Hi, mystery fans! It’s the time of year when all the “Best of” type of lists start to drop, so if that’s how you find your end-of-year reading, you’ll find a few under news this round — plus, if you like voting for your favorite reads there’s a link for the Goodreads awards. (I immediately voted for How Far The Light Reaches in nonfic and Hijab Butch Blues in memoir, but I’m still undecided for mystery!)
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Bookish Goods
Bookish stencil for journal planner by FunForYourPlanner
If you see those bookish journal pages and want to make your own, here’s a stencil to create a bookshelf with books you’ve read, or want to read, or I’m sure there’s a ton of ideas to use this stencil for. ($7)
New Releases
Deus X (August Snow #4) by Stephen Mack Jones
For fans of PI series, community, and thriller action!
August Snow thinks something very strange is going on with the Catholic church in his hometown in Detroit, Mexicantown. Not only has the priest he’s always known, Father Michael Grabowski, suddenly retired because a group sent by the Vatican basically forced him to, but another priest died by apparent suicide. Soon, Snow finds himself in a full conspiracy and fighting to save Father Grabowski…
If you want to start at the beginning of this great action-packed series, pick up August Snow.
Only She Came Back by Margot Harrison
For fans of fictional true crime “investigators,” past and present chapters, and transcripts and diary entries!
This feels like reading a fictional version of a true crime memoir where the author investigates a crime they are loosely connected to while also trying to work through things in their own personal life. I went with the audiobook format, narrated by Anna Caputo, and got sucked in like I would a podcast.
Sam has been into true crime for a long time, so when she sees that a girl she once knew is now at the center of a true crime case, she inserts herself by trying to befriend the woman. Kiri was with her survivalist boyfriend, a man with a large following on social media, when he disappeared. There are a lot of questions and little answers to what happened in the desert, with many people labeling Kiri as a murderer. Will she open up to Sam and tell her the truth?
(TWs that may be incomplete because I couldn’t always write something down while listening: mentions of past child abuse, past domestic abuse/ disordered eating/ past statutory)
Looking for more new releases? Check out our New Books newsletter!
Riot Recommendations
Here are two great books that are in other genres while having a mystery to solve!
Witchmark by C.L. Polk
You get political intrigue, a poisoning murder mystery, romance, and the mystery of why veterans are turning violent upon returning from war.
Dr. Miles Singer is a healer (with magic) at a Veterans hospital in an Edwardian-esque world, where he’s trying to figure out why his patients are suddenly murdering their families. Then a handsome gentleman, who’s really an angel, shows up with a patient for Singer, who ultimately dies. Now, they need to find out why and how it’s connected to everything else going on…
Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) by L.C. Rosen
You get a teen who is happy with who he is, a great advice column, friendship and family, and the mystery of who is the stalker leaving increasingly threatening notes!
Thanks to a friend, Jack ends up writing a sex advice column for teens, which gets him into hot water with the actual school but puts him in real danger when a stalker starts leaving him threatening notes demanding he be only theirs. While at first Jack ignores the notes, continues living his life and answering questions for the column, he soon finds himself scared for others also being threatened and wondering if he’ll need to follow the stalker’s demands to remain safe…
I absolutely adored Jack and the voice of this novel.
News and Roundups
The 100 Must-Read Books of 2023
Time for the Goodreads Choice Awards: Vote in the Opening Round of 2023! Here’s the Mystery & Thrillers category, and The Bandit Queens is in the Debut Novel category.
Liberty and Jenn talk books of 2023, including Everybody Knows by Jordan Harper and My Murder by Katie Williams, on All The Books!
Triggers, Trauma, and True Crime
Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. See 2023 releases and upcoming 2024 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 Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy — you can find me under Jamie Canavés.
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