Fiction Five: Mysterious Plots

Uncover new novels that all have a mystery embedded in the tale, even if they aren't all classified as mysteries. 

The Trusted by Marisa de los Santos

In the tight-knit community of Sheppley, Pennsylvania, a body is discovered in a remote hunting cabin. The victim was a man plagued by a controversy. The long list of suspects includes people Detectives Cordova and Cash know well, which makes it even more difficult to distinguish truth from lies.

“The Trusted is a propulsive, brilliantly plotted mystery wrapped in a searchingly topical novel about class, race, and justice. I fell in love with Lina and Aaron as they strove to redress the violence tearing their community apart while discovering difficult truths about themselves and one another. Marisa de los Santos writes with passion, intensity, and a masterful ease with her characters that left me yearning for more.” –Bruce Holsinger, nationally bestselling author of The Gifted School and Culpability

A Scrooge Mystery by Andreina Cordani

We finally get to see what happens to Ebenezer Scrooge after he rediscovers the meaning of Christmas and it's probably not what you imagined. In this historical mystery Scrooge starts to see ghosts again. He sees the ghost of a young woman who wants him to solve her murder. A murder that police have arrested Bob Cratchit for committing. 

You'll be drawn in to this fast-paced suspenseful tale of familiar characters in entirely new situations. Cordani even expands Tiny Tim's role to a well-developed character who assists Scrooge in the investigation to prove his father's innocence.

There Used to Be People Here by Kennedy Cole

In 1970s Mississippi a Black detective, Samuel Barkley, and his temporary partner Harvey are assigned to a case that shifts from murder to paranormal conspiracy. This novel is in our horror section of new books.

"At once a small-town mystery steeped in terrors both uncanny and distressingly human, and an exploration into otherness in the American south, Kennedy Cole’s powerful debut is as provocative as it is haunting, as touching as it is terrifying. There Used to Be People Here is an unforgettable novel of horror and history."—Nick Medina, author of Savage Lake

"An exciting new voice in speculative fiction, Kennedy Cole’s There Used to Be People Here is for anyone who knows what it means to keep your guard up and your head down in a small town, where anyone—and everyone—might be watching. A twisty, gritty, GTO-driving thrill ride that’s also full of heart, this book kept me guessing—and rooting for Sam and Harvey—until the very last page."—Melissa Faliveno, author of Hemlock

The First Ladies' Guide to Murder by Amanda Flower

Amid the lavishness of Gilded Age-era Washington First Lady Frances Cleveland and her predecessor, Julia Dent Grant, band together with Julia's daughter to solve the suspicious murder of a young maid.

"This solidly plotted historical procedural stands apart by featuring lesser-known historical figures and periods. Fans of Elliott Roosevelt's Eleanor Roosevelt mysteries or Nicola Upson's Josephine Tey series will devour this book with gusto." –Library Journal

"As usual, Flower is fastidious about historical accuracy and fair play mystery mechanics, making her high-concept plot equal parts fun and believable. This deserves a sequel." –Publishers Weekly

Revenge Plot by Stephanie Wrobel

In this psychological suspense a desperate writer's pursuit of a powerful literary agent takes a dark turn. Even with unlikeable main characters you will be invested in the outcome of this intricately-plotted tale of behind-the-scenes secrets in publishing.

"Cleverly structured around the courses of Christmas dinner, Wrobel’s novel begins as a straightforward cat-and-mouse game and blossoms into an insightful, sometimes poignant story about ambition, power, and grief. Publishing insiders will appreciate the morbid take on the industry, while general readers will relish Wrobel’s gift for creating tension—especially when the contents of Arnie’s manuscript are revealed. This is the author’s best yet." –Publishers Weekly