STARRED REVIEW
August 7, 2023

Five excellent midcentury mysteries

The period between the end of World War II and the close of the ’60s has always been a fruitful setting for mysteries. There’s something irresistible about seeing the seamy side of an era that was oh-so put-together—on the surface, that is.
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Book jacket image for Just Murdered by Katherine Kovacic

Just Murdered

Just Murdered is a fun, fast-paced introduction to Peregrine Fisher, the niece of beloved sleuth Phryne Fisher, as she solves mysteries in the 1960s.
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Book jacket image for The Lock-Up by John Banville

The Lock-Up

John Banville’s beautifully written The Lock-Up stretches the boundaries of the police procedural, intently focusing on the inner lives of his beloved sleuths.
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vivianavalentinegoesupriver

Viviana Valentine Goes Up the River

Viviana Valentine Goes Up the River is Knives Out meets Agatha Christie.
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Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge jacket

Mastering the Art of French Murder

The charming Mastering the Art of French Murder follows Tabitha Knight—who just so happens to be Julia Child’s best friend—as she unravels a mystery in ...
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Book jacket image for The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear

The White Lady

Historical mystery readers searching for a complex main character will admire the uncompromising storytelling of Jacqueline Winspear’s The White Lady.
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