Mystery
The Square of Sevens
Laura Shepherd-Robinson
OverDrive Audiobook
Fiction, Mystery, Historical Fiction
This "intricately plotted, epic" (The Times, London) international bestseller—in the vein of the vivid novels of Sarah Waters and Sarah Perry—follows an orphaned fortune teller in 18th-century England as she searches for answers about her long-dead mother.Cornwall, 1730: A young girl known only as Red travels with her father making a living predicting fortunes using the ancient Cornish method of the Square of Sevens. Shortly before he dies, her father entrusts Red's care to a gentleman scholar, along with a document containing the secret of the Square of Sevens technique. Raised as a lady amidst the Georgian splendor of Bath, Red's fortune telling delights in high society. But she cannot ignore the questions that gnaw at her soul: who was her mother? How did she die? And who are the mysterious enemies her father was always terrified would find him? The pursuit of these mysteries takes her from Cornwall and Bath to London and Devon, from the rough ribaldry of the Bartholomew Fair to the grand houses of two of the most powerful families in England. And while Red's quest brings her the possibility of great reward, it also leads to grave danger. "Intricate, haunting, and magical by turns, Laura Shepherd-Robinson's tale is an absolute immersive read you won't soon forget" (Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author).
Carmilla : the first vampire
Amy Chu
GRAPHIC NOVEL Chu
Diverse Characters, Fantasy, Horror, LGBTQ+, Graphic Novels, Mystery
"Before Dracula, before Nosferatu, there was...CARMILLA. At the height of the Lunar New Year in 1990s New York City, an idealistic social worker turns detective when she discovers young, homeless LGBTQ+ women are being murdered and no one, especially the police, seems to care. A series of clues points her to Carmilla's, a mysterious nightclub in the heart of her neighborhood, Chinatown. There she falls for the next likely target, landing her at the center of a real-life horror story-and face-to-face with illusions about herself, her life, and her hidden past. Inspired by the gothic novel that started a genre and layered with dark Chinese folklore, this queer, feminist murder mystery is a tale of identity, obsession and fateful family secrets"--
A cool reimagining of the 1872 classic "Carmilla" that takes queer vampire murder mystery to a new level by incorporating Chinese folklore in the heart of 1990s New York. Perfect for the dark season! -Annie
Everybody Knows: A Novel
Jordan Harper
OverDrive Audiobook
Fiction, Mystery
In this "hardboiled mystery" (Maureen Corrigan) from an Edgar Award winning author, a fearless black-bag publicist exposes the belly of the L.A. beast. Welcome to Mae Pruett's Los Angeles, where "Nobody talks. But everybody whispers." As a "black-bag" publicist tasked not with letting the good news out but keeping the bad news in, Mae works for one of LA's most powerful and sought-after crisis PR firms, at the center of a sprawling web of lawyers, PR flaks, and private security firms she calls "The Beast." They protect the rich and powerful and depraved by any means necessary. After her boss is gunned down in front of the Beverly Hills Hotel in a random attack, Mae takes it upon herself to investigate and runs headfirst into The Beast's lawless machinations and the twisted systems it exists to perpetuate. ... Recommended by New York Times Book Review • NPR/Fresh Air • Wall Street Journal • Washington Post • LA Times •CrimeReads• Alta Online • Lit Hub• Kirkus Reviews• Publishers Weekly• NBC/TODAY and many more! • An ABA January 2023 Indie Next List Pick • A NYTBR Editors' Choice Selection "The book everybody's been waiting for" —Michael Connelly "An absolute tour de force"—S. A. Cosby "The best mystery novel I've read in years" —James Patterson
This was so good! I came across this title on ICPL's 'Featured Collections' scroller on the website (which, by the way, is a great way to find titles you might not be aware of), and I was hooked from the beginning. The story is told in alternating chapters by Mae and Chris, and the first thing of note is that I found both narrators to be unique and excellent, with a nice range of emotion (even hard-on-the-outside Chris). You know when a narrator sounds just like the character you're imagining? This had that going on for me. The story itself is compelling and original, even while having well-known elements that are in the miasma surrounding Hollywood: the big players, the world of dirty secrets perpetrated by those who hold the power, the broken systems, the people who fall through the cracks, and the people who perpetuate all of this in various ways. I found all the characters to be nicely fleshed out, especially Mae and Chris of course, but the side characters are also given unique characteristics and situations that tell their stories. One final note: this is the second book I've read or listened to recently that has a female "cleaner" at the center of it, someone who helps cover up bad situations for powerful people in Hollywood (the other is the Devil's Playground), and it is making for some very interesting post-book thinking. -Candice
The devil's playground : a novel
Craig Russell
FICTION Russell Craig
Fiction, Mystery
