Author: Jamie Canaves

This is a great read for fans of literary mystery/crime (think Celeste Ng) that I found incredibly fascinating as it takes you into the Japanese legal system.

It’s a beautiful and heartbreaking book about love, loss, secrets, and the justice system that focuses on exploring the humanity of the situation. Sumiko is training as a lawyer when a strange phone call sends her down a long path of discovering what exactly happened to her mother years ago—she’d been lied to about her mother’s death being caused by a car accident.

The book is split into multiple points of view and time periods: in present day Tokyo, Sumiko gains access to the case files of her mother’s murder; in the past, Sumiko’s mother, Rina falls in love with a wakaresaseya—the man Sumiko’s father hired to seduce Rina so that he could use the affair to file for divorce and take what he wants.

I found the dive into Japanese culture and legal system fascinating (including how it was possible for Sumiko to go all this time without having been contacted about her mother’s murder; lawyer’s mentality; punishments, including capital punishment), and thoroughly enjoyed my time getting to know Rina and Sumiko, especially faced with difficult decisions. I went with the audiobook, narrated by Janet Song and Emily Woo Zeller, which really made me feel immersed in the character’s lives.

(TW forced kiss/ brief-ish recount of domestic abuse)

The sequel to Finlay Donovan Is Killing It contains just as much fun, chaos, and laughs with a bonus that felt like it had more Vero!

Finlay continues her knack for coming up with solutions that will only cause way more trouble than solve anything, which sucks for her but is fun for readers. This time a forum that lists crappy men, and seeks help in payback, leads Finlay to discover someone has put a hit out on her ex-husband. She may not like the guy, but he is the father of her two young kids, and she’s not actually a killer–just a sometimes pretend, accidental one.

So her and Vero, her kid’s nanny who has now become a good friend, go through all kinds of ridiculous situations to try and stop the hit, all while bringing along their own baggage. Finlay is also once again on deadline for writing a book that she has once again not even started.

I especially love Vero’s character who drops some hilarious one-liners, totally earned aggression, and honestly would be the actual competent criminal between the two. This was a super enjoyable listen, narrated by Angela Dawe, that was exactly what I needed during the world’s continued state of constant stress.

(TW chat board that posts about men who are sexual harassers and assaulters, mentions brief posts but not graphic)

Laura Coates takes readers into how our justice system is designed to intentionally be unjust for marginalized persons, including Black and Brown communities. She was a prosecutor for the Department of Justice and uses her job’s environment, cases, and experience to show examples of how the system works differently for different people. This one is high on my TBR.

For cozy mystery fans who want to drool over ice cream flavors, Collette is back with the third in this yummy, Ohio-set series. Bronwyn Crewse is enjoying life as an ice cream shop owner and now an ice cream truck owner, but it’s a cozy mystery so of course someone gets poisoned and you know who they’re gonna blame…

If you want to be the detective, this one is for you. The reader only knows that someone was murdered and someone is in prison, but did they do it? You get all the legal documents, post it notes, texts, emails, and crime reports to figure it out—if you’re up for the challenge!

If you like Japanese crime novels, psychological stories, revenge, that feeling of maybe nothing is as it seems, and want a quick read, this one is for you.

This is a reissue with a new introduction by Michael Nava that is the start to a classic mystery series. At the time of its first publishing in the ’70s, it was really rare for the lead character in a mystery to be gay (if you’re interested in the history of sodomy laws)–and sadly this is still rare in the crime genre. We follow Dave Brandstetter, who is an insurance investigator. In the first book he’s tasked with a death claim after a car went off a bridge during a storm. The catch is there is no body, so he must figure out what actually happened… The next two books in the series have also now been reissued: Death Claims and Troublemaker.

