting with a phone call that leads to a child, drugged but alive in a suitcase, this Danish mystery is a perfect blend of Tanya French and Stieg Larsson—as psychologically driven as it is plot driven—a page turner so riveting that you may want to gear up if you plan to sit within arm’s length to this book’s reader.

The main character of this novel, private investigator Claire DeWitt, reminds me a bit of Sherlock Holmes – she has addictions, and isn't very friendly most of the time – but with a New Age twist (imagine Holmes using the I Ching to find clues, if you can). The story is set in New Orleans six months after Katrina, a time and place that is viscerally well realized.

There are a great many writers out there who are obsessed with Sherlock Holmes, and who can blame them? In this new anthology, writers such as Neil Gaiman, Lee Child, and Jacqueline Winspear share their own take on the greatest detective in the world. The stories are far-reaching and creative, including a modern-day take on Baker Street, and an alternative history that involves President McKinley. You don’t want to miss this stellar lineup of devoted writers. —Kat

Sue Grafton is nearing the end of her “Alphabet” mystery series that feature California private eye Kinsey Millhone, and already we’re becoming nostalgic. Still, we can’t wait to gobble up V is for Vengeance, the 22nd book in the series. A spiderweb of dangerous relationships is at the heart of this tale, in which Kinsey receives a punch in the face for her 38th birthday. V: Victim. Violence. Vengeance.

If you like your mysteries gritty, a bit terrifying, and very well written, then look no further than Bookshop favorite Stuart Neville (Collusion, The Ghosts of Belfast). His latest Jack Lennon investigation features the detective and a gutsy new heroine who is caught up in the dark world of human trafficking. This streamlined thriller is gripping and full of nonstop action.