Fans of David P. Wagner’s Italian mysteries will appreciate the lush descriptions of food and wine in Trinchieri’s third atmospheric “Tuscan Mystery” (following The Bitter Taste of Murder). The complicated personal relationships (helpfully elucidated in the book’s list of characters) add to the enjoyment.
Agatha Award winner Flower’s (“Amish Candy Shop” and “Magical Bookshop” series) first historical mystery introduces a courageous Emily Dickinson as a protagonist who’s stronger than expected. The thoughtful story involving class, social, and political issues may appeal to the poet’s fans, as well as readers of Edith Maxwell’s “Quaker Midwife Mysteries” series.
Fields’s seventh Josie Gray mystery is a timely police procedural that deals with current issues from border policing to election tampering. Suggest for readers who appreciate atmospheric procedurals that capitalize on setting.
The tension and foreboding builds gradually in this outstanding gothic debut, allowing readers to savor Ann’s voice. The disturbing account plays with class differences and women friendship, set against a medieval, academic atmosphere sheltered from the city.
Readers will be eager to try this anthology as a dozen celebrated crime fiction authors try their hand at writing traditional short stories featuring Christie’s amateur sleuth. As in any collection, some stories stand out, but they all capture the character of the shrewd, always underestimated Miss Marple.
Add another wise, experienced senior sleuth to a group that includes Richard Osman’s “Thursday Murder Club” series and even Miss Marple. De Castrique’s (“Blackman Agency Investigations” series) quirky characters and offbeat twists will appeal to Osman’s readers.
Fans of Raybourn’s “Veronica Speedwell” historical mysteries will enjoy this well-plotted story, and a thriller featuring four skilled, well-trained women is a treat in a male-dominated genre. A fast-paced, explosive, fun novel, reminiscent of the 2010 movie RED.
Filipino American culture and family take centerstage in the third mystery by Agatha Award–winning Manansala (Homicide and Halo-Halo; Arsenic and Adobo). There’s an emphasis on humor, friendship, and food in this cozy that’s lighter in tone than the previous ones.