Category: Unusual Suspects

Best Mysteries & Thrillers Of 2020 So Far

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date June 23, 2020

Sponsored by our 1-year Audible subscription giveaway courtesy of Macmillan Audiobooks.

We’re giving away a 1-year subscription to Audible to one lucky winner, courtesy of Macmillan’s Audiobooks Newsletter.

Hi mystery fans! So it’s the halfway mark of this year and I thought I’d roundup the books so far on my Best Of The Year list that have published January through June. Keep in mind this is obviously out of the pool of books I’ve been able to read that have published so far this year. With that in mind I’m planning on doing my best backlist reads this year for next week since of course there are books that would have been on that year’s published Best Of List had I read them then.

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara: This is an excellent adult novel that is mostly told from the point-of-view of children looking into the disappearance of a school friend because they feel the adults and police are not taking it seriously enough. It starts with the feel of a coming-of-age novel and travels deep into noir territory while keeping the focus on victims and those whose voices are silenced. (Review) (TW child, domestic abuse/child deaths)

Vera Kelly Is Not A Mystery (Vera Kelly #2) by Rosalie Knecht: This is a series that easily stands out from the rest, taking the spy thriller into character driven territory, with a lesbian lead, and focus on historical moments usually not explored. It also morphs from a CIA spy novel into a PI, with CIA ties, in the sequel. And instead of being a loner PI it’s a young woman seeking her found family. (Review) (TW alludes to teen predator/ homophobia/ mentions past suicide, no detail)

Deacon King Kong by James McBride: An expertly written novel that brings to life the Brooklyn Cause Houses housing project in 1969, we follow along to find out why a church deacon shot a known drug dealer in front of everyone. An action that, as you can imagine, sets off a series of events, including a long buried mystery. Come for the whydunnit and stay for the amazing characters and community–including the Colombian ants. (Review) (TW alcoholism/ slurs/ past child abuse/ suicide)

The Silence of Bones by June Hur: This one made it on my list for the main character (a wounded-by-past-life-events, scrappy, sensitive, quick learner) and the unique setting (1800, Joseon Korean dynastic kingdom). Orphaned as a child, Seol is now an indentured servant to the Capital Police Bureau because Confucius’s law doesn’t allow men to touch women they aren’t directly related to, even in death. But a current case of a dead woman puts suspicion on the Inspector she works for… (Review) (TW past suicides mentioned, detail/ mentions public groping/ torture/ past child murder mentioned/ dog killed, skippable)

Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier: This is a page-turning twisty thriller with an exploration of grief, resentment, and anger at its core. Marin Machado was wealthy, successful, and happily married when her four-year-old son was abducted. A year later the case remains unsolved and Machado has secretly hired a PI who uncovers not what happened to her child but, rather, that Machado’s husband is having an affair. Now Machado has something new to point her grief and anger at… (Review) (TW child kidnapping/ mentions self harm, not detailed/ domestic, child, partner abuse/ attempted past suicide, detail, suicidal thoughts/ suicide)

What You Don't See cover image What You Don’t See (Cass Raines, #3) by Tracy Clark: I really enjoy this series about an ex-cop who manages a small apartment building she owns and takes on cases as a PI, usually reluctantly. In this case, super reluctantly as a favor to her old cop partner because the person she’s assigned to protect from a stalker is a captain jerkface who Raines probably wants to murder before protecting. Come for the twisty cases that take you through the streets of Chicago and stay for the found family. (Review) (TW suicide/ past animal cruelty, skippable and not graphic)

A Murderous Relation cover image A Murderous Relation (Veronica Speedwell #5) by Deanna Raybourn: This is easily one of my favorite historical mystery series. It has a great lead (a smart, mouthy, and adventurous butterfly collector) partnered with a grumpy natural historian. Once again I was treated to laughs, adventure, mystery, secrets, the monarchy, and more will-they-won’t-they tension! Every year this series puts out a book is a year it’s on my Best of List. (TW attempted groping/ mentions past suicide, no detail)

