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Unusual Suspects

Mysteries To Make You Laugh

Hello mystery fans! I was going to do true crime this week (don’t worry I will soon) but honestly it feels like many people need something to read for an escape and hopefully a laugh. So I put together funny mysteries, with different humor, and different types of mysteries to hopefully hit as many reader tastes as possible.

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Dial A for Aunties (Aunties #1) by Jesse Q. Sutanto

If you like comedy of errors, big messy families full of love, food, and some romance, this will delight you. It starts with a very ill-advised setup date that ends in accidental murder (you won’t feel bad!) and the family that is trying to cover it up while throwing a lavish wedding. Gotta hide the cooler with the body!

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Secrets, Lies, & Crawfish Pies (Romaine Wilder #1) by Abby L. Vandiver

Before Vandiver (under the name Abby Collette), published A Deadly Inside Scoop, she had this cozy series which follows a returned home medical-examiner who gets stuck solving a murder with Auntie Zanne, who owns a funeral home and is the zany funny kind of side character always leading them into trouble.

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The Spellman Files (The Spellmans #1) by Lisa Lutz

Here’s an entire family of PIs that are ridiculous, do not understand personal boundaries, and are always finding trouble. The series focuses on the middle child, who is in her ’20s, and is filled with dark humor and shenanigans. I don’t want to be a member of this family but I would like to be a neighbor–far enough to not be a target–to just sit back and watch for all the entertainment and laughs.

(TW alcoholism/ suicide attempt mentioned/ molestation incident mentioned)

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Finlay Donovan Is Killing It (Finlay Donovan #1) by Elle Cosimano

If you’re a fan of funny inner monologues and ridiculous situations, this is a lot of fun. Donovan is having a really hard time: her ex-husband is being a jerk; she has two young kids and her babysitter is missing; and she’s not only past due on all bills—she’s also past due on handing in her manuscript. So when a coffee house patron hears her recount the plot to her book and thinks she’s actually a hired hit woman and tries to hire her, Donovan briefly thinks well, it is a lot of money…

(TW date raper/ stalker)

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A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram #1) by Darynda Jones

This is another series where ridiculous things happening keeps the series feeling light. For starters, Vicram literally becomes the Sheriff of Del Sol, New Mexico without her knowledge. How? Her parents entered her in the election. So now she’s back home, with a young daughter, the mystery of her teenage kidnapping still circling, her childhood love, and all the ridiculous people she deals with. If you’re a fan of Stephanie Plum, Kinsey Millhone, and Gilmore Girls, you’ll love this series.

(TW past child suicide thoughts and attempt, detail/ past date rape, kidnapping)

From The Book Riot Crime Vault

Getting Gritty: 11 Authors like David Baldacci

Thought I’d share the last funny mysteries newsletter I wrote in 2018.


Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. See upcoming 2021 releases. Check out this Unusual Suspects Pinterest board and get Tailored Book Recommendations!

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

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