While the beginning of July has become a time for outdoor events, soaking up the sun, and lighting up the night sky with all sorts of lights, the chaos of summer makes it a little too easy for crime to slip by unnoticed.
But luckily for you, you can avoid any danger by relaxing with a good book.
Thus, I have curated a list of new mystery and thriller books releasing this July to keep you busy–and out of the way of any danger.
A Controversial Cover (A Booktown Mystery Book 18)
Just as Tricia Miles is ready to give up her sleuthing habits, another murder occurs in town. This time, at the local library.
Lauren Baker, a Stoneham native who’s written a slightly controversial children's book, arrives for an event at the local library. But when Lauren is found strangled to death following an altercation at the event, a plot twist gets Tricia involved in the case.
Now she must sort through the list of suspects and Lauren’s past to catch the killer before it’s too late.
Peking Duck and Cover: A Noodle Shop Mystery
Lana Lee is Ian Sung’s event planner and right-hand woman for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration in Asia Village this year.
They’ve planned a night of music, live entertainment, and giveaways, with the night planned to come to a close with a fireworks show.
But when a member of the lion dance performance team is found shot in the heart backstage, and with a bad omen of an envelope of four dollar bills tucked into their pocket, it’s up to Lana to find the killer before they strike again.
Death on the Tiber: A Flavia Albia Novel (Flavia Albia Series Book 12)
First-century Rome is not much different from modern Rome; both suffer greatly from tourist season.
In Death on the Tiber, the dreaded tourist group finally leaves Rome; but they leave behind a dead body floating in the water. The authorities try to say it was a suicide, but Flavia Albia, a private informer, knows better.
The woman was in town looking for the man who abandoned her, Florius, who also happens to be Flavia’s nemesis–and now, Flavia is on the hunt for revenge.
He might be the husband of the leader of one of Rome’s most brutal gangs, but Flavia doesn’t care about that or the turf war he’s currently engaged in.
She’s getting justice for herself—and for Florius’ former mistress.
What Have You Done?: A Novel
Fairhill, Vermont is not the place for murder. It’s the place where teenagers tell stories in the graveyard, doors are left unlocked, and everyone gets home safe. Or at least it was, until this morning.
This morning, a local farmer found the body of Diana Brewer lying in a hayfield. And now this town of friendly faces is a town of suspects.
Everyone wants answers, but not to the question you may think–instead of asking what happened, we’ll find out more by asking what have you done?
The Murder Room
A house is not always a home–and Alfie Watson learned that very quickly when he rented out a room, and then someone was murdered in it. He can’t go to the police and put himself in danger, but he also can’t sit around and do nothing.
So what is he to do? The killer answers that question for him by sending him a blackmail note telling Alfie he’s after him.
And if Alfie can’t move wisely, he may not live to tell the tale.
The Wilds: A Novel (Detective Elin Warner Series Book 3)
In the third and final installment in the Detective Elin Warner series, Elin arrives at a Portuguese national park to enjoy her stay in the wilderness when she hears about a disappearance at the same place.
Kier Templer and her twin have traveled on the road together, inseparably, since the tragic events that scarred their childhood.
But Kier has gone missing without a trace, and the only resources Elin has to find her are a disturbing map Kier left behind, and some unwilling strangers at the campsite.
Elin is capable of unraveling the clues; but when you follow a trail, you need to remember to also watch your back.
The Woman in the Garden: A Novel
Eustacia Rose, Botanical Toxicology Professor, enjoys her withdrawn, routine life with only the company of her poisonous plants. But one day, she hears a scream; and despite her normal distaste for anything out of the ordinary, her curiosity gets the better of her and she looks into her telescope.
She is drawn into the life of her extraordinarily beautiful neighbor, Simone, and the four men who visit her.
Eustacia doesn’t know who these men are, nor why she recognizes one of them–all she knows is that she feels compelled to protect her neighbor the same way she feels compelled to protect her plants.
She nicknames the men Simone sees after her plants, based on the toxic effects they have on Simone. But the irony comes when someone close to Simone is murdered using a toxin from a rare, poisonous plant; and now, Eustacia must take matters into her own hands.
Our Kind of Game: A Novel
Perfect for fans of Big Little Lies, Our Kind of Game is not just a twisty thriller–it’s also an exploration of all the ways in which men enact violence on women, how women try to reclaim themselves, and the effects of this on their children’s lives.
2019: Stella Parker has it all: a loving husband, two happy children that she was glad to give up her thriving law career for, and a beautiful house in the DC suburbs.
But when her neighbor Gwen shows up at her door, talking about how she knows about her, Stella’s life is turned upside down and she’s forced to confront the dark secret she’s built her life around.
1987: Julie Waits, aspiring cheerleader, just wants a normal life without her widowed mother’s terrible boyfriends and constant moves.
As Stella discovers why Gwen showed up at her door, she begins to understand who Julie is to her—and the answer is terrifying.
Trouble in Queenstown: A Mystery
Evander “Vandy” Myrick became a cop to please her father, but following his tragic death, she became a private investigator to please herself. She returned to her hometown of Queenstown, New Jersey, seeking solace—but instead, she found trouble.
She took divorce case after divorce case to keep the cash flowing, and agreed to take on the mayor’s nephew, Leo Hannah, who wants his wife investigated undercover to provide evidence for a divorce suit.
It’s easy at first, but when a racially charged murder connects back to the Hannah family, the community is rocked.
Now, Vandy is determined to get to the bottom of what’s going on, especially amidst all the turmoil and chaos ensued by the murder. She has few friends, fewer resources, and a pathetic chance of actually figuring this case out.
But one thing about Vandy is that she won’t back off.
The God of the Woods: A Novel
In God of the Woods, 13-year-old Barbara Van Laar goes missing from her summer camp in August, 1975. But what’s even stranger is that her brother disappeared similarly 14 years prior, never to be seen again.
Barbara’s family not only owns the summer camp but also employs most of the region.
As the search for Barbara ensues, the Van Laar family's convoluted secrets come to light, bringing together a story that is part thriller and part narrative exploring gender roles, sexuality, identity, and class.
