School-Set Murder Mystery, Timely Nonfiction, Backlist Mystery Series To Know + News!
Along with some new releases this week—a school-set murder mystery, plus a nonfiction title everyone should read—I’ve got a backlist series to catch up with before the next releases, and a roundup of mystery news!
Bookish Goods
Witch With Spell Book Ornament by kayleighradcliffe
You can say I am bewitched by this reading witch ornament—I’ll see myself out now. ($19)
New Releases
This Book Kills by Ravena Guron
For fans of school-set murder mysteries!
Jess Choudhary is one of the only kids on a scholarship at an elite boarding school and she’s committed to keeping her head down and getting through. Something that becomes impossible when she looks guilty of murdering a fellow student when his death resembles a short story Jess wrote. Whoopsie! Looks like she’ll have to figure out who the murderer really is to clear her name!
The Highest Law in the Land: How the Unchecked Power of Sheriffs Threatens Democracy by Jessica Pishko
For fans of timely nonfiction!
This is my current audiobook read, and it is eye-opening, to say the least. I picked it up because my state’s primary election ballot in August had so many sheriffs running for both parties that I had to do research like I was preparing for the SATs just to even come close to making a dent in the pile of I-know-nothing-about-this. I suspect that most people don’t know the history and current state of the position of sheriff—including the rise of the constitutional sheriff movement—and it is something everyone should know about, especially this close to an election that will have many sheriff positions on the ballot.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Here are two backlist series starters for series that will have a new book release in 2025 (which is only 3.5 months away!!!!!!) so that you can dive in with plenty of time to be caught up.
A Royal Conundrum (The Misfits #1) by Lisa Yee, Dan Santat (Illustrator)
For fans of fun, high-stakes, child crime fighting teams!
At twelve years old, Olive Cobin Zang thinks her parents being busy all the time means they don’t really care about her that much. She’s also dealing with a lot of changes in her life: her grandmother has passed away and she’s starting a new boarding school. Except it turns out that Olive isn’t in just any new school when she’s tapped to join a crime-fighting organization that is testing using kids after adults and teens didn’t work out! Now, Olive will learn what it means to be part of a group trained to “prevent chaos, catch lawbreakers.”
The sequel, A Copycat Conundrum, releases on January 13, 2025.
And There He Kept Her (Ben Packard #1) by Joshua Moehling
For fans of small town procedurals and missing person cases investigations!
Ben Packard moves to a small town in Minnesota as a new start for him, even though the town doesn’t hold good memories for him. Now, as a sheriff deputy, he takes on the case of two missing teenagers: they broke into a man’s home to steal prescription drugs but he wasn’t asleep…
The third book in the series, A Long Time Gone, will be released on February 4, 2025.
News and Roundups
- PBS’ Masterpiece Books Maigret Mystery Series
- 12 Book Club Picks For September 2024, From Reese’s 100th Pick to Matzah Book Soup
- Ragnar Jonasson channels Agatha Christie in his latest puzzle mystery
- The White Lotus: Everything We Know About Season 3
- TV Rewind: Why Scooby Doo, Where Are You! Has Withstood the Test of Time
- Pilot TV Podcast: #302 Slow Horses, Colin From Accounts, and The Tower. With guests, Gary Oldman and Eve Hewson
- (I’m really excited to watch this one!) French Hit Detective Show Comes To US With High Potential
- New Netflix Murder Mystery Movie Adaptation Gets Exciting Update From Author
Browse the books recommended in Unusual Suspects’ previous newsletters on this shelf. See upcoming 2024 releases and mysteries from 2023. Check out this Unusual Suspects Pinterest board and get Tailored Book Recommendations!
Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy—you can find me under Jamie Canavés.
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