Last week I talked about some cozy mysteries that might be fun as a Halloween read. Now it seems only fair to look at some scarier mysteries that could make Halloween even more fun and special. Usually when we think of being scared by a book, we think of Horror novels, but there are some pretty scary mystery novels. At one time, almost all mystery novels involved serial killers and now psychological thrillers and domestic thrillers dominate. If you think about it most of the serial killers that mystery novelists have written about are totally terrifying and domestic thrillers that convince you that you will never be safe in your home are also horrifying. Whatever you find scarier serial killers or domestic thrillers, there are a lot to choose from so take your pick and perhaps some of the books below will help you get started.

Reading right now:

C. J. Tudor’s “The Other People” has been called creepy and chilling.  Gabe is driving home one night when he sees his 5-year-old daughter’s face in the rear window of the car in front of him. He spends years looking for his daughter until one day the car he saw his daughter in is found with a body inside. British author Tudor became famous in 2018 with her first novel “The Chalk Man” and “The Burning Girls” comes out next February.

 

On hold right now:

 In August, Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan combined forces to write a combination Mystery and Horror novel which is the first in a new series called the Blackwood Tapes series called "The Hallow Ones." FBI agent Odessa is forced to kill her partner when he turns violent while they are trying to arrest a murderer on a rampage. Odessa is convinced she saw a shadow flee her partner’s body after his death. It doesn’t take long for her to be on the trail of this evil being.

The latest and 19th novel in the Agent Pendergast series came out in February and was called “Crooked River.” This series started out with a Horror novel (“The Relic”) and morphed into an FBI mystery series with rather odd side stories. Pendergast always reminds me of Sherlock Holmes and is a series that I look forward to reading every time a new one comes out.

The 18^th book in the Charlie Parker series by John Connolly is coming out in November. His book may be a little late for Halloween, but if you haven’t read the series start with “Every Dead Thing.” Connolly has written Horror and Mystery novels, but his Charlie Parker series is always haunting and could well fit in for Halloween.

Laura Purcell has written both Horror and Mystery novels and her last “The House of Whispers” was a gothic historical mystery. This scary house by the sea where servants tell strange tales is reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier, Mary Stewart, and Diane Setterfield.

Other Mysterious Things:

Personally I feel that Ruth Ware’s books fit into the Halloween theme: from “The Woman in Cabin 10” to her latest “One by One.” Her latest has been compared to “And then There Were None” by Agatha Christie which was full of creep factor with people disappearing and being murdered and no idea of who the killer is. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Hound of the Baskervilles” is a terrific Halloween book. All of Thomas Harris’ Hannibal Lecter books fall into the most terrifying serial killer books ever written and if you haven’t read the series start with “Red Dragon aka Manhunter.” Raphael Montes’ “Perfect Days” falls into the terrifying “man who loves a woman so much that he kidnaps her” category. Stephen King’s Bill Hodges mystery series is the perfect choice for a scary holiday season and begins with “Mr. Mercedes.” If you get too creeped out turn on all the lights and hide under the covers.

Halloween reading doesn’t have to be scary Horror novels. There are many cozy mystery authors who have written fun and entertaining books that take place over Halloween or during the fall. There are also authors who write great paranormal mystery books and series that also take place over Halloween or have fall themes. These books are paranormal light. They aren’t really scary. The books just accept the paranormal as a part of life. If you feel that you might enjoy some cozy mystery novels with fun characters and a little twist, these authors are worth your time and won’t scare you to death. So take your pick of these entertaining Halloween or fall mysteries and enjoy.

Reading right now:

Kacey Gene’s first book in her cozy mystery series was “The Slay of the Santas” where we were introduced to second-grade teacher Jennifer Hunter’s amateur sleuthing and her friend Lieutenant Jake Hollow. Her fifth book in the series which just came out is “Pumpkin Spyce” which takes place during the Pumpkin Festival which turns totally and unexpectedly murderous.

On hold right now:

Kathi Daley writes cozy mysteries and has all kinds of series going, many of which seem to include holidays. The first book in her Zoe Donovan series was “Halloween Hijinks” and her most recent book in the series (which is the 34^th book in the series) is “Deja Diva” which is also written around the Halloween season. Her most recent and fifth book in the Cat in the Attic mystery series is “The Magic of Halloween Night.”

