This list features Mystery Book Club's top picks; we met Sunday, September 18, 2022 to discuss selected diverse mysteries by authors who share a specific identity with their sleuths. • A mystery is a story about a crime and the investigation and discovery of who did it. • Own voices mysteries are written by authors who share a marginalized identity with their sleuths. *Some of these mysteries are gentle cozy reads -- avoiding explicit violence -- while others are grittier, hard-boiled noir with brutal details. This list is sorted alphabetically by author.
Highly recommended! 1st in series, clever clues & hints one-upped Doyle! Witty fan-fiction co-written by the basketball legend and introducing Afro-Caribbean characters! Trinidad culture and trade are highlighted.
Highly recommended! 1st in series, clever clues & hints one-upped Doyle! Witty fan-fiction co-written by the basketball legend and introducing Afro-Caribbean characters! Trinidad culture and trade are highlighted.
Show less
Highly recommended! 1st in series, clever clues & hints one-upped Doyle! Witty fan-fiction co-written by the basketball legend and introducing Afro-Caribbean characters! Trinidad culture and trade are highlighted.
Highly recommended! 1st in series, clever clues & hints one-upped Doyle! Witty fan-fiction co-written by the basketball legend and introducing Afro-Caribbean characters! Trinidad culture and trade are highlighted.
Show less
Recommended! 1st in series, heart wrenching & witty, amateur sleuth, strong sense of place in India, by an India-born author, "Anappara’s witty, ...Show more
Recommended! 1st in series, heart wrenching & witty, amateur sleuth, strong sense of place in India, by an India-born author, "Anappara’s witty, resonant debut tracks a series of child disappearances from an Indian slum through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy." ~Publishers Weekly, pub 2020, Edgar Allan Poe Awards: Best Novel
Show less
Recommended! 1st in series, heart wrenching & witty, amateur sleuth, strong sense of place in India, by an India-born author, "Anappara’s witty, ...Show more
Recommended! 1st in series, heart wrenching & witty, amateur sleuth, strong sense of place in India, by an India-born author, "Anappara’s witty, resonant debut tracks a series of child disappearances from an Indian slum through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy." ~Publishers Weekly, pub 2020, Edgar Allan Poe Awards: Best Novel
Show less
Highly recommended! Excellent character study + series retrospective. 10th in series, dark, moody, mystery-thriller, lesbian retired police officer sleuth...Show more
Highly recommended! Excellent character study + series retrospective. 10th in series, dark, moody, mystery-thriller, lesbian retired police officer sleuth by a lesbian author, “Retired Officer Delafield has a 20-year old case roaring back on her, from which she had recoiled and withdrawn. A homophobic homicide far too reminiscent of a recent, haunting, life-changing investigation of the murder of a young lesbian. She suffers knowing she is personally culpable for the mishandling evidence. Events, people, intervene. New people in her present life, some from her past. And they will take her in the most unexpected of directions.” ~NoveList, pub 2022
Show less
Highly recommended! Excellent character study + series retrospective. 10th in series, dark, moody, mystery-thriller, lesbian retired police officer sleuth...Show more
Highly recommended! Excellent character study + series retrospective. 10th in series, dark, moody, mystery-thriller, lesbian retired police officer sleuth by a lesbian author, “Retired Officer Delafield has a 20-year old case roaring back on her, from which she had recoiled and withdrawn. A homophobic homicide far too reminiscent of a recent, haunting, life-changing investigation of the murder of a young lesbian. She suffers knowing she is personally culpable for the mishandling evidence. Events, people, intervene. New people in her present life, some from her past. And they will take her in the most unexpected of directions.” ~NoveList, pub 2022
Show less
Recommended as noir with kindness; not a dated story, in spite of being published 50 years ago. 1st in series, hardboiled gay male sleuth by a gay author,...Show more
Recommended as noir with kindness; not a dated story, in spite of being published 50 years ago. 1st in series, hardboiled gay male sleuth by a gay author, "Insurance investigator Dave Brandsetter looks into a claim filed by the wife of a radio personality whose car was found wrecked and swept away on a rainy night in California." ~NoveList, Mystery Book Club recommended in 2020, pub 1970, reissue 2022
Show less
Recommended as noir with kindness; not a dated story, in spite of being published 50 years ago. 1st in series, hardboiled gay male sleuth by a gay author,...Show more
