Hopefully during this homebound time, you’re finding good books to keep you company. For me, nothing distracts like a good mystery. Today I’d like to call out some of my favorite lesser-known mysteries that you might not be familiar with. We all need a few go-to authors when the latest hot titles are all checked out! All of these are also part of a series, so if you like one, there will be plenty more to keep you busy.

Murder in a Small Town:

Death in the Off-Season by Francine Mathews

Detective Merry Folger is third in a line of cops in her family, which has been on Nantucket Island for generations. When a body is found dead in a cranberry bog, she gets the case after fighting for it with the police chief – who is also her dad. The murder victim is also a member of an old island family with plenty of skeletons in their closets, and Merry has to work through her own insecurities and history to solve the crime. With intelligent, likable characters, plenty of red herrings, and an atmospheric setting, this is a great traditional mystery. Available as an eBook through CloudLibrary.

Other small-town mystery authors to try: Julia Keller, Emily Littlejohn, Julia Spencer-Fleming.

Cozy Mystery:

Murder in an Irish Village by Carlene O’Connor

If you’re a cozy mystery fan, here’s a great one. Carlene O’Connor brings to life a little village in County Cork, Ireland, where young Siobhan O’Sullivan runs a bistro with her five siblings. They are struggling to make ends meet after the death of their parents in a car accident, and things get even worse when one of their customers is found murdered at one of their tables. Determined to solve the murder, Siobhan puts herself on the case, against the wishes of the handsome local Garda officer. Funny and warm, this mystery both charms and satisfies. Available as an eBook and e-audiobook through Hoopla Digital.

Other cozy mystery authors to try: Ellery Adams, Sheila Connolly, Amanda Flower.

Humorous Mystery:

Gone To Dust by Matt Goldman

This laugh-out-loud mystery set in Minnesota is one of my all-time favorites. Private investigator Nils Shapiro is trying to get over his ex-wife during a freezing  Minneapolis winter when he gets a call from the Edina Police Department to help solve a bizarre murder. He jumps into the case, which leads him from the tony suburb of Edina down unexpected paths to childhood friends, a Somali underworld, and run-ins with the FBI. Irreverent, snarky, and all kinds of fun. Available as an eBook through CloudLibrary and OverDrive.

Other humorous crime authors to try: Jack Fredrickson, Lee Goldberg, Timothy Hallinan.

Do you have any go-to backlist mysteries? If so, comment below. I’d love to hear about them!