Hello, mystery fans! My film-watching theme this year is apparently going to be weird or rom-coms, as I watched Dream Scenario (Max), Upgraded (Prime), and Pretty Woman (Peacock) for the billionth time.
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Bookish Goods
Library Rubber Stamp by SniggleSloth
This is adorable! You can stamp a row of books and keep your rubber stamp out, since it’s a little sloth! ($6+, size options)
New Releases
A Midnight Puzzle (Secret Staircase Mystery #3) by Gigi Pandian
For fans of puzzle mysteries, tight-knit families, amateur sleuths, murder mysteries, and book-loving characters!
Tempest Raj, who fled her life as a magician in Vegas, is back living with her father and grandparents and working for the family business, Secret Staircase Construction, which creates secret nooks/rooms in homes. It’s not all fun and games, though, because the business is being sued by the husband of a woman in a coma who fell down the stairs the Secret Staircase Construction built. Rumor is, the husband pushed his wife! So Tempest is obviously on the case, but she’s also rebuilding her life, including working on repairing a childhood friendship with Ivy, who is also super helpful in mystery solving as a lifelong mystery reader.
Did I mention there is a family curse?: Three deaths on stage across three generations that also need solving…
I love this series for two main reasons: the family dynamics and getting to watch puzzle mysteries unraveled and solved as the reader gets to also play sleuth!
You can start here and not be lost; however, this book solves a past family mystery that runs through the first two books, so if you want to follow along from the beginning, pick up Under Lock & Skeleton Key!
(TW suspected past suicide of missing person)
Under This Red Rock by Mindy McGinnis
For fans of YA, books with a mental illness focus, and did-I-or-did’t-I-commit-a-murder mystery?!
Neely Hawtrey is struggling. At 16, her mom has just died in a car accident, her brother died by suicide, and she’s now living with her grandparents and what she calls her monsters. The monsters are a girl and a man in her closet, and a voice following her called Shitbird Man. With mental illness running in her family, she’s aware of the problem and hopes that a new job working in caverns as a tour guide will help since the monsters can’t follow her there. Soon, she’s doing better, making friends, and spending time with her coworker crush Mila. Until Mila is murdered…
I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve read by McGinnis, which I’ve found contain dark humor and angry teen girls: The Initial Insult and The Female of the Species.
Looking for more new releases? Check out our New Books newsletter!
Riot Recommendations
Here are two backlist titles with names in the title!
The Last Day of Emily Lindsey by Nic Joseph
For fans of procedurals, past and present storylines, and adult and child POV!
Detective Steven Paul is dealing with a lot of personal and professional issues: although raised by a loving adoptive family, he has always had night terrors. His ex-wife is also keeping her son, whom he raised with her, from him. And a recent incident has his partner and boss questioning his stability. To make things worse, he’s given a case of a woman who is covered in blood, holding a knife, that draws a symbol that he recognizes from his own night terrors…
Sadie by Courtney Summers
For fans of true crime podcasts, white knuckle page-turners, revenge, the violence being kept just off-page, and gut punch YA!
Sadie sets out to kill her little sister’s murderer even though everything is stacked against her: she doesn’t have friends or money, and she has a stutter that makes communicating with strangers almost impossible. In between the chapters following Sadie on her mission is a true crime podcast host who is focused on Sadie’s sister’s murder and is trying to find Sadie…
(TW child abuse/ pedophilia/ attempted suicide mentioned)
News and Roundups
Chris Pine is a Poolman turned detective in zany trailer for his directorial debut
Robert Galbraith / J.K. Rowling’s Transphobia Hits a New Low With Holocaust Denial and Vox has had to update this article a lot: Is J.K. Rowling transphobic? Let’s let her speak for herself.
10 Best Neo Noir Shows Like Tokyo Vice
Bond, James Bond: See What Happened to All the Actors Who’ve Played Hollywood’s Top Spy Guy
Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!: Guest Alma Katsu! (The Hunger, Red London) – On Genre Jumping
The Best (and Most Anticipated) Mystery and Thriller Books of 2024, So Far
Browse the books recommended in Unusual Suspects’ previous newsletters on this shelf. See upcoming 2024 releases and mysteries from 2023. Check out this Unusual Suspects Pinterest board and get Tailored Book Recommendations!
Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy — you can find me under Jamie Canavés.
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