The Falcon Thief: A True Tale of Adventure, Treachery, and the Hunt for the Perfect Bird by Joshua Hammer: This is a great narrative nonfiction (reads like a novel) that is perfect for fans of The Feather Thief, history, adventure, nonviolent true crime, and nature, about a guy whose career was stealing rare bird eggs and the Wildlife Crime Unit detective determined to catch him. (Review) (TW talks of past crime cases that include suicide, detail; rape, no detail; child deaths, no detail/ some animal harm, but I’d say more what you find in animal documentaries)

Mrs. Mohr Goes Missing by Maryla Szymiczkowa, Antonia Lloyd-Jones (Translation): A mystery for fans of Agatha Christie, centering a bored, witty, opinionated housewife who finds herself secretly working on a missing persons case. Come for the Christie style mystery stay for the interesting history. (Review) (TW mentions infertility/ discussions of addiction/ past domestic abuse mentioned)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. See 2020 upcoming releases. An Unusual Suspects Pinterest board. Get Tailored Book Recommendations!

Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, and Litsy–you can find me under Jamie Canavés.

If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you and you’d like your very own you can sign up here.

Unusual Suspects

Jo Nesbo Adaptation To Star Oscar Isaac With Ben Stiller Directing

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date June 18, 2020

Sponsored by our 1-year Audible subscription giveaway courtesy of Macmillan Audiobooks.

We’re giving away a 1-year subscription to Audible to one lucky winner, courtesy of Macmillan’s Audiobooks Newsletter.

Hello mystery fans! I found a lot of things worth clicking (including exciting book announcements), HBO has a new Perry Mason show, and there’s another great round of Kindle deals.

From Book Riot And Around The Internet

15 Paranormal Mystery Books to Read Right Now (HIGHLY recommend Half-Resurrection Blues in audiobook.)

Cover Reveal: PRIDE AND PREMEDITATION By Tirzah Price

‘The Luminaries’ Is The New Murder-Mystery That’ll Have You Hooked

The Best British Murder Mystery Shows to Watch Right Now

Ottessa Moshfegh offers an eccentric murder mystery

What Rachel Howzell Hall reads

Lamar Giles on What Should I Read Next

Kellye Garrett just played “5 things in my WIP” (work in progress) and GIVE IT TO ME NOOOOOOOW!

June Hur announced her next novel and also all the gimme hands: THE RED PALACE is a YA historical mystery set in Joseon Dynasty Korea (again Hugging face) & my most ambitious project to date.

30 Thriller Books That Will Pretty Much Guarantee You Never Get Another Good Night’s Sleep

Oscar Isaac is attached to star in the movie “London,” based on a short story by Jo Nesbo, with Ben Stiller on board to direct.

(TW) “His [Chris D’Elia] role as a comedian and pedophile in You’s second season in late 2019 has prompted a flurry of allegations from women that his character in the Netflix series mirrors his actual life almost exactly.”

Enter to Win $250 to Spend at Barnes and Noble

Watch Now

HBO: Perry Mason is back (kind of)! On June 21st the new series on HBO will focus on the character created by Erle Stanley Gardner: Perry Mason. The show is Mason’s origin story and stars Matthew Rhys, Tatiana Maslany, and John Lithgow. Watch the trailer here. (Related: HBO streamers messy and confusing!)

Kindle Deals

Here’s a great small-town past and present mystery: Fallen Mountains
by Kimi Cunningham Grant is $1.99! (Review) (TW domestic violence/ addiction/ suicide)

For historical mystery fans: The Impossible Girl by Lydia Kang is LESS THAN A DOLLAR! (Review)

For a multi-point off view, Scandinavian whydunnit, mixed with courtroom drama: A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson, Rachel Willson-Broyles (translation) is $2.99! (Review) (TW rape on page, statutory/ domestic abuse/ partner abuse)

If you still haven’t picked up this great nonfic what are you waiting for? It’s worth the full price and ridiculously priced right now: The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater is $2.99!

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. See 2020 upcoming releases. An Unusual Suspects Pinterest board. Get Tailored Book Recommendations!

Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, and Litsy–you can find me under Jamie Canavés.

If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you and you’d like your very own you can sign up here.

Unusual Suspects

A Delicious Cozy Mystery 🍦🔪

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date June 16, 2020

Sponsored by The audiobook edition of The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell, read by Dylan Moore.

