While it is almost the end of the year, here are a few more December arrivals not to miss. 

Reading right now:

“My Darling” by Amanda Robson is a domestic thriller about the couple next door. That couple that moves in and you think you are going to be best friends, until everything goes wrong and you find out that perhaps at least one of the new neighbors is completely crazy.

On hold right now:

Rookie detective Natalie Lockhart tackles her second big case (as in the second in the series) in “The Wicked Hour” by Alice Blanchard. Halloween gets out of hand in Burning Lake, New York, and Detective Lockhart must investigate the body of the unknown woman found in the dumpster the next morning. Her investigation leads her to the belief that the body is just the latest in a series of disappearances of women.

Peter Moreira’s “Hitman on Haight” is the second in his Haight Crime series which takes place in San Francisco in the 1960s. San Francisco Detective Jimmy Spracklin must find who killed and dismembered a hippie who happens to be the daughter of a rich industrialist.

Harriet Tyce’s second book is “The Lies You Told” which finds a recently divorced attorney moving to London with her daughter. At first, they have a hard time settling into their new life but soon friendships develop and they start to settle into their new environment. Unfortunately, those new friends may actually be enemies.

Other Mysterious Things:

Other books of interest coming out this month include Victoria Gilbert’s latest “A Deadly Edition” which is the fifth in the Blue Ridge Library mystery series. Molly MacRae’s fourth book in the Highland Bookshop mystery series is "Heather and Homicide.” Sam Carrington’s unusual “The Open House” centers around Nick and Amber Miller who hold an open house to try to sell their house only to have thirteen people enter their house and have only twelve leave.

 

Let’s Stay Home and Read a Book!

 

It is usually the most wonderful time of the year, but right now it’s pretty dangerous out there. The best thing to do right now is stay home and read a book. Here are some of my suggestions. If you haven’t read these yet, you really should. Stay safe, stay home, and have a wonderful Holiday Season in a whole new way.

You might want to start with any Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. If you are a mystery lover and haven’t read these – you must! And if you have teens or even pre-teens introduce them to Sherlock and see what happens. If you want to go back in time but not as far as Sherlock Holmes take a look at the early Ed McBain and John D. MacDonald mysteries. “The Beast Must Die” by Nicholas Blake is part of a series written in the 1930s that you may have missed. Go back and revisit the classics. They never disappoint and can become old friends that you visit over and over again when you need them.

If you want a good laugh, you must try Carl Hiaasen’s mystery novels. If you get English humor try the 2020 humorous “The Thursday Murder Club” by Richard Osman. Other funny mystery authors include Jana DeLeon, Lilian Jackson Braun, Kinky Friedman, Chris Grabenstein, Kellye Garrett, and Tim Dorsey. Humor is something really needed right now so definitely try one of these and you can always fall back on Janet Evanovich.

We live in a time when there are so many amazing books to read that you just cannot get around to them all and 2020 has not disappointed in this area. All of the following are must read mysteries that came out this year. For a dark, creepy domestic thriller do not miss “Magpie Lane” by Lucy Atkins.  Helen Fields “Perfect Kill” is the sixth book in Helen Fields’ DI Callanach series (the first was “Perfect Remains).  “Good Girl, Bad Girl” was the first in a new series by Michael Robotham and he followed it up this year with “When She was Good.” This legal thriller series started off with “Summary Justice” and now the third in the series is“Forced Confessions” by John Fairfax.  Walter Mosley has had a long career with many awards and many amazing books. He newest is “Trouble is What I Do” which is the first book in a series that started with “The Long Fall.” Lisa Jewel’s most recent stand-alone is “Invisible Girl," Simone St. James’ latest is a bit of a horror book which is alright with me because it is amazing and you can always go back and read the rest of her mystery books (“The Sun Down Motel”). “The Night Swim” by Megan Goldin is another great mystery from this timely author. Austrian author Christian White has written two amazing mysteries with the latest being “The Wife and the Widow.”

All of these mysteries will make your hours at home go by quickly and make them much more fun.

