Searching for Reading Material: A Little Murder, a Little Mystery
Dr. Tamara Fudge
Purdue University Global Professor, Business and Information Technology
It’s pretty easy to go to a bookstore at the local mall or search online and find all sorts of reading material by famous authors. It is not possible to have read all the classics, so you should be able to find something that seems familiar – something that makes you think now, why haven’t I read this yet?
But this blog entry is not about the famous Charles Dickenses, the George Orwells, or the Maya Angelous. It’s about finding works by new authors. Fresh pickings! The following items were written by authors I know personally. All of these authors are still alive – but not all of the characters in their books stay that way!
L. Phillips Carlson
- Website: http://lphillipscarlson.com/
- Title: A Matter of Possession
- Genre: Paranormal mystery novel
First, a prized butterfly collection is stolen. Then what looks like a car accident might actually have been murder. On the surface, these events don’t seem to be related, but a private investigator who is trying to restart his sagging career starts to find some odd connections. Throw in some ghostly possession and it gets even more complicated – and personal. Just when you think you know what will happen next, there is a new twist! This book won the 2015 New Mexico-Arizona Book Award for Fiction in the Science Fiction-Fantasy category.
Linnea Hall
- Smashwords link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/39924
- Title: Love Immortal
- Genre: Paranormal fantasy novel (young adult or teen)
Think just for a minute about this tagline: “When Collin Sykes dies in an automobile accident, his life changes forever.” An emergency room nurse, time-travel back to the Knights Templar, a kidnapping, and the plan for a heroic rescue – plus some science! – all set up a lot of great action. While it may have been meant for the young reader, this book is definitely also fun for adult reading. The characters make you want to care about them, and you won’t want to put the book down until the last word.
Leslie Langtry
- Website: http://www.leslielangtry.com/
- Title: Merit Badge Murder: A Merry Wrath Mystery
- Genre: Murder mystery
This is the first book of four in Langtry’s “Merry Wrath Mysteries” series. The protagonist is an ex-CIA operative turned Girl Scout co-leader (really!). Despite ineptitude at “normal living,” Merry tries to fit in as a regular civilian but keeps getting pulled back into the world of espionage and, well, really weird situations. Skillful sarcasm, some well-placed dead bodies, secrets, and plot twists in each book will make you want to read the full series and beg for more. I have already begged and found #5 is coming in the spring!
Another excellent reason to read these books is that you help inspire living authors to continue their craft, and that in turn enriches the world of literature. Have fun and unwind with these murderous and mysterious novels!