Murder Most Haunted by Emma Mason

With the title of Murder Most Haunted, and the knowledge that Emma Mason’s novel is a locked-room mystery, I was looking forward to an exciting story. Instead, I felt the story was slow-paced with dislikable characters, even the protagonist. She spent thirty...

Death in the Details by Katie Tietjen

If you like historical mysteries, especially those inspired by real people, check out Katie Tietjen’s solid debut, Death in the Details. Without spoilers, I can say it’s inspired by the real-life mother of forensic science, Frances Glessner Lee....

Off the Air by Christina Estes

Emmy Award-winning reporter Christina Estes tackles two subjects she knows in her mystery debut; TV journalism and Phoenix. Her Tony Hillerman Prize-winning debut is Off the Air. Phoenix TV reporter Jolene Garcia is always trying to top her last story and beat the...

Murder by Lamplight by Patrice McDonough

I love the discovery of a debut novel. Patrice McDonough’s Murder by Lamplight is a fast-paced, fascinating historical mystery set in Victorian England in 1866. It features two protagonists who have been through rough times. Despite their differences,...

The Night of the Storm by Nishita Parekh

Nishita Parekh’s debut thriller, The Night of the Storm, is a locked room mystery with several different twists. The Indian-American family stuck together in a mansion is trapped by Hurricane Harvey as it hits Houston. And, the protagonist is a single mother of...