Recommended as noir with kindness; not a dated story, in spite of being published 50 years ago. 1st in series, hardboiled gay male sleuth by a gay author, "Insurance investigator Dave Brandsetter looks into a claim filed by the wife of a radio personality whose car was found wrecked and swept away on a rainy night in California." ~NoveList, Mystery Book Club recommended in 2020, pub 1970, reissue 2022
Show less
Recommended! 1st in series, fast-paced, gritty, compelling, atmospheric, suspenseful, 1920s Oklahoma, private eye Cherokee sleuth by an author of Muscogee...Show more
Recommended! 1st in series, fast-paced, gritty, compelling, atmospheric, suspenseful, 1920s Oklahoma, private eye Cherokee sleuth by an author of Muscogee Creek and Cherokee heritage, "A tale that will appeal to both mystery buffs and history buffs, the story combines a carefully detailed account of real racial and political tensions with that of two rough-and-tumble detectives on a quest for truth and justice." ~Tucson Weekly, pub 2008
Show less
Recommended! 1st in series, fast-paced, gritty, compelling, atmospheric, suspenseful, 1920s Oklahoma, private eye Cherokee sleuth by an author of Muscogee...Show more
Recommended! 1st in series, fast-paced, gritty, compelling, atmospheric, suspenseful, 1920s Oklahoma, private eye Cherokee sleuth by an author of Muscogee Creek and Cherokee heritage, "A tale that will appeal to both mystery buffs and history buffs, the story combines a carefully detailed account of real racial and political tensions with that of two rough-and-tumble detectives on a quest for truth and justice." ~Tucson Weekly, pub 2008
Show less
Recommended! 1st in series, gritty, compelling, sardonic; strong sense of place Detroit, Michigan, author and sleuth have Mexican and Black American herit...Show more
Recommended! 1st in series, gritty, compelling, sardonic; strong sense of place Detroit, Michigan, author and sleuth have Mexican and Black American heritage, "a disgraced former member of Detroit's police department, investigates the suspicious death of a local business magnate and finds himself up against the city's most dangerous criminals." ~NoveList, pub 2017, a Michigan Notable Book, Nero Award winner, and the International Association of Crime Writers presented Stephen with the prestigious Hammett Prize for literary excellence in the field of crime writing.
Show less
Recommended! 1st in series, gritty, compelling, sardonic; strong sense of place Detroit, Michigan, author and sleuth have Mexican and Black American herit...Show more
Recommended! 1st in series, gritty, compelling, sardonic; strong sense of place Detroit, Michigan, author and sleuth have Mexican and Black American heritage, "a disgraced former member of Detroit's police department, investigates the suspicious death of a local business magnate and finds himself up against the city's most dangerous criminals." ~NoveList, pub 2017, a Michigan Notable Book, Nero Award winner, and the International Association of Crime Writers presented Stephen with the prestigious Hammett Prize for literary excellence in the field of crime writing.
Show less
Recommended, yet confusing to enter this far into series. 5th in series, suspenseful, engaging, witty, Montana former police, Cherokee sleuth, author’s he...Show more
Recommended, yet confusing to enter this far into series. 5th in series, suspenseful, engaging, witty, Montana former police, Cherokee sleuth, author’s heritage is Cherokee and Greek, "An elusive serial killer taunts Thump with the cold case he has spent years trying to forget." ~NoveList, pub 2020
Show less
Recommended, yet confusing to enter this far into series. 5th in series, suspenseful, engaging, witty, Montana former police, Cherokee sleuth, author’s he...Show more
Recommended, yet confusing to enter this far into series. 5th in series, suspenseful, engaging, witty, Montana former police, Cherokee sleuth, author’s heritage is Cherokee and Greek, "An elusive serial killer taunts Thump with the cold case he has spent years trying to forget." ~NoveList, pub 2020
Show less
Recommended cozy with rich sense of historical Hawaii and recognition of indigenous lands. 1st in series, richly detailed, strong sense of place 1930s Hon...Show more
Recommended cozy with rich sense of historical Hawaii and recognition of indigenous lands. 1st in series, richly detailed, strong sense of place 1930s Honolulu, Hawaii, amateur sleuths of Polynesian descent, author's heritage is Samoan, Hawaiian and Caucasian, "New Year’s Eve, 1934. While Honolulu celebrates with champagne and fireworks, someone is making away with the Bishop Museum’s portrait of King Kalakaua and its curator. A series of brutal murders follows, and an unlikely pair, newspaper reporter Mina Beckwith and visiting playwright Ned Manusia, find themselves investigating a twisted trail of clues in an attempt to recover the painting and uncover the killer." ~publisher, pub 2008
Show less
Recommended cozy with rich sense of historical Hawaii and recognition of indigenous lands. 1st in series, richly detailed, strong sense of place 1930s Hon...Show more
