by Victoria Fair
It’s month three in the KRL Coming Attractions Column Reading Challenge and I find my enthusiasm for generating new monthly themes and featured books has not waned. I’ve tried very hard to stay away from the obvious themes that society attaches to specific months of the year. But, for the month of March I couldn’t resist honoring Women’s History Month by focusing my Featured Five on strong female amateur sleuths. Granted, this is not a departure from my reading comfort zone per se since I am a huge fan of female sleuths like Miss Marple, Jessica Fletcher, and Nancy Drew. In fact, my older sister deserves all the credit for introducing me to Nancy Drew, my first taste of detective novels, when she passed her Nancy Drew Mystery books down to me. It was the summer she got her own room. I distinctly remember her shedding all vestiges of childhood and the books were one part of my inheritance. I also received a few poodle-themed room decor items and my first pair of clogs that she felt were too childish. All throughout our adulthood until she passed we would share cozy mystery books or recommendations with one another. We both stopped wearing clogs and decorating with poodles, thankfully. When it came to books we typically sought different types of sleuths or settings but every now and again we would hit on a sleuth or series that appealed to us both. Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple were definitely common sleuth denominators for us. This is why you’ll find the Agatha Christie Reading Tracker: Read, Solve, Record Diary by Chronicle Books releasing on March 25,, 2025 on my list. It’s a non-fiction book that every Christie fan will appreciate. This month, for those of you taking the challenge, my Featured Five focuses on strong female amateur sleuths in honor of Women’s History Month, which I believe my sister and I would have both enjoyed. As always, if my featured recommendations don’t suit you, I’m sure you’ll find something from the March book releases that will.
Featured Five
Spring, 1924. Reporter Iris Woodmore plans to move to London to avoid a shocking hometown scandal. Longtime enemy Archie Powell has been threatening to reveal her darkest secret – and she’s desperate to flee before he does. But when he’s found murdered after a violent argument with her, there’s no escape. Iris must stay and clear her name even though the truth could ruin her reputation. With the police closing in, Iris has to find the real killer if she’s to keep her secret. Can she prove her innocence without revealing the identity of the one man who can provide her with an alibi? — Murder at Mill Ponds House by Michelle Salter, Boldwood Books
In this debut mystery, DCI Lilian Wyles, the first woman detective chief inspector in the CID, is determined to find a killer with the help of the four queens of crime, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham. 1938, London. The four queens of British crime fiction, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham, are hosting a gala to raise money for the Women’s Voluntary Service to help Britain prepare for war. Baronet Sir Henry Heathcote has loaned Hursley House for the event, and all the elites of London society are attending. The gala is a brilliant success, despite a few hiccups, but the next morning, Sir Henry is found dead in the library. Detective Chief Inspectors Lilian Wyles and Richard Davidson from Scotland Yard are quickly summoned and discover a cluster of potential suspects among the guests, including an upset fiancée, a politically ambitious son, a reserved but protective brother, an irate son-in-law, a rebellious teenage daughter, and the deputy home secretary. Quietly recruiting the four queens of crime, DCI Wyles must sort through the messy aftermath of Sir Henry’s death to solve the mystery and identify the killer. — The Four Queens of Crime by Rosanne Limoncelli, Crooked Lane Books
