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.

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Have you ever started a book only to put it down because you knew that, in a million years, that could never happen? It all defied logic and sent you the wrong way over a cliff.

In my books, I invite readers to follow me down a rabbit hole. To a place of wonder and surprise, and hopefully to root themselves and settle in for an enjoyable read. Filled with plot twists, suspense, heroes and heroines, murder and mayhem my stories often bend the rules of the realm of realism. Still, I endeavor to make my stories believable. I want readers to hang in there with me until the end.

In genre fiction, which I usually write, readers must suspend their disbelief—allowing the reader to accept the fictional elements that are, in reality, nearly impossible to believe. To do that, I have to ensure that there is an “appearance” of reality. My backlist of books is are filled with very day, ordinary people solving dastardly crimes—figuring out and following clues, approaching killer villains. Something I don’t think many of us in real life would do (I know I’d run in the other direction if confronted by one). I have to work hard to give my stories a muster of verisimilitude to keep my readers invested in my invented tale. I like to say that, I mix fact with fiction. To do that, I always try to throw in something real—a fact of history, a real person or place.

Recently, however, I tried something new. Realistic Fiction. I don’t know that I started out with that end result in mind. But I knew I wanted my new story to have a backdrop that echoed today’s concerns and to show damaged family relationships that mirrored real human emotions and reactions. With that goal, a true-to-life family saga, Where Wild Peaches Grow, was what emerged.

Realistic fiction weaves an accurate depiction of real-life scenarios. These stories are easy to get lost in as they are layered with conflicts and obstacles that readers will have a profound connection with, many times due to their own life experiences. Given a contemporary setting and relatable characters, realistic fiction tends to teach us about ourselves, different cultures and oftentimes leaves us with a lessoned learned. It aims to represent the truthful world around us.

This genre isn’t new. The 1960 story in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee painting a picture of race relations during the peak of the Civil Rights Movement, The Fault in our Stars by John Green about finding love and hope even with a terminal disease and The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet giving an inside look at why people try to reinvent themselves even if it means becoming someone else are perfect examples.

Writing is a hard and crafting a believable story can be a challenge whether you ask your reader to suspend their disbelief or you offer a story that woven to conjure feelings the reader would face in every day life.  But realistic fiction offers what we know to be true and can anchor the story to keep it grounded and convincing and your reader satisfied.

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Hi, Abby! Tell us a bit about yourself!

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Abby Collette loves a good mystery. She was born and raised in Cleveland, and it’s a mystery even to her why she hasn’t yet moved to a warmer place. Along with the Ice Cream Parlor mysteries, she is the author of the Logan Dickerson Mysteries, the southern cozy mystery series featuring a second-generation archaeologist and a nonagenarian who is always digging up trouble. She is also the author of the Romaine Wilder Mysteries, set in East Texas, which pairs a medical examiner and her feisty auntie who owns a funeral home and is always ready to solve a whodunit. Abby spends her time writing, facilitating writing workshops at local libraries and spending time with her grandchildren, each of whom are her favorite.

Abby is a member of Crime Writers of Color, and the Sisters in Crime national, regional and guppy chapters.

After the chaos that was 2020, have you set any goals for this year? If so, how are they going so far? I have set all kinds of goals!

Get out more. Travel. Go TO the grocery store. But I think the biggest goal I set for myself and the one I believe I will follow through on is my physical health. Staying in and being inactive have opened my eyes about how much we can fall apart as we age. I’m going to try and turn back the clock by eating healthier and exercising more. So far, so good, but check back in with me in six months. We’ll see how I’m doing.

Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!

The Bobbsey Twins is the first fictional book I can remember reading. My first memory of favorite reading material, however, was the encyclopedia. We used to get the World Book, one letter of the alphabet at a time, and I would read them cover to cover, anxiously awaiting the next instalment.

There wasn’t a book that made me want to become an author. My story is a little different. I started writing books because I needed something to occupy my mind while I was sick and stuck in bed.

But the book I can’t stop thinking about is Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. She tells a story of the every day life of i’s characters, until the fire, nothing so exciting happens and still the story captivates you.

When did you first discover your love for writing?

I found out I was a good writer after going to college and have enjoyed it ever since.

