Mystery

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is probably one of my least favorite books I have read in a while. The story attempts to paint trauma and mental illness in the eyes of a teenager. It tries to be relatable to the reader, and while I believe that this could have been achieved, the main character of the novel is quite frankly a horrible character.

The main character is a rich white girl by the name of Cadence Sinclair. You can already see how being relatable to the reader is going to be hard with this character. The author attempts this by trying to show her as a flawed character, who makes

The Deadly Sister by Eliot Schrefer is a mystery novel with complex twists and turns.  Abby Goodwin has always been the overprotective sister. Saving her sister, Maya, was almost like a part-time job for her. Unfortunately, as they grew up and matured, they started drifting apart. One day, Abby finds Jefferson Andrews, the popular, the smart, and the “perfect” boy at their high school dead. As she slowly unravels and follows the trails of clues, everything points to Maya and everyone suspects Maya. Will Abby be able to protect her sister one last time?

I enjoyed this book but not as much as

Sixth grader Josie, her sister, and her mother both moved to their grandmother's house. Even though Josie does not like the town, she has to adjust to it. Weird things happen once her grandmother starts giving off warnings and rules. Then, one day at school, Josie meets a new girl named Vanessa. They become best friends. Suddenly, people from her school start to disappear. What or who is behind the disappearance?

The Collector is a really good book. K.R. Alexander adds many suspicious details to make the book more interesting. The plot is also really good, and I enjoyed the book. Secondly

Rebecca is the first wife of Maxim De Winter. He lost his first wife due to a tragic incident. Maxim married another woman. When she enters Manderlery, she notices that Rebecca is everywhere. She fears that everyone loves Rebecca and hates her. But, one she realizes and learns things about the true Rebecca, her intentions and feelings change. Both Maxim and his new wife realize that Rebecca is haunting their memories.

I think this book is really good. Usually, I would not read books which were published long ago, but this book is very interesting. The servant, Mrs. Danvers, does not quite

Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte is captivating, dynamic, and contains numerous twists and turns. This fantasy fiction book consists of murder mystery and hints of romance and sci-fi. Perplexing characters with complex motives and a fascinating fantasy world elevated this book to another level. The novel is centered around Keralie Corrington, a seventeen-year-old girl  who steals, lies, and deceives for a living. Mackiel, her childhood friend and employer tasks her with stealing a case. This case ends up spiraling her into a mystery filled conspiracy with the man she stole the case from

Daniel, and his seven-year-old sister, Erica, move to an abandoned house in West Virginia. The house used to belong to a girl named Selene Estes. Rumor has it that fifty years ago, Selene was taken by Old Auntie. People tried to find her, but no one could. After Daniel’s family moves into the house, he starts to hear someone calling him. One fine day, Erica goes missing; she was taken by Old Auntie. It is up to Daniel to save his little sister, but can he save her in time?

I read this book two times before, and I really enjoyed this book. It is a little scary for little kids, but I would

Ali and her cousin, Emma, visit their mothers’ childhood home. On their vacation, Emma decides to make friends with people. Both the girls go looking around Maine for a child around Emma’s age. One day, they meet a girl named Sissy. She spoils Emma and scares her by telling her about a murder. Even though the girls are frightened, they ask their aunt more about the story. As the story goes on, Ali and Emma realize that Sissy is not who she says she is.

I think this book was a job well done. Mary Downing Hahn has really interested me more in her books. Though this story is really good, it

One of Using Is Lying, by Karen M. McManus, is a Mystery/Thriller novel. The story unfolds around four teens after their classmate, Simon Kellhelro, dies. Brownyn, Nate, Addy, and Cooper become suspects in the murder. The four suspects each had a motive to kill Simon. Slowly by slowly, the supposed murder reveals the secrets of the four students. The four suspects become closer and vouch for each other.

I really enjoyed this book because the story has many twists and turns. This is one of the best books I have ever read. Having that said, I think everyone would enjoy this book, especially

August Snow is a former Marine, police officer, and a product of a loving Mexican/African American family. He loves his hometown of Mexicantown, Detroit and hates seeing the decay, drugs, violence and corruption running through the city.  He’s bought and renovated a number of houses on the street to bring them back to their former glory. After being fired by the police for uncovering high level corruption, August wins a $12 million lawsuit against the city for unfair termination. Traveling the world for year to regain his perspective and deal with his parents deaths, August yearns for his city

After being invited to the most fun party ever, Meg and Minnie both decide to sneak out of their houses and go to the party. What they do not know is that their night is about to become terrifying. One by one, people start to die. Meg and her crush, TJ, investigate the area. The killer will go to any extent to kill off the teens. But, at the end, Meg is shocked. She did not expect the killer to be who they are.

This book was by far the best book I have ever read. I love the storyline, and it makes me want to read the book again and again. This book is really interesting, and anyone who

Jamie Watson and Charlotte Homes, the teenage descendants of Sherlock and John, get off to a rocky start when they first meet at boarding school. But when they’re both accused of the same crime, they must team up to investigate a murder, clear their names, and, perhaps, become friends.

