Cats have had a long tradition of showing up in mystery novels. Cats seem mysterious and self-contained. Unlike dogs who become a part of our family, cats stand above and judge. They seem a perfect addition to a mystery. There has been a long line of famous authors with cats as major players in their novels including: Shirley Rousseau Murphy, Lilian Jackson Braun, Rita Mae Brown, Cate Conte, T.C. LoTempio, Leann Sweeney, and Claire Donally.

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The Cat in the Stacks series by Miranda James revolves around Librarian Charlie Harris and his Maine coon cat Diesel. In his eleventh book in the series called “The Pawful Truth,” the duo goes back to college only to have a fellow student end up dead.

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Sofie Kelly’s Magical Cats series is about a librarian in Minnesota who adopts or is adopted by two stray cats. She quickly discovers that they can magically help her solve crimes. In the eleventh novel “A Night’s Tail,” Librarian Kathleen Paulson finds herself helping her brother who is a suspect in the death of a businessman interested in investing in the town.

In Laurie Cass’s Bookmobile Cat mystery series, librarian Minnie Hamilton and her tabby friend Eddie drive a bookmobile around the county and, not only find readers, but crimes to solve as well. In her seventh novel “Booking the Crook,” one of Minnie’s favorite patrons doesn’t show up to pick up her books and Minnie finds her dead in her driveway. Now its time for Minnie and Eddie to solve the mystery.

Kathi Daley has written many mysteries and now she has a new series called the “Cat in the Attic” series. The first book is called “The Curse of Hollister House” and revolves around Calliope Rose Collins returning to her childhood home to find her old friend Officer Cass Wylander wrapped up in a murder investigation. Calliope, Cass, and Alastair the cat work to solve the murder.

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Coming out in January 2020 is Sofie Ryan’s sixth book in the Second Chance Cat mystery series “No Escape Claws.” Many mystery authors are still writing cat themed mysteries including Clea Simon, Rita Mae Brown, Shirley Rousseau Murphy, and Dixie Lyle so if you love cats, you might just love these mysteries.

With “The Art of Racing in the Rain” coming out as a movie, we are all reminded of the importance of dogs in our lives and more and more in our reading. Cats have played a large part in several mystery series and now dogs are showing up as important characters in books.

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Alex Kava’s fifth book in the Ryder Creed series just came out. “Desperate Creed” continues the story of Creed’s work with K-9 rescue dogs. While Creed searches for survivors in storm torn Alabama, his partner, Hannah Washington, receives a call from a desperate friend who witnessed a murder and is running for her life. Unfortunately for her she runs into the storm and finds even more danger.

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“The Dog Who Knew Too Much” by Krista Davis is the sixth book in the Paws and Claws series. Holly Miller and her Jack Russell terrier run an inn in dog friendly Wagtail, Virginia and sometimes solve murders.

Margaret Mizushima’s Timber Creek K-9 series continues with the fifth book in the series “Tracking Game.” Officer Mattie Cobb and her partner, K-9 police dog Robo, work together in Timber Creek, Colorado to solve two murders in her latest novel.

Laurien Berenson 24^th novel in her Melanie Travis series is “Here Comes Santa Paws.” Poodles abound in Berenson’s novels, as does murder.

If there is a corgi in your life, you will love Mildred Abbott’s series called the Cozy Corgi mysteries. “Meddlesome Money” is the 13^th book in the series. 

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One of my favorite fabulously funny and entertaining mystery series is David Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter series. Andy Carpenter loves dogs and spends more time with his dog than on cases. “Bark of the Night” just came out in July and “Dachshund Through the Snow” comes out in October. In March of next year, Rosenfelt is introducing a new series which is a spin off featuring Andy’s wife who is a former cop. Laurie Carpenter plans to open an investigation firm with her former police partner and his German shepherd K-9 partner. 

As the years pass, authors that wrote huge bestsellers fall by the wayside. Some sadly die and sometimes readers just get tired of an author. Fighting to stay on top has to be a constant battle. It is impressive when an author continues year after year to have readers watch anxiously for their next book to come out and make them big bestsellers. You never know when an author is going to break through and be the next big thing. David Baldacci is one of those authors that continues to stay on top of the game while writing books for adults, children, and young adults. His latest book came out in July and was a stand alone novel (“One Good Deed”). The second book in his FBI agent Altee Pine series appears in November. Other bestselling authors with new books out this month include: Sandra Browns’ “Outfox,” James Patterson’s “The Inn,” CJ Box’s “Bitterroots,” Robert Crais’ “The Dangerous Man,” and Stuart Woods’ “Contraband.” So who are the new bestselling authors whose names may not be so familiar? Here are some ideas.