 

If you have extra time to read this Christmas, there are lots of new mysteries that take place or revolve around Christmas available to help you fill up that time.

Reading right now:

Wes Markin’s sixth book in his DCI Michael Yorke series is “Christmas with the Conduit.” This book starts out on Christmas day and is a standard police procedural whereas most of the books mentioned here are cozies.

On hold right now:

Ava Zuma’s fifth book in the Sunshine Cove Cozy mystery series is “Christmas Carols and Lipstick Perils.”

Donna Muse has a novella series called Mrs. Pomolo Investigates and her 15^th and 16^th books in the series are “Merry Christmas & Murder” and “Christmas Trees & Trickery.”

“A Corpse for Christmas” is the fifth book in the Izzy Palmer mystery series by Benedict Brown. This is a pretty funny series and Izzy is a Private Investigator.

Jenna St. James presents the eighth book in her Sullivan Sisters mystery series called “Christmas Alley Murder.”

Vicki Delany is bringing her Year Round Christmas mystery series to an end with her fifth and final book in the series called “Dying in a Winter Wonderland.”

The 26^th book in Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen series is the “Christmas Cupcake Murder.”

Anne Perry adds “A Christmas Resolution” to her Christmas series. This is the 18^th book in this historical series.

Carlene O’Connor’s sixth book in the Irish Village mystery series is “Murder at an Irish Christmas.”

Amy Boyles “Witcher Upper Christmas” is her fourth book in the Magical Renovation Mystery. This book is a paranormal mystery where getting ready for Christmas involves solving a murder.

Other Mysterious Things:

There are any number of omnibus collections of Christmas mysteries and/or short story collections available this year. Addison Moore and Bellamy Bloom have “A Christmas to Dismember” which is an omnibus collection of Country Cottage mysteries. Another omnibus collection is “Christmas Crackers” by Christine Bernard, et al. “Christmas Cookie Cozies” is a collection of mysteries by Gretchen Allen, et al. Peggy Ehrhart, et al presents a Christmas omnibus called “Christmas Card Murder.” “Afraid of the Christmas Lights” is a new collection by Mark Billingham, Sophie Hannah and Val McDermid.

Others:

 

Plenty of hot new releases are coming out in December and here are some new additions to some well-known mystery series to add to your list of must reads.

Reading right now:

Jeff Lindsay’s “Fool Me Twice” is the second in the Riley Wolfe series. Once upon a time Lindsay wrote the Dexter series and probably could have retired after the television deals, but instead he is writing a new series about another bad guy who is a master thief. Wolfe is a modern day Robin Hood who gets kidnapped by an arms dealer who wants a fresco stolen from the Vatican. His message to Riley is “do it or die.” Unfortunately, another arms deader wants a double cross or he will kill the woman Riley loves.

On hold right now:

Tami Hoag’s third book in the Broussard and Fourcade series is “Bad Liar.” In their latest case, Broussard and Fourcade find that the disappearance of a successful business man with a loving family is no simple hunting accident. Instead his life was full of secrets that start to unravel as the detectives looks closely at his life.

“Leave No Trace” is the fifth book in the FBI K-9 series by Sara Driscoll. FBI handler Meg Jennings and her K-9 partner head to George to investigate the death of two different victims of an arrow through the heart. While investigating the deaths, more victims are being killed and the motive seems to lie a past that needs to be uncovered.

J.D. Kirk’s ninth book in the DCI Logan series is “A Snowball’s Chance in Hell.” After DCI Jack Logan discovers that a young man who was found on a snowy street frozen to death was actually tortured and killed, he finds that the killer is “The Iceman” who has embarked on a second wave of vigilante justice.

“Wrong Alibi” is the first in a new series by Christina Dodd. The series actually opened with a novella called “Right Motive” which came out last month. Set in Rockin, Alaska the book introduced new police officer Gabriella Donatti. In “Wrong Alibi” Evelyn Jones gets hired by Donald White and when he disappears she is accused and convicted for his murder. She escapes and goes into hiding under an alias until one day Donald White returns and Evelyn becomes a hunter.