Fans of mystery interspersed with humor will enjoy this book, the first installment of Brittany Cavallaro’s series. The central case takes time to develop, but the fast-paced story will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Kiss Kill Vanish is a young adult thriller written by Jessica Martinez. Valentina Cruz is the daughter of the most powerful man in Miami. After witnessing her boyfriend, Emilio, and her father murder a man, she runs away to Montreal. There, things become even more confusing when further secrets about Valentina's life are revealed.

I absolutely loved this book's plot and its organization; seeing glimpses of the past made everything more exciting. However, I did not like Valentina's character. I didn't see any growth from the spoiled rich girl she was before running away, and worse, she

Maggie Somerville was murdered in her bedroom. Specks of dust from vacuum cleaners and fibers were scattered to obscure suspicions. Nils Shapiro, an excellent Minneapolis private detective, comes to observe. He decides to find the killer, but no one is ye tof suspicion. Shapiro works with the police department to search backgrounds. When he puts his theory to test, he finds that the killer is closer to him than he thought.

Finding a book that I could read and enjoy is a little complicated, but if I do, I could finish it in one day. The beginning of this book was relatively slow and did not

The Complete Father Brown Mysteries is a group of fictional short stories by G.K. Chesterton, a master of literature. The stories all feature the title character, Father Brown, who is a short, stout Roman Catholic priest from England. To others he appears simple and naive, but in reality he is a genius. Essentially, he is the quirky, unassuming, compassionate, and lovable version of Sherlock Holmes. He solves his mysteries by imagining himself in the place of the criminal, which he discusses in one of these short stories. Each mystery is complex and different, which is amazing to think about

The Westing Game is a fictional story about a group of individuals who all live in Sunset Towers. They are shocked to learn that all of them are heirs to the late Sam Westing, and they compete in a game he devised for his 200-million-dollar estate. The game has vague rules and is twisting and complex, with the final aim of finding his alleged murderer, who is said to be living among them. This creates paranoia and confusion, with different characters having varying goals and problems. Distrust runs rampant throughout the apartment complex, and unusual friendships are formed by those pre-chosen

Disney fairytales meet Gotham City in this crime fantasy drama! The story follows Mary Elizabeth, an intern at the Monarch City police department. Mary Elizabeth is a Legacy, those who once had magic before it disappeared in the Great Death. When the daughter of one of the most powerful businessmen in the Scar— the neighborhood where Mary Elizabeth lives with her Legacy boyfriend and best friend— goes missing, Mary Elizabeth is assigned her very first case! As Mary Elizabeth investigates, she discovers that this girl’s disappearance is part of a deeper, darker mystery. Can she solve it, or

It’s perfect, but is it real? Influence follows the lives of four teen influencers who live what seem like perfect lives: Delilah Rollins, a newbie who shot to fame after posting a viral video, Jasmine Walters-Diaz, a former child star who’s tired of hiding her real self, Fiona Jacobs, an aspiring actress who harbors a dark secret from her past, and Scarlet Leigh, the quintessential mean girl of the group. In the whirlwind of events and auditions and shoots, the tension escalates and one of the girls ends up dead. As the other girls try to root out the killer, they are reminded again and again

Sadie is a dual-narrative book following Sadie Hunter, a 19-year-old girl on the hunt to find the man who killed her sister, and West McCray, the radio personality tracing her footsteps for a true-crime podcast.

Sadie’s 13-year-old sister, Mattie, went missing and was later found dead. The police have no suspects, but Sadie has one, and she’s determined to find him.

West’s chapters, alternating with Sadie’s, take place later; Sadie is missing, her car found hundreds of miles from home with her belongings still inside. West’s goal is to find Sadie and uncover what really happened to

I Killed Zoe Spanos is a thrilling book by Kit Frick that leaves you on the edge of your seat with an intricate plot.  In this book, our main character, Anna Cicconi, takes a summer nanny job in a wealthy neighborhood. Little does she know, Anna looks eerily similar to Zoe Spanos, who has disappeared since New Year’s Eve. As she gets sucked into the mystery, Anna is convinced she is somehow related to Zoe Spanos. Three months into the job, Anna turns herself in after Zoe’s body is found. But many people aren’t convinced, and the evidence doesn’t match up with the statement. This book switches

“There was no honor among thieves. Boys in the game only respected you in direct proportion to how much they needed you divided by how much they feared you.”

Blacktop Wasteland is full of action and suspense.  Just when you think it may let up, S.A. Cosby shifts the action into another gear.  It is a nonstop adrenaline rush (You know it’s going to be good when the book starts out with a drag race). 