In a 1960s convent, Kristen, a first-year nun, and her teacher, Sister Inez, stumble over a dead body in the basement of the motherhouse late one night. The woman is dressed like a nun, but no one knows her. The police are called and begin their investigation, but Sister Inez, ever the busybody, insists that she and Kristen will solve the murder. Complicating everything is Kristen’s attraction to the young detective assigned to the case. Their investigation is harmless enough until Kristen gets a threatening letter from the murderer telling her to stop, and she begins to worry for her life. Was it another nun in the motherhouse who committed the crime? Will they solve the murder? Will her infatuation for the detective ruin her vocation? Kristen will solve three cases in this first book of the Who Nun It? Mystery Series. — Who Nun It? by Susan Mattern, Sibylline Digital First
Mystery Maven Aggie Burns breaks into her first solo case. After a brief hiatus from the secret sleuthing society, Aggie’s eager to return to regular assignments. But this time, she’s got a case of her own. Rayne Walker, heiress to her family dynasty, has vanished from a recent cohort of their exile community. The perfect opportunity for an amateur sleuth to show her worth. Sounds simple enough. Knock on a few doors. Follow the paper trail. Keep out of harm’s way. Unfortunately, traversing town to find the necessary files means cutting through her own insecurities and awkwardness. She’ll need to hone her social skills to deal with the strict record keepers, fearful incomers, and a sinister psychologist. As her leads dry up, Aggie’s left with no good options. She’ll either have to admit defeat or break the rules to get what she needs. — The Case of the Weather Walkers by J. Hicks
Meet Miss Jane Treen – the coffee-drinking cat lover dressed head to toe in tweed, who just happens to be a secret super sleuth! London, 1941: Miss Jane Treen is at her desk, strong black coffee in hand and fluffy ginger cat by her side, when her top-secret government work is interrupted by an urgent call to Devon. A woman has been found dead in a lake in a place where she shouldn’t have been. Jane needs to gather the clues and find the killer before someone else from the agency gets hurt…Shy and handsome codebreaker Arthur Cilento is bewildered by the arrival of the efficient Miss Treen and her cat Marmaduke. She bursts into his life unexpectedly, forcing him out of his comfort zone. The reluctant colleagues huddle near the warmth of a crackling fire in Arthur’s country home, working to piece together the murderous puzzle at hand. In the sleepy Devon village, someone is hiding something: but is it the busybody vicar and his sister, the dutiful housekeeper and her secretive son, the stern librarian, or someone else altogether? And who were the people with the woman in the lake on the day she died? No sooner have Arthur and Jane have drawn up a list of suspects, than a parcel reveals a clue that sends them in hot pursuit of a coded diary stashed in a village church. But as the heavy wooden door slams behind them and a key turns in the lock, one thing is sure: they need to unravel the truth and crack this code before the killer decides their number is up…But if they can catch the culprit in time, might this unusual pair become the finest crime-solving partnership since Holmes and Watson hung up their hats…? — The Secret Detective Agency by Helena Dixon, Bookouture
March 1
A Fatal Illusion (Cherringham: Mystery Shorts, Book 48) by Matthew Costello and Neil Richards
Portraits of a Killer (A Cosy Crime Mystery Series, Book 11) by Ellen Barksdale
Terminated at the Trailhead (Nightmare, Arizona Paranormal Cozy Mysteries, Book 9) by Beth Dolgner
Thanksgiving Thievery (Mystic Moonhaven Mysteries, Book 8) by Daisy Landish
The Earl, the Bird, and the Botanist: A Victorian Mystery by Mina W. Hayward
The Thief & the Marquis (Shilling & Florin Mysteries, Book 2) by Kate Haley
Trial and Error (Castling, Book 4) by P. D. Atkerson