"A riveting 1920s Hollywood thriller about the making of the most terrifying silent film ever made, and a deadly search for the single copy rumored still to exist. This is the breakout from Craig Russell, author of The Devil Aspect. 1927: Mary Rourke-a Hollywood studio fixer-is called urgently to the palatial home of Norma Carlton, one of the most recognizable stars in American silent film. Norma has been working on the secret film everyone is openly talking about...a terrifying horror picture called The Devil's Playground that is rumored to have unleashed a curse on everyone involved in the production. Mary finds Norma's cold, dead body, and she wonders for just a moment if these dark rumors could be true. 1967: Paul Conway, a journalist and self-professed film aficionado, is on the trail of a tantalizing rumor. He has heard that a single copy of The Devil's Playground-a Holy Grail for film buffs-may exist. He knows his Hollywood history and he knows the film endured myriad tragedies and ended up lost to time. The Devil's Playground is Craig Russell's tour de force, a richly researched and constructed thriller that weaves through the Golden Age of Hollywood and reveals a blossoming industry built on secrets, invented identities, and a desperate pursuit of image. As Mary Rourke charges headlong through the egos, distractions, and traps that threaten to take her down with the doomed production, she discovers a truth far more sinister than she-or we-would imagine. This is Craig Russell's strongest novel to date, and one that will resonate with American readers"--
This book has it all--a solid crime for someone to solve, interesting characters (including more than one strong, intriguing female), old Hollywood glamour coupled with whip-smart dialogue, and a healthy dose of the kind of supernatural that is just a little too real for comfort or dismissal. Author Craig Russell manages all of this really well, and has a deft hand with vocabulary (this book presented me with one of the few times in recent memory where I had to resort to a dictionary). A perfect read for heading into the spooky season! -Candice
I have some questions for you
Rebecca Makkai
FICTION Makkai Rebecca
Fiction, Mystery
"In the riveting new novel from the author of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist The Great Believers, a woman must reckon with her past when new details surface about a tragedy at her elite New England boarding school"--
This was a really engaging, smart read! The story sucks you in right away, with the main character, Bodie, returning to her posh prep boarding school out East to teach some classes during an interim session, and dropping the news that while she was a student there her former roommate was murdered and it has never set easy with her. There are a few stories here: the events of the 90s when Bodie comes to the school, and a couple years later when the murder happens; the current day where students producing a podcast decide to reinvestigate the murder; the person who was convicted of the murder; and Bodie's own personal life in current day, where she and her husband live somewhat separate lives, and they both get caught up in the Me Too movement. Makkai deftly weaves them together, and is very nuanced in her approach to dealing with many aspects of the issues. All the while, Bodie's narrating the events of the book to someone she at first only refers to as You, a clever tactic that takes us along as she lays out her evidence that points towards who she thinks committed the murder. If you like your mysteries up-to-date and with a small side of that prep school/dark academia thrown in, this is for you! -Candice
After the funeral
Agatha Christie
MYSTERY Christie, Agatha
Mystery
This book — one of the later Hercule Poirot mysteries by Agatha Christie — may go by other names (my copy is titled "Funerals Are Fatal"). If you liked "Knives Out" and basically any other Christie novel, you'll probably like this one too! -Annie
Treasure State
C.J. Box
OverDrive Audiobook
Fiction, Thriller, Mystery
Christina Delaine's spot-on performance ensures that Box's story and dialogue are as entertaining as ever." —AudioFile on C.J. Box's The Bitterroots #1 New York Times bestselling author C. J. Box's Treasure State finds Cassie Dewell in Montana on the trail of a con man. Private Investigator Cassie Dewell's business is thriving, and her latest case puts her on the hunt for a slippery con man who's disappeared somewhere in the "treasure state". A wealthy Florida widow has accused him of absconding with her fortune, and wants Cassie to find him and get it back. The trail takes Cassie to Anaconda, Montana, a quirky former copper mining town that's the perfect place to reinvent yourself. As the case develops, Cassie begins to wonder if her client is telling her everything. On top of that, Cassie is also working what's easily one of her strangest assignments ever. A poem that promises buried treasure to one lucky adventurer has led to a cutthroat competition and five deaths among treasure-hunters. But Cassie's client doesn't want the treasure. Instead, he claims to be the one who hid the gold and wrote the poem. And he's hired Cassie to try to find him. Between the two cases, Cassie has her hands full. In Montana, a killer view can mean more than just the scenery, and Cassie knows much darker things hide behind the picturesque landscape of Big Sky Country. Treasure State, C. J. Box's highly anticipated follow-up to The Bitterroots, is full of more twists and turns than the switchbacks through the Anaconda Range. A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.
