If You Like The Librarians…
The Librarians by Sherry Thomas (2025) has already been embraced by mystery book lovers. It’s no surprise as Thomas has set her novel at a public library in Austin, and her amateur sleuths are a bunch of librarians and their friends. Perfect for bibliophiles!
The book is told from a number of different perspectives: Sophie, the head of the library who has a secret she’ll do anything to keep; librarian Astrid, a young adult who has yet to find her place in the world; librarian Jonathan, gay man still looking for his true love — who may or may not be his high-school crush; and Hazel, a new arrival to Austin whose past in Singapore sets part of the plot into motion.
The book is suspenseful and satisfying. Check it out for a good read or look into the mysteries below!
A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales (2023)
Beatrice Steele and her family live in Swampshire, a boggy part of England cursed with bad weather and squelch-holes in this comedic period novel. Everyone is Swampshire attends closely to etiquette, based on a book written by the ancestor of a local family, who are hosting the annual fall ball complete with a visiting eligible bachelor named Edmund Croaksworth. Beatrice has a secret hobby that is not proper for young ladies: she loves to read newspaper accounts by a London detective about the murders he solves. Finding husbands becomes urgent when Beatrice’s cousin Martin Grub threatens to take the family inheritance even before her father is dead. The Steele family sets off to the ball determined to come away with engagements and financial security. When Croaksworth is murdered, she is honestly thrilled and determined to solve the crime.
Booked for Murder by P.J. Nelson (2024)
Madeline is a struggling actor in Atlanta when her aunt dies and bequeaths her a bookstore in rural Georgia. She moves back home to decide whether she keep or sell the store only to discover that the will stipulates she must live there for six months before selling. When a murder occurs under her roof, she dedicates herself to solving the mystery, not quite trusting the small-town police to get to the bottom of it. With her grandmother’s friend and a local female Episcopalian priest as her team, she begins an investigation.
Mrs. Christie and the Mystery Guild Library by Amanda Chapman (2025)
Tory lives in an apartment above the New York City–based Mystery Guild Library, home to an exact replica of Agatha Christie’s study. When Tory’s cousin Nicola becomes entwined in a series of crimes, a woman appears in the Christie room to help Tory solve them. Is she the ghost of Agatha Christie or someone suffering from delusions? Either way, she is essential in helping to solve the crimes and find the culprits. Full of references to and quotes from Christie’s books and other beloved mysteries.
The Botantist’s Assistant by Peggy Townsend (2025)
Margaret Finch is a research assistant in a university lab when the professor she works for suddenly dies. The police label it an accident due to his heart problem, but Margaret — always meticulous and observant — believes there are signs that he was murdered. Those in charge are not interested in her inquiries, but a janitor (who conveniently used to be a P.I.) offers help. Readers will enjoy entering the academic world as much as solving the mystery.
Out of the Loop by Katie Siegel (2026)
Have you ever wondered what it would be like for Bill Murray’s character after the end of the movie Groundhog Day? Look no further than Siegel’s novel in which Amy adjusts to normal life after spending two years in a loop of a single day. In addition to having to adjust to her actions having consequences again, Amy discovers that a neighbor was murdered in the final hours of her repeating day, and she is determined to find the killer. Assisting Amy in her pursuit are neighbor David (who spends his days building Rube Goldberg–like machines) and ex-girlfriend Zia (who wonders if Amy and she might reunite).