Two Spinsters and a Madman (Two Spinsters and a Murder Mystery Book 3) by Eve Tarrington
Uncorked Murder (An Utterly Uncorked, Book 1) by Marie MacKenzie
March 2
Sweet Lost and Found (A Sweet Cove Mystery, Book 26) by J. A. Whiting
March 3
Death at the Village Chess Club (The Cotswold Curiosity Shop Mysteries, Book 2) by Debbie Young
Murder at the Loch (An Ally McKinley Mystery, Book 2) by Dee MacDonald
Murder With a Drizzle of Syrup (Ivy Clark Mysteries, Book 5) by Kristy T. Dixon
March 4
A Disgraceful Embrace: A Short Story (Captain Jim and Lady Diana Mysteries) by Nev March | Novella
A Pre-Med(itated) Murder by Niru Mohandas
A Scandalous Affair (A Daughter of Sherlock Holmes Mystery, Book 8) by Leonard Goldberg
Allegro by Ariel Dorfman
Beneath the Shadow of Time: Irish Time Travel Romantic Suspense (Always and Forever, Book 3) by Vera Bell
Blind Mistake: Witness Protection (Lucille Pfiffer Mystery Series, Book 10) by Tanya R. Taylor
Crone It Down (A Spell’s Angels Cozy Mystery, Book 13) by Amanda M. Lee
Delicate Evidence (Swift Justice Club Cozy Mysteries, Book 3) by Scarlett Moss
From Were to Eternity (A Witch on the Rocks Cozy Mystery, Book 10) by Lily Harper Hart
Glory Daze (Glory Broussard Mysteries, Book 2) by Danielle Arceneaux
High Tea and Misdemeanors (A Tea Shop Mystery Book 29) Kindle Edition by Laura Childs
Home Baked Bribery (Addie Masters Mysteries, Book 2) by Gina Holder
Kills Well with Others (Killer of a Certain Age, Book 2) by Deanna Raybourn
Murder of a Recluse (An Oak Park Village Mystery, Book 3) by Jeanne M. Dams
No. 10 Doyers Street by Radha Vatsal
The Journal of a Thousand Years (The Glass Library, Book 6) by C.J. Archer
The Undoing of Violet Claybourne by Emily Critchley
Unicorns Can Be Deadly (A Discount Detective Mystery, Book 5) by Charlotte Stuart
Vanishing Into the 100% Dark (Bean to Bar Mysteries, Book 8) by Amber Royer
Zonked in the Zucchinis (Lovely Lethal Gardens Rewind, Book 1) by Dale Mayer
March 5
Broomsticks & Blooms (A Book Store Cozy Mystery, Book 10) by Lucinda Race
Still Life, Still Dead (An Arts and Crafts Mystery, Book 1) by Sydney Abrams
The Spitfire Murders (The Homefront Sleuths Cozy Mystery Series, Book 3) by Anna Elliott and Charles Veley
March 6
Deadly Pursuit (Cooper Harrington Detective Novels, Book 6) by Tammy L. Grace
Murder Most Foul by Guy Jenkin
One Wife Too Many: An Amy Hammond Cosy Mystery (Amy Hammond Cosy Mysteries, Book 25) by Tia Brown
The Dead Man’s Blood (Afterlife Calls, Book 7) by K. C. Adams
Wordsmiths and Wands (Magical Bookstore Mysteries, Book 5) by Sue Hollowell
March 7
A Glittering Peril (Catrin Surovell Tudor Mysteries, Book 3) by Angela Ranson
A Midsummer Night’s Ghost (Murder By Design, Book 8) by Erin McCarthy
A Pernicious Fabrication (Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries, Book 13) by Lynn Messina
A Poisonous Plot (Lily Larkin Mysteries, Book 3) by Hannah Ellis
Almond Scones and Accusations (The Fernwood Mysteries, Book 1) by Ashley Samuels
Blood on Bold Street (The Time Slip Murders, Book 1) by Brittiany West
Madame Pompette Sets Up Shop (Madame Pompette’s Tea Shop, Book 1) by Libby Castle
Murder at Dreeym Gorrym Point (Margaret and Mona Ghostly Cozies, Book 4) by Diana Xarissa
Secrets, Lies and Fireflies (Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries, Book 14) by Angie Fox
Summer Secrets (A Lady Gayle Summer Mystery, Book 3) by Cassie Rush
March 8
Berry Betrayal (Mysteries à la Mode, Book 7) by Tammy Beck
March 9
Murder at Mill Ponds House (The Iris Woodmore Mysteries, Book 6) by Michelle Salter
March 10
Fudge and Felonies (Frosted Misfortunes Mysteries, Book 2) by Lisa Siefert
Sherlock Holmes and the Deathly Clairvoyant by Margaret Walsh
The Last Resort (Old School Mysteries, Book 4) by Andrea C. Neil
The Phantom’s Festive Fraud (A Beatrice Holloway Mystery, Book 4) by C J Arden
The Widows’ Guide to Backstabbing (The Widows’ Detective Club, Book 2) by Amanda Ashby
March 11
A Drizzle of Magic (The Pobyd Perfections Bakery Series, Book 1) by S. Usher Evans
