Tag: fiction
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A British Cop Thriller Led by a Wary and Whip-smart Protagonist

Detective Inspector Jan Talantire of the Devon and Cornwall Police is called away from a rare date to a murder echoing a similar stabbing from 50 years ago, complete with crucifix through the heart and the victim’s name, Ruth Lyle.
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Welcome Back, Vic! The Tough Chicago PI Returns

The now middle-aged Warshawski is still reeling from her last case when she agrees to search for a missing young woman in Kansas — and then stumbles across another woman’s body. I loved book 22 in this series.
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A Flawed Protagonist Searches for the Missing, and Redemption

Frankie Elkin is an “average, middle-aged white woman” who travels from one missing-persons case to the next, dragging a single suitcase behind her. Think Jack Reacher, but with fewer muscles and more underwear.
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New York Times: Best Mysteries (and Other Books) Since 2000

Here’s a gift link to the interactive database of the NYT’s best and notable books by year and genre. Check out the picks for the best 21 mysteries of the past two decades.
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And Now For Something Completely Different: PI Izzy Spellman

There’s rarely a murder in this mystery series, which focuses instead on a hilarious young PI working for her very dysfunctional family’s investigations agency. Quirky family dynamics and humor are the stars of these books.
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Murder Crossed Her Mind: A Series Keeps Getting Better

I feel no regrets about stopping a series if my interest lags. But this fourth book in the Pentecost & Parker mystery series, featuring a Nero Wolfe-like detective pair in 1940s New York, is every bit as good as the first, second and third.
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If You’re A Fan of Kinsey Millhone, Please Meet Cass Raines

Tough, headstrong, caring. Cass Raines is a no-nonsense Chicago cop turned PI who’s determined to right the wrongs she sees around her — and there are plenty. A past winner of the Sue Grafton Memorial Award.
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What Mystery Writers Selected as Their Best Books of 2023

Members of the Mystery Writers of America nominated books in several categories for the annual Edgar Awards, named in honor of Edgar Allen Poe. Winners will be announced in May.
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A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder: How to Ace Your Senior Project

I fell hard for Pippa, the “good girl” who decides to investigate the murder-suicide of two classmates for her high school senior project. If you haven’t read a young adult mystery lately, I encourage you to give this one a try.
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What Lies in the Woods: A Survivor’s Suspenseful Tale

A twist-filled tale about the resilience of little girls and the adults who are supposed to take care of them. I was cheering for our tough protagonist by the end, a grand finale I definitely didn’t see coming.
