Something about autumn demands reading. The cool weather, changing leaves, and early sunsets just make you want to curl up with a good mystery. The classics, such as Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and even Nancy Drew, are trusted standbys at this time of year, but new mysteries are being published all the time, and there are plenty of stories that combine classic setups and underestimated detectives with contemporary elements and unexpected twists.
For this list, “contemporary” is in relation to books published in the past decade, but the settings may be in the past, present, or future, but the whodunits are timeless. Without further ado, here are five contemporary mysteries to read if you enjoy the classics:
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz (2016)
Anthony Horowitz provides readers with a mystery inside another mystery in Magpie Murders. An editor reads the latest of a famous author’s mystery novels (which we also get to read) and discovers the last chapter is missing. As she searches for it, she finds out that the final chapter of the classic who-dun-it may point to an actual murder, not just a fictional one. The novel was turned into a PBS Masterpiece series in 2022.
The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (2018)
The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, by Stuart Turton, is a Christie-esque mystery where the stakes for our detective are higher than even he knows at first. Although the narrative suffers from some blatant instances of fatphobia (a warning if you’re sensitive to that), if you can get through it, the mystery itself is a twisty romp. The setting, a crumbling estate far from the nearest signs of civilization, and the cast of characters are reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s novels, though our detective is no Hercule Poirot. In the beginning, he doesn’t even know who he is. The mystery keeps you guessing from the beginning, and no one is who they seem to be.
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (2020)
Creepy, atmospheric, and disconcerting are some of the words that come to mind when thinking of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s gothic mystery/horror Mexican Gothic. In 1950s Mexico, a young woman goes to visit her newlywed cousin at her new home in the Mexican countryside after her cousin sends her a disconcerting letter implying all is not well. Noemi, the main character, digs into the truth, whether her host family wants her to or not. This novel, reminiscent of “The Fall of the House of Usher,” is perfect for an evening of spooky reading.
Body and Soul Food by Abby Collette (2021)
If you enjoy your murder mysteries with memorable characters and a healthy dose of small-town coziness along the lines of Miss Marple, Abby Collette’s Body and Soul Food will be right up your alley. A pair of fraternal twins is pulled into a mystery when a friend/former foster brother is murdered in public on a light rail. After they are labeled as suspects, the siblings determine to discover the culprit, beginning their first foray into detective-work.
Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty (2022)
In Station Eternity, by Mur Lafferty, Mallory, a reluctant “Nancy Drew,” has spent much of her adult life trying to flee from an uncanny ability to find murder wherever she goes. The quest to escape has led her to a sentient space station with few humans on board–as humans are the ones most likely to suffer from her curse–but when the station welcomes a new group of human guests, and with them comes a crop of murders, the longsuffering amateur detective has to put her skills to work to save the day.