(TW past suicidal thoughts, detail/ questions whether main case could be suicide/ fatphobia/ racism/ ableism/ statutory)

This series is for fans of police procedurals, FBI, fictional serial killers, thrillers, and partnerships with potential for romance. It all began when as a child when Ellery Hathaway was rescued from a serial killer by FBI agent Reed Markham. They had no other contact until a boat load of years later when Hathaway is a cop and they team up on a case, which they keep doing. If you like entertaining thrillers that feel like you should make a tub of popcorn to go with them, pick up this series which starts with The Vanishing Season (Review)!

I can’t believe we’re already at #8 in this delicious cozy mystery series. The series started with Lana Lee moving back home and working in her family’s restaurant which quickly lead to her having to solve a murder. Lucky for readers she just attracts all the dead bodies. In this case after agreeing to help host a speed dating contest at the restaurant, it turns out her friend’s match is murdered. Sucks for them, fun for us! If you want to start at the beginning grab Death by Dumpling.

Here’s the start to a new procedural series for fans of fictional serial killers and the trope where the lead character’s life (past) and mystery are going to overlap, and their personal life has got problems—including a brother living with her that she doesn’t get along with. Sergeant Riley Fisher is put on the case of a woman found murdered in a field of corn (Iowa), only to realize she was once friends with the victim…

For fans of Samantha Downing, here’s a dive into two best friend’s lives, exploring a past and recent incident connected to both of them… (Review)

Here’s a crime novel set in the late ’90s that follows a group of strippers, one of their daughters, and the detectives. Samantha is driving home one of the new dancers when an accident leaves one dead and the other missing… You follow the investigation from the detective’s point of view, fellow dancers, and also get to know Samantha.

(TW domestic abuse/ past parent dementia/ past accidental toddler death/ rape/ mentions past accidental dog death)

For fans of fictional true crime authors and multiple storylines: a true crime author who has escaped her life to live in a remote cabin and focus on a case ends up finding a young child out in the snow; a mother and daughter living in one room seemingly always waiting for the patriarch to return; a family of four with two teenagers, the son acting out…

Backpage.com was the world’s largest sex trafficking operation whose ads regularly contained minors and people forced into sex trade. Maggy Krell, the lead prosecutor in taking down the site, tells her life story (part memoir) and the case that took down Backpage (true crime).

For fans of Rachel Caine’s Stillhouse Lake, fictional serial killers, and popcorn thrillers–I inhaled this audiobook. Chloe Davis is a medical psychologist whose father was found guilty of murdering teenage girls when she was a tween. Now as an adult she’s moved herself as far away from that as possible so of course the killing starts again and she has to figure out what is happening…

(TW cutting discussion/ recounts past suicide attempt, detail/ talk of pedophile, no details/ child abuse/ domestic violence/ briefly mentions past miscarriage/ suicidal thoughts, detail)

I love that Hur always takes us to a time period and place I never see in the crime genre (probably any genre?). This one especially works for fans of royalty, intrigue, medical dramas, and secrets. We’re in the mid-1700s Joseon-era Korea, inside a palace where a nurse becomes embroiled in a mystery to save a fellow nurse, her mentor, from torture and execution.

Hyeon and her friend Jieun are both eighteen, daughters of concubines, friends, and working as palace nurses. After a group of women are murdered and Hyeon’s mentor is taken into custody, she decides she must investigate–especially being one of the few people who knows the Crown Prince had a decoy that night. Not an easy feat but she has her medical training to help and Jieun’s half-cousin, who is a new police inspector. The more Hyeon investigates, the more danger she places herself and those around her in…

I really enjoyed the voice, the palace setting, the politics, the medical information, and the underlining possible romance buildup here. I continue to look forward to June Hur’s books.