Jenn McKinlay’s Cupcake Bakery mystery series includes a couple of Halloween or fall themed books from “Pumpkin Spice Peril” to “Dark Chocolate Demise.”

Most of Kathleen Suzette’s mystery cozy series include pumpkins. Her Pumpkin Hollow mystery series book 16 which just came out is “Pumpkin Spice Lies.” Her 14^th book in the Rainey Daye cozy mystery series is “Pumpkin Spice Donuts and a Murder.”

J. A. Whiting’s third book in her Tipperary Carriage Company mystery series is “The Halloween Coachman.” Whiting has other series books which include mysteries with a paranormal twist which would be fun for Halloween especially the ghostly ones.

Another author that writes a couple of paranormal mystery series is Kennedy Layne whose most recent and fourteenth book in her Paramour Bay Cozy paranormal mystery series is “Pumpkin Blend.” Author Morgana Best’s Miss Spelled paranormal kitchen witch series started with “Miss Spelled” and her 15^th book in the series “The Halloween Truth Spell” just came out.

There is a brand new paranormal mystery series coming out this month which involves a magical town and witches. This first book in the Melting Pot Café series by Polly Holmes is “Pumpkin Pies & Potions.”

Other Mysterious Things:

Many famous authors have used holidays as a background to their mystery novels and haven’t left out Halloween which seems a perfect backdrop to murder. Leslie Meier’s cozy mystery series about Maine housewife Lucy Stone has hit almost every holiday including Halloween in the “Candy Corn Murder” and the “Trick or Treat Murder.” Isis Crawford’s mystery with recipes series also includes a lot of holidays like “A Catered Halloween.” Susan Wittig Albert’s China Bayles series included “Witches’ Bane,” for the Halloween element. Donna Andrews also likes to include holidays in her books and her “Lord of the Wings” was an Halloween addition to her Meg Langslow series. There are so many paranormal mystery authors (many of which I have mentioned previously), but two that I want to mention again are Bailey Cates and Bobbi Holmes both of whom would make great Halloween reads. I love Halloween any and every year, but maybe this year it is even more important. Our pandemic has changed so much that it becomes even more important to find a way to enjoy everything we can including Halloween. Despite our limitations there are so many parts of Halloween you can enjoy without endangering or infecting yourself or others including going crazy with the decorations, buying special treats to enjoy, carving pumpkins, and definitely reading Halloween related books.

This week I was talking to a friend about books that have made an impact on our lives. I read a lot, but I don’t remember all the books I read. If I remember a book, I know it is because that book resonated with me in some way.  I remember finding Mary Stewart’s books in my local library when I was young. Books like “The MoonSpinners” included mystery and romance which was a heady combination for a young girl. Dashiell Hammett’s books like “The Thin Man” and “The Maltese Falcon” hold fond memories for me and the movies were great as well. Another book that is unforgettable was “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. The Sherlock Holmes books (mostly short stories) fit in this category as well. Holmes is a damaged man who has much to offer mankind and much to offer readers who hate their own imperfections. Umberto Eco’s “The Name of the Rose” is complex and haunting. I have to include Raymond Chandler’s “The Big Sleep.” The secret is to keep reading, because that is how you find what matters to you and what becomes an amazing memory that you hold in your heart throughout your life.

Reading right now:

Tana French’s “The Searcher” is now available. French’s books fit the category of memorable books and I’m sure many of you remember her first book “In the Woods” which was the first in her Dublin Murder Squad series. This book is much anticipated since French has won many awards for her work and hasn’t had a new book for two years. This is a stand alone novel centered around former Chicago police officer Cal Hooper who tries to escape his former life to build a quiet, healing new life in Ireland only to find that you can’t leave behind who you are and that everywhere you go people have secrets.

 

On hold right now:

I love David Baldacci and get very excited whenever a new book by him is on the horizon. In November, “Daylight” which is the third book in his FBI agent Atlee Pine series becomes available. Pine is still looking for her sister and when she follows a promising lead ends up stepping on the toes of John Puller who is in  the middle of making a drug ring arrest. Talk about books you will never forget, Baldacci has written a few of those. I remember vividly going to Las Vegas right after “Absolute Power” was released. I took the book with me and was so much more interested in reading that book than running around Vegas.

