Reading right now:

“City of Jackals” by Parker Bilal. In this fifth book in the series, a Sudanese student disappears and Cairo PI Makana is hired to find him. Makana is distracted when a severed head is found on a nearby riverbank. The police suspect that this is just another murdered emigrant which Cairo is known for and quickly lose interest in the case. Makana’s own emigrant past pulls him into an involvement which leads him to believe that his lost student and the murdered emigrant may be connected.

On hold right now:

“Murder on the Quai” by Cara Black. Black has written 15 books in the Paris detective Aimee Leduc series. This 16^th novel is a prequel set in 1989 when Aimee was a medical student. When her father travels to Berlin, Leduc agrees to keep the family detective business going during his absence. She finds the murder case which is linked to the disappearance of a truck filled with Nazi gold fascinating and begins to believe that medical school is not the right path for her.

Other Mysterious Things:

International intrigue is always popular among mystery fans and this month brings plenty of amazing international mysteries:

“Ping Pong Heart” by Martin Limon. This 11^th book in the George Sueno and Ernie Bascom series finds the CID sergeants investigating a lowly robbery. The case quickly takes on added weight when the bar girl accused of the robbery and the Major doing the accusing are both found dead. It appears that the suspects are part of a U.S. Army battalion charged with tracking down North Korean spies.

“Marked for Life” by Emelie Schepp. This is a new Swedish series with Public prosecutor Jana Berzelius taking the lead. After the head of the migration board is shot to death in his living room, Berzelius is called in to investigate only to find mysterious child-size fingerprints in the childless home. Days later the body of a preteen is discovered with the murder weapon on the body. His body has been mutilated in a way that indicates child trafficking which plunges her into a convoluted case.

“The Crow Girl” by Erik Axl Sund. This is the first in a new series which takes place in Stockholm Detective Inspector Jeanette Kihlberg and therapist Sofia Zetterlund team up to investigate the murder of several homeless boys which seems to be related to human trafficking and a shocking truth hidden in Swedish society.

“Fatal Pursuit” by Martin Walker. This 9^th book in the Bruno, Chief of Police, series. While in the middle of one of France’s great car races, Bruno finds looking for a lost Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic, one of the most beautiful cars ever made, investigating a murder, and confronted by a complicated family feud.

And the Winners Are:

Looking at award winners for last year is a good way of finding some of the best mysteries being written today and possibly finding some great books you may have missed from last year. The Edgar award winners were recently announced and include best novel “Let Me Die in His Footsteps” by Lori Roy and best first novel “The Sympathizer” by Viet Thanh Nguyen. Other nominees in the best novel category included: “The Strangler Vine” by M. J. Carter, “The Lady from Zagreb” by Philip Kerr, “Life or Death” by Michael Robotham, “Canary” by Duane Swierczynski,” and “Night Life” by David C. Taylor.

The Agatha winners recently announced included best contemporary novel “Long Upon the Land” by Margaret Maron. The other nominees in that category were “Bridges Burned” by Annette Dashofy, “The Child Garden” by Catriona McPherson, Louise Penny’s “The Nature of the Beast,” and “What You See” by Hank Phillippi Ryan. Winning in the best historical novel category was “Dreaming Spies” by Laurie R. King. Best first novel winner was “On the Road with Del and Louise” by Art Taylor.

Anthony winners will be announced later this year, but the nominees include for best novel: Matt Coyle’s “Night Tremors,” “The Killing Kind” by Chris Holm, “The Child Garden” by Catriona McPherson, “The Nature of the Beast” by Louise Penny, and “What You See” by Hank Phillippi Ryan. Best first novel nominees are: “Concrete Angel” by Patricia Abbott, “Past Crimes’ by Glen Erik Hamilton, “New Yorked” by Rob Hart, “Bull Mountain” by Brian Panowich, and “On the Road with Del & Louise” by Art Taylor.

The Barry awards are also presented later in the year and this year’s nominees for best novel include: “Badlands” by C. J. Box, “A Song of Shadows” by John Connolly, “The Stolen Ones” by Owen Laukkanen, “Life or Death” by Michael Robotham, “Devil of Delphi” by Jeffrey Siger, and “The Cartel” by Don Wilslow. Best first novel nominees include: “Ruins of War” by John A Connell, “Past Crimes” by Glen Erik Hamilton, “Jade Dragon Mountain” by Elsa Hart, “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins, “The Unquiet Dead” by Ausma Zehanat Khan, and “Bull Mountain” by Brian Panowich.