Who doesn’t love a good whodunit? There’s something so satisfying about a good cat-and-mouse story in which the reader is kept just at the brink of cracking the case. We love to try our (gloved) hands at sleuthing, but we also want to be kept in the dark. It’s a hard trick to pull off!
If you picked up the mystery-themed reading log from your closest branch, challenge yourself to read three of these suggested reads this summer.
For even more mystery titles, browse the mystery shelf on cloudLibrary.
Mysteries with Female Leads
The Kopp Sisters series by Amy Stewart is now on its seventh installment with Miss Kopp Investigates. This book channels the era of the early 1900s with an appreciation for the feminist literature of today.
And this series is actually based on the true story of one of the first female deputy sheriffs!
If you can’t get enough of strong female leads, try some of these other mysteries with women detectives:
- The Bounty by Janet Evanvich and Steve Hamilton
- Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman
- An Unexpected Peril by Deanna Raybourn
- The Perfect Alibi by Phillip Margolin
Punny Mysteries
Donna Andrews writes a multi-volume series (over 30 installments as of this writing) showcasing clever wit and screwball antics.
All of the titles use an ornithological play on words, such as We’ll Always Have Parrots. In this book, Meg Langslow travels with her fiancé to a fan convention for a cheesy cult show. When the star is found murdered, Meg traces the murderer through a hotel stuffed with egotistical actors, costumed fans, and a motley flock of monkeys and parrots.
For more punny titles, try:
- Éclair and Present Danger by Laura Bradford
- The Cat of the Baskervilles by Vicki Delany
- Partners in Lime by Bree Baker
Mysteries in Space
What could be more exciting than adding a bit of zero gravity to a locked-room caper?
In Six Wakes, Mur Lafferty presents a truly head-scratching case. Six cloned astronauts wake up to find that their original selves have all been murdered. Now they’re rocketing through space, trapped with a murderer. Which one of them is the killer – and will they kill again?
Here are more mysteries that take place in space, where no one can hear you scream:
- Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan
- The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch
- Lightless by C. A. Higgins
Cozy Mysteries
Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian starts off with the tantalizing premise of a magician taking a break after a tragic accident occurs during a show. I’m intrigued already!
This first book of what is sure to be an exciting series is chock full of mouth-watering descriptions of South Indian dishes.
Here are more cozy mysteries:
- A Game of Cones by Abby Collette
- Murder with Fried Chicken and Waffles by A. L. Herbert
- Murder at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers
Brian W., Quakertown branch
