On my mystery picks

Mystery is a genre I honestly haven't read a lot of. My mum is a hardcore mystery reader - when I was a kid, she read little else. I didn't take after her. While I read mysteries now and then, it definitely isn't my bread-and-butter. Which is one reason I was kind of excited to write this post - it was a great opportunity to take a good look at the mysteries that I've loved and what makes a good mystery. Writing this post made it even clearer that I'm not a mystery reader - it took a lot of digging through my "read" shelf to find a bunch that I liked. But it was fun to remember why some of these books were wonderful. And if you're looking for a good mystery, now you have a few suggestions:

• Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski - I haven't blogged about this book enough. It's one of the better mysteries I've ever read, but I don't get many chances to talk about it. It was so unlike anything else I've read that it's hard to blog about it without specifically thinking about this book. An old cold case is brought to public attention again when the death of Tom Jeffries becomes the focus of a new podcast - and everyone involved is suddenly thrust back into the events of many years ago. This was one of the better books I read in 2017 and it needs more attention than it's getting.

• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin - As a kid, this book rocked my world - and the ending shocked me beyond anything else I'd read up to that point. This story about solving clues to win a bunch of money is hilarious and perfect for any middle grade reader.

• Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket - I've read few authors that make me chuckle as much as Lemony Snicket. This is another delightful children's mystery - though it may end up leaving you with more questions than answers.

• Crooked House by Agatha Christie - It wouldn't be a mystery list without Agatha Christie and I hadn't read this mystery story of hers until recently. As always, Agatha Christie leaves you guessing who the murderer is until the very end and makes you suspect everyone. This story is no different and she does a better job than usual of ensuring that you feel you can't trust a single character.

What mystery books would add to this list? Are there any good mystery book blogs you can recommend to me (so I can expand my mystery book collection)? Have you read anything from this list?

On upcoming or just-released books that I recommend

I spent a good amount of time only reading ARCs and egalleys, then I took a break for a bit to finish my library books before they were due. That’s when a bunch of books I’d ordered came in and it was difficult to finish all the egalleys I wanted to before their release dates...but I did it! And here are the ones that I think are worth your time. In fact, I’d highly recommend them (they’re great):

• Sealskin by Su Bristow (May 1st) - A slow retelling of a selkie folk tale, this story is beautiful, dark, and sweet. Donald is young fisherman who is a bit of an outcast in his community - until he bring home Maihri, a selkie. The story follow Donald over the years after he meets Maihri as his life changes completely. It’s a beautiful tale that’s easy to get lost in. I recommend this for anyone who likes slow stories and retellings. 

                                                                   

• Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski (June 1st) - After twenty years, Tom Jeffries’ death is again under investigation - this time, by a podcast host who returns to interview those who were involved. This is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year - it’s brilliantly told, well-written, intriguing, and keeps you guessing right up until the end. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, I was thrown for a loop - and those are the best sorts of horror novels. Anyone with an interest in horror or cleverly written stories should read this.

Any upcoming or just-released book you've enjoyed recently?