Who is Connor Ford? Two women loved him. And knew him as only wives can know. Now one wife is dead, and the other is wealthy beyond imagination. From Michele Campbell, the bestselling author of It’s Always the Husband comes a new blockbuster thriller set amongst the glittering mansions of the Hamptons. The Wife Who Knew Too Much is a decadent summer thriller about the lives of those who will do anything for love and money. Who is the victim? Who is the villain? And who will be next to die? Listen to the audiobook read by Dylan Moore.

Hello mystery fans! I have three mystery books perfect for escape-reading, depending on your mood: cozy, historical, fun thriller. Also, for fellow horror/Gothic/suspense fans, I just finished the audiobook for Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and you should definitely pick that one up to hit your creepy-house-vibes craving (TW suicide/rape).

A Deadly Inside Scoop (An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery #1) by Abby Collette: This was exactly what I needed to read to destress. Bronwyn Crewse is a great-at-marketing MBA grad who moves back to her hometown to take over the family ice cream shop. It was originally started by her grandparents and her plan is to bring it back to its old glory, but she’s going to have a lot of challenges, including opening up during a snowstorm and other pesky things, like finding a dead guy. And her father is a suspect.

Clearly she isn’t going to have any of that, so she’s going to have to figure out who the murdered man was, who murdered him, and why. But first, she’s gotta keep thinking up the most delicious ice cream flavors to entice customers, and you may need to use the book’s pages to wipe the drool while reading the descriptions. Seriously, keep a pint of ice cream handy; you’re going to have a craving. This is perfect if you need a gentle read, following a woman with a great support system and family. And bonus for being a really good audio listen.

Vera Kelly Is Not A Mystery (Vera Kelly #2) by Rosalie Knecht: Here’s a super good character driven series that goes from 1960s CIA spy novel to PI novel. Vera Kelly is having a rough time: she’s left the CIA; her girlfriend has dumped her, which Kelly didn’t even see coming; her job has fired her for being a lesbian. What’s a woman to do? Apparently, put an ad in the paper about your services as a PI.

Kelly’s first case is finding the son of Dominican exiles who ended up in the New York foster care system and has since disappeared. Between her favorite local bar, and a bartender she likes, to the Dominican in search of answers, we get to know more of Kelly as she struggles to make sense of the past and find balance between her reserved demeanor and search for found family. If you’re looking for a cold war spy series not like the others and enjoy dry witted, clever women trying their best to find their way, this is your next great read! (TW alludes to teen predator/ homophobia/ mentions past suicide, no detail)

You Can’t Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie: This was the perfect balance of not too ridiculous so I can stay focused and care, and not too realistic where it’s dark and not fun. Which is why I always pick up McKenzie’s books; I’m always guaranteed a hook I can’t look away from, and then a fun ride. Basically, exactly what I was looking to read right now. It also managed to hit upon so many things that I am just naturally drawn to, starting with a cult.

Which is Jessica Williams’ past, having escaped a doomsday cult she was born into. That was 12 years ago, when she was eighteen and escaped with the help of a man who became a mentor, and a crush in the process. Now, she’s the woman known all over the internet for having copy/pasted someone else’s story as her own. So she’s been fired and publicly dragged. She decides to go to Mexico and disconnect from the world for a while, which only makes things worse because she very naively plays a game in the airport with a woman who has her same name. That game was a setup for that other “Jessica Williams” to steal her identity and empty out her bank accounts.

It’s only a matter of time before it occurs to Jessica Williams 1 to find out if this little game had been played before and if there were other victims, then leading her to those women who, all together, devise a trap… You get the current plot line as the Jessica Williamses team up to catch the fake one and get justice–or at least their money back; the past life of Jessica Williams 1 growing up in the cult, her support group with other cult members, and her relationship with the man who saved her. (TW child predator, past not graphic/ suicide past, detail, note/ child abuse/ alludes to past rape, no detail)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. See 2020 upcoming releases. An Unusual Suspects Pinterest board. Get Tailored Book Recommendations!

Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, and Litsy–you can find me under Jamie Canavés.

If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you and you’d like your very own you can sign up here.

Unusual Suspects

9 Great British Mystery Series You Won’t Want to Put Down

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date June 11, 2020

Community Focused Mysteries

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date June 9, 2020

Sponsored by Our Summer Reading Pack Giveaway courtesy of Harlequin.com.

