Hi mystery fans! Let’s take a midweek break and dive into some new releases, backlist with messy personal lives, and news and roundups.
Bookish Goods
New Releases
Kismet by Amina Akhtar
If you’re in the mood for something unique, darkly funny, and with some chapters narrated by ravens, Amina Akhtar has got you covered. Ronnie Khan is not an aim-for-the-stars type of person and she’s a New Yorker who always imagines herself being a New Yorker, so it’s a huge surprise that Marley Dewhurst changes that. Suddenly Ronnie is in Sedona, Arizona and doing things like hiking, yoga, and cleansing. But when gurus start being murdered, maybe the wellness industry isn’t as well as is advertised?…
Death at the Manor (Lily Adler Mystery #3) by Katharine Schellman
For fans of delightful Regency era murder mysteries, Lily Adler is back! Widow Lily Adler is excited to get out of London on a trip with friends to Hampshire. But peace is not in her future as it turns out there’s rumors of a ghost at Belleford manor — which Adler of course immediately wants to go seek out. Except she’s met with the news that the lady of the house has been murdered…If you want to start at the beginning of this entertaining series, grab The Body in the Garden.
Looking for more new releases? Check out our New Books newsletter!
Riot Recommendations
If like me you love that gif of Marie Kondo saying “I love mess,” I’ve got two crime books for you where the leads have some messy personal lives.
Bluebird, Bluebird (Highway 59 #1) by Attica Locke
Locke is one of my favorite writers (her sister has a beautiful memoir too, From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home) and this is one of my favorite series! Darren Mathews is a Black Texas Ranger trying to keep his marriage afloat who is technically on suspension after trying to help someone backfires on him. So naturally he goes and finds himself a case that he should not be working on: a Black man and a white woman were murdered in a small Texas town, a town that wants absolutely no outside help on solving this mystery. Have the sequel Heaven, My Home on standby.
(I don’t have notes on TWs, sorry.)
Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce
For fans of lawyer leads and books that bite. Alison Wood is a criminal barrister with a young child whose husband is a therapist and a househusband. Their marriage is strained as he criticizes Alison a lot on her drinking and parenting and Alison is having an affair with a co-worker. I said messy! She gets her first criminal case, a woman who murdered her husband who wants to plead guilty, but the more Alison pushes, the more things don’t seem right in the case. Plus, she has all her other cases and to sort out all her personal problems, including who is sending threatening texts about her affair…
(TW sexual assault, including mentions of child cases/ suicide, detail, not on page/ recounts past domestic abuse, child abuse/ gaslighting/ mentions nonconsensual drugging with abortion pill/ mentions difficulty getting pregnant)
News and Roundups
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Gabino Iglesias, a Writer of Noir, Explores the Texas Underworld
Kaley Cuoco To Star In ‘Based On A True Story’ Peacock Comedic Thriller Series
Giveaway: Enter to win a Copy of DIRT CREEK by Hayley Scrivenor!
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‘The Other Black Girl’ Drama Nabs Hulu Series Pickup
UK giveaway: Win a Dinny Hall pendant and a copy of The It Girl by Ruth Ware
Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. See upcoming 2022 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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