Friday, March 29, 2024

Award-Winning Mysteries

Award Winning Mysteries

“A good mystery keeps you up on Saturday night. A bad mystery puts you to sleep on Sunday afternoon.
Either way, you come out ahead.”
~ Elizabeth Jane Howard, Novelist

If you love the suspense of a good mystery, try one of the award-winning titles. You may just find your next favorite author.

The Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin

Historical Mystery. In 1836 Istanbul, ten years have passed since the elite but corrupt military force called the Janissaries were crushed by the Sultan’s New Guard — but could the group be on the rise again? The murders of four New Guard officers seem to indicate they are, which means that the Sultan himself is likely in danger. Yashim Togalu, a highly trusted eunuch who’s able to enter all areas of the palace (including the harem), is asked to investigate the killings as well as the case of some missing jewels and the murder of a concubine. In the process, Togalu uncovers political deceit and corruption in this atmospheric 1st in a series, which won the 2007 Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Mystery Novel.

What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman

Crime Novel. A confused and distressed middle-aged woman flees the scene of a Maryland hit-and-run. When captured by the police, she claims that she is the younger of the two Bethany sisters, girls who went missing from a shopping mall 30 years earlier. Though the woman refuses to tell the cops much more — including where she’s been living and what name she’s been using — she clearly knows things about the sisters that show an intimate knowledge of their lives. Kevin Infante, a divorced Baltimore County police department detective, is charged with figuring out the truth. This compelling stand-alone novel, which uses multiple points of view to great effect, won both an Anthony and a Macavity Award.

Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny

Mystery. After a case gone wrong leaves him troubled and on leave, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache travels to Québec City to stay with his retired mentor. Still, when a French-speaking historian’s body is found in an English-language library that Gamache has been visiting, he assists with the politically charged investigation. He also begins to doubt that he arrested the right person in a recent case and sends one of his top investigators back to the small village of Three Pines. Steeped in Québec history, this fantastic (it’s received starred reviews from multiple publications) 6th book in an acclaimed series is sure to win the talented author new fans; it certainly won awards, including an Agatha, an Anthony, an Arthur Ellis, a Macavity, and a Dilys.

 

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