My Kind of Mystery 2016
Riedel Fascination hosts this challenge that invites any and all mystery content. I was able to get many mysteries off my TBR shelf this year through diligent reading of all types of mysteries. With 81 total, I made it partway through the top level of Gothic Mansion.
My favorites? A new Maisie Dobbs & Flavia de Luce were highlights, but discovering the Mary Russell series by Laurie R. King and The Peculiar Crimes Unit by Christopher Fowler were gems that will give future pleasure as I work on more of those books. Also, I’m slowly reading the Inspector Rutledge books by Christopher Todd so that I can savor them and not binge-read them.
Secret Messages 5-10 books
1. Cinderella Six Feet Under, Maia Chance
2. Messenger of Truth (Maisie Dobbs #4), Jacqueline Winspear
3. Beauty, Beast, and Belladonna (Fairy Tale Fatal Mystery #3), Maia Chance
4. An Incomplete Revenge (Maisie Dobbs #5) , Jacqueline Winspear
5. The Beekeeper’s Apprentice (Mary Russell #1), Laurie R. King
6. Among the Mad (Maisie Dobbs #6), Jacqueline Winspear
7. Elegy for Eddie (Maisie Dobbs #9), Jacqueline Winspear
8. A Fine Summer’s Day (Inspector Rutledge #17), Charles Todd
9. Leaving Everything Most Loved (Maisie Dobbs #10), Jacqueline Winspear
10. The Mapping of Love and Death (Maisie Dobbs #7), Jacqueline Winspear
Unearthing Clues 11-20 books
11. A Dangerous Place (Maisie Dobbs #11), Jacqueline Winspear
12. Bloodroot (China Bayles #10), Susan Wittig Albert
13. Wings of Fire (Inspector Rutledge #2), Charles Todd
14. The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree (The Darling Dahlias #1), Susan Wittig Albert
15. A Lesson in Secrets (Maisie Dobbs, #8), Jacqueline Winspear
16. A Pattern on Lies (Bess Crawford #7), Charles Todd
17. Journey to Munich (Maisie Dobbs #12), Jacqueline Winspear
18. Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death (Grantchester #1), James Runcie
19. Lion in the Valley (Amelia Peabody #4), Elizabeth Peters
20. Pudd’nhead Wilson, Mark Twain
Hidden Doorways 21-30
21. The Deeds of the Disturber (Amelia Peabody #5), Elizabeth Peters
22. Search the Dark (Inspector Rutledge #3), Charles Todd
23. The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood (The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter, #3), Susan Wittig Albert
24. Indigo Dying (China Bayles #11), Susan Wittig Albert
25. The Tale of Hawthorn House (The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter #4), Susan Wittig Albert
26. The Tale of Briar Bank (The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter #5), Susan Wittig Albert
27. Cain His Brother (WIlliam Monk #6), Anne Perry
28. A Pressing Engagement (Lady Darby, #4.5), Anna Lee Huber
29. The Tale of Applebeck Orchard (Beatrix Potter #6), Susan Wittig Albert
30. As Death Draws Near (Lady Darby #5), Anna Lee Huber
Lost Artifacts 31-40
31. Weighed in the Balance (WIlliam Monk #7), Anne Perry
32. The Tale of Oat Cake Crag (Beatrix Potter #7), Susan Wittig Albert
33. Ming Tea Murder (Indigo Tea Shop #16), Laura Childs
34. The Tale of Castle Cottage (Beatrix Potter #8), Susan Wittig Albert
35. The Last Camel Died at Noon (Amelia Peabody #6), Elizabeth Peters
36. A Cold Day for Murder (Kate Shugak #1), Dana Stabenow
37. A Monstrous Regiment of Women (Mary Russell, #2), Laurie R. King
38. The Penguin Who Knew Too Much (Meg Langslow #8), Donna Andrews
39. A Fatal Chapter (Booktown #9), Lorna Barrett
40. Witch Way to Murder (Ophelia & Abby Mystery #1), Shirley Damsgaard
Invisible Floor 41-70
41. Charmed to Death (Ophelia & Abby Mystery #2), Shirley Damsgaard