(TW torture, police brutality/ mentions of childbirth deaths, not graphic)

Lisa Lutz wrote The Spellman series, which I love, so this was an automatic grab for me. It’s not zany like The Spellman’s, and feels very much like a hit for Samantha Downing fans, which made for a nice surprise to get another well-written yet different type of crime book from Lutz. What I mean by “for Samantha Downing fans” is it has that feeling throughout that even when something crime related isn’t happening, you’re just waiting, even if you don’t know why you’re waiting or for what. And with that said, I want to note that I grabbed the audiobook knowing not a single thing about it and really enjoyed watching how things unfolded. I may be giving away some things below that aren’t in the book summary, so if you like surprises skip the next part and just grab the book.

A thing I found super interesting about this book was that it almost feels like it’s set up like a domestic thriller focused on a couple, except they aren’t a couple. It’s a friendship. A real friendship. And I never get to read about men and women who are really friends and it’s not a setup for something more, or suddenly reveals that it once was more etc which is something I loved about this book. The friends are Owen and Luna. They met in college when Luna was having a seizure. Luna is super reserved, keeps her cards to her vest and Owen is from a wealthy family, a seemingly all around normal dude who’s just never really content.

In the present Owen’s wife is found murdered. In the past Owen is also linked to a woman’s death. In the present we watch as the police try to unravel what happened to Owen’s wife, why Luna found her, and why Owen seems so strange during interviews. In the past we watch Owen and Luna’s friendship, and get to know who they really are…

This was my first page-turner of the year, and I really enjoyed watching all the pieces come together as I got to know Owen and Luna.

(TW domestic violence, only on page for a brief moment/ seizures)

First up we have Nalini Singh, who has recently put out two standalone mystery novels set in New Zealand for those who like to armchair travel while armchair sleuthing. *raises hand*

Quiet in Her Bones is psychological suspense for fans of stories about small, wealthy neighborhoods with secrets ready to bubble over. Years ago, as a child, Aarav Rai heard a scream the night his mother disappeared, but everyone believed she stole her husband’s money and ran. Now her body has been found and Aarav, now an adult, has to muddle through his recent injuries from an accident to uncover what happened to his mother… (Review)

A Madness of Sunshine is her other standalone, which I feel could easily start a series. It’s a mystery that blends in a romance and a past mystery of missing women with a new missing woman mystery. It’s also a great read for fans of the “woman who returned back home” story.

As for Nalini Singh’s catalog, you’re going to find a lot of series to dive deeply into if you love, or are looking to try out, paranormal romance. Angel’s Blood starts her Guild Hunter series if you’re in the mood for angels and vampires (always!). And Slave to Sensation starts her Psy-Changeling series if you’re looking for a forbidden love trope; the Psy have great psychic powers with no feelings and the Changelings are shifters who feel greatly and pairings between the two are unheard of—you see where this is going!

But wait, there’s even more! If you instead like your romance contemporary and want the whole bad boy vibe, check out Rock Addiction, the start to her Rock Kiss series.

In the last couple years Alexis Hall has become a must-read for me, and he has a slew of upcoming releases that I am highly anticipating. For crime readers, he has one murder mystery standalone, and two that blend the mystery genre with fantasy.

Murder Most Actual is his standalone remote murder mystery that gives a nod to Agatha Christie while diving into the world of true crime podcasting. It’s incredibly enjoyable, humorous, and fun as Liza and Hanna get stuck in a snowed-in weekend gateway while trying to work on their marriage and end up needing to solve murder(s) and stay alive! This is a Kobo exclusive which means you need the app to read the ebook or listen to the audiobook. I personally hate exclusives from any company because it immediately knocks out library patrons from having access, and in many cases physical book readers (or other formats). I was privileged enough to read an advanced copy, and am really glad because I very much enjoyed this book, but was planning on figuring out how to get the audiobook if not. I rarely give much stock to comps as I feel they’re generally very off but I think in this case it’s accurate to say “perfect for fans of Clue, Knives Out, and Only Murders in the Building!”

Staying in the mystery world but adding in fantasy, we have two more books that once again show Hall’s great characters and humor. The Affair of the Mysterious Letter is fun and a bit weird and absolutely perfect for anyone who has every wondered what a book that pays homage to Sherlock blended with Lovecraftian fantasy + steampunk Victorian aesthetics would be like.