Finally, after four long years, Anthony Horowitz is adding to his Magpie mystery series with a second book called “Moonflower Murders.”  Horowitz has left his impact on both adults and children. His Alex Rider series for kids is extremely popular, as are his books for adults. His latest adult mystery brings back Atticus Pund and Susan Ryeland who get dragged into a twisty tale of a man perhaps wrongly convicted of murder.

Norwegian mystery authors have left a tremendous impact on the genre. Jo Nesbo’s latest called “The Kingdom” is a stand alone novel in which two brothers face their violent past. Nesbo’s twelve books in his Harry Hole series kept him on the bestseller list and his new book looks to be just as popular. His charming and funny “Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder” for children has helped him influence children and adults alike.

Lead by Example: Read

Other Mysterious Things:

Because I am a public librarian, I try to keep up with popular children’s books and books for teens. I see parents who in their attempt to help their children read actually end up embarrassing their kids and turning them off reading. Let your kids decide what they want to read and enjoy what they enjoy. There’s a secret to turning your child into a reader. The secret is to find that first book that engages their imagination and from there anything is possible. They will never be bored again and they will have amazing memories of great books. Good luck in finding that amazing book for yourself and for your kids.

Historical mystery authors bring a very special dimension to the mystery genre by adding an extreme sense of time and place to their books. Since the first historical mystery, authors have continued to grow and develop the genre and have upped the game by doing more research and really bringing their time period to life. This has inspired even non-historical mystery authors to add dimension to their novels by including elements of architectural history and points about history more and more in regular mysteries. A good example is award winning mystery author Ausma Zehanat Khan’s Rachel Getty and Esa Khattak series which opened with “The Unquiet Dead.” This excellent mystery novel isn’t an historical novel, but it revolves around what happened in the recent past which caused the murder in the present and includes a lot of history.

Reading right now:

American author Jeanne M. Dams has been writing her Dorothy Martin series long enough that “Death Comes to Durham” is now the 23^rd book in this remarkable series about an American widow who moves to England only to eventually marry a Chief Constable. In this new addition to the series, Dorothy and her now retired husband are on vacation in Durham with old friend David Tregarth. Their holiday becomes a murder investigation when David’s elderly great-aunt is accused of murder. His Great Aunt Amanda lives in a nursing home where many of the residents have memory problems and are very unreliable witnesses. While Dams’ series is not historical mysteries, the history of England and its architecture play an important role in the whole series.

On hold right now:

After spending many years writing two very popular series of mysteries, Anne Perry finally started a new series called the Elena Standish series. The second book in the series just came out and is called “A Question of Betrayal.” Perry is known for her historical mysteries and this series features Elena Standish who is a British photographer and secret agent in the 1930s. Standish’s latest assignment is to recover a double agent whose handler has vanished. Unfortunately for her, the agent is the man she once loved who she thought had betrayed her and her country.

James Benn continues his Billy Boyle World War II historical series this month with “The Red Horse.” The 15^th book in the series starts just days after the Liberation of Paris with US Army Detective Billy Boyle hospitalized with exhaustion and methamphetamine abuse issues. Since he is already in hospital, British Major Cosgrove asks Billy to help solve the murder of a British agent that died in the hospital. Billy’s recovery becomes very complicated as he tries to hid his investigation and discovers a second body.

If you love trains, the Railway Detective series is definitely for you. Edward Marston’s 18^th book in the series featuring Detective Inspector Colbeck and Sergeant Leeming is “Slaughter in the Sapperton Tunnel.” This historical series takes place in 1850s London, but always involves trains. In the latest, when going through a tunnel the train collides with seven sheep who have been penned in place to cause the accident.

Other Mysterious Things:

The British Crime Writers’ Association has presented awards in the CWA Historical Dagger category since 1999. Since 2015, SG MacLean has won the award twice for books in her Damian Seeker series. This is a really good series with amazing cover art. The books take place in London in the 1650s. SG MacLean is the niece of Alistair MacLean who wrote 29 bestsellers many of which were made into films including “The Guns of Navarone,” “Force Ten from Navarone,” and “Where Eagles Dare” and died in 1987. Other winners of the CWA Historical Dagger award in the past few years include David Young, Abir Mukherjee, Roy Clements, and Antonia Hodgson.

