Now that we’re finally into October, people are starting to wear scarves again, the leaves are starting to turn red and yellow, and pumpkin everything has made its usual revival, which is why we can’t imagine a better time to curl up with a cup of your favorite hot drink (we recommend some hot spiced cider), and sink into one of these mysteries. With the weather turning colder, and the days getting shorter, there’s no better time to read some good murder mysteries, so, from classic ‘whodunnits,’ to hair-raising thrillers, here’s our list of seven murder mysteries, perfect for the season.
If I Live (If I Run Series), Terri Blackstock
Casey Cox is still on the run after being indicted for the murder of her closest friend, and, quickly running out of options and places to hide, Casey knows that her only hope left is Dylan Roberts, the war veteran hired to find Casey to begin with. But while she knows he’s starting to believe her, Casey discovers that there’s a conspiracy around her much larger and deadlier than she ever thought; with time running out for both her and Dylan, sacrifice, betrayal, and trust are all called into play. From New York Times Best-Selling author Terri Blackstock, this is the third and final installment of the If I Run series, and we could not recommend it more.
Hollywood Homicide (Detective by Day Mystery), Kellye Garrett
Really, all Dayna Anderson wants to do is help her parents keep their house, but the somewhat famous actress happens to be seriously broke, so when she witness a hit-and-run where the victim is killed, she figures that going after the fifteen thousand dollar reward isn’t the worst move in the world to make. But soon Dayna finds that she wants more than just the money: she wants justice for the victim. Hunting leads and chasing suspects, Dayna seems like she’s starting to get somewhere – until she makes a connection between the hit-and run and a notorious crime spree, and someone starts trying to kill her. Be sure to check out the Writer’s Bone interview with debut author Kellye Garrett!
The Color of Fear (Sharon McCone Mystery), Marcia Muller
Private investigator Sharon McCone has been in the business long enough to know that a knock on the door in the middle of the night can only mean bad news: her father has been the victim of a brutal, racially-motivated, vicious attack. A renowned Shoshone artist, her father had been visiting Sharon for the holidays when he was attacked by a group of angry men, and now lies in a coma, and no one knows if he’ll make it. With no help from the over-worked police staff, Sharon must take on her most personal case yet, and it’s clear that the attackers are just as fine going after her as they are her father. Old fans and new will love the return of Sharon McCone in this gripping mystery.
Echo After Echo, Amy Rose Capetta
Offered her dream role in Echo and Ariston, Zara is ready to take to the New York stage – or so she thinks. The perfectionist director makes Zara promise to have no outside distractions for her performance, but that promise ends up being harder to keep than she thinks it will, what with the way the assistant lighting director Eli Vasquez looks when she laughs, or smiles at Zara, each night lighting up the stage and making it glow. The dead bodies that keep turning up at the theater aren’t helping Zara, either. Greek tragedy, romance, mystery, and death are all intertwined in this spellbinding book. Echo After Echo will be released on October 10th.
I Am Watching You, Teresa Driscoll
Ella Longfield doesn’t think it’s anything unusual when she sees two young men flirting with two teenage girls on a train – until she realizes that the two men are just released from prison. Overhearing their plans to get drinks together, Ella decides to keep an eye on the girls, and just when she’s about to call for help, something stops her. The next day, it’s all over the news – Anna, one of the girls Ella saw yesterday, has gone missing. One year later, Anna is still missing, and Ella is still wracked with guilt, but when Ella starts getting threatening notes in the mail, certain things become clear: Ella isn’t the only one keeping secrets about Anna’s disappearance, and someone knows where Anna is – they’re not saying where, but they are watching every move Ella makes.
The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes (Stewart Hoag Series), David Handler
Celebrity ghostwriter Stewart “Hoagy” Hoag really doesn’t mean to keep getting caught up in murders. But that’s exactly what happens when he’s hired to write a tell-all memoir of the Aintree family. Richard Aintree, once the most famous author in America, went into mourning, and then hiding after the death of his beloved wife, and no one has seen him since. But when Richard Aintree… well, someone who says they’re Richard Aintree reaches out to his daughters, Monette, the lifestyle queen who’s kingdom is crumbling to the ground, and Reggie, once the love of Hoagy’s life, murder strikes. With Hoagy on the case, he must solve the murder, and unravel the mystery before it’s too late, not just for the Aintree’s, but for himself as well.
House. Tree. Person.: A Novel of Suspense, Catriona McPherson
For Ali McGovern, the dead body found in the muddy grave across the street is just the latest horror of her life. A year ago, Ali was happily married, ran a successful salon, and was raising her son in her dream house. Now, in a job at a private psychiatric facility that her husband pushed her to take, she’s starting to hear things she’s positive can’t really be there, and she’s not so sure she can trust the doctors, either. With her son keeping secrets from her, and old ghosts once laid to rest rising up, it’s taking everything Ali’s got to keep it together. In this psychological thriller, we guarantee that the tension will keep you on edge, from the beginning, all the way to the end.
