Category: Unusual Suspects

Hello mystery fans! This week I have for you a historical mystery, Australian crime, and a true crime biography. Plus, lots of releases.

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Sponsored by Forge Books

Delighted by a surprise invitation, Miriam Macy sails off to a luxurious private island with six other strangers. Surrounded by miles of open water, Miriam is shocked to discover that she and the rest of her companions were brought to the island under false pretenses—and all seven strangers harbor a secret. Danger lurks in the forest and in the halls of the lonely mansion. Sporadic cell-phone coverage and miles of ocean keeps the group trapped in paradise. Strange accidents stir suspicions, as one by one…they all fall down. Don’t miss this unputdownable thriller by Rachel Howzell Hall.

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Great Historical Mystery! (TW suicide)

The Satapur Moonstone (Perveen Mistry #2) by Sujata Massey: I love this historical mystery series and if you’re already a fan of Perveen from the first book I don’t see any reason why you wouldn’t also enjoy this one. The first half of the book does a great job of bringing the Satara mountains in India to life during 1922. You see not only Britain’s colonialism in India but also the caste system and the different religions. Massey does a really good job of showing a lot through Perveen’s travels and interactions as she takes on a job where she’ll have to intervene and decide where a future ruler will go to school until he’s old enough to lead. The mystery part starts once she’s at the kingdom of Satapur and discovers not everyone believes the royal family members’ deaths were accidental…and her own life seems to be in jeopardy. From there, the tension builds and builds into an explosive ending. I love that Perveen is smart and thoughtful and introspective and willing to fight for what she believes. This is a great series for historical mystery fans and a perfect introduction to mysteries for fans of historical fiction who have previously shied away from the crime genre.

Australian Crime! (TW rape/ past suicide mentioned/ past child and domestic abuse mentions)

All These Perfect Strangers by Aoife Clifford: This was a page-turner for me, where the main character, Pen, keeps her cards close to the vest even from the reader. You know she was previously a part of a trial, everyone blames her for something, and her best friend no longer speaks to her. But the why and what happened are only slowly revealed as she’s trying to start her life over at University. Except tensions are high at her new school with a recent attack on a student, and Pen’s new friend feels more like an enemy sometimes, and then people start to die… This one works for fans of past and present mysteries where you don’t know who you can, or should, trust.

History + Biographies + True Crime!

Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep: This was one of those audiobooks that I listened to in a day as I found it really interesting. You basically get the story of a serial killer preacher who kept taking life insurance policies out on people who kept dying. You learn about the lawyer who defended him, and later defended the man who killed him. Then it goes into Truman Capote researching with Harper Lee for his writing of In Cold Blood, and finally everything comes together as we learn of Harper Lee’s writing about the preacher serial killer in hopes of writing her own true crime book. I loved the way this was written–not for entertainment value but rather as an investigation of the ills of our society–and there was plenty of “did you know” tidbits throughout that kept this interesting rather than boring. Great read for fans of history, biographies, and true crime–it never goes the rout of obsessing over the violence or gruesome details.

Recent Releases

The Things She’s Seen by Ambelin Kwaymullina, Ezekiel Kwaymullina (Get thee this book about an Aboriginal teen ghost who helps her detective father solve a case to help him through his grief of her passing–Full review)

Not Bad People by Brandy Scott (Suspense)

If She Wakes by Michael Koryta (Thriller)

The Scent of Murder (Jazz Ramsey #1) by Kylie Logan (Mystery with a cadaver dog trainer as lead.)

The Scholar (Cormac Reilly #2) by Dervla McTiernan (Sequel in great Irish procedural series.)

The Last Time I Saw You by Liv Constantine (Psychological suspense)

The Night Before by Wendy Walker (Thriller)

The Last Thing She Remembers by J. S. Monroe (Psychological thriller)

Miss Kopp Just Won’t Quit (Kopp Sisters #4) by Amy Stewart (Paperback) (Historical mystery)

Her Pretty Face by Robyn Harding (Paperback) (Thriller)

An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena (Paperback) (Murder mystery)

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (Paperback) (TW rape/ fat shaming)

Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall (Paperback) (Thriller)

The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz (Paperback) (Murder mystery)

Folio Society’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie, Andrew Davidson (Illustrations), Sophie Hannah (Introduction)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And 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.