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Ruth Ware’s “The Turn of the Key” is this English author’s fifth psychological twisty mystery. My suggestion regarding her books is don’t read them while you are home alone. Her latest revolves around a nanny who is accused of murdering her young charge. What seemed like the perfect job, becomes the perfect nightmare.

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JP Delaney’s third book is “The Perfect Wife.” A wife wakes up five years after a terrible accident almost takes her life. She remembers nothing least of all her husband. Somehow she doubts that the story he tells about their life together is the truth.

R.H. Herron’s debut novel “Stolen Things” looks like it could be huge. This unique novel revolves around a 911 police dispatcher who one day takes a call from her daughter who has been drugged and left in the home of a pro football player with the body of his trainer who was beaten to death. In trying to uncover the truth, this headstrong mother uncovers shocking truths about her teenage daughter and the police department she calls home.

Don’t miss Shari Lapena’s latest called “Someone We Know.” This is her sixth novel and does a great job in representing the psychological thriller. One reviewer called this trend in mystery novels “suburban paranoia” which is a perfect description of a popular sub-genre of mystery novels which revolves around home, family, and shady neighbors. I love the basis of this novel which centers around a teenager breaking into his neighbor’s homes stealing their secrets which results in murder.

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“The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides came out of nowhere in February to be a huge first novel. Once more it’s a psychological thriller and if you haven’t read it yet, you should. It’s about a famous artist who kills her husband and refuses to speak for five years. A forensic psychotherapist is assigned to dig into the case to uncover the shocking truth behind the murder.

It is frustrating to read a great book and have to wait for the author to write their next book, especially if it is a series. Certain authors put out a new book every year and some write even faster. Unfortunately, there are those authors who take years between novels. Over the next few months, several authors that you may have read years ago have finally completed another book.

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Award winning author, Lisa Sandlin wrote the first book in her Delpha Wade series “The Do-Right” in 2015. Four years later, the second book in her series is finally making an appearance. After getting out of prison for killing one of the men who tried to rape her, Delpha Wade’s job choices were few until she got a job with PI Tom Phelan. The second novel, “The Bird Boys,” continues their partnership.

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“Wall Street Heat” by Phillip Jennings once more launches CIA agents Gerard Finnegan Gearheardt and Jack Armstrong back out into the world of international spies. In 2005 and 2007, Jennings wrote two books in his Gearheardt and Armstrong series. Finally, after 12 years, Jennings has added a new book to this series called “Wall Street Heat.” These are not really mysteries, but are definitely thrillers with a twist. The books are insanely comic and the first book (“Nam-a-Rama”) which took place in Vietnam was called a “combination of Catch 22 and Apocalypse Now.” The second book had our heroes messing with Cuban/Mexican relations in “Goodbye Mexico.” If you’re a little crazy and want to try something unusual, these books are for you.

Rene Denfeld has taken only two years to write the second in her Naomi Cottle series, but two years seems a long time when you are waiting for a new favorite. Denfeld’s first book introduced a fascinating woman who finds missing children when the police have given up the search called “The Child Finder.” The second “The Butterfly Girl” continues her search for those who need her the most.

John Galligan’s fly fishing mystery series ended in 2011 and eight years later he has finally written another book called “Bad Axe County.” This could easily be a start to a new series about the first female sheriff in rural Bad Axe County, Wisconsin, taking over as sheriff to find the job takes her places she never anticipated going including closer to finding out about the death of her parents over twenty years ago. Hopefully it won’t take him another eight years to write the next book.

Kerry Greenwood may be best known for her 1920s series featuring Phryne Fisher. I wish I could say that she is adding to that series with a new book, but that’s not to be. What she has added to is her Corinna Chapman series with “The Spotted Dog” being the seventh in the series. The last in the series was “Cooking the Books” which came out eight years ago. After eight years, it may be hard to pick up the character again and remember what happened before. But knowing Greenwood’s books, it is probably worth it.

