by Beth Cronk, Litchfield head librarian
According to an issue of
Library Journal from earlier this year, mystery novels are the most popular type of books for adults in libraries throughout the United States. That seems to be true here in Litchfield, as well. William Kent Krueger’s newest,
Trickster’s Point, has a substantial waiting list of 64 people on the 26 copies in the system. While you’re waiting for your copy to arrive, here are some other new mysteries you can check out from our library.
Queen’s Bounty by Fiona Buckley is part of the Ursula Blanchard series. Ursula is a special aide to Queen Elizabeth I. She receives a threatening letter from a countess who was exiled for treason against Elizabeth, a plot Ursula helped uncover. Strange things begin to happen, and Ursula is accused of being a witch.
Die a Stranger by Steve Hamilton is the ninth Alex McKnight novel. Set in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, this mystery starts with bodies left behind after a shoot-out at a remote airstrip. This is followed by the disappearance of Alex’s best friend Vinnie, an Ojibwa tribal member. This series is known for its UP ambiance.
The Crowded Grave: A Mystery of the French Countryside by Martin Walker is part of another mystery series, one that features Bruno Courreges, chief of police in a French village. Bruno investigates a modern body with a gunshot wound, found at a Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal archaeological site. A series of attacks by animal rights activists on foie gras producers and an upcoming international summit complicate the investigation.
Crime Fraiche by Alexander Campion is another mystery set in France and featuring its food, with more of a cozy mystery style. Detective Capucine LeTellier arrives in Normandy with her husband for pheasant hunting season, but a series of hunting accidents kill several employees of a local cattle ranch, and Capucine has to investigate.
The Yard by Alex Grecian is the first novel in a new series, set in Victorian England. Walter Day is newly hired by “The Murder Squad”, Scotland Yard’s group of twelve detectives dedicated to investigating the many murders in London. Public opinion of the Murder Squad is low after they failed to find Jack the Ripper, and then a member of the squad is murdered. Walter teams with Scotland Yard’s first forensic pathologist to solve the crime.
What Comes Next by John Katzenbach is set in modern-day Massachusetts. A retired professor sees a teenage girl abducted. A sadistic couple features her torture in a webcast, but the police can’t find her. The professor decides to find her himself, but he is racing against not only the kidnappers, but also a disease that is destroying his brain and causing him to experience hallucinations. The professional reviewers praise this book, but the average people on Amazon are divided on whether the book is wonderful or terrible.
All of the books listed here were purchased by our library with funding from our local Friends of the Library group. When you shop at our monthly book sale, that money goes to the Friends, which supplements our regular book budget as well as children’s programming and other needs. Our next book sale will be held on Saturday, September 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