We’re giving away a Summer Reading Pack courtesy of Harlequin.com. The prize pack which includes the following titles: Sunrise on Half Moon Bay by Robyn Carr, The Sea Glass Cottage by RaeAnne Thayne, The Summer of Sunshine and Margot by Susan Mallery, Heartbreaker by B.J. Daniels, Family for Beginners by Sarah Morgan.

Hello mystery fans! I recently finished an excellent crime audiobook that left me thinking about mysteries that are either set in communities where you get to know a lot of the residents and/or mysteries set in a community where the community itself feels like a character. So–as you’ve certainly already guessed–that’s what I’ve rounded up for you today:

Deacon King Kong by James McBride: Set in1969, readers are taken into the Brooklyn Cause Houses housing project, which is filled with interesting characters, many of which are known solely by their nicknames. Like Sportcoat, a church deacon who’d taught a youth baseball team, who is also known as the drunk. In front of everyone, he walks up to the known drug dealer, Deems Clemens, and shoots him.

This surprises everyone, including Sportcoat who isn’t really aware he was responsible for the shooting and ends up with a price on his head for it. We follow the members of the community–including Colombian ants (yes, the actual insects)–after the shooting and get the history of so many characters–Latinx, white, Black, Italian–bringing not only this time period and place to life, but why Sportcoat shot Clemens, along with another mystery buried somewhere in the community… I can’t recommend this one enough: the writing is exceptional, the characters are fantastic, even though the subjects seem like it would make this a heavy novel it is not at all, and the audiobook is narrated by Dominic Hoffman who you may (should!) know as Whitley’s boyfriend from A Different World. (TW alcoholism/ slurs/ past child abuse/ suicide)

Four Rabbi Small Mysteries: Friday the Rabbi Slept Late, Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry, Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home, and Monday the Rabbi Took Off (The Rabbi Small Mysteries #1-4) by Harry Kemelman: This collects the first four novellas (a bit over 200 pages each) in the Rabbi Small cozy mystery series. Also set in the 1960s, but this time in the Barnard’s Crossing’s Jewish community in Massachusetts, a small-town not lacking in small-town drama, and follows Rabbi David Small. We start with Friday the Rabbi Slept Late where a nanny has been murdered and the Rabbi is trying to solve the case, while also being a suspect… This is a really good series for fans of cozy mysteries, especially if you’re looking for characters and a community we don’t get to see a lot of in mysteries. Plus, there’s 12 books in the series for a nice marathon.

IQ (IQ #1) by Joe Ide: Taking us to modern day, and to the side of gritty crime novels, is Ide’s series set in East Long Beach. The series starts by jumping between Isaiah Quintabe’s (a character influenced by Sherlock) childhood and his current life as a PI where he helps his community by taking on cases for whatever the person can afford (sometimes chickens!). This series currently has four novels following IQ, and his reluctant side kick of sorts, Dodson (rhymes with Watson!), and really brings to life East Long Beach’s various racial and ethnic groups to life without feeling stereotypical. This is a great series for fans of modern, gritty crime novels, Walter Mosley, and characters that aren’t just good or bad caricatures but human. (TW I would say over the course of the series it probably hits on all the major ones.)

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara: And for fans of standalone novels here’s one of my favorite reads of this year. It’s an adult novel, following child characters, that shines a light on underserved communities, treatment of women, and the voices ignored by those in power while keeping focus on the victims and those silenced, rather than the perpetrators. A trio of kids head out through a slum in India to find a missing classmate; Led by nine-year-old Jai, a boy who has watched so much procedural shows that he believes himself able to solve this mystery. But as more kids go missing it quickly becomes clear this is nothing like fictional PI shows and this is far from a Nancy Drew mystery. Anappara brings to life an underserved community filled with different types of people, showing their lives and desires rather than creating a trauma porn novel. If you’re an audiobook listener, I highly recommend that format as Indira Varma, Himesh Patel, and Antonio Aakeel are fantastic narrators. (TW child, domestic abuse/ child deaths)

And here are three upcoming titles (totally worth prebuy dollars/telling your library to purchase) that are very much community focused:

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole: A super good suspense novel you won’t be able to put down that is set in a gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood… (TW mentions past domestic violence/ panic attacks/ past suicide mentioned, detail)

