3 Amazing Mysteries With A Delicious Twist
There is a unique thrill in trying to outsmart an author before they reveal the final twist. Lately, I’ve been diving deep into the mystery genre, and three specific books completely stole my sleep. In this post, I’m breaking down a trio of exceptional mysteries that deliver brilliant pacing, flawless clues, and endings I never saw coming.
She Dies Tonight – Georgia Wagner (July 2022)
The skeletons in her closet are twitching…
Genius chess master and FBI consultant Artemis Blythe swore she’d never return to the misty Cascade Mountains. Her father is a notorious serial killer, responsible for the deaths of seven women. He is now imprisoned, in no small part due to a clue she provided nearly fifteen years ago.
And now her father wants his vengeance.
Author pen pic: Georgia Wagner worked as a ghostwriter for many, many years before finally taking the plunge into self-publishing. Location and character are two big factors for Georgia, and getting them right lets the story flow seamlessly onto the page.
5* – Excellent series starter
A name I’ve seen many times over the past couple of years. I’ve always wondered what their books were like. Well, this was a page-turning, fast-paced thriller with terrific characters and an intriguing plot. Just what you need to start the ball rolling. Highly recommended.
The River Severn Murders – Priscilla Masters (Jan 2026)
A flood is coming to the historic West Midlands city of Shrewsbury. After days of relentless rain, the raging River Severn is an unstoppable force, sweeping through twisty streets and closed doors — where it’s about to dredge up the darkest of secrets . . .
Coroner and single mum Martha Gunn is trudging through Tesco when she gets the call.
The police have found a body. A John Doe floating in a riverside cottage. Whoever this man is, he’s been dead a while. Left to rot in the cottage’s mouldering cellar.
But nature has a way of revealing what people try to bury.
Author pen pic: Priscilla Masters was one of seven multi-racial children adopted by an orthopaedic surgeon and his Classics graduate wife. She trained as a nurse in the 1970s at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. She is the author of more than thirty crime novels, including the popular DI Joanna Piercy series set in the Staffordshire Moorlands.
5* – Lovely stuff
Easy to read, magical settings with strong characters, and written by one of my favourite authors. For once, it merited the hyped headline of ‘absolutely gripping and unputdownable’. I still loathe that device, though. Surely, it’s time to move on to something fresh? Recommended reading.
Murder on Oxford Lane – Tony Bassett (Jan 2022)
The peace of a Midlands village is upset when local businessman Harry Bowers doesn’t return from choir practice.
More concerned than the man’s own wife, it would seem, investigating officer Detective Sergeant Sunita Roy becomes convinced he has been done away with. But there is no trace of the man, just a litany of evidence of an ailing marriage and a nose-diving business venture. In charge of her first serious case, DS Roy will struggle to win the respect of her colleagues – in particular her Brummie boss, DCI Gavin Roscoe. All that whilst fighting off the intentions of an increasingly desperate suitor.
Author pen pic: Tony Bassett is a former journalist who worked on regional and national newspapers in Britain for more than 40 years. He mainly reported on crime, show business, human interest and consumer topics. Now retired, he writes crime fiction.
5* – A promising start
This has the ingredients that I believe make a successful series. The main characters have a life away from the police station with plenty of story threads to follow, and there are just enough descriptive passages to get the reader firmly in the correct setting without getting in the way of the plot. It will be interesting to watch how the Roy and Roscoe pairing progress.
Finding a mystery that truly surprises you is rare, which is why these three standouts earned a permanent spot on my favourites shelf. No matter what kind of sleuth you are, I highly recommend picking up at least one of these titles. Happy reading, stay cozy, and don’t forget to leave a review! Meanwhile, there are plenty to choose from here.
Another book-related topic soon…
Best wishes
Ted Tayler