I always remain on the lookout for new mysteries to read. The following are my picks of the best new crime fiction being released during the month of May. I've grouped them according to their release dates, and the book covers and synopses are courtesy of Amazon.
There's a little something for everyone in May: established authors as well as new ones, UK releases as well as those here in the US, and every type of mystery from cozy to the more hard-boiled.
Now the question is-- did I choose any books that tickle your fancy? Let's find out!
=== May 2 ===
Author: Ellen Crosby
Series: #3 in the Sophie Medina photojournalist series set in the Washington, DC area.
240 pages
*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books.
Synopsis: "International photojournalist Sophie Medina and her old school
friend Father Jack O'Hara are out for a run on Capitol Hill when they
find the body of Associate Supreme Court Justice Everett Townsend lying
in an alley, barely alive. Townsend, a diabetic, later dies in the ER
from complications due to hypoglycemia.
His tragic death has unexpected repercussions for Sophie when Javi, a young homeless man of Sophie's acquaintance, is murdered. Before he died, Javi told her a shocking story about Townsend that could have a devastating impact on the nation's highest court - and on the American justice system - if word got out.
Unable to persuade anyone that what she learned is true and on the run from whoever is protecting Townsend's dark secret, Sophie searches a collection of her photographs of Washington D.C.'s homeless community, looking for evidence before everything blows up in her face . . .
The third Sophie Medina mystery, following Ghost Image and Multiple Exposure, is a great choice for readers who enjoy fearless female sleuths, well-plotted puzzles and gripping political intrigue."
His tragic death has unexpected repercussions for Sophie when Javi, a young homeless man of Sophie's acquaintance, is murdered. Before he died, Javi told her a shocking story about Townsend that could have a devastating impact on the nation's highest court - and on the American justice system - if word got out.
Unable to persuade anyone that what she learned is true and on the run from whoever is protecting Townsend's dark secret, Sophie searches a collection of her photographs of Washington D.C.'s homeless community, looking for evidence before everything blows up in her face . . .
The third Sophie Medina mystery, following Ghost Image and Multiple Exposure, is a great choice for readers who enjoy fearless female sleuths, well-plotted puzzles and gripping political intrigue."
Author: Lorenzo Carcaterra
Series: #2 in the cozy series featuring a 70-year-old widow living on an Italian island.
288 pages
Synopsis: "Nonna Maria has a lot on her plate—and it’s not just fresh pasta.
Two crimes have rocked the sun-drenched island of Ischia, and once
again, the island’s denizens have called upon the espresso-brewing,
sage-counsel-giving sleuth.
A wealthy woman alleges that a valuable necklace has been stolen from her hotel room. The necklace, she claims, has been in her family for decades. She blames one of the young women working on the cleaning crew as the most likely suspect—a young woman who turns out to be Nonna Maria’s goddaughter. She takes the heat, but privately she proclaims her innocence.
Nearby, the body of a woman is found on a curved road near the borough of Barano. The woman is not known to anyone on the island. She has no purse, no identification. The one potential suspect is a young friend of Nonna Maria’s who drove by the area that very night and thinks that he might have hit something—a pothole, or an animal, or maybe the woman in question.
It turns out that this woman has a history on the island, having left Ischia decades ago. But why did she return, and more important, who killed her? Like the links of a beautiful, missing necklace, it’s up to Nonna Maria to string together the clues and solve these two mysteries before death comes to Ischia again."
A wealthy woman alleges that a valuable necklace has been stolen from her hotel room. The necklace, she claims, has been in her family for decades. She blames one of the young women working on the cleaning crew as the most likely suspect—a young woman who turns out to be Nonna Maria’s goddaughter. She takes the heat, but privately she proclaims her innocence.
Nearby, the body of a woman is found on a curved road near the borough of Barano. The woman is not known to anyone on the island. She has no purse, no identification. The one potential suspect is a young friend of Nonna Maria’s who drove by the area that very night and thinks that he might have hit something—a pothole, or an animal, or maybe the woman in question.
It turns out that this woman has a history on the island, having left Ischia decades ago. But why did she return, and more important, who killed her? Like the links of a beautiful, missing necklace, it’s up to Nonna Maria to string together the clues and solve these two mysteries before death comes to Ischia again."
Author: Brian Klingborg
Series: #3 in the Police Inspector Lu Fei series set in rural China.
320 pages
Synopsis: "A brutal murder investigation with connections to corruption at
the very highest level threatens not just the career but also the life
of Inspector Lu Fei in Brian Klingborg's latest mystery…"
Author: Kate Carlisle
Series: #10 in the Fixer-Upper cozy series set in California.
336 pages
Synopsis: "While Shannon Hammer is thrilled to attend the premiere of the
movie based on her boyfriend Mac’s latest book, she can’t wait to trade
her killer heels for work boots and start her next renovation project in
Lighthouse Cove: a quaint Victorian church that has seen better days.
And will see them again—as a museum—if Shannon, her talented crew, and
her sister Chloe have anything to say about it.