Many authors use the city their books are set in as another character. Los Angeles is one of those cities. A city that plays such a tremendous part in the lives of the people who live there that it takes on a life of its own. The list of authors who have had Los Angeles bring life to their books includes Michael Connelly, James Ellroy, Walter Mosley, Raymond Chandler, Joe Ide, Faye and Jonathan Kellerman, Joseph Wambaugh, Timothy Hallinan to name just a few.

 

Reading right now:

Los Angeles author Rachel Howzell Hall is well known for her series about Los Angeles Homicide Detective Elouise Norton. Hall’s most recent book is a standalone called “And Now She’s Gone” which finds investigator Grayson Sykes attempting to find Isabel Lincoln who has disappeared. As they try to locate her, Sykes finds that Isabel has been keeping secrets from those closest to her. Sykes doesn’t know if she is missing or hiding, but has reason to believe that the man who hired her to find Sykes may actually be her killer.

On hold right now:

Michael Connelly finally has another Lincoln Lawyer novel coming out in November. “The Law of Innocence” is the sixth book in the Lincoln Lawyer series. This time around Mickey Haller is accused of murder after a former client is found dead in the truck of his car. I have been waiting a long time for another book in this series and cannot wait. I just wish they would produce more movies.

“The Snow Raven” by Connie Dial is the sixth book in the Josie Corsino mystery series. Narcotics Detective Josie Corsino and her partner’s lives and reputations are almost destroyed in their attempt to uncover a dirty cop who is selling cocaine on the mean streets of 1980’s Hollywood.

Other Mysterious Things:

If you haven’t read Raymond Chandler’s novels, read them now. They are amazing novels which have been made into some great movies. At the very least, read “The Big Sleep.” Other Los Angeles authors not to miss include Ross Macdonald, James M. Cain, Elmore Leonard, Jan Burke, and Dorothy B. Hughes. If you have watched HBO’s new series based on the Perry Mason books, you might want to read the books by Erle Stanley Gardner which took place in Los Angeles. Last but not least, I have over the years enjoyed Gar Anthony Haywood’s series with Los Angeles PI Aaron Gunner.

“In L.A. people don’t have time to stop; anywhere they have to go they go there in a car. The poorest man has a car in Los Angeles; he might not have a roof over his head but he has a car.”

—Walter Mosley, “Devil in a Blue Dress” (1990)

Times have changed since 1990. Now people have no home and no car.

 Trends in modern mystery fiction is a popular subject and even I look for those trends and try to figure out what is popular and what seems to be hot. If you are looking to break into writing fiction, however, I think that it is important to let that all go. If you are just going to write what everyone else is writing, it seems unlikely that you are really going to make it. Writing, like everything else, is about talent and individuality. Go with what works for you and hope that others are drawn to it as well. Look at Ruth Ware’s books which seem to combine the old with the new. Writers like Louise Penny are still writing popular police procedurals which many critics claim are going under. You have to be true to yourself so keep it real if you are trying to write a novel and if you are just reading try to look beyond just what is popular right now and you might find some hidden gems.

 

Reading right now:

Ruth Ware’s “One by One” pays homage to Agatha Christie’s “Ten Little Indians” to a great extent and it really works. A work retreat to a French ski resort goes terribly wrong when an avalanche cuts them off from the world and one by one the coworkers are being killed off. All of the guests work for a company that makes a popular music app that advertises itself as “Voyeurism for your ears.” The story is told through two characters, Liz and Erin, which makes you think that one of them must be the killer. Like most of Ware’s books it grabs your attention and doesn’t let go until you know everything. The first Ruth Ware book I read was “The Turn of the Key” and just like her latest novel she managed to combine the old with the new (a gothic feel with invasive technology). Her books inspire me to stay up all night.

 


On hold right now:

Recently two Canadian authors added to their popular series. In “The Unlocking Season” Gail Bowen adds her 19th book to the Joanne Kilbourn series. As a writer Joanne has been pulled into helping solve mysteries too often and in this latest novel, she is working on a script for a TV series with a co-author Roy Brodnitz when he is found dead while scouting locations for the series. The second Canadian author is Louise Penny who just added the 16^th book to her Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series called “All the Devils are Here.” After Armand’s billionaire godfather is critically injured, a key is found in his possession. Gamache tries to find what it unlocks only to discover secrets that he wishes he hadn’t uncovered.