As a reader of thriller/mystery, I find myself perplexed as I say that this is the first C.J. Box book I have ever read or listened to...Box is well-regarded and a prolific author in the genre, and while they may not be my regular go-to, sometimes you just want a 'does what it says on the tin' type of book. At least, that's what I was expecting when I downloaded this, but to my surprise, there's a whole lot more going on here than I expected. The setting is unique, and the author rightly spends a fair amount of time highlighting the beauty and environmental aspects of the big sky state. There's a double mystery going on here as well (unless they merge at some point...), and both are engaging and fitting for where the action takes place. All of the characters are, if not entirely fully realized, fleshed out enough to be interesting and believable (even honestly menacing) even those that fill a sometimes well-worn role (the bad cop, the odd-but-loveable relative, the quirky outsider). Christina Delaine is a fine narrator, and voices all the characters really well. I'm enjoying this book much more that I thought I would, and this won't be the last for me. -Candice
Exiles
Jane (Jane Elizabeth) Harper
MYSTERY Harper, Jane
Fiction, Mystery
"New York Times bestselling author Jane Harper is back with a new mystery featuring Aaron Falk, the detective from the bestseller and major motion picture The Dry. At a busy festival site on a warm spring night, a baby lies alone in her stroller, her mother vanishing into the crowds. A year on, Kim Gillespie's absence casts a long shadow as her friends and loved ones gather deep in the heart of South Australian wine country to welcome a new addition to the family. Joining the celebrations is federal investigator Aaron Falk. But as he soaks up life in the lush valley, he begins to suspect this tight-knit group may be more fractured than it seems. Between Falk's closest friend, a missing mother, and a woman he's drawn to, dark questions linger as long-ago truths begin to emerge"--
This is the latest in Harper's Aaron Falk series, and I recommend all of them. Like the others, this novel is slow-burning, atmospheric, and thoughtful. Human relationships and emotions are often at the fore of the story, but the underlying mystery is always there, waiting to be teased out via the small details that Harper drops here and there. This book isn't loaded with red herrings, and there isn't a lot of suspense--it's much calmer, more real, and I appreciate that. Also, the Australian setting is always a bonus, another character in the story in some ways. You don't have to start with the first in the series (The Dry), but again, all of the books are worth a read. -Candice
Don't forget the girl : a novel
Rebecca McKanna
FICTION Mckanna Rebecca
Mystery
"We never remember the dead girls. We never forget the killers. Twelve years ago, 18-year-old University of Iowa freshman Abby Hartmann disappeared. Now, Jon Allan Blue, the serial killer suspected of her murder, is about to be executed. Abby's best friends, Bree and Chelsea, watch as Abby's memory is unearthed and overshadowed by Blue and his flashier crimes. The friends, estranged in the wake of Abby's disappearance, and suffering from years of unvoiced resentments, must reunite when a high-profile podcast dedicates its next season to Blue's murders. Tense and introspective, Don't Forget the Girl is an astonishing debut thriller that mines the complexities of friendship and the secrets between us that we may take to the grave"--
This book is so rooted in time and place--and you might recognize most or all of these places! This literary-leaning thriller set in Iowa City is such a compelling read with such deep and interesting characters that kept me glued to the page. I was so intrigued by both the characters and mystery and loved seeing so many references to iconic places in our community. -Bailey
The Maidens: A Novel
Alex Michaelides
OverDrive Audiobook
Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient comes a spellbinding tale of psychological suspense, weaving together Greek mythology, murder, and obsession, that further cements "Michaelides as a major player in the field" (Publishers Weekly). Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike—particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens. Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana's niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge. Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld? When another body is found, Mariana's obsession with proving Fosca's guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything—including her own life. A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books
This is a great, twisty, psychological thriller that's perfect for anyone looking for something in the vein of Gillian Flynn (more Dark Places or Sharp Objects than Gone Girl, though, which is a plus imho) or Ruth Ware. It's got some nice, atmospheric elements--mysterious Greek temples, old English colleges, and a somewhat shady professor with a weird, culty vibe about him. There's also some physical and emotional trauma here, but the strong and unique characters carry it well. While some of these tropes can begin to feel a little gratuitous, I think that, on the whole, this is a fresh take and worth a listen or read. -Candice
An engrossing account of a young woman finding her way in 17th century England, from plying her trade of reading tarot on the streets and in fair booths, to seeking out the story of her family in the country homes of Bath and Devon. Red (aka Rachel) is at once an intelligent and curious waif, and a cunning teenager who balks at restraints and finds her own strength, as well as her weaknesses, as she grows up. This is a heroine one can root for at the same time they cringe at some of the choices she has to make, or chooses to make. Expertly read, as ever, by Imogen Wilde, who knows how to nail all the voices and dialects. Aimed at adults, but I think older teens would like this as well. -Candice