But on the first day of demolition, work comes to a screeching halt when they stumble on the body of a beautiful young woman in one of the chapels. Who killed the assistant art director? Suspects crawl out of the woodwork as fast as Shannon can restore it. The church is hiding a century of secrets from the days that smugglers wreaked havoc on the California coast. But it’s a more recent secret that someone killed to protect. Shannon and Mac will use every tool in their toolbox to nail down the truth before any more lives are sacrificed."
But on the first day of demolition, work comes to a screeching halt when they stumble on the body of a beautiful young woman in one of the chapels. Who killed the assistant art director? Suspects crawl out of the woodwork as fast as Shannon can restore it. The church is hiding a century of secrets from the days that smugglers wreaked havoc on the California coast. But it’s a more recent secret that someone killed to protect. Shannon and Mac will use every tool in their toolbox to nail down the truth before any more lives are sacrificed."
=== May 9 ===
Author: Ashley Weaver
Series: #3 in the Electra McDonnell historical series set in World War II England.
272 pages
Synopsis: "As the Blitz continues to ravage London, Ellie McDonnell―formerly a
safecracking thief, but currently determined to stay on the straight
and narrow to help her country―is approached by British Intelligence
officer Major Ramsey with a new assignment. She is to travel under an
assumed identity to the port city of Sunderland and there await further
instructions. In his usual infuriating way, the Major has left her task
as vague and mysterious as possible.
Ellie, ever-ready to aid her country, heads north, her safecracking tools in tow. But before she can rendezvous with the major, she witnesses an unnatural death. A man falls dead in the street in front of her, with a note clutched in his hand. Ellie’s instincts tell her that the man’s death is connected in some way to her mission.
Soon, Ellie and the major are locked in a battle of wits and a race against time with an unknown and deadly adversary, and a case that leads them to a possible Nazi counterfeiting operation. With bombs dropping on the city and a would-be assassin shadowing their every move, it will take all of Ellie’s resourcefulness and Major Ramsey’s fortitude to unmask the spymaster and avert disastrous consequences―for England and for their own lives."
Ellie, ever-ready to aid her country, heads north, her safecracking tools in tow. But before she can rendezvous with the major, she witnesses an unnatural death. A man falls dead in the street in front of her, with a note clutched in his hand. Ellie’s instincts tell her that the man’s death is connected in some way to her mission.
Soon, Ellie and the major are locked in a battle of wits and a race against time with an unknown and deadly adversary, and a case that leads them to a possible Nazi counterfeiting operation. With bombs dropping on the city and a would-be assassin shadowing their every move, it will take all of Ellie’s resourcefulness and Major Ramsey’s fortitude to unmask the spymaster and avert disastrous consequences―for England and for their own lives."
Author: Joe Ide
Series: #6 in the IQ private investigator series set in the Los Angeles area.
320 pages
Synopsis: "Danger has always followed IQ, a reality he’s keenly aware of as
he’s laid up in a hospital bed, recovering from injuries sustained in
his last case. Isaiah cannot help himself from being the hero, and any
misery he’s suffered as a result—wounds from a knife fight, gnawing
paranoia—he’s suffered alone. Yet as IQ recovers, five hundred miles
from East Long Beach, he’s unaware that Grace has been abducted by his
sworn enemy, the professional hitman Skip Hanson. Skip is savage and
psychotic, determined to punish Isaiah for sending him to prison and
destroying his life. Now, Isaiah and his sometimes partner, ex-hustler
Juanell Dodson, must track scant clues through L.A.’s perilous landscape
as Grace’s predicament grows more uncertain.
A complication arises in the form of Winnie Hando, a homicide detective with something to prove. Stubborn and effective, Winnie sees Isaiah’s efforts as an obstruction to the investigation and a possible embarrassment: an unlicensed PI can’t be seen doing the department’s job better than the department. Winnie tries to stop Isaiah while pursuing the case herself, their struggles clashing and slowing their progress. As the desperate hunt winds on, Isaiah fears that even if he can bring Grace home alive, things between them will never be the same. This latest series installment is an explosive collision of drug dealers, thieves, maniacs, shotguns, vicious dogs, stampeding horses, and Ide’s signature energy, grit, and profundity "
A complication arises in the form of Winnie Hando, a homicide detective with something to prove. Stubborn and effective, Winnie sees Isaiah’s efforts as an obstruction to the investigation and a possible embarrassment: an unlicensed PI can’t be seen doing the department’s job better than the department. Winnie tries to stop Isaiah while pursuing the case herself, their struggles clashing and slowing their progress. As the desperate hunt winds on, Isaiah fears that even if he can bring Grace home alive, things between them will never be the same. This latest series installment is an explosive collision of drug dealers, thieves, maniacs, shotguns, vicious dogs, stampeding horses, and Ide’s signature energy, grit, and profundity "
=== May 11 ===
Author: Barbara Nadel
Series: #25 in the Inspector Çetin Ikmen police procedural series set in Istanbul, Turkey
400 pages
UK Release
Synopsis: "When Ates Bocuk, son of a feared Istanbul gang leader, is arrested
for the brutal murder of his Roma lover, feelings of vengeance are
ignited among rival Turkish gangs and the Roma community. Forensic
evidence is stacked against him, but Ates refuses to speak, and
Inspector Suleyman suspects that there is more to the case than meets
the eye. Then Cetin Ikmen discovers that Ates is psychotic and believes
that everyone in his life is an imposter, which suggests that Ates might
in fact be a victim of a far more sinister game . . .