And for those who want to laugh, love vampires, monsters, and paranormal PIs, and are looking to start a series, look no further than Iron & Velvet (Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator #1). During my holiday break I only read books that I wanted to read for pure pleasure that had no connection to work (and yet here we are!); this was my first choice which I paired as an audiobook while working on a massive jigsaw puzzle. It was fun and funny and reminded me how much I love vampires, and had some ass-kicking fighting monster scenes. Basically, all win-win for me. Kate Kane is sarcastic and very much the kind of lady lead I enjoy, plus she sets up the whole book by having a rule to never work for vampires and immediately breaks it to solve the case of a dead werewolf.

Along with the mystery books I’ve listed, Alexis Hall also writes romance, and his contemporary romances are all-time favorites of mine: Boyfriend Material (which gets a sequel this year: Husband Material–which I will purchase the second it hits libro.fm), and Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake (which also has a sequel this year: Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble–which I will purchase the second it hits libro.fm). Boyfriend Material is a great read if you’re a fan of the fake dating trope and Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake is a hilarious read and perfect for fans of baking competitions.

And that’s not even all! Two more contemporary M/M romance series starters of his are How to Bang a Billionaire (excellent title) and Glitterland.

I really enjoyed this book–and got one of my favorite narrators on the audiobook, J.D. Jackson (A Little Devil In America; Bluebird, Bluebird).

It’s a crime story about our unjust system mixed with a bit of a legal thriller. At the core are three characters I was immediately rooting for, two whose paths cross, changing each other’s lives. But first the crime that starts everything: a bank robbery labeled the Mother’s Day Massacre which ended with the wrongful conviction of Langston Brown, who now sits on death row.

His daughter Liza has always believed he’s innocent, and is now in law school with the hopes of being able to free him. Eli Stone is a widow who is basically only functioning when he’s working on opening up his jazz club. Eli ends up hiring Liza at the club which happens at the same time the governor suddenly decides to quickly execute those on death row. Liza gets her law school to use their innocence project to try and stop Langston’s execution, while unbeknownst to her, Eli starts to grapple with long held information and what to do about it…

There is this really nice balance between characters you’re rooting for, a literal do-or-die timeline to stop an execution, a past mystery, an attempt to undo corruption, and this lovely relationship that begins between Eli and Liza, two people struggling in wildly different ways that show each other kindness. I’m really glad I ended the year listening to this novel and look forward to what Robert Justice writes next.

(TW brief mention past miscarriage/ mention of rape case, not graphic/ discusses lynching case, brief details/ suicide on page/ execution/ suicidal thoughts, attempt)

If you’ve been following along with my book shouting for a bit, you already know I’m a big fan of everything-goes-boom action/thrillers and this book has so much of what I love: con artists, heists, and everything-goes-boom action. I inhaled it and then I was bummed that I’d read it so fast and thus there was no more.

It’s the sequel so I will say start with the first in the series, Ghostman, because it’s super good. But if you don’t care about order or for some reason only have access to the sequel I will admit I read Ghostman two years ago and who remembers something from that long ago? I was not lost while reading the sequel and not remembering details at all from the first. But enough about book order, here’s why I loved this one!

It starts with a heist going horribly wrong and it forces Angela to have to send out a call for the Ghostman, Jack. Long ago they knew each other when Angela taught him what she knew, and now she needs him to help her disappear. It’s what he does. But this is a thriller filled with action and not one but two con artists so this is not going to be easy, if they can even succeed! There’s the whole them running for their lives thing, while also having the mystery of who is behind this and why, and then you get Angela and Jack’s backstory, and the whole layered conspiracy plot that comes with action/thrillers–all fun!

I needed something that would help me escape the current world and that could hold my attention long enough to do so and this really delivered for me.

(TW child forced labor/ animal cruelty/ torture)