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Michael Crichton has been dead since 2008, but like many authors these days that isn’t stopping him from continuing to write. In 1969, Crichton made a tremendous splash with “The Andromeda Strain” and now, 50 years later, comes a sequel to that technothriller called “The Andromeda Evolution.” Crichton and Daniel H. Wilson have writer’s credit on this new book. Wilson’s Science Fiction books have included the Robo series which started with “Robopocalypse” in 2011 and continued with “Robogenesis” in 2014. In November, we’ll see if this sequel has as big a influence on our culture as did “The Andromeda Strain.”

Every month it is astonishing how many people win the publishing lottery to present their debut novel to the reading public. The question is always will they be another David Baldacci or will they sizzle out. All of the following are recently released debut novels from aspiring new mystery authors.

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Elizabeth MacNeal’s “The Doll Factory” is a new thriller which takes place in 1850s London where women are unable to enter the art world as anything but models. Louis Frost finds Iris irresistible as a model so when he asks to work with her, she will only agree if he is willing to teach her how to paint. Unfortunately for Iris, she doesn’t realize that she has attracted a stalker called Silas Reed. Obsession is the key in this mystery. Obsession with art and the Pre-Raphaelite movement and the obsession of one man for a woman who doesn’t know he exists.

 

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Allison Dickson’s “The Other Mrs. Miller” is a twisty domestic thriller which centers around Phoebe Miller who is living a boring suburban life until new neighbors completely turn her life upside down. Her new neighbors are so interesting that she forgets about the old car that was hanging around her neighborhood. Someone is watching her from that car. Someone who will turn her life into a nightmare.

M. T. Edvardsson adds to the long line of Swedish mystery authors with his novel “A Nearly Normal Family.” When their teenage daughter is arrested for murder, this normal family has no idea why their daughter is under arrest or how she could have known or been involved with a much older businessman. On the surface this mystery is a legal thriller, but underneath is a psychological thriller asking how well can you really know your children and how far will you go to protect them.

R. H. Herron’s “Stolen Things” starts off with a bang when 911 police dispatcher Laurie Ahmadi receives a call from her daughter while on the job. Her daughter Jojo was drugged before waking up in a famous football player’s home with a man’s corpse in the corner and her friend Harper missing. Mother and daughter team up to discover where Harper is and uncover secrets about Harper and the local police department.

 

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Other debut mysteries to consider:

Ellen Lacorte “The Perfect Fraud”

Alex North “The Whisper Man”

Daniel Nieh “Beijing Payback”

Cambria Brockman “Tell Me Everything”

Layne Fargo “Temper”
    

Special locations sometimes add to the depth of a book especially when those locations seem like an important part of the story. They call it a sense of place. For Americans a special location can just be the place outside the U.S. where the author lives since there are many famous mystery authors from all over the world that Americans enjoy. If we are not familiar with a certain location, it is easy for it to seem exotic. It is sometimes fascinating to travel to a new location with an author especially if that author mentions his city or country and it becomes a major part of the book. Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series is well known for making Los Angeles not just a background, but a part of the story.

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If you haven’t picked up an Ace Atkins’ book, the question is where have you been? Start from the beginning in the Quinn Colson series with “The Ranger” and work up to the ninth book in this series which just came out in July called “The Shameless.” Colson is a former Army Ranger who is now the local Sheriff. His latest investigation is a cold case with links to his past. Atkins lives in Mississippi and the deep south plays an important part in his books. I love this series by Atkins while not being particularly thrilled with his continuation of Robert Parker’s Spencer series (the latest of which comes out in November).

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Colin Cotterill’s latest in the Dr. Siri Palboun series is “The Second Biggest Nothing.” This is the 14^th book in the series which takes place in Laos which is a very exotic location for most of us. In the latest book, Dr. Palboun, who is the retired national coroner of Laos, finds his past rearing its head to threaten everyone he loves. Cotterill’s first book in this series, “The Coroner’s Lunch,” won a Dagger Award.

Cleveland may not be as exotic as Laos, but Vivien Chien’s latest in her Noodle Shop mystery series gives us a glimpse of Cleveland’s Asian community that may be unexpected. This exceptionally fun cozy features Lana Lee who finds herself running her family restaurant and playing amateur sleuth. “Wonton Terror” is the fourth book in the series with “Death by Dumpling” being the first and “Egg Drop Dead” coming out February, 2020.