Hello mystery fans! I highly recommend you watch the new Netflix crime show Dead to Me before the internet ruins it for you. Good luck not marathoning it in one sitting!

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Sponsored by Doubleday

What happens when your dream house becomes a nightmare? Find out in The Invited, a chilling ghost story by Jennifer McMahon, bestselling author of The Winter People. Helen and Nate take up residence on forty-four acres of land in the Vermont woods, with ambitious plans to build a house. When they discover that the property has a dark past, Helen becomes consumed by a century-old local legend. As the house takes shape, it becomes a place of menace: a new home that beckons its owners and their neighbors toward unimaginable danger.

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From Book Riot And Around The Internet

15 True Crime Books About Con Artists For Anyone Riveted By The Anna Delvey Story

Sherlock’s a Lady (and My Favorite) and Other Favorite Mysteries and Thrillers

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Mysterious Author

The real story behind Harper Lee’s lost true crime book

News And Adaptations

Veronica Mars season 4 on Hulu trailer!

True Crime

The Stolen Kids of Sarah Lawrence: What happened to the group of bright college students who fell under the sway of a classmate’s father?

Off in the Shadows: A Conversation with Patton Oswalt about Michelle McNamara’s I’ll Be Gone in the Dark

Predators like Ted Bundy control their narratives. True crime podcasts are changing that.

‘Extremely Wicked Shockingly Evil And Vile’ Review: Zac Efron Is A Credible Ted Bundy, But Why Still Spend Time On This Horrific Serial Killer?

Kindle Deals

The just released The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths is $2.99! (Book Within A Book–Full review)

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón–the first in a Spanish historical mystery series–is $1.99!

Audiobooks On Hoopla (If you don’t know about Hoopla)

Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward (Psychological thriller- Full review) (TW domestic abuse/ PTSD)

Last Winter, We Parted by Fuminori Nakamura if you’re looking for a dark, twisted read. (TW suicide/ stalking/ incest)

A Bit Of My Week In Reading

Currently listening to two fantastic audiobooks: Furious Hours by Case Cep (history/true crime/biography) and With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo (My mystery break by one of my favorite authors!)

I just started: A Shot in the Dark by Lynne Truss (A humorous historical mystery that starts with two rival gangs wiping each other out.); Roseanna by Maj Sjöwall (A Swedish procedural from the ’60s.); The Satapur Moonstone by Sujata Massey (I love this historical mystery that follows one of the first women lawyers in India.)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And 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.

Hi mystery fans! This week I have for you an excellent true crime memoir, a Scottish murder mystery, and an Italian procedural!

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Sponsored by Westside by W.M. Akers

Gilda Carr is a young detective who specializes in tiny mysteries: the impossible puzzles that keep us awake at night. The tiny cases that distract Gilda from her grief, and the impossible question she knows she can’t answer: “How did my father die?” It’s 1921, and a thirteen-mile fence running the length of Broadway splits Manhattan, separating the prosperous Eastside from the Westside – an overgrown wasteland whose hostility to modern technology gives it the flavor of old New York. Only the poor and desperate remain, and it’s here that Gilda’s tiny mysteries end in blood.

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Excellent True Crime Memoir (TW torture/ suicide)

My Midnight Years: Surviving Jon Burge’s Police Torture Ring and Death Row by Ronald Kitchen, Thai Jones, Logan McBride: This was so good I ended up listening to the audiobook in one day–Prentice Onayemi is an excellent narrator–and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. Ronald Kitchen was a low level drug dealer in Chicago in the ’80s when he found himself arrested– which as a drug dealer wouldn’t seem odd, except nothing the police were saying made any sense. He hadn’t murdered people. But they were certain they had their murderer–or who they wanted to be their murderer–and so they tortured him until he agreed to the confession statement they wrote. It’s heartbreaking to see how the justice system failed Kitchen–and many others–at every single level leading him to be placed on death row. Here he tells his story of his childhood, his wrongful arrest, life on death row, studying law in prison, and his appeals. I didn’t have to like Kitchen to see the injustice and root for him but it was a bonus, and I love memoirs where people are able to lay bare the good, bad, and ugly accepting that we’re all human and here it is. Highly recommend for fans of true crime memoirs and also nonfiction readers of our (in)justice system and racism.

