Mystery

Genre:
Mystery is a plot structure as well as a genre; it means that a crime is committed at the very beginning—normally a murder or a theft. Then, the remainder of the novel is spent trying to figure out who done it.

How to Write a Murder Review: A Clever, Meta Mystery About Writers, Secrets, and Murder

How to Write a Murder Review: A Clever, Meta Mystery About Writers, Secrets, and Murder

A mystery that knows it’s a mystery

There are few things more fun than a mystery that knows exactly what kind of mystery it is.

How to Write a Murder puts a group of mystery writers in an isolated monastery, gives everyone secrets and motives, and then starts killing people.

Naturally, I had a great time.

But what really made this one work for me was how Jessica Brody plays with the conventions of the genre. The characters know they’re behaving like characters in a murder mystery. The book itself keeps winking at the reader. And somehow, beneath all that cleverness, there is a surprisingly thoughtful exploration of how the roles we believe we’re playing can shape who we become.

I had a blast with this one. And yes, I have thoughts about that cover, too.

Read my full review of How to Write a Murder.

The Last Murder at the End of the World: An Underrated Sci-Fi Mystery Worth Reading

The Last Murder at the End of the World: An Underrated Sci-Fi Mystery Worth Reading

I picked up The Last Murder at the End of the World because the cover caught my eye, the premise intrigued me, and I already knew I liked Stuart Turton’s strange, twisty storytelling. What I didn’t expect was a layered science fiction mystery that would leave me thinking about humanity, purpose, community, and the value of every life.

And honestly? I think this book is way underhyped.

I’ve shared my full review, including why I think you should read it, who might want to skip it, the cover details that convinced me to buy it, and the very specific reading challenge that sent me in the wrong direction.