Recommended cozy with rich sense of historical Hawaii and recognition of indigenous lands. 1st in series, richly detailed, strong sense of place 1930s Honolulu, Hawaii, amateur sleuths of Polynesian descent, author's heritage is Samoan, Hawaiian and Caucasian, "New Year’s Eve, 1934. While Honolulu celebrates with champagne and fireworks, someone is making away with the Bishop Museum’s portrait of King Kalakaua and its curator. A series of brutal murders follows, and an unlikely pair, newspaper reporter Mina Beckwith and visiting playwright Ned Manusia, find themselves investigating a twisted trail of clues in an attempt to recover the painting and uncover the killer." ~publisher, pub 2008
Show less
Recommended as highly unrealistically gritty urban fiction--like "Kill Bill" movie. 1st in series, gritty, fast-paced, dramatic, violent, Black ...Show more
Recommended as highly unrealistically gritty urban fiction--like "Kill Bill" movie. 1st in series, gritty, fast-paced, dramatic, violent, Black American author & sleuth, "Finding the Black Lotus murderer is NYPD Detective Wolf's chance to avoid an Internal Affairs investigation. That's when things get personal." ~NoveList, pub 2014, Library Journal Best African American Fiction
Show less
Recommended as highly unrealistically gritty urban fiction--like "Kill Bill" movie. 1st in series, gritty, fast-paced, dramatic, violent, Black ...Show more
Recommended as highly unrealistically gritty urban fiction--like "Kill Bill" movie. 1st in series, gritty, fast-paced, dramatic, violent, Black American author & sleuth, "Finding the Black Lotus murderer is NYPD Detective Wolf's chance to avoid an Internal Affairs investigation. That's when things get personal." ~NoveList, pub 2014, Library Journal Best African American Fiction
Show less
Recommended. 2nd in series, complex & compelling mystery-thriller, intricately plotted, mildly sensuous, LGBTQIA diverse, lesbian author, "Evan (...Show more
Recommended. 2nd in series, complex & compelling mystery-thriller, intricately plotted, mildly sensuous, LGBTQIA diverse, lesbian author, "Evan (short for Evangeline) is a highly principled political operative with an imperfect past, tasked with uncovering compromising material on a rotten judge up for nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court before he can be rushed through confirmation." ~NoveList, pub 2019, Lambda Literary Awards: Lesbian Mystery
Show less
Recommended. 2nd in series, complex & compelling mystery-thriller, intricately plotted, mildly sensuous, LGBTQIA diverse, lesbian author, "Evan (...Show more
Recommended. 2nd in series, complex & compelling mystery-thriller, intricately plotted, mildly sensuous, LGBTQIA diverse, lesbian author, "Evan (short for Evangeline) is a highly principled political operative with an imperfect past, tasked with uncovering compromising material on a rotten judge up for nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court before he can be rushed through confirmation." ~NoveList, pub 2019, Lambda Literary Awards: Lesbian Mystery
Show less
Recommended especially for sense of place and beautiful prose. 1st in series, compelling, witty, atmospheric, amateur sleuth by a lesbian author, "A ...Show more
Recommended especially for sense of place and beautiful prose. 1st in series, compelling, witty, atmospheric, amateur sleuth by a lesbian author, "A former professor, gay social psychologist Blue McCarron is hired to investigate Beatrice "Muffin" Crandell, an elderly widow who claims to have murdered and mutilated a man several years earlier, but Blue soon finds herself playing a deadly role in an international conspiracy." ~NoveList, 1998
Show less
Recommended especially for sense of place and beautiful prose. 1st in series, compelling, witty, atmospheric, amateur sleuth by a lesbian author, "A ...Show more
Recommended especially for sense of place and beautiful prose. 1st in series, compelling, witty, atmospheric, amateur sleuth by a lesbian author, "A former professor, gay social psychologist Blue McCarron is hired to investigate Beatrice "Muffin" Crandell, an elderly widow who claims to have murdered and mutilated a man several years earlier, but Blue soon finds herself playing a deadly role in an international conspiracy." ~NoveList, 1998
Show less
Recommended, although a story of tragedy with rich cultural references for Navajo (including witchcraft), Apache, and Hopi. complex, nonlinear, lyrical, a...Show more
Recommended, although a story of tragedy with rich cultural references for Navajo (including witchcraft), Apache, and Hopi. complex, nonlinear, lyrical, author is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, "Told in the first person by both Gracie, a 16-year-old Apache/Pueblo girl, and Starr Stubbs, a bored white model-turned-rock star's wife who hired Bernadette, a traditional dancer and well-educated young woman, as a housekeeper, and occasionally in a poetic third-person narrative voice, Bernadette's story takes place in the New Mexico town of Dulce. The novel moves back and forth in time, never losing the thread that moves us closer and closer to Bernadette's brutal murder" ~Kirkus Reviews, pub 1993, reissue 2018