42. Agatha Raisin & the Quiche of Death (#1), M.C. Beaton
43. The Trouble with Witches (Ophelia & Abby Mystery #3), Shirley Damsgaard
44. A Letter of Mary (Mary Russell #3), Laurie R. King
45. The Lake House, Kate Morton
46. The Snake, the Crocodile and the Dog (Amelia Peabody #7), Elizabeth Peters
47. Death of a Gossip (Hamish Macbeth #1), M.C. Beaton
48. The Anatomist’s Wife (Lady Darby #1), Anna Lee Huber
49. The Shattered Tree (Bess Crawford #8), Charles Todd
50. Legacy of the Dead (Ian Rutledge #4), Charles Todd
51. Cockatiels at Seven (Meg Langslow #9), Donna Andrews
52. Mortal Arts (Lady Darby #2), Anna Lee Huber
53. The Hippopotamus Pool (Amelia Peabody #8), Elizabeth Peters
54. The Vicious Vet (Agatha Raisin #2), M.C. Beaton
55. A Grave Matter (Lady Darby #3), Anna Lee Huber
56. Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew’d (Flavia de Luce #8), Alan Bradley
57. Death of a Cad (Hamish Macbeth #2), M.C. Beaton
58. Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener (Agatha Raisin, #3), M.C. Beaton
59. Mary Russell’s War & Other Stories of Suspense, Laurie R. King
60. Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley (Agatha Raisin, #4), M.C. Beaton
61. Agatha Raisin & the Murderous Marriage (Agatha Raisin #5), M.C. Beaton
62. Agatha Raisin & the Terrible Tourist (Agatha Raisin #6), M.C. Beaton
63. Agatha Raisin and the Wellspring of Death (Agatha Raisin, #7), M.C. Beaton
64. Death of an Outsider (Hamish Macbeth #3), M.C. Beaton
65. Death of a Perfect Wife (Hamish Macbeth #4), M.C. Beaton
66. Death of a Hussy (Hamish Macbeth #5), M.C. Beaton
67. Agatha Raisin & the Wizard of Evesham (Agatha Raisin, #8), M.C. Beaton
68. Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden (Agatha Raisin #9), M.C. Beaton
69. Precious & Grace (The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency #17), Alexander McCall Smith
70. Full Dark House: A Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery (Bryant & May #1), Christopher Fowler
Gothic Mansion 71-100
71. Death of a Snob (Hamish Macbeth #6), M.C. Beaton
72. Aunt Dimity and the Duke (An Aunt Dimity Mystery, #2), Nancy Atherton
73. The Silent Cry (William Monk #8), Anne Perry
74. Seeing a Large Cat (Amelia Peabody #9), Elizabeth Peters
75. Six Geese A-Slaying (Meg Langslow #10), Donna Andrews
76. The Humbug Murders, L.J. Oliver
77. Death of a Prankster (Hamish Macbeth #7), M.C. Beaton
78. Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam, M.C. Beaton
79. Death of a Greedy Woman (Hamish Macbeth #8), M.C. Beaton
80. Watchers of Time (Inspector Ian Rutledge #5), Charles Todd
81. Agatha Raisin and the Love from Hell (Agatha Raisin #11), M.C. Beaton
I like waiting a year or two between books, often for both possible reasons: not liking someone’s first and hesitating to revisit (“Death Of A Gossip” – yuck), or because they are gone and I treasure what there is to read at all (Lyn Hamilton!), or I just love them and want to savour five-star authors when I find them. *You* not binge read? I’d like to see that! [GRIN!] Sue: this is beautifully written-up and well done! From all my “like button” visits, I knew you were trucking by my goodness; 81! Hostess herself has finished 85 and if the present book proves to be a mystery and not merely a paranormal adventure; I will close at 86. Beautiful work; funny to imagine you not utilizing My Kind Of Mystery in the beginning. Then again, I pick 10 Ethereals out of here without knowing what all might be spiritual / mystical / talking critters. You do 2016 proud, Sue! Yours, Carolyn.