4/5 stars Guilty by Definition , by Susie Dent (2019) Martha is the newly appointed senior editor of the Clarendon English Dictionary in Oxford, England, working with fellow lexicographers Alex, Safi, and Simon. When they start receiving cryptic letters in the mail, at first they don't think much of it. But as they look closer and start to decipher some of the clues, it becomes apparent that the writer, who calls him or herself "Chorus," is dropping hints about the mysteriou

3/5 stars The Blue Hour , by Paula Hawkins (2024) TW: Domestic violence When I picked up this book I couldn't remember what else Paula Hawkins had written, but thought I remembered liking her. As it turns out, I was half right. Hawkins wrote Girl on the Train , which I loved, but also Into the Water , which I was pretty luke-warm on. My biggest complaint with that book is that while I enjoyed the mystery while reading it, it was utterly forgettable. With Blue Hour I feel si

5/5 stars A Sorceress Comes to Call , by T. Kingfisher (2024) TW: Emotional/psychological abuse I didn't realize when I read this that it is sort of a re-telling of a Grimm's tale called "The Goose Girl," which I'm not familiar with. But having read a bit about that story, I can pretty confidently say that this is a very loose interpretation, and that for all that the Brothers Grimm fairytales are dark and often disturbing, I think A Sorceress Comes to Call takes the creepy

5/5 stars The Tainted Cup and A Drop of Corruption , by Robert Jackson Bennett (2024 & 2025) These books really deliver when it comes to a well-developed fantasy world, intriguing murder mysteries, and quirky, compelling characters! If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes stories, but also would like that to be happening in a place where people have magical powers grafted to their bodies using the blood of sea leviathans who lumber ashore and try to destroy the kingdom... you'r

4/5 stars The Writing Retreat , by Julia Bartz (2023) This is one of those books where it’s best to go into it knowing only the very basics - like, what’s on the back cover - so I won’t say too much. But I really enjoyed this literary murder mystery / thriller / haunted house story! Rosa Vallo is a famous author known for her feminist horror novels. She lives a reclusive life in a large estate in the Catskills, but once a year she invites a small group of female writers to h

3/5 stars Things Don't Break on Their Own , by Sarah Easter Collins (2024) TW: Domestic & child abuse Friends Willa and Robyn meet in boarding school, not long after Willa's younger sister Laika disappears. Throughout the year at school, they slowly develop a strong friendship, which develops into a romantic relationship. But the relationship fizzles when Willa learns that her father may be responsible for Laika's death, and leaves school to return home. As time passes, Will

2/5 stars The Staircase in the Woods , by Chuck Wendig (2025) I cannot recommend this book because of all the needlessly disturbing content. Honestly, if there's a trigger, this book has it. TW: Blood & gore, Extreme violence, Sexual abuse, Pedophilia, Self-harm, Drug & alcohol abuse, Death of a child/parents, Torture, Rape, Incest, Addiction, Domestic abuse .... you can view them ALL here: Storygraph - Content Warnings . With that in mind, it's hard to review this book beca

3/5 stars Model Home , by Rivers Solomon (2024) TW: Racism, homophobia & transphobia, child sexual abuse, emotional abuse, parent death,...

3/5 stars How to Solve Your Own Murder and How to Seal Your Own Fate , by Kristen Perrin (2024 & 2025) How to Solve Your Own Murder ...

3/5 stars Strange Pictures , by Uketsu (2022) Translated by Jim Rion This is an unconventional little murder mystery that has the feel...

3/5 stars The Last Murder at the End of the World , by Stuart Turton (2024) "Solve the murder to save what's left of the world..." It's...

3/5 stars Magic for Liars , by Sarah Gailey (2019) Private investigator Ivy Gamble's meat-and-potatoes work is mostly following cheating...

3/5 stars The Antique Hunter's Death on the Red Sea , by C.L. Miller (2025) Not quite as fun the first book, An Antique Hunter's Guide to...

1/5 stars The Enigma of Room 622 , by Jo ël Dicker (2020) Translated by Robert Bononno If I were the translator I'd take a biiiiiiig...

3/5 stars The Only One Left , by Riley Sager (2023) Kit McDeere is a home health aide, currently living at home with her father after...

4/5 stars Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) , by Jesse Sutanto (2025) Another cozy murder mystery with your favorite old...

5/5 stars Those We Thought We Knew , by David Joy (2023) Trigger Warning: Racially motivated violence It's hard not to just copy-paste a...

4/5 stars I Have Some Questions For You , by Rebecca Makkai (2023) Bodie Kane is a film professor and true crime podcaster in...

3/5 stars The Traitor , by Ava Glass (2023) A few years ago I read Alias Emma by Glass, and really enjoyed. Good spy novel. The Traitor...

5/5 stars The Book of Doors , by Gareth Brown (2024) Fantastic book for book-lovers! Cassie works at a bookstore in New York City. She...