Scottish Murder Mystery! (TW partner abuse)

Raven Black (Shetland Island #1) by Ann Cleeves: This is one of those satisfying from beginning to end murder mysteries where you get to know a handful of people in a remote area. When a murdered teenage girl is found in a remote Scottish Shetland Island Det. Insp. Jimmy Perez is on the case. But while everyone points their finger at one person–the loner who was the suspect in a previous missing girl case!–it’s easy to see how it can be quite a few people once people’s secrets start coming to light. So get ready to start wildly guessing who the culprit is! The 8th in the series, Wild Fire, published last year so I have a marathon ahead of me to catch up.

Italian Procedural! (TW child abuse)

Flowers over the Inferno by Ilaria Tuti (Author), Ekin Oklap (Translator): This is for fans of darkish police procedurals that use psychology/profiling to catch the killer! While it follows a lot of what you’re used to in those murder mysteries this did something new and surprising I really liked: the lead detective is Superintendent Teresa Battaglia, a woman in her sixties with diabetes who is hiding recent symptoms of dementia. It has a nice balance of letting you get to know Battaglia mostly through her work, so this one really works well for fans that like the focus to stay on the case/mystery at hand. It also has inserts of past events and a few chapters that follow the killer, which made me feel like it was perfect for fans of recent dark Nordic crime shows–even though it’s set in a small Italian village. I’m really looking forward to see what the next book (it better get translated!) has in store for Battaglia.

Recent Releases

Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep (True crime)

The Body in the Wake (Faith Fairchild #25) by Katherine Hall Page (Maine, cozy mystery)

The Killer Across the Table: Unlocking the Secrets of Serial Killers and Predators with the FBI’s Original Mindhunter by John Edward Douglas,Mark Olshaker (True crime)

Westside by W.M. Akers (Historical mystery + fantasy)

The Unquiet Heart (Sarah Gilchrist #2) by Kaite Welsh (Historical mystery)

The East End by Jason Allen (Currently reading: Crime novel set in the Hamptons.)

Not Bad People by Brandy Scott (Suspense)

Such a Perfect Wife by Kate White (Currently reading: Missing wife, reporter shows up to investigate.)

Guilty by Laura Elliot (Missing Child mystery)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And 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.

Hello mystery fans!

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Sponsored by Delusions of Clarity, by Vern Bryk

Karl Jommers is a down-to-earth police psychologist. After a cop is shot, Jommers must evaluate the two police officers involved. Both offer conflicting accounts, but neither is lying. Their divergent perspectives are blurred by their personal anxieties. One sees local corruption, the other a government conspiracy. Jommers tries to disentangle the discordance, but he can’t square their differing views without first finding the truth. But stepping outside his domain to investigate may jeopardize his practice and his life. While trying to correct the distorted views of others, he’s forced to question the clarity of his own perception.

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From Book Riot And Around The Internet

Rincey and Katie are talking about new-to-them authors on the latest Read or Dead.

Crime Fiction’s New Favorite Private Eyes

The Best True Crime Podcasts of 2019 (So Far)

2019 Edgar Award Winners Are Must-Reads For Anyone Who Loves Mystery Novels & True Crime

Inside the True-Crime Boom Taking Over Prestige TV

Win MY SISTER, THE SERIAL KILLER by Oyinkan Braithwaite

News And Adaptations

Sara Collins’ period novel ‘The Confessions of Frannie Langton’ will be adapted for TV

‘James Bond 25’ Cast Unveiled But Still No Title

‘The Last Mrs. Parrish’: Drama Series Based On Novel In Works At Amazon With Cathy Schulman & Jeff Gaspin Producing

Kindle Deals

Fallen Mountains by Kimi Cunningham Grant is .99 cents, which is a ridiculous price, and one of my favorites this year–Full review. (TW domestic violence/ addiction/ suicide)

All The Missing Girls by Megan Miranda is $1.99 (Small Town Mystery Told Backwards–Full review.) (It’s been so long I’m sorry I don’t remember potential trigger warnings.)