The Silence of the White City (Trilogía de la Ciudad Blanca #1) by Eva García Sáenz: This is the start to a great translated serial killer series that will take you on a tour of northern Spain’s Basque Country. (TW child murders, not graphic/ attempted suicide and suicide/ partner, child abuse/ nonviable pregnancy/ date rape/ past statutory not on page)

Winter Counts cover image Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden: One of my favorite characters is Virgil Wounded Horse, a vigilante for hire living in Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, who is forced to team up with his ex-girlfriend and the FBI… (TW addiction/ mentions suicides, one with detail/ past rapes including children mentioned, not graphic/ child death/ pedophile, crimes off page/ fat shaming)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. See 2020 upcoming releases. An Unusual Suspects Pinterest board. Get Tailored Book Recommendations!

Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, and Litsy–you can find me under Jamie Canavés.

If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you and you’d like your very own you can sign up here.

Unusual Suspects

Top 10 Scottish Crime Novels

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date June 4, 2020

June Releases 🔪

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date June 2, 2020

Lisbeth Salander To Get Her Own Show!

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date May 28, 2020

Sponsored by Lit Stitch: 25 Cross-Stitch Patterns for Book Lovers.

Inside Book Riot’s Lit Stitch, you’ll find a number of badass, bookish cross-stitch patterns. Some of these are for bookmarks, others are for wall decor, and still others can take on a whole host of finished outcomes. What they have in common is their literary bent—the patterns speak to all manner of literary-minded book lovers, who are happy to display their nerdier sides. And what better way than through your own cross-stitch art to hang on your wall, prop on your desk, or even gift to friends and family. And most, if not all, are beginner friendly and can be completed in a few hours—instant stitchification!

Hi mystery fans! It is me again with all the crime things: lots of things to click this week, including a handful of news and adaptation announcements, something to watch, and great Kindle deals.

From Book Riot And Around The Internet

25 of the Top True Crime Books on Goodreads

Psychological thriller author Jennifer Hillier wrote about 7 Great Books By Writers of Color From the First Half of 2020

Rincey and Katie talk about Jane Harper’s new novel, the French serial killer expert who apparently isn’t an expert and books featuring religious elements that are not by Dan Brown on the latest Read Or Dead.

Vote for the ONE longlisted book that you feel most deserves to make the shortlist for the 2020 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award.

The Most Anticipated Crime Books of 2020: Summer Reading Edition

RSVP now: Nicole Cliffe and the Vox Book Club finish off The Secret History, live on Zoom

Enter to win a 1-year subscription to Kindle Unlimited!

Enter to Win $50 to Your Favorite Independent Bookstore!

News And Adaptations

‘Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ Series Based On Lisbeth Salander Character In Works At Amazon

David E. Kelley and Netflix developing Anatomy of a Scandal TV adaptation

Bill Clinton and James Patterson Announce Next Novel Together

The Sweet Valley High creator goes dark with her new adult novel, Little Crew of Butchers

Michael Connelly Says Amazon Eyeing ‘Lincoln Lawyer’ TV Show That CBS “Killed” (Exclusive)

Get a first look at Dean Koontz’s new novel Elsewhere

Watch Now

HBO Go: Miss Sherlock is a gender swapped reimagining of Sherlock Holmes, set mostly in modern day Tokyo, Japan with Yūko Takeuchi and Shihori Kanjiya starring as Sherlock and Wato. Here’s the trailer.

Kindle Deals

For historical fiction fans: The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins is $3.99! (Review) (I’m just going to go with all the trigger warnings)

Looking to start a delicious cozy mystery series? Death by Dumpling (A Noodle Shop Mystery) by Vivien Chien is $2.99! (Review)

Need a twisty fun thriller? My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing is $2.99! (Review) (TW suicide)

Need some suspenseful Noir in your life? Sunburn by Laura Lippman is $3.99! (Review) (TW domestic abuse/ rape)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. See 2020 upcoming releases. An Unusual Suspects Pinterest board. Get Tailored Book Recommendations!

Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, and Litsy–you can find me under Jamie Canavés.

If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you and you’d like your very own you can sign up here.