A Game of Cones is the follow-up to your debut novel, A Deadly Inside Scoop, and it’s out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

A fun-filled, family-oriented whodunit!

What can readers expect?

Always from my books readers will get a sense of family, and sometimes there is humor and of course a murder to solve.

Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing the sequel and how you were able to overcome them?

The only challenges are trying to remember the attributes that I’ve given characters and descriptions of places. But my wonderful editor has given me a glossary of sorts that helps me.

If it’s not too spoilery, is there a favourite moment you enjoyed bringing to the page?

I love Riya’s martial arts ability and try to put it in the books whenever I can. I got to put that in A Game of Cones and it was oh so fun!

What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?

I don’t know that I’ve ever received any writing advice. I have had people tell me about the rules of writing and that has been very helpful. I try to learn something knew about writing

What’s next for you?

Writing! I’m going to write as many books as I can. So stay tuned.

Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?

My favorite, Little Fires Everywhere and for cozy readers, any of V.M. Burns’ series.

Will you be picking up A Game of Cones? Tell us in the comments below!

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Bronwyn “Win” Crewse is re-opening her family’s ice cream shop in the small town Chagrin Falls, Ohio. At the end of October. Just as the first snowstorm of the season hits town. But Win refuses to be defeated, even when she stumbles upon a dead body while out trying to gather snow for her grandmother’s snow ice cream recipe. When the deceased turns out to be someone with a history with Win’s family, her father is suspected of murder. With the help of her friends and family, Win sets out to clear her father’s name and keep her ice cream shop afloat.

Cosy mysteries are a special niche genre that can’t help but make you smile. There is always a quirky cast of characters, at least one animal roaming around where it shouldn’t be, and an undeniable small town charm that makes you feel welcome. A Deadly Inside Scoop hits all the good parts of a cosy mystery and brings the diversity that then genre tends to lack. Oh, and ice cream recipes!

The real star of this novel is the setting. Collette brings to life the small town of Chagrin Falls, Ohio with delightful results. The small town feel and bitter cold of Ohio snow radiates from the book as you read. In particular, any scene involving ice cream is sure to make you glance longingly at your freezer, wishing you had access to a few scoops of Win’s creations. Collette’s addition of ice cream recipes at the end of the story is a nice touch that reinforces the genial aspect of cosy mysteries.

Win, as a character, is where things get a little hard. Her determination and attitude are great, but she feels a bit juvenile sometimes. Win constantly refers to her mother and father as “Mommy” and “Daddy”, which just felt off. This could boil down to a personality thing from me, but it’s rare that we hear an adult refer to their parents as such. The rest of the characters felt familiar in the way that they are the types of characters you’d come to expect in a cosy mystery, but Collette made them all her own.

Collette’s writing style is a blend of simple, yet complex enough to support the mystery. There was a lot going on in the story and it was easy to keep hold of the plot. But, just as Win felt a bit juvenile, the writing did too at times. For example there are seven times in the story when a character, mostly Win, flaps their arms or hands. There is also a lot of giggling. It feels like there could have been different action words used to make the characters seem a little less childlike.

All told, A Deadly Inside Scoop is a solid start to an intriguing new mystery series. Collette handles the crafting of mysteries well and I look forward to checking out future instalments in the series. And trying some new ice cream recipes!

A Deadly Inside Scoop is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore!

Will you be picking up A Deadly Inside Scoop? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

This book kicks off a charming cozy mystery series set in an ice cream shop–with a fabulous cast of quirky characters.

Recent MBA grad Bronwyn Crewse has just taken over her family’s ice cream shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and she’s going back to basics. Win is renovating Crewse Creamery to restore its former glory, and filling the menu with delicious, homemade ice cream flavors—many from her grandmother’s original recipes. But unexpected construction delays mean she misses the summer season, and the shop has a literal cold opening: the day she opens her doors an early first snow descends on the village and keeps the customers away.

To make matters worse, that evening, Win finds a body in the snow, and it turns out the dead man was a grifter with an old feud with the Crewse family. Soon, Win’s father is implicated in his death. It’s not easy to juggle a new-to-her business while solving a crime, but Win is determined to do it. With the help of her quirky best friends and her tight-knit family, she’ll catch the ice cold killer before she has a meltdown…

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