Dead Letters by Caite Dolan-Leach is $1.99 (Slow-burn suspense that bites–Full review) (It’s been so long I’m sorry I don’t remember potential trigger warnings.)

A Bit Of My Week In Reading

Current audiobooks: Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe (Great narrator, true crime with history of The Troubles.); Looker by Laura Sims (Psychological suspense of a woman obsessed with another.); Trust Exercise by Susan Choi (My mystery break, a buzzy adult novel set in a prestigious performing arts high school.)

Current ereading: Just South of Home by Karen Strong (Really enjoying this middle grade story set in summer with cousins and possible haints!); Flowers and Foul Play (A Magic Garden Mystery #1) by Amanda Flower (Inherited Scottish home cozy mystery I just started.)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And 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.

Hi mystery fans! This week I have for you crime stories, a multiple point of view small-town mystery, and one of my favorite series!

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Sponsored by Vertical, Inc.

Where did Sherlock Holmes go during his famous disappearance between his death at Reichenbach Falls and reappearance in Baker Street, three years later? God of mystery Keisuke Matsuoka contends that it was in the Far East—in Japan, to be exact. In 1891, Nicholas Alexandrovich, the Tsarevich of Russia, was traveling in a fragile Meiji-era Japan on an official tour when he was almost assassinated. The Otsu Incident, as this came to be known, led to fear of an international incident, perhaps even a declaration of war from Russia. In steps Sherlock Holmes—on the run from the British police and presumed to be dead. Together with Hirobumi Ito, the first Prime Minister of Japan, the two unlikely allies immerse themselves in a knotted tangle of politics, deceit, and great powers.

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Good Dark-ish Crime Short Stories (TW suicide/ domestic abuse)

Diary of a Murderer: And Other Stories by Young-Ha Kim, Krys Lee (Translation): This felt like reading a novella and three short stories that all either follow a criminal and/or those affected by crime. It starts with the title of the novel, which was super interesting as it’s a retired serial killer diagnosed with dementia. He’s upset that he thinks he recognizes his daughter’s boyfriend and knows the man is going to do her harm. It only escalates from there and feels like a psychological thriller because what is real and what are thoughts caused by his dementia? There’s also a story about an affair gone wrong, and an abducted child found 10 years later who is trying to fit back in with his family, and a bonkers-y tale of a writer with writer’s block–which I found the funniest. The stories are dark-ish, dry humored, and a good read for crime fans, neo-noir fans, and a good place to start if you’re a mystery/thriller fan who has never read crime before–and by that I mean there is no puzzle mystery you’re trying to solve, it’s just an exploration of humans through the lens of criminal acts.

Small-Town Mystery! (TW suicide attempt/ talk of pedophile)

Before She Was Found by Heather Gudenkauf: Ever since I read Umami by Laia Jufresa, Sophie Hughes (Translation) I’ve been in love with novels that have multiple point of view ranging from children to adults. When done well, it offers such a great insight from different perspectives. And, obviously, I tell you this because Gudenkauf did this very successfully in Before She Was Found.  I got a small-town mystery, which I love, plus multiple points of view ranging from tweens to seniors (the older than 65 kind not the high school grade). Twelve-year-old Cora Landry is found a bloody mess on the train tracks–instead of at home having a slumber party–with her friend covered in blood, and the third girl’s whereabouts unknown. As the parents, doctors, and police try to figure out what happened, the girls offer no help… This is a page-turner as the pieces are put together following Violet’s mother being pressured to have her daughter talk, Jordyn’s grandfather doing everything he can to protect his granddaughter from accusations, police interrogations, a doctor’s insights, and Landry’s journal. There are plenty of suspects, including an urban legend, to keep you guessing until the end.

May This Series Go On For-EV-er

A Dangerous Collaboration (Veronica Speedwell #4) by Deanna Raybourn: I absolutely adore this series! If you’re already a fan and have yet to catch up I highly recommend you do so–I’d been saving this book as a treat and am now bummed my treat is done, but glad it was so delicious. Speedwell and Stoker find themselves caught in family drama on a remote island while solving the case of a missing bride–all while Speedwell pretends to be Stoker’s brother’s fiancée. I know!! If you’ve yet to read this series let me tell you all the reasons why you should: It follows Veronica Speedwell, a lepidopterist, who refuses to marry or abide by societies rules; Stoker, a natural historian and pain in the cheeks you sit on, is always around to help solve the mystery, join in on the adventure, and steam things up; the witty banter; it’s so funny; it’s fun; the mysteries are great; interesting history; family drama; will they or won’t they?! If you like shows like Castle, where the leads kind of want to strangle each other but also you’re waiting for them to steam up the windows, you’ll love Speedwell and Stoker. And if I still haven’t sold you I’ll just leave you with one of the many reasons I love Speedwell so much:

“‘Did he have a good cause?’