Show less
Recommended, although a story of tragedy with rich cultural references for Navajo (including witchcraft), Apache, and Hopi. complex, nonlinear, lyrical, a...Show more
Recommended, although a story of tragedy with rich cultural references for Navajo (including witchcraft), Apache, and Hopi. complex, nonlinear, lyrical, author is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, "Told in the first person by both Gracie, a 16-year-old Apache/Pueblo girl, and Starr Stubbs, a bored white model-turned-rock star's wife who hired Bernadette, a traditional dancer and well-educated young woman, as a housekeeper, and occasionally in a poetic third-person narrative voice, Bernadette's story takes place in the New Mexico town of Dulce. The novel moves back and forth in time, never losing the thread that moves us closer and closer to Bernadette's brutal murder" ~Kirkus Reviews, pub 1993, reissue 2018
Show less
Recommended, including twists & unexpected endings! A favorite story for this reader: Nighthawks by Frankie Y. Bailey. An Anthology of crime fiction b...Show more
Recommended, including twists & unexpected endings! A favorite story for this reader: Nighthawks by Frankie Y. Bailey. An Anthology of crime fiction by 20 acclaimed authors of color, suspenseful, compelling, atmospheric, "This wonderful all-original anthology showcases 20 mystery and suspense stories written by people of color, each with a pivotal moment set at midnight " ~Publishers Weekly, pub 2021
Show less
Recommended, including twists & unexpected endings! A favorite story for this reader: Nighthawks by Frankie Y. Bailey. An Anthology of crime fiction b...Show more
Recommended, including twists & unexpected endings! A favorite story for this reader: Nighthawks by Frankie Y. Bailey. An Anthology of crime fiction by 20 acclaimed authors of color, suspenseful, compelling, atmospheric, "This wonderful all-original anthology showcases 20 mystery and suspense stories written by people of color, each with a pivotal moment set at midnight " ~Publishers Weekly, pub 2021
Show less
Highly recommended! gritty, suspenseful, compelling, lyrical, atmospheric, vigilante Lakota sleuth, author is an enrolled citizen of the Sicangu Lakota Na...Show more
Highly recommended! gritty, suspenseful, compelling, lyrical, atmospheric, vigilante Lakota sleuth, author is an enrolled citizen of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, "The novel twists delicately around various personal conflicts while artfully addressing issues related to the politics of the reservation. Weiden combines funny, complex, and unforgettable characters with strong, poetic prose." ~Publishers Weekly, pub 2020, Best First: Anthony Awards, Macavity Awards, Spur Awards, Thriller Awards (International Thriller Writers)
Show less
Highly recommended! gritty, suspenseful, compelling, lyrical, atmospheric, vigilante Lakota sleuth, author is an enrolled citizen of the Sicangu Lakota Na...Show more
Highly recommended! gritty, suspenseful, compelling, lyrical, atmospheric, vigilante Lakota sleuth, author is an enrolled citizen of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, "The novel twists delicately around various personal conflicts while artfully addressing issues related to the politics of the reservation. Weiden combines funny, complex, and unforgettable characters with strong, poetic prose." ~Publishers Weekly, pub 2020, Best First: Anthony Awards, Macavity Awards, Spur Awards, Thriller Awards (International Thriller Writers)
Show less
Link to our full list of considerations! Mystery Book Club met Sunday, July 17, 2022 to discuss selected diverse mysteries by authors who share a specific...Show more
Link to our full list of considerations! Mystery Book Club met Sunday, July 17, 2022 to discuss selected diverse mysteries by authors who share a specific identity with their sleuths. • A mystery is a story about a crime and the investigation and discovery of who did it. • Own voices mysteries are written by authors who share a marginalized identity with their sleuths. *Some of these mysteries are gentle cozy reads -- avoiding explicit violence -- while others are grittier, hard-boiled noir with brutal details. This list is sorted alphabetically by author.
Show less
Mystery Book Club enjoys lively discussions in which each person reads a different book. This is a fun opportunity to learn about the diverse authors and ...Show more
Mystery Book Club enjoys lively discussions in which each person reads a different book. This is a fun opportunity to learn about the diverse authors and characters representative of a mystery subgenre. We meet on the third Sundays in January, March, May, July, September, and November.
Show less
LPL_ShirleyB
LPL_ShirleyB