A Village Theatre Murder (Julia Bird Mysteries, Book 7) by Katie Gayle
Banshees, Boomboxes, and Bones (Bewitcher’s Beach Paranormal Cozy Mysteries, Book 4) by Emily Fluke
Flora Flowerdew and the Secret of the Sarcophagus (Flora Flowerdew Victorian Mysteries, Book 3) by Amanda McCabe
Midnight Streets: The Piccadilly Noir Series by Phil Lecomber
Silent as the Grave (Molly Murphy Mysteries, Book 21) by Rhys Bowen
The Four Queens of Crime by Rosanne Limoncelli
The Socialite’s Guide to Sleuthing and Secrets (A Pinnacle Hotel Mystery, Book 3) by S. K. Golden
March 12
Death Discovers a Bone (Penelope Standing Mysteries, Book 6) by Tess Baytree
Lime and Punishment (The Parchment Paper Mysteries, Book 2) by Matilda Swift
Sigrid’s Hoard (An Agency of the Ancient Lost & Found Mystery Thriller, Book 10) by Jane Thornley
March 13
A Brush with Death by J.M. Hall
A Wedding in Stickleback Hollow (The Mysteries of Stickleback Hollow, Book 24) by C. S. Woolley
Death On Fleet Street (A 1920s Murder Mystery, Book 5) by Anna Sayburn Lane
March 14
A Wee Lepre-Con (A Katie Murphy Cozy Mystery, Book 5) by Suzanne Bolden
Murder in Covent Garden (Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mysteries, Book 4) by Anita Davison
Snap, Spirit, Murder (A Ghost Photographer Paranormal Cozy Mystery, Book 1) by Felicity Green
March 15
A Not So Simple Seminar (Holt Jacobs Mystery, Book 5) by Lily Stirling
Christmas Charade (Mystic Moonhaven Mysteries, Book 9) by Daisy Landish
The Deadly Dig (The Sandy Cove British Mysteries, Book 4) by Siena Summer
March 16
The Route 66 Misfits (Cozy Mysteries on the Open Road, Book 1) by CeeCee James
March 17
A Shamrock To Die For (Quay Road Mysteries, Book 2) by Siobhan Purcell
Leprechauns and Luck (Spellbrooke Mystery Series) by Renee Marski | Novella
Menace at the Marina (Alex Paige Travel Mysteries, Book 6) by Theresa L. Carter
March 18
A Geek Girl’s Guide to Arsenic (Geek Girl Mysteries, Book 2) by Julie Anne Lindsey
Barrel Proof (A Casey Schmitt Mystery, Book 2) by Ryan Hoffman
Isabella (A Drake Marlow Mystery, Book 3) by Sally J. Ling
Kidnapped in the Kitchen (The Inn at Holiday Bay, Book 33) by Kathi Daley
My Sister’s Shadow by January Gilchrist
Murder Strikes a Chord (Pearly Girls Mysteries, Book 1) by Heather Weidner
Party Planning Can Be Murder (Party Planner Mysteries, Book 1) by Kerry Schafer
Snowy with a Chance of Murder (Murder, She Wrote, Book 60) by Jessica Fletcher and Barbara Early
Sweets and Spellcasts (Witches of Willow Hollow Mystery, Book 12) by Kat McGee
The Coral Conspiracy (Aloha Lagoon Mysteries, Book 24) by Rosalie Spielman
The Library Game (Secret Staircase Mysteries, Book 4) by Gigi Pandian
The Man Who Swore He’d Never Go Home Again (Stewart Hoag Mysteries, Book 16) by David Handler
March 19
Murder in a Psychic Prison (A Wonder Springs Cozy Mystery, Book 4) by Bill Alive
Summer Flowers (A Lady Gayle Summer Mystery, Book 5) by Cassie Rush
The House Remembers: Because Curses Are Just Family Heirlooms Now (The Haunted Inheritance Mysteries, Book 5) by Wynn Valentine
March 20
An Extremely Unlikely Death (The Dinner Lady Detectives, Book 6) by Hannah Hendy
Body in the Boathouse (The Wharf Rats Mysteries, Book 3) by Jackie Sharp
Fennel Fatality (A Penny Hawthorne Cozy Mystery, Book 6) by Fiona Grace
Marriage and Murder (The Casebook of Barnaby, Book 10) by Stephanie Laurens
Mystic Betrayal (Isle of Enchantment Mystery, Book 6) by Stephanie Damore
The Cambridge Siren (Nighthawk, Book 4) by Jim Kelly
Treble Death: A Paranormal Ghost Mystery (Musical Mayhem, Book 3) by K. M. Jackways
March 21
But First, Murder (A Betti Bryant Mystery, Book 2) by Bee Littlefield
Death by Driftwood (Cape Cod Cozy Mysteries, Book 4) by Angela K. Ryan
Spectral Scandals (Sunnyside Retired Witches Mysteries, Book 9) by Paula Lester
The Lady and the Texas Ranger (Lady Inventor Mysteries, Book 2) by Brittany E. Brinegar and J. E. Brinegar
Witch Mirror? (A Water Witch Mystery, Book 5) by Leah R. Cutter
Who Nun It? (The Convent Mysteries, Book 1) by Susan Mattern