Other Mysterious Things:

No one wants to miss the latest addition to a series that they love so I don’t want to forget to mention the following books. Thomas Perry’s latest is his fourth book in the Butcher’s Boy series which is called “Eddie’s Boy.” Nick Oldham adds the 27^th book to his Henry Christie series called “Bad Timing.” “Under the Alaskan Ice” by Karen Harper is the second book in her Alaska Wild series.

 

It’s relaxing to read a stand-alone novel once in a while. Sometimes it feels like every famous mystery author writes series books. Fortunately for readers who enjoy not having to remember the history of all the characters in a mystery series, there are plenty of stand-alone mystery novels being written. Here are just a few that just came out.

 

Reading right now:

Layne Fargo’s stand-alone mystery “They Never Learn” welcomes a new type of serial killer:  a female English Professor who kills just once a year when she chooses the worst man at her university as her victim. Unfortunately, after a few years the body count has gotten a little too high for the authorities not to notice.

On hold right now:

“They’re Gone” is the stand alone debut novel from E.A. Barres. When two men are murdered in the same way on the same night, their wives look for answers. After they join forces to look for the truth, they find their own lives threatened.

Liz Nugent’s “Our Little Cruelties” is a stand-alone in which the fight for their Mother’s attention becomes a lifelong habit of three working class brothers which eventually brings about the death of one of the brothers. Sinister family relationships are taken to the extreme in this dark mystery novel.

“The Kingdom” is Jo Nesbo’s latest stand-alone which reunites two brothers. One brother stayed home after his parents died and built his life in his hometown while the other went in search of something more. Now the adventuring brother is back with an idea to build a spa which would make everyone rich. Unfortunately, there were deadly secrets that are now being unearthed and the body count is rising.

“The Hidden Hours” is Sara Foster’s new stand-alone about an office worker who is found dead in the Thames after her office Christmas Party. The new office temp cannot remember the hours leading up to her coworker’s death and must find the answers before she is arrested for the murder.

Other Mysterious Things:

Many authors who write famous series also sometimes write stand-alone novels. It seems like even when an author finds a character they like, they too probably want a little variety. David Baldacci has perhaps eight series going, but has also written a handful of stand-alone novels. Michael Connelly has Harry Bosch and the Lincoln Lawyer which seems like more than enough, yet he has other series going and a few stand-alone novels. Agatha Christie wrote everything including tons of short stories.  Dashiell Hammett also wrote a bit of everything. Raymond Chandler wrote his Philip Marlowe series and short stories. John Grisham predominately writes stand-alone novels. Gillian Flynn and Ruth Ware have so far written stand-alone novels. I guess the important part for those of us who are readers is that they keep on writing great books. That’s all we need.

 

Historical mysteries are an amazing blend of mystery with a deep sense of a past time and place. There are many historical mystery authors that I love so much that I never want to miss their most recent additions including Jeri Westerson, C.S. Harris, Andrea Penrose, D.M. Quincy, M.L. Huie, Ambrose Parry, and so many more. We may have once thought of historical mysteries as being dominated by English authors, but that is far from the truth today where brilliant historical mysteries are coming from authors from all over the globe. Here are just a few historical mystery authors from the United States with books out this month.

 

Reading right now:

Somehow I missed Allen Eskens’ stand-alone novel “Nothing More Dangerous” which actually came out last year, but the paperback is now available. This timely novel is set in a small town in Missouri in 1976 when the disappearance of a black woman reveals the social and racial divides. Two teenagers, one black and one white, join forces to try to discover what happened to Lida Poe and uncover secrets that could tear their world apart.

On hold right now:

“The Silver Shooter” by Erin Lindsey is the third book in the Rose Gallagher mystery series. Pinkerton agent Gallagher and her partner are hired by Theodore Roosevelt to investigate attacks on animals and people that are taking place in the South Dakota Badlands where Roosevelt owns a ranch. The attacks are being blamed on the supernatural and Gallagher finds the Badlands really are the wild west.

