It's no mystery that Beth and Pearl love mysteries! Join them as they discuss what exactly makes a book a mystery, how to choose a mystery to read, and why cozy mysteries are such a great subgenre. Don't miss our picks for mysteries to add to your TBR stack.
What to Try if You are New to Mysteries
- Classics: Agatha Christie, Wilkie Collins, & Arthur Conan Doyle
- If you like action and don't mind violence: James Patterson, C.J. Box and Craig Johnson
- If you like a dark tone, flawed characters, and gritty realism: Tana French, Louise Penny, and Jane Harper
- If you like an emphasis on character and a strong sense of place: Alexander McCall Smith, Jenn McKinlay and Paige Shelton
- If you like themed series: Cleo Coyle (coffee), Kate Carlisle (book binding), Ellie Alexander (brewing), Miranda James (librarians and cats), and Vivien Chen (noodle shop)
Shake Up Your Mystery Reading with Genre Mashups
- Simon R. Green's Ishmael Jones series (paranormal science fiction mysteries)
- Six Wakes by Muir Lafferty (locked room mystery in space)
- Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series (historical mystery)
Other Books Discussed
- Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mysteries
- Rhys Bowen's Royal Spyness and WW Collection series
- Martin Walker's Bruno, Chief of Police series
- Leslie Meier's Lucy Stone Mystery series
Sources Cited
Kehlet, E. (2016. March 16) Will PRH be cancelling your favorite cozy mystery series? The Book's the Thing. https://booksthething.com/2016/03/16/will-prh-be-cancelling-your-favorite-cozy-mystery-series/
Vatsak, R. (2020. January 15) In Defense of Cozy Mysteries. Kirkus Reviews. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/defense-cozy-mysteries/