Karin Fossum has been called the “Queen of Norwegian Crime fiction.” Her 13^th book in the Inspector Konrad Sejer series is “The Whisperer.” Her first in that series was “Eva’s Eye” (or “In the Darkness”). Fossum’s books feature average people caught in deadly circumstances with Inspector Sejer trying to untangle their lives. In the case of “The Whisperer,” an unassuming woman named Ragna Riegel finds her secrets coming back to destroy her.

“The Truth Behind the Lie” is the latest from Swedish author Sara Lovestam. This is her first adult book offered in America and is a stand alone novel (so far). When a little girl goes missing, her Mother is unable to call the police so she looks for a Private Investigator to hire and finds one online. His ad reads, “Need help, but can’t contact the police?” Secrets on both sides may get in the way of saving a child.

Stieg Larsson’s death did not stop his famous series, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” from continuing on. Fifteen years after his death, the latest in the series “The Girl Who Lived Twice” is coming out soon. This is now the sixth book in the series. While Larsson wrote the first three novels, David Lagercrantz has continued the series.

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Known as France’s most acclaimed mystery writer, Fred Vargas (Frederique Audoin-Rouzeau) is known for her police procedural series featuring Commissionaire Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg. Her first book in this series came out in 2009 and was called “The Chalk Circle Man.” Now her ninth is about to drop in August (“This Poison Will Remain”). Vargas has been called brilliant and her books are twisty, quirky, and stunning. Vargas is definitely an author to read if you enjoy interesting locations.

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Excited to read this series by Diane Kelly with a police dog as Officer Megan Luz’s new partner. This is a cozy series which sounds fun with a feisty female police officer and an adorable canine named Brigit. So far there are eight books available in this series with the ninth coming out in November.

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Linda O. Johnston’s newest book in her series Barkery & Biscuits is “For a Good Paws.” This is the fifth in the series which started with “Bite the Biscuit.” In the first book, Veterinary technician Carrie Kennersly buys a bakery which she turns into the Barkery where she sells canine treats which sets off fights with her competition who turns up dead. Her latest involves a convicted killer who is released from prison only to kill again. Carrie doesn’t believe he is guilty and sets out to find out what really happened. Her cozy series includes recipes for humans and dogs.

 

Laurien Berenson’s Melanie Travis series started with “A Pedigree to Die For” after Melanie’s uncle dies and his prize-winning poodle disappears. Now the 23^rd book in the series is out and Melanie is accused of murdering Evan Major, the owner of a Bulldog puppy that Melanie has agreed to train. To solve the murder, Melanie gathers her Bite Club Reading group together to trap the real killer. Watch out in September for the 24^th Melanie Travis book called “Here Comes Santa Paws.”

 

Spencer Quinn’s latest is “Heart of Barkness” which is the ninth book in the Chet and Bernie mystery series which started with “Dog on It.” Chet and Bernie have had more than their share of bad luck. When they first met, Chet was a failing PI and Bernie had just flunked out of police dog training. Once they found each other, they found that together they could be great detectives. Chet actually narrates this series of novels in a gritty and hardboiled voice.

In the nineteenth book in the Andy Carpenter series, golden retriever Tara and attorney Andy Carpenter continue solving mysteries. Andy’s self-deprecating humor is entertaining and fun, but his dedication to Tara and all things dog is heartfelt and enticing. While Tara gives Andy the will to live, Andy is an attorney who not only defends his clients in court, but enlists his friends to solve the puzzle before going to court. In “Bark of Night,” Andy is trying to discover who murdered the owner of a perfect French bulldog named Tiny. Tiny was left with Andy’s vet with instructions to euthanize the dog. When the vet started asking questions, he discovered that Andy’s help would be needed. For those of us who love Andy Carpenter, the good news is that October 1 will see the release of the 20^th book in this series, “Dachshund Through the Snow.”

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Dogs as major or minor characters in books are extremely popular--almost as popular in books as in our society. With our growing love of dogs, it is no wonder that authors are finding ways to include them in their books. Some of the authors who are indulging dog lovers include: Carol Lea Benjamin, Sheila Connolly, Krista Davis, Margaret Mizushima, David Handler, Bethany Blake, Waverly Curtis, Peggy Webb, Susan Conant, Donna Ball, and so many others that I will have to come back to doggie mysteries again soon. The books shown below are the first in each series: