Mystery Book Reviews

The best mystery book reviews. Mysteries are typically crime stories in which readers follows a detective or amateur sleuth attempting to solve a criminal puzzle. Compared with “crime thrillers,” mysteries often feature less graphic violence and shocking subject matter.

Love Lost on Cloud 9, an Immersive Murder Mystery by K.C. Brote

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The Bottom Line: A must-read murder mystery that is as surprising as it is immersive.  Fittingly, Love Lost on Cloud 9 opens with a murder told from the point of view of the victim. In the book’s first chilling page, we learn that 32-year-old photographer Astrid Russo was strangled, found two days after her death, and – thanks to a truly creepy sensory experience, as …

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Gothic Revival, a Delicious Destination Thriller by Michael Mullin

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The Bottom Line: This delicious destination thriller is a must-read for fans of The Guest List and Glass Onion.  Gothic Revival opens as Eric Asher, celebrity novelist and oscar-nominated screenwriter, sends an out-of-the-blue invitation to a group of old grad school friends. In the letter, which acknowledges that he’s become a recluse, he offers to fly them to San Francisco, then whisk them away by …

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The Best Lucy Foley Books in Order

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Looking for a list of Lucy Foley books in recommended reading order? You’ve come to the right place. Bestselling British author Lucy Foley is a favorite among fans of contemporary mystery and crime fiction and critics alike. She also writes historical fiction. Further, one of her short stories is included in a collection of Agatha Christie fan fiction focusing on Christie’s iconic character Mrs. Marple. …

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The Housemaid’s Secret, a Twisty Crime Thriller by Freida McFadden

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The Bottom Line: Filled with jaw-dropping shockers, The Housemaid’s Secret is a must-read. As housemaid Millie struggles to find gainful employment without being questioned about her murky past, she feels fortunate when the affluent Garrick family hires her to clean their luxurious penthouse and prepare sumptuous meals in their shiny kitchen. It seems like the perfect job for Millie, who plans to keep a low …

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Verity Easton, a Magical & Absorbing Murder Mystery by M. Rebecca Wildsmith

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The Bottom Line: Lucy Foley fans will fall hard for ’s magical and absorbing new murder mystery, Verity Easton.   Set in the 1930s, opens aboard a steamer ship sailing turbulent seas near the coast of Malta. Thirteen-year-old Verity is accompanying her father, a professor at the British Museum, who is tasked with finding the ancient resting place of ancient Egyptian queen Nefertiti. Making the trip …

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The Best Female Detective Books, Ranked (Updated!)

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We love great detectives, no matter who they are and where they hail from. But at times, we crave the point of view and approach to casework that only a female detective can bring. The canon of great female literary sleuths include those from a wide variety of countries, eras and ethnicities. However, thrillers featuring female sleuths are still a little harder to find, which …

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River of Wrath, an Epic Coming of Age Thriller by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor

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The Bottom Line: The dynamic duo of Weis and Astor make magic together. A rising body count, a dark pact among unlikely friends and a wholly evocative world propel this small town mystery to epic heights. Highly recommended. Until three unsolved murders rocked tiny St. Benedict, Louisiana, the town hadn’t had a single murder since 1942. As River of Wrath opens, local sheriff Kent Davis …

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The Fear of Winter, an Emotionally Resonant Thriller by S.C. Sterling

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The Bottom Line: For fans of The Girl in Cabin 13, The Fear of Winter is an emotionally resonant, atmospheric thriller that simmers with a highly memorable investigation en route to an unforgettable crescendo.  Grand County, Colorado, consists of 1800 square miles of sprawling mountainous terrain. At any time, there are at least two dozen missing people in the county. Most are hikers or skiers. …

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Death by Saxophone, an Alluring Whodunnit by Debbie Burke

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The Bottom Line: A must-read for musicians who love murder mysteries, Death by Saxophone is a rare combination of alluring whodunnit and offbeat romantic suspense. Highly recommended.  There’s no way to properly describe Death by Saxophone without first defining the object of its characters’ obsession: black market recordings called “bone records.” Also called “ribs,” bone records are bootlegged gramophone recordings first made from X-ray films …

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Azabu Getaway, The Year’s Best Crime Thriller by Michael Pronko

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The Bottom Line: Detective Hiroshi has never been more entertaining in this electrifying crime thriller featuring some truly ingenious financial crimes.  When American wealth manager Patrick Walsh returns to his Tokyo apartment and keys in his passcode, he’s surprised to find that it still works. For those unfamiliar with Tokyo, Azabu is known as one of Tokyo’s most expensive residential districts. When Walsh’s ex-wife Miyuki …

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