‘Is there ever a good cause to choke a fellow human being?’ he asked, blinking slowly.

‘I can think of at least a dozen,’ I replied.”

Recent Releases

I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney (Psychological thriller)

A Good Enough Mother by Bev Thomas (When your patient looks like your missing son…)

Murder on Trinity Place (Gaslight Mystery #22) by Victoria Thompson (Historical mystery)

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware (Paperback) (A good suspenseful mystery: Full review)

Murder, She Wrote: Manuscript for Murder by Jessica Fletcher, Jon Land (Paperback)

A Noise Downstairs by Linwood Barclay (Paperback) (Fun Page-Turner Psychological Thriller!: Full review) (TW suicide/ animal cruelty)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And 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.

Hello mystery fans!

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Sponsored by The Hummingbird Dagger by Cindy Anstey and Swoon Reads

A dark and twisty regency novel perfect for readers who like their Jane Austen classics with a side of mystery and murder. 1833. A near-fatal carriage accident has deposited an unconscious young woman on the doorstep of young Lord Ellerby. When she finally awakens, it is with no memory of who she is or where she came from. As the mystery woman tries to solve the puzzle of her own identity and the appalling events that brought her to their door, nothing can prepare her for the escalating dangers that await. What she can’t remember could be deadly.

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From Book Riot And Around The Internet

10 LGBTQ+ Characters in Crime Fiction

Kristen Lepionka chats with Rachel Howzell Hall on the latest episode of Unlikeable Female Characters.

High Rise Mystery: The First Young Black UK Detective Duo Is Here!

8 of the Best Cold Case Stories For Your TBR

Author Conversations: Isabella Maldonado, Tracy Clark, And Tori Eldridge

‘A Woman Of No Importance’ Finally Gets Her Due

News And Adaptations

‘Death On The Nile’: Letitia Wright Lands Major Role Opposite Gal Gadot And Jodie Comer In Agatha Christie Adaptation

S&S to Distribute New Law&Crime Publishing Unit

Parineeti Chopra to star in the remake of The Girl on the Train

Kindle Deals

The Impossible Girl by Lydia Kang is only $1.99!! And perfect for fans of historical mysteries–Full review.

Real Murders (Aurora Teagarden #1) by Charlaine Harris is $1.99 if you’re looking for a fun murder mystery–Full review.

And here’s a romance book that is also a spy novel set in the Civil War for $2.99:  An Extraordinary Union (The Loyal League #1)by Alyssa Cole. It’s really good!

And I Need To Shout About This Book Now

As promised I inhaled the followup to Bluebird, Bluebird—Heaven, My Home (September 17)–because I love Attica Locke and this is one of the best crime series being written. And since BB had left that very clever twist, which I haven’t been able to stop thinking about, I desperately needed the next book. Texas Ranger Darren Matthews is back, starting basically where the last book left off, and his decisions and lack of decisions have come home to roost. He also has a new case, a missing young boy, in a town brimming with racial tension. Locke is brilliant at creating tense mysteries where the setting is as alive, and important, as the characters without distracting–but rather enhancing–the mystery element. You get history, a great mystery, smart twists, rich characters, and a deep exploration of the justice–and injustice–system of our country. I can’t wait for the FX series adaptation of these books–there so much to explore! And in case it wasn’t obvious, if you’re a fan of Locke’s this is so worth the prebuy, or making sure your library is purchasing it so you can get first on that list. And if you’ve yet to read Locke, she’s one of the best crime writers so chop-chop.

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And 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.

Hello mystery fans! I finished two cozies recently that made me realize my favorite kind are the zany ones–or ones that have, at least, a zany side character. So here are a few of my favorite series if you need some ridiculous laughs in your life, and of course I have a bunch of recent releases for you too.

