What I've been reading lately... yes, they're all murder mysteries this time. My latest reads, or should I say audiobooks are all murder mysteries. If you enjoy twisty mysteries then you're sure to find something to enjoy on this list. And don't worry, none of them are too graphic. Even though these murders deal with serial killers, cold-blooded murder, and psychopaths, all of these books don't go into too much gruesome detail.
Enjoy these 8 Murder Mystery Books
Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
Lisa Jewell books have been all over my Pinterest, so of course I placed a few titles on hold with my library. This was the first to come available. Then She Was Gone is about a woman who's daughter has gone missing without a trace. It's an intriguing story that I powered through in about 2 days. While I enjoyed the storytelling and different points of view, nothing jumped out at me as thrilling or unexpected (maybe I read too many murder mysteries...)
The Midnight Hour by Elly Griffiths
This is the sixth book in the Brighton Mysteries/Stephens & Mephisto series. This series has followed a post war British detective and magician as they solve crimes. Their shared war history and stage magic are often brought into each book making each case not quite as it seems. I believe this is the last book in the series as many loose ends are tied up, but overall it was a little unsatisfying. If you enjoy a relatively comfy murder mystery with hints of magic, you might enjoy this book, however, I recommend reading these books in series order for them to make the most sense.
Shadow Over the Fens by Joy Ellis
This is the second book in the DI Nikki Galena series. I read the first book in the series last year and then got sidetracked with many of Elly Griffiths books. This series is definitely one of those hard boiled cop with a dynamic backstory type series, but with a female lead detective and lots of action. In this book, DI Nikki Galena and her recently back to work sergeant are dealing with strange deaths in their area. When they discover that not only are the murders related, but that they're also tied to DS Joseph Easter's military past, everything comes into question, especially the identity of the killer. This book kept me guessing until the end.
Hunted on the Fens by Joy Ellis
DI Galena is recently back to work after the loss of her daughter. She is immediately thrown into a locked room murder as well as a maniac killer who is hunting her team of detectives. Finding out who the killer is is just as hard as knowing when they'll strike. This book is action packed from beginning to end. The only things I wasn't as keen on was the romantic undertones starting to brew.
The Only One Left by Riley Sager
I've been putting off reading this book for a while, because I read another Riley Sager book last year and didn't really enjoy it, even though it came highly recommended. When my library holds stalled in the waiting queue I picked this book back up to give Sager another try.
The Only One Left is a twisty mystery that keeps you guessing. Did Lenora Hope really murder her family, like everyone thinks she did? There were a few moments I found cringy and awkward, especially Kit's penchant for jumping to conclusions. Overall it was a riveting, if unbelievable murder mystery.
The Man In the Queue by Josephine Tey
A man waiting in line for the last performance of a famous British performer is found dead. Sound pretty straight forward, right? This book is anything but that. Tey manages to through in red herrings galore and get the reader so mixed up that it's hard to really tell what is going on with this murder mystery. So much so that I'm not sure I want to read any additional books in this series. If you enjoy cozy British detectives who plod along and wait for all to be revealed, then you might enjoy this book. For me, it was too convoluted.
Killer on the Fens by Joy Ellis
A young man is found hurt in a shaft near an old airfield. What the police find next is chilling- a serial killer's crypt. This is the fourth book in the DI Nikki Galena series and the more into this series I get, the more it seems like a movie. A detective with a never ending backstory that is slowly divulged throughout the series, a villain that continues to crop up and haunt her, and gruesome murders that take place in a seemingly normal and somewhat rural town. Like the other Ellis books in this series, it's very entertaining, if unbelievable. Will I continue to read this series, probably, but I'll also look for other books to space them out.
Stalker on the Fens by Joy Ellis
The fifth book in the DI Galena series takes us to one of Nikki's friends, Helen. Helen is recovering from an accident and starting anew, but it seems that someone might be stalking her and she's having flashbacks from the day of her accident. When Helen is found dead, everyone wishes they had taken her more seriously. Now Nikki and her team must discover who the killer is before they strike again. Since Helen was an aromatherapist and well loved in the community, the suspect list is stageringly long. Of all the books I've read so far in this series, I enjoyed this one the most. Ellis does a great job of disguising the killer and throwing out plausible additional suspects.
The Embroidery Side of Things
Not to sound like a broken record, but I've been putting together tons of embroidery kits while listening to these books. At the beginning of February, I had the pleasure of visiting Zion for a few days after a trade show in Las Vegas. This was an amazing trip full of many hikes, and also meant I had to get going on orders as soon as I got home.
It was a great show, so I had lots of kits going out the door. And not only did I need to fill these wholesale orders, but I also had to make sure to have lots of kits in stock for the Northwest Flower and Garden Show as well as the Sewing and Stitchery Expo happening later in February. All this to say, I've been an embroidery kit making machine as of late and these audiobooks have been helping me power through the long days and late nights.
***Thanks for reviewing my recommendations. This post contains affiliate links. Should you purchase an item listed, I may receive a small portion of the sale.***