Unusual Suspects

Investigators & A Wealthy Family Are Trapped On An Island Together 🔪

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date May 26, 2020

Sponsored by Hannah Mary McKinnon, author of this summer’s most bone-chilling read, Sister Dear.

Everything is slipping through Eleanor’s fingers… In a gut-wrenching discovery, she learns that she isn’t her dying father’s daughter: she was the product of an affair. With her personal life spiraling, she seeks her biological father out, and discovers something else- an infuriatingly enviable half-sister. Perfectly perfect Victoria has everything Eleanor could ever dream of. Loving childhood, luxury home, devoted husband. All of it stolen from Eleanor, who deserves it just as much. Consumed by an overwhelming obsession, she slowly begins to infiltrate her sister’s seemingly perfect life.

Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon. Order your copy today!

Hello mystery fans! This week I have for you a PI series with a lead I really like, a serial killer thriller focused on the victims, and a murder mystery on an island where everyone is trapped thanks to a storm!

What You Don't See cover image What You Don’t See (Cass Raines #3) by Tracy Clark: This is one of the handful of ongoing series that I keep up with because I love the character: Cass Raines, a former police officer turned P.I. in Chicago. Unlike many of the PI leads that are loners or bad at personal relationships, Raines has a nice support system, is in a new romantic relationship, and has a great relationship with her ex police partner. That’s how this mystery, her new case, starts: Ben Mickerson is working for Vonda Allen, the woman on top of a media empire, as a bodyguard because she’s receiving threats. Mickerson convinces Raines to join him as a bodyguard and help figure out what is happening and immediately the job Raines didn’t want to take becomes the job she hates: there’s a shooting and Allen is so unpleasant that Raines probably wants to murder her rather than risk her life protecting her… Come for the great twisty mystery cases and stay for the found family. (TW suicide/ past animal cruelty, skippable and not graphic)

Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen: This is one of those mysteries that very much sinks you into the place, Atlantic City, and the residents’ current struggles. It’s told mainly by two characters but also by the victims and a coworker. There’s a teenage psychic, Clara, working for her aunt since her mother left who is seeing visions that may be related to the recent missing women cases. And then there’s Lily, heartbroken and newly arrived after running away from her art gallery life in NY. They meet one day in a spa Lily works in as Clara is trying to drum up business and steals from her. They have an instant connection as women who see the difficulty of being a woman in this world and the economic struggles Atlantic City has been suffering.

Both Lily and Clara have different backgrounds and thus struggle in different ways, but both are very aware of their place in the world and the struggle of moving from it. We also read as victims of the serial killer meet their end—written to give these woman voices, not to show gratuitous violence—and how close Clara and Lily’s lives are circling this danger… The audiobook has a multicast that kept my earbuds in and had me ignoring everything until I was done. (TW addiction/ past date rape alluded/ eating disorder discussed/ teen sex work/ attempted rape/ past suicidal thoughts, brief detail/ recalls past thoughts of wanting to harm child)

Death In The Family by Tessa Wegert: This is exactly as advertised—investigators and a wealthy family trapped on an island together with a missing man and tons of blood—but with the added story of the lead investigator’s past. The mystery: in an Upstate New York private island, a man is missing from his bed and he’s left behind his living girlfriend and a ton of blood. The wealthy family thinks he staged it, certainly, and is fine somewhere. Former NYPD detective Shana Merchant and fellow investigator Tim Wellington disagree on whether the man is missing or dead, but they have plenty of time to look into it since everyone is stuck together on the island thanks to a storm. If you don’t read the book summary: Shana Merchant’s past trauma, which is why she left the NYPD and is currently engaged to her psychologist (gross!), is slowly revealed in more detail over the course of the investigation.

Everyone is a suspect here as you get the family with plenty of the usual motives for murder: infidelity, inheritance, secrets, people are aholes… This one reads like a standalone but it’s labeled as the start of a procedural series, so it looks like we’ll be getting more of cynical survivor Shana Merchant. And YMMV but I was having a hard time getting into the print copy and switched to audio and found myself finishing it in less than two days! (TW panic attack/ PTSD/ talk of statutory)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. See 2020 upcoming releases. An Unusual Suspects Pinterest board. Get Tailored Book Recommendations!

Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, and Litsy–you can find me under Jamie Canavés.

If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you and you’d like your very own you can sign up here.

Unusual Suspects