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Sponsored by Flatiron Books, publishers of I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney.

Meet Aimee Sinclair: the actress everyone thinks they know but can’t remember where from. Except one person. Someone knows Aimee very well. They know who she is and they know what she did.

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Zany Aunt And Her Funeral Home

Secrets, Lies, & Crawfish Pies (Romaine Wilder #1) by Abby L. Vandiver: The first in the series starts with Romaine Wilder returning to Roble, Texas after big city life as a Medical Examiner. Her job was downsized and her love life is, let’s say, “pending.” She doesn’t want to get involved in solving murder cases but her Auntie Zanne, who owns a funeral home, sure does and she’s dragging Wilder with her. In the second book, Love, Hopes, & Marriage Tropes, we have Wilder way more invested in solving crimes–a groom dead on his wedding day–and also debating planting official roots in Roble. Auntie Zanne brings all the zaniness in this series as she accuses wildly, and publicly, anyone she thinks of wrongdoing–including calling out who she thinks is secret FBI. I like watching Wilder grow in the series and am always here for Zanne’s antics.

Fun Long Running Series (Tw Peeping Tom)

Murder With Peacocks (Meg Langslow, #1) by Donna Andrews: This is the start to a super long running series (26!) which always has an animal in the title that somehow participates in the story–but not as detectives or anything. The series starts with Meg Langslow in Virginia as maid of honor of three weddings and nothing is going right! The zany comes in mostly from all the ludicrous things that happen in this small-town as she tries to keep everything moving to the end goal of completing the three weddings and no longer having to be involved in anything. But of course there’s a murder, and possible poisoning, and accidents… Will she figure it out and will anyone make it down the aisle?! If you want a fun series with laughs, from the situations and Langslow’s commentary, you’ll have a good marathon with this one, which has audiobooks and the same narrator throughout.

Everyone’s Zany + All The Laughs

Skinny Dipping with Murder (An Otter Lake Mystery #1) by Auralee Wallace: Everyone is zany in this one and there’s physical comedy type laughs and witty banter. Every time Erica Bloom visits her hometown–where her love interest is the sheriff and her mom runs a hippy retreat–a murder occurs. Naturally it only makes sense for her to finally move back, and start that security firm her best friend is pushing for. And maybe she’ll be more patient with her mom? And stop wanting to strangle her best friend with all his antics? And maybe, just maybe, finally properly date the sheriff? There’s plenty of mysteries, a few fun holiday themed books, and even a snowed-in-with-strangers-someone-is-the-killer book. This is a series (six books so far!) I’d love to see get audiobooks and an adaptation series.

Recent Releases

The Missing Years by Lexie Elliott (Mystery set in Scotland–my next audiobook.)

The Last Job: “The Bad Grandpas” and the Hatton Garden Heist by Dan Bilefsky (True crime)

The Missing Corpse (Kommissar Dupin #4) by Jean-Luc Bannalec (Murder mystery in France.)

Throw Me to the Wolves by Patrick McGuinness (Past and present mystery.)

Transcription by Kate Atkinson (Paperback) (Fantastic spy: Full review) (TW suicide)

Death Comes in Through the Kitchen by Teresa Dovalpage (Paperback) (When your girlfriend is murdered and the government takes your passport… Full review) (TW: rape/ transphobia & homophobia)

Probable Claws (Mrs. Murphy #27) by Rita Mae Brown (Paperback) (Cozy mystery)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And 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.

Hi mystery fans!

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Sponsored by Soho Crime

In a quiet village set among the Italian Alps, a man is found dead in what appears to be a bizarre ritualized murder. Superintendent Teresa Battaglia, an uncompromising senior detective, is called to investigate. Battaglia is in her mid-sixties, her rank and expertise hard-won from decades of fighting for respect in a male-dominated force. While she doesn’t trust the young city inspector assigned to assist her, she sees quickly that this is no ordinary case: the mountains hide a dark history that puts the whole town, particularly a circle of elementary school friends, in grave danger.

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From Book Riot And Around The Internet

Katie was joined by Vanessa this week to talk about mystery news, what they’re reading, and recent releases on the latest Read Or Dead.