Other Mysterious Things:

Unfortunately, “Troubled Blood” by Robert Galbraith (J. K. Rowling) has become a little controversial. In this day and age, it doesn’t take much for that to happen. I have mixed feelings about reviews and critics. I think sometimes that reviewers spend too much time being negative just because it is easier to be hateful than helpful. Critics don’t just tell you about a book or movie to draw you in to see if you might be interested, they often condemn the movie or book and ruin something for you that you might have actually enjoyed. They make you second guess your taste. We are all different and enjoy different types of movies and books. We should be allowed to enjoy what we enjoy and put it aside if we think it is inappropriate or it just doesn’t match our personal taste. Life is way too short to get caught up in unnecessary drama so if something sounds like it is your taste read it or watch it and just enjoy.

Debut novels are always fascinating because we are all waiting for the next big bestselling author and read them in the hope that this is the one. It is also interesting to see if the novel is following modern trends or maybe breaking through with something original. Right now publishers seem to be willing to put more money into new authors in the hope that they will have the next break-out book. There are times when a first book gets so much money behind it that it does take off, but without great word of mouth it can run out of popularity quickly. Many times it isn’t an author’s first book that really takes off but maybe the second or third book that suddenly makes that author join the ranks of bestselling authors. Every month sees new authors trying to make an impact and here are just a few recent debuts.

Reading right now:

“The Monsters We Make” by Kali White takes place in the 1980s in suburbia where young boys are being molested and killed. This novel looks back on a time in America where allegations against a daycare center had Americans in the grip of hysteria regarding sex abuse crimes against children. This novel is based on a real life case of abductions of paperboys in Des Moines, Iowa. If the book had been written in the 1980s, the police would probably save the day. Since it has been written in 2020 in a time when police procedural books are not as popular as they once were, the police are useless and every other adult fails the young boys who are being molested and disappeared. I don’t want to say too much more about this book because I don’t want to give away too much of the plot. Let’s just say that this book is really well-written, surprising, and suspenseful. (Need help: see CDC website https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/childsexualabuse.html)

 

On hold right now:

The new debut novel from Avery Bishop “Girl Gone Mad” is a twisty thriller about the horrors of bullying. The Harpies, a middle school clique of six popular girls, bullied a classmate and swore never to tell the truth about their part in Grace’s tragic story. Fourteen years later, the bullies have grown up and one-by-one are dying under mysterious circumstances. Either Grace is back for revenge or someone in their group is getting even for her.

“Murder at Hotel 1911” by Audrey Keown is not only a debut novel but the first in a new series. Ivy Nicholas is an hotel clerk with a tendency to have panic attacks. She is an unlikely hero until one of the guests drops dead from a shellfish allergy and her friend who happens to be the hotel’s chef is accused of being careless and giving the guest something he knew she was allergic to. Ivy steps in to try to find out what really happened because she knows George would never make such a mistake.

Once again “For Whom the Book Tolls” by Laura Gail Black is a debut novel and the first in a new series. This Antique Bookshop mystery series centers around Jenna Quinn who finds her uncle murdered in his antique book store and finds herself his primary beneficiary. The million dollars he leaves her seems like a prime motive to local police so Jenna must try to find who really killed her uncle before she ends up in jail forever.

Maggie Blackburn’s first novel is also the first in her new Beach Reads mystery series called “Little Bookshop of Murder.” As Summer Merriweather’s career goes under she inherits a beach-side bookshop from her Mother who dies unexpectedly. As Summer tries to settle the estate, she discovers threatening notes that were left for her Mother and suspects murder. Obviously she cannot leave without finding out what really happened to her Mother.

Other Mysterious Things:

I have found myself reading more cozies since the pandemic, but this month sees some very dark debut novels coming out filled with revenge, child abuse, family drama, and even racist cults. Since I just finished “The Monsters We Make” and really enjoyed it, I am going to toss in a few of these more hardcore debut mysteries just in case you want a little more thrills in your life. Stephanie Buelens “An Inconvenient Woman” which centers around Claire Fontaine’s discovery that her ex-husband is getting married again to a woman with a teenage daughter. Claire suspects that her ex abused her daughter and attempts to stop the marriage.  “Sins of the Bees” by Annie Lampman follows the lives of two women who are involved in a doomsday cult. “The Stepdaughter” by Georgina Cross is not surprisingly about a stepmother who is suspected in the death of her stepdaughter, but she suspects that her husband is involved.