Wrapped in a Mystery

A lot of the TV shows I watch are mysteries. Extra points if the characters are British, and I prefer for things to be solved by the credits, though I’ll put up with a season-long arc. I love the suspense but also the knowledge that there will be an answer. I like trying to guess along with the detectives.

I love a good mystery novel, too. Below are some of my favorite choices for adults, though a teen reader would likely be fine with all of these. Have fun sleuthing along.

The Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley, started in 2009

Set in 1950s England, this 10-book series will enchant you from start to finish. Our narrator is 11-year-old Flavia de Luce, who has her own chemistry lab and can’t help but insert herself into local mysteries. Flavia is irresistible and the characters around her — family, neighbors, the police officers who find her both amusing and annoying — create a wonderfully rich world. 

A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis, 2016

McGinnis, who hosts the always excellent podcast Writer, Writer, Pants on Fire, penned this historical mystery. Grace is put in an insane asylum by her family but uses her smarts to find a way to cope. Intense and dramatic.

The Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman, started in 2020

This series is set in a retirement community, where a team of four friends solve murders. The “club” is made up of a former spy, a psychologist, a nurse, and a trade union leader. The group takes advantage of the fact that the elderly are often overlooked or discounted. 

An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P.D. James, 1972

Cordelia Gray is a detective that I enjoy on page or screen (see the TV series as well). Check out this classic by the esteemed James.