As violence erupts, Suleyman and his team work tirelessly to expose a shocking tale of corruption, power and betrayal - but not before more blood is shed on these dark and dangerous streets."
Author: Michael Davies
Series: #2 in the Bill Kemp insurance investigator series set in the Australian Outback.
304 pages
UK Release
Synopsis: "Insurance investigator Bill Kemp had never wanted to trek deep
into Australia’s remote interior. But after his clients Sophie and Adam
Church inherit an abandoned opal mine, they become the target of
threatening letters, urging Sophie to abandon the inheritance claim … or
pay the price. 
Title: Paradise
Title: Six Ostriches 
Title: Cult
Though the mine appears to be worthless, someone is clearly desperate to stop them from discovering more – about the treasure that might be hidden within and the circumstances that led to Sophie inheriting it in the first place. Was her uncle’s death truly self-inflicted or are there nefarious forces at play? After Sophie narrowly escapes an attempt on her life, the group are left with no choice but to head out into the blistering desert in search of answers.
How far will their unknown enemy go to stop them from uncovering the explosive, long-lost secret of the Deakins family mine? And even if the group can uncover the truth, will they make it out of that vast and hostile wilderness alive?
Outback celebrates
the centenary of bestselling thriller writer Desmond Bagley with this
new adventure featuring his protagonist Bill Kemp, described by Jeffrey
Deaver as ‘part James Bond, part Philip Marlowe, and all hero’. Michael
Davies, who completed Bagley’s first Kemp novel Domino Island
for publication nearly forty years after the author’s death, now weaves
an original tale of danger and death under the Australian sun."
=== May 17 ===
Author: Patricia Wolf
Series: #2 in the DS Walker police procedural series set on Australia's Gold Coast.
300 pages
*Upcoming review on Kittling: Books.
Synopsis: "Australia's Gold Coast: On a stunningly beautiful stretch of coastline, a young mother is brutally murdered and her daughter, Gabby, is left in a coma, with her life hanging in the balance.
DS Lucas Walker has just arrived in Surfer's Paradise for some much-needed recovery after injuries sustained in his last investigation. But he is soon pulled into the dark twists and turns of this home invasion gone wrong, vowing to find the men responsible.
As Walker digs deeper into the dark underbelly of this shimmering city by the ocean, a case from his own past resurfaces, with deadly consequences.
And as eight-year-old Gabby, the sole witness her mother's murder, wakes in her hospital bed, Walker is in a race against time to stop those responsible before they return to silence her forever... "
DS Lucas Walker has just arrived in Surfer's Paradise for some much-needed recovery after injuries sustained in his last investigation. But he is soon pulled into the dark twists and turns of this home invasion gone wrong, vowing to find the men responsible.
As Walker digs deeper into the dark underbelly of this shimmering city by the ocean, a case from his own past resurfaces, with deadly consequences.
And as eight-year-old Gabby, the sole witness her mother's murder, wakes in her hospital bed, Walker is in a race against time to stop those responsible before they return to silence her forever... "
=== May 23 ===
Author: Philipp Schott
Series: #2 in the Dr. Bannerman Vet series set in Manitoba Canada
272 pages
Synopsis: "It’s springtime in rural Manitoba, and the snow has finally
left the exotic animal farm when an ostrich finds and swallows a shiny
object. (Because this is what ostriches do.) Cue veterinarian and
amateur sleuth Dr. Peter Bannerman, who surgically removes the object,
which looks like an ancient Viking artifact. Soon after, people around
are horrified by a series of animal mutilations. This sets Peter, and
his talented sniffer dog, Pippin, on the hunt for answers. Peter begins
to suspect a link between the Viking artifact, the mutilations, and a
shadowy group of white supremacists on the internet.
Before
long Peter and Pippin are in over their heads, and the only way for
them to get out alive will be to unmask the mastermind before they end
up among their victims."
=== May 25 ===
Author: Camilla Läckberg
Series: #2 in the Mina Dabiri and Vincent Walder police procedural series set in Sweden.
592 pages
UK Release
Synopsis: "A young child is snatched in broad daylight outside his
nursery. Nobody in charge sees a thing, but the other children say a
woman is the culprit …
Detective Mina Dabiri calls on her close friend Vincent to untangle the puzzle that surrounds the kidnapped boy. As he finds a link between the boy and other others who have gone missing, it becomes clear that time is running out for everyone involved ….
Meanwhile,
Mina’s estranged daughter gets caught up in the secretive world of
Epicura, a shadowy organisation that claims to be a centre for
leadership development. Can Mina protect her child―a child who doesn’t
even know she exists?"
Well, how did I do? Did anything tickle your fancy? Which ones? You know inquiring minds would love to know!
