The cold and rainy weather is perfect for curling up with a hot drink and a good book.
And what better book to pick than a mystery? Full of classic twists and turns, mystery novels have enthralled audiences for generations. Who doesn’t love a good “whodunit” mystery?
From classics such as the Nancy Drew series and Agatha Christie’s books, to modern authors such as James Patterson and J.D. Robb, there are many choices. There are so many genres of mystery novels to choose from. You can read about a mystery set in another time or a far away land or even outer space. They can be a romantic mystery or a historical mystery or just a good old-fashioned detective story.
I have selected some of my favourite titles to share:
• A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George: This is the first book of a mystery series by Elizabeth George. Set in Great Britain, it introduces Insp. Lynley and his partner Sgt. Barbara Havers as they attempt to solve a gruesome murder that leaves the peaceful village of Kendale stunned. A young woman named Roberta Teys is found beside the body of her father with the bloody axe in her lap, saying, “I did it and I’m not sorry.” As Lynley and Havers dive deeper into the case, revelations about the town begin to unfold and reveal one dark secret after another. This is a suspenseful mystery that will keep you guessing till the end.
• Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley: This novel is set in the summer of 1950, when 11-year-old genius Flavia De Luce, an aspiring chemist, happens upon a murder in a cucumber patch. Most young girls would be terrified of coming across a dead man but not Flavia. Witty and clever, she sets out to solve the case. “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn’t,” Flavia says. “Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.” We follow along as this brilliant girl solves her first, but definitely not last, mystery.
• Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey: Maud, an elderly grandmother, is convinced her best friend Elizabeth is missing. The trouble is nobody else believes her — not her children, caretakers or even the police. As she struggles to uncover the truth while dealing with the fact that she is slowly losing her memory, she sets out to find out what happened to her friend, with or without anyone’s help. With an unexpected twist along the way, the author paints a vivid picture of what it is like to live with dementia.
• The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith: Private detective Cormoran Strike, a war veteran who was wounded in Afghanistan, is struggling as a private detective. Then John Bristow walks into his office and offers him a case. His sister, Lula Landry, a supermodel, fell to her death and it was ruled a suicide — her brother however doesn’t think it was. This is the first crime novel in a series of three written under a pen name by J.K. Rowling, who wrote the Harry Potter series. It has even won an award for best audiobook, so if you are tired of reading, try listening to the book instead.
These are but a few of the wonderful mysteries out there waiting for you to read them. Several other good titles include: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn; The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith; The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins; and One for the Money by Janet Evanovich.
If you are looking for more great mystery titles, don’t hesitate to ask at your local library.
--A Good Read is a column by Tri-City librarians that is published on Wednesdays. Mikaela Martens works at PoCo’s Terry Fox Library.