We ride along with Beauregard “Bug” Montage, who is a complex character with many titles: father, husband, son, car mechanic, and getaway driver. He struggles providing an honest living for

Gwendolyn Bainbridge and Iris Sparks attend a mutual friend’s wedding and hit it off immediately, both taking credit for the match. After a lovely lunch the pair decide to go into business together opening The Right Sort Marriage Bureau in Mayfair, London in 1946. Their services are much sought after and their pairings have lead to many happy marriages so far. They both have the ability to size people up and get a clear reading of personalities and secrets being withheld. 

Iris doesn’t talk about her training and time spent during the War. But she’s got a lot of particular skills useful for

The Night Country is the chilling sequel to Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood. After returning to New York City from the Hinterland, Alice, an ex-Story, attempts to live a normal, human life. Even though Hinterland citizens are still trickling into New York, Alice vows to leave her past behind. However, she quickly learns that escaping the Hinterland was far from the end — Hinterland characters are being slaughtered, one after another. Something sinister lies behind the murders, and Alice is running out of time to find the killer. Tick, tock, tick, tock. Can you hear the hidden clock?

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In the Hall with the Knife​ by Diana Peterfreund is a teen fiction mystery novel about the death of Blackbrook Academy’s Headmaster Boddy. When a vicious winter storm strikes the coast of Maine, where Blackbrook Academy is located, a group of students and staff are stranded in one of the safest buildings on the campus: the Tudor House. The crew of students is made up of Beth “Peacock” Picach (the star athlete), Scarlett Mistry (the queen bee), Finn Plum (the scientist), Orchid McKee (the wallflower), Vaughn Green (the “townie”), and Sam “Mustard” Maestor (a military academy transfer). They are

The End of Her by Shari Lapena is a psychological, domestic suspense novel that is fast-paced and full of secrets, surprises, and twists. Patrick and Stephanie are a happily married, financially stable couple who are parents to 4-month-old colicky twin daughters. Both are sleep deprived when Erica comes into their lives. Erica is Patrick’s dead first wife’s best friend who comes to blackmail the couple by accusing Patrick of killing his first wife and threatening to go to the police to have the nine-year-old case re-opened and further investigated. Stephanie is shocked by the accusations Erica

Louise Penny has written a heart warming mystery series set in Canada. Murder and heart warming might not seem like they go together, but it works here. The series features Inspector Armand Gamache, a charming and quiet Chief Inspector of homicide. First called to the remote village of Three Pines, we meet the main characters of the town, but also Gamache’s team. There is a lot of character development and rich descriptions of the settings, which are  the real draw of the series. There seems to be an alarming amount of murder in the quaint town of Three Pines, Quebec. We find ourselves here

In 2001, C.J. Box released his first novel featuring Joe Pickett, a game warden from Twelve Sleep Wyoming. Establishing Pickett as a man with a strong moral compass and fierce devotion to his friends and family, it isn’t hard to see why Box has written nineteen additional stories featuring this classic western archetype.

As an introduction to Joe Pickett, Open Season drops the reader into one of his first days on the job as the new game warden in town. Somewhat bumbling, but with a clear respect for the rule of law above all else, he is not well liked in town. This is to be expected, coming

Reading mysteries that feature smart, resourceful and bold lady detectives is one of my favorite pastimes.  I have quite a few favorites, including Phryne Fisher, Miss Jane Marple, Precious Ramotswe, Agatha Raisin, and Maisie Dobbs, to name a few.  I’m always on the lookout for more fabulous femmes of detection.  Meet Perveen Mistry, daughter of a wealthy and prominent Zorastrian family and the first woman solicitor (British for lawyer) in 1920s Bombay (modern-day Mumbai), India.  India was controlled by the British government in the 1920s.  The period of direct British rule over the Indian

"In for a penny, in for a pound."

I've read a variety of mystery novels over the years, but never a cozy mystery. Which is strange because I generally prefer lighter, brighter stories to grim and gritty, and I'm not big on gore. And I love puns, and a lot of cozy mysteries have punny titles. I decided to try my first cozy mystery and chose English Tea Murder by Leslie Meier at random. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting from the genre (no punny title, for one thing) but to cut to the big reveal, I liked it.

Having never read a cozy mystery, especially one by Leslie Meier, here's what

One of the best things about working in a library is the regular opportunity to talk about books (and other media) with people. Often, I can provide a recommendation for something else to read or try in those conversations, but it isn’t always a one-way street. Sometimes, patrons put books on my radar that I overlooked, either because the cover or description didn’t grab me, or it’s just outside my usual genre preferences. One of these books was Simone St. James’s The Broken Girls.

As a story with a historical fiction subplot and an intrigued journalist starring in the other main plotline,

Mystery fans looking for a new author to binge will want to know the name Karen M. McManus, who hit the New York Times and International Bestseller Lists with her first three published mysteries One of Us is Lying, Two Can Keep a Secret, and One of Us is Next. Haven't heard of McManus and wondering why? It could be because her novels are published under the TEEN umbrella. But don't let that stop you from picking up a copy! McManus is a gifted mystery author who crafts top notch whodunits that are tightly plotted with gasp worthy twists! Just because her protagonists are teens, doesn't mean