50 Must-Read Crime Novels on Shelves April–June 2019

Thriller Pitches for the 21st Century

Do Crime Like a Victorian: 11 Nonfiction Recommendations

Cover Reveal: THE KILL CLUB By Wendy Heard

The Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time

JFK loved James Bond: How Ian Fleming’s spy novels influenced the CIA

News And Adaptations

Veronica Mars Hulu revival’s first look and premiere date announcement (July 26)!

Big Little Lies Season 2 Teaser Trailer!

Waller-Bridge, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Has Been Summoned to Improve the New James Bond Script

Aussie Series ‘Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries’ to Get Chinese Remake

Kindle Deals (SO MANY GREAT ONES!)

For fans of past and present with multiple POV including children and adults: The Last Day of Emily Lindsey by Nic Joseph is $3.82! (Full review) (Sorry, I don’t remember TWs.)

For fans of twisty reads: Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson for $2.99! (Impactful missing girl story: Full review) (TW child abuse/ sexual assault)

For fans of procedurals: Faithful Place (Dublin Murder Squad #3) by Tana French is $1.99! (Sorry, I don’t remember TWs.)

For nonfiction and popculture fans: Dead Girls: Essays on Surviving an American Obsession by Alice Bolin is $1.99! (TW rape)

AND LOOK WHAT ARRIVED ON MY DOORSTEP!

Sorry anyone who may need me this weekend but the only thing that exists right now is Attica Locke’s upcoming Heaven, My Home.

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And 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.

Hello mystery fans! I have for you this week a fantastic courtroom drama/mystery, a fun murder mystery, and a nonfiction about con artists!

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Sponsored by Libby, the one-tap reading app from your library and OverDrive

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Fantastic Mystery + Courtroom Drama (TW child abuse/ suicide/ sexual assault)

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim: I couldn’t put this one down, even in the parts that hurt I couldn’t even flinch because I might miss something. This book works on so many levels, including as a courtroom drama, a mystery, an exploration of being an immigrant, marriage… The way Kim has layered everything between the current courtroom trial and the unraveling of everyone connected’s lives and lies is *chef’s kiss.* We start with a mother accused of setting a fire that caused an explosion, killing and injuring patients getting treatment inside a pressurized oxygen chamber. The oxygen chamber, the Miracle Submarine, was being run by the Yoo family in a small Virginia town. The mystery surrounds the woman on trial: did she set the fire on purpose to kill her son who was in the tank? Once you start meeting the Yoo family, the other patients, and watching the court testimony it starts to feel like everyone could have somehow been connected to the fire–including the mother on trial who has overwhelming evidence, including child abuse, against her as she tried to “cure” her son of autism. If you like courtroom dramas, small-town mysteries, and literary novels I wouldn’t miss this one–it’s definitely one of the best of 2019. And this is Kim’s debut novel so I can’t wait to see more from her.

Fun! (TW suicide)

Real Murders (Aurora Teagarden #1) by Charlaine Harris: This has a fun premise: a group of people who meet to discuss true crime find themselves embroiled in a true crime. When the members of Real Murders Society show up to discuss a historical true crime they instead discover a murder–or at least Aurora “Roe” Teagarden finds the body. Being a group of true crime buffs, they can’t help but point fingers and think they can solve this (there is a journalist and cop amongst the group!), except soon there are more murders and it’s clear someone is framing people. Who would do this and why is what Roe, especially, wants to find out, being that she finds herself the target of poisoned food. She’s a librarian who has never had much luck dating but suddenly finds herself courted by two gentlemen: a writer and a police officer. But it’s hard to focus on dating when everyone is in danger and everyone is a suspect! This was one of those fun murder mysteries that stays fictional enough to be entertaining while also real enough to not be ridiculous. I’m curious to see how the characters and story will develop over the next nine books.