Rosemary Simpson’s “Death, Diamonds, and Deception” is the fifth book in the Gilded Age Mystery series. Heiress Prudence MacKenzie and ex-Pinkerton Geoffrey Hunter are searching New York for stolen diamonds which once belonged to Marie Antionette.

S.M. Goodwin just introduced a brand new series with two detectives Jasper Lightner and Hieronymus Law in “Absence of Mercy.” A string of murders in Pre-Civil War New York bring Lightner and Law together to stop the murders while the city’s law enforcement is falling into the hands of dangerous gangs. This could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Other Mysterious Things:

I have to mention a few of the best known American historical mystery authors including Laurie R. King who has a new book coming out in December, Charles Todd who has two books coming out in 2021, and Deanna Raybourn. Not all American historical mystery authors set their historical mysteries in the United States for instance Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell series is set in England. Nancy Herriman, however, has a San Francisco based mystery series which is worth reading. No matter what your taste you should be able to find something you will love when you look closely at historical mystery authors.

 

Plenty of Christmas themed mysteries are coming out right now and you may have to start right now to get through them all before Christmas. Of course, you can’t really go anywhere or do anything with others so you may have the time after all.

 

Reading right now:

 Donna Andrews has written two Christmas themed mysteries this year. I already read “Owl Be Home for Christmas” and am currently reading “The Gift of the Magpie.” Both of these books are additions to the Meg Langslow series (the 26^th and the 28^th book in the series). If you are a fan of this series, you already know what to expect from Meg and her amazing and amusing family. If you want humor with your murder, you cannot go wrong with this series.

On hold right now:

Nancy Coco’s “Have Yourself a Fudgy Little Christmas” finds Allie McMurphy being directed to a dead woman in a snowbank by a note she receives and just when she was making Christmas fudge. This is the eighth book in the Candy-Coated mystery series.

In Maya Corrigan’s “Gingerdead Man,” Val Deniston’s private Christmas tea is upended when Santa is killed by a poisoned gingerbread cookie. This is the seventh book in the Five-Ingredient mystery series.

Maddie Day’s “Candy Slain Murder” reveals a skeleton in the attic of a local home that had caught on fire which starts local café owner Robbie Jordan down the road of solving the mystery in this eighth book in the Country Store mystery series.

In “Hollyberry Homicide” by Sharon Farrow, a local shop owner agrees to be in a production of “A Christmas Carol,” but finds her life in danger. This is the fifth book in the Berry Basket Mystery series.

Joanne Fluke just released a set of three short Christmas-themed mysteries under the title “Christmas Sweets.” A second anthology of three holiday themed novellas by Leslie Meier, et al. is “Christmas Card Murder.”

“Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder” by Tina Kashian takes place on the Jersey Shore at the annual Polar Bear Plunge. This year, however, a local caterer with a lot of enemies is found dead in the water by restaurant manager Lucy Berberian. This is the fifth book in the Kebab Kitchen Mystery series.

Anne Perry just added the 18^th book to her Christmas series and it’s called “A Christmas Resolution.”

“Murder at an Irish Christmas” by Carlene O’Connor proves that large family parties can be murder. When Siobhan O’Sullivan’s family gets together for Christmas her grandfather ends up murdered and she steps in to discover the killer. This is the sixth book in the Irish Village mystery series.

Other Mysterious Things:

There are so many more available and I have only named a few for you to get started or just to stay busy this season. In addition, Isis Crawford writes a Mystery with Recipes series in which she often incorporates holidays and her two Christmas books were “A Catered Christmas” and “A Catered Christmas Cookie Exchange.” Other authors who have written Christmas themed mysteries are Joanne Fluke, Craig Johnson (“Christmas in Absaroka County”), Leslie Meier, Maxine Paetro (“19^th Christmas”), Vicki Delany (“Dying in a Winter Wonderland”), Karen White (“The Christmas Spirits on Tradd Street”), Alex Pine (“The Christmas Killer”), David Rosenfelt (“The Twelve Dogs of Christmas”), and David Baldacci (“The Christmas Train”).