I know that October is the time that everyone pulls out their favourite scary movies and spooky books. Horror, ghosts, and serial killers abound in October. However, I am a giant scaredy cat, and I’m really not a spooky or scary fan. However, I do love mysteries of all kinds, and it is one of my favourite genres to read. So, without getting into the scary stuff, I’m going to share my top 5 mystery books that you need to read!
While I do love an excellent historical mystery (and will be sharing some later in the month), today is all about fictional mysteries. These are some of my favourites that will leave you lost in the tale, and continually guessing!
And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie
First, there were ten—a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a little private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they’re unwilling to reveal—and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. A famous nursery rhyme is framed and hung in every room of the mansion:
“Ten little boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little boys traveling in Devon; One said he’d stay there then there were seven. Seven little boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in half and then there were six. Six little boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four. Four little boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. Two little boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one. One little boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.”
When they realize that murders are occurring as described in the rhyme, terror mounts. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. Who has choreographed this dastardly scheme? And who will be left to tell the tale? Only the dead are above suspicion.
What is any mystery list without Agatha Christie? Christie is one of the most fascinating literary figures for me- what happened during her disappearance?? Many of her books make top mystery lists, but And Then There Were None was the first mystery to truly stump me. (I don’t think I ever would have figured it out on my own, if I’m being honest… I think what makes this so impressive is not only the mystery but her inclusion of the nursery rhyme. Take note: there are earlier racist titles of the book, with the nursery rhyme also using the same offensive terms. Publishers have updated it to And Then There Were None- you should not be seeing those terms.
The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, Stuart Turton
Aiden Bishop knows the rules. Evelyn Hardcastle will die every day until he can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest at Blackheath Manor. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others. With a locked room mystery that Agatha Christie would envy, Stuart Turton unfurls a breakneck novel of intrigue and suspense.
For fans of Claire North, and Kate Atkinson, The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a breathlessly addictive mystery that follows one man’s race against time to find a killer, with an astonishing time-turning twist that means nothing and no one are quite what they seem.
This was a difficult read for me the first time through. I normally love audiobooks, but I found this audiobook a little difficult to follow. However, when I read the ebook, it was whole other story. Much like And Then There Were None, it is a locked room mystery that seems impossible at the face of it. However, as you move with Aiden through the guests, you can slowly piece it together as you read. This is absolutely a “thinking” mystery, and I found that keeping a small chart with people/clues helped me keep things straight. However, it is still an excellent read without that. And don’t be afraid to give it a second chance if need be!
Olga’s Egg, Sophie Law
When Fabergé specialist Assia Wynfield learns of the discovery of a long-lost Fabergé egg made for the Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, daughter of the last Tsar of Russia, she appears to be the only person with misgivings. On travelling to St. Petersburg to see the egg, Assia moves among Russia’s new rich but finds herself pulled back into a family past she would rather forget. With news that a friend is missing, Assia starts to dig deeper. But does she really want the answers to the questions she is asking? Set in today’s glamorous world of Russian art with glimpses into the lives of the last Romanovs as their empire crumbled in the wake of the Russian Revolution, Olga’s Egg is an enthralling tale of love, family secrets and the artistic treasures that conceal them.
Olga’s Egg was actually my Christmas Eve book for 2019, and I loved this one. (I read one or two books on the 24th each year- I set the day aside for reading.) If you enjoy royal history and the Romanovs, this is the book for you. Law is thorough and dedicated in her research, and it shows in the book. Romanov history, art history, and Assia’s persona history is wound together with the thread of Fabergé, and I couldn’t put it down. It probably didn’t hurt that I read this shortly after seeing Anastasia the Musical, but I am hoping to forget enough to re-read this in a few years!
Death of a Gossip, MC Beaton
When society widow and gossip columnist Lady Jane Winters joined the fishing class, she wasted no time in ruffling the feathers-or was it the fins?-of those around her. Among the victims of her sharp tongue and unladylike manner was Lochdubh Constable Hamish Macbeth. Yet not even Hamish thought someone would permanently silence Lady Jane’s shrills-until her strangled body is fished out of the river. Now with the help of the lovely Priscilla Halburton-Smythe, Hamish must angle through the choppy waters of the tattler’s life to find the murderer. But with a school of suspects who aren’t ready to talk and dead women telling no tales, Hamish may be in over his head, for he knows that secrets are dangerous, knowledge is power, and killers usually do strike again.
I had to include at least one cozy mystery in this list, and there is no finer cozy author than MC Beaton. Her Agatha Raisin series is also quite entertaining but Hamish Macbeth is one of my favourite detectives to date. He isn’t a typical cozy detective, as he is actually a detective, but his grumpy attitude and little westie sealed the deal for me. I have read most of these books, and they are all wonderful mysteries. However, I would recommend starting with Death of a Gossip as it is the first in the series!
A Scandal in Bohemia, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Holmes is hired by the King of Bohemia to recover blackmail evidence, held by the woman whom the king once promised to marry, but who he abandoned for a woman of noble birth.
Along with Agatha Christie, I knew that I had to include Sir Arthur Conan Doyle on the list. With Sherlock and Enola Holmes incredibly popular on the screen, Conan Doyle’s legacy has remained at the forefront of mysteries. So, if you enjoyed watching those, I recommend reading the original stories. A Scandal in Bohemia is in my top 5 favourite mystery books because he packs so much mystery into such a short story. I often find that I struggle to solve Sherlock’s mysteries on my own, but it has definitely trained me to look for clues in a methodical and sometimes out-of-the-box way. If you haven’t already read this, it needs to be your first mystery read!
What are your top 5 mystery books?
Cheers,
The Historian
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