True Crime Memoir For Social Science Fans (TW suicide/ rape/ briefly mentions cases with pedophile)

Duped: Double Lives, False Identities, and the Con Man I Almost Married by Abby Ellin: I love true crime memoirs–any memoir especially where the author just bares all–and have always loved social science so this hit a lot of yeses for me. Abby Ellin was basically duped by a conman and she tells her story here–interestingly enough, the two things I thought should have been the biggest red flags were actually the things he wasn’t lying about. She then also looks into why people lie, con, cheat, sociopaths, and those who fall victim. It’s a book that is very easy to judge and say, “Well, you should have known better,” or “I would never have fallen for that,” but that’s the whole point of the book–why do we blame the victims? And is it better to live life assuming everyone is out to get you or to have faith that they aren’t? I also found myself thinking about how victims are chosen and how someone who wants to be, and feels they need to be, loved can make easier marks, and how predators know this. I felt like this had a good balance between her story and accessible social science that the book works well for most readers–and I recommend going with the audiobook if you have the option.

Recent Releases

Diary of a Murderer: And Other Stories by Young-Ha Kim, Krys Lee (Translator)

Alice’s Island by Daniel Sánchez Arévalo (Mystery/family drama)

Flowers over the Inferno (Teresa Battaglia #1) by Ilaria Tuti (Italian police procedural)

The Department of Sensitive Crimes (Detective Varg #1) by Alexander McCall Smith (Humorous procedural)

Before She Was Found by Heather Gudenkauf (YA mystery/thriller)

The Better Sister by Alafair Burke (Family secrets/ murder mystery)

Cult X by Fuminori Nakamura, Kalau Almony (Translator) (Paperback) (For fans of cults.)

The Banker’s Wife by Cristina Alger (Paperback) (I really enjoyed this thriller starring a journalist–Full review.) (TW suicide/ rape)

Bearskin by James A. McLaughlin (Paperback) (For fans of crime novels in the wilderness.) (TW rape/ animal cruelty)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And 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.

Hello mystery fans!

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From Book Riot And Around The Internet

The Heroines Of ‘American Spy’ & ‘Who Is Vera Kelly?’ Are Challenging The World Of Male-Dominated Spies

Please Let Mycroft Holmes Be Fat

YA Mysteries You Won’t Want To Put Down

A Brutal ‘Killing Eve’ Twist Challenges Our Villanelle Obsession (Spoiler for s2e1)

Roxane Gay Returns to Comics in this Exclusive The Banks First Look

My Chick Bad: Unlikeable Heroines in Crime Fiction

News And Adaptations

“Blink and you might miss it, but there’s some sneaky peeks of my upcoming show DARE ME here…”

TV’s Original Nancy Drew, Pamela Sue Martin, Cast In the CW Pilot Adaptation

‘Killing Eve’ Renewed For Season 3 By BBC America; New Showrunner Named

J.T. Ellison’s Lie To Me sold it’s televisions rights

‘Defending Jacob’: Cherry Jones, Pablo Schreiber, Betty Gabriel & Sakina Jaffrey Round Out Series Regular Cast Of Apple Series

JK Rowling backs crime writing scheme for BAME and working-class women

And this is not an adaptation or book related, but it sounds awesome and perfect for crime readers: Awkwafina & Ike Barinholtz To Produce & Star In ‘Crime After Crime’ Comedy At STX

Kindle Deals (Both from my TBR list!)

Miss Kopp Just Won’t Quit (A Kopp Sisters Novel Book 4) by Amy Stewart is $2.99! (For historical mystery fans!)

The Marsh King’s Daughter by Karen Dionne is $1.99! (For thriller fans)

A Bit Of My Week In Reading

I acquired: Grab a Snake by the Tail: A Murder in Havana’s Chinatown by Leonardo Padura, Peter Bush (Translated) an upcoming release in the Mario Conde Cuban detective series (TW suicide). The next book in Abby L. Vandiver’s zanny cozy mystery series: Potions, Tells, & Deadly Spells. Ruth Ware’s upcoming psychological The Turn Of The Key.

I finished the audiobooks: A Beautiful Corpse (Harper McClain #2) by Christi Daugherty, Sophie Amoss (Narrator) which follows a journalist in Savannah (TW stalking); A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder by Dianne Freeman, Sarah Zimmerman (Narrator) a historical cozy mystery about a wealthy widow accused of her husband’s murder.

My current mystery break reads: Intercepted by Alexa Martin is a perfect romcom giving life to my black heart, which is a perfect balance to Samira Ahmed’s Internment, which is really good but also too real.

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And 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.