X Marks the Past (Reg Rawlins Psychic Investigator, Book 22) by P. D. Workman
March 22
New Year Nemesis (Mystic Moonhaven Mysteries, Book 10) by Daisy Landish
Sinister Seeds (A Delilah Green Cozy Mystery, Book 4) by Fiona Grace
March 23
Love Loch (Paige Comber Mystery, Book 9) by Agatha Ball
March 24
A Bone to Pick (A Canine Crew Mystery, Book 1) by Fiona Grace
A Murder of Convenience by Kathleen Buckley
A Storm in a Teacup (The Elderwick Mysteries, Book 3) by Rachael Gray
A Wiener Dog Wedding (The Pecan, Texas Pet Groomer Cozy Mysteries, Book 6) by M. Alfano
Bound By Murder (The Bookshop Detective, Book 3) by Kat Finn
Murder on a Tuesday (Monthly Murder Movie Club Cozy Mystery, Book 2) by Marcy Blesy
March 25
A Spirited Blend (A Crystals & CuriosiTEAS Mystery, Book 3) by Lauren Elliott
Agatha Christie Reading Tracker: Read, Solve, Record Diary by Chronicle Books
April Fools (Murder by Month Mystery, Book 12) by Jess Lourey
Bridal Shower Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery, Book 31) by Leslie Meier
Buried Secrets (A Fogpoint Harbor, Book 2) by Jennifer Lush
Cat Got Your Killer (Second Chance Cat Mystery, Book 12) by Sofie Ryan
Corsets and Casualties (Ghostly Fashionista Mystery Series, Book 6) by Gayle Leeson
Dead Reckoning (A Jettine Jorgensen Mystery, Book 4) by S. L. Menear
Essence of Foul Play (An Aroma Wellness Mystery, Book 1) by Daryl Wood Gerber
Homicide in the Indian Hills (A Jane Wunderly Mystery, Book 6) by Erica Ruth Neubauer
Hound of the Bonnevilles (Grace “The Hit Mom” Mysteries, Book 2) by Nikki Knight
Live and Galette Die (A Lucky Pie Mystery, Book 2) by Gretchen Rue
Mortgage in the First Degree (The Mother-Daughter Realty Team Mysteries, Book 3) by Carol E Ayer
One Sharp Stitch (A Nimble Needle Mystery, Book 1) by Allie Pleiter
Read ‘Em and Reap (Eeva Morelli Mysteries, Book 4) by Abigail Lynn Thornton
Resort Robbery (Charlotte Gibson Mysteries, Book 13) by Jasmine Webb
Tastes Like Murder (A Kara Hilder Mystery, Book 13) by Jenna St. James
The Fatal First Edition (The Meadowfield Bookshop Mysteries, Book 3) by Agatha Frost
The Gravesend Murder (The Field & Greystone Series, Book 3) by Lana Williams
Tight Rope (The Country Club Murders, Book 19) by Julie Mulhern
Twice Inn a Lifetime (Who-Dun-Him Inn Cozy Mystery, Book 7) by Heather Horrocks
March 26
A Night at Duffleton Hall (The Mysteries of Stickleback Hollow, Book 25) by C. S. Woolley
Devoted in the Midlife (Fanged After Forty, Book 13) by Lia Davis, L. A. Boruff & Life After Magic
Kidnapped In Little Leaf Creek (A Little Leaf Creek Cozy Mystery, Book 26) by Cindy Bell
The Library Heist (Jade Valley Romance Adventures, Book 3) by Cami Checketts
March 27
Cryptic Cookies (Cookie Corner Paranormal Cozy Mysteries, Book 13) by Cindy Stark
Date with Destiny (The Dales Detective Series, Book 10) by Julia Chapman
Reckoning at Dunhaven Castle (Cate Kensie Cozy Mysteries, Book 9) by Nellie H. Steele
Smoke and Silk by Fiona Keating
The Case of the Weather Walkers (Mystery Mavens, Book 4) by J. Hicks
The Secret Detective Agency (The Secret Detective Agency, Book 1) by Helena Dixon
March 28
A Whiff of Wicked (Steeped in Mystery Book 1) by Angela Mayble
Pastries and Poison (Cassie Desmarais Mysteries, Book 5) by Tammy Beck
Scratched Off (A Whiskers and Words Mystery, Book 11) by Eryn Scott
Softball and Stickups (Twin Bluebonnet Ranch Mysteries, Book 12) by Brittany E. Brinegar
The Lady at the Gate (Twilight Society Mysteries, Book 1) by Eva Pohler
March 29
Method of Revenge (Spencer & Reid Mysteries, Book 2) by Cara Devlin
Olives and Obsessions (Sophie Brooks Mysteries, Book 2) by Daisy Landish
The Cat Stole Your Tome (The Ghastly Grimoire Mysteries, Book 1) by Jeannie Wycherley
March 30
Death Slides and Cheese Pies (Max’s Campervan Case Files, Book 13) by Tyler Rhodes
Flans and Felonies (Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Series, Book 16) by Leena Clover
Of Spice and Men (A Nora Black Midlife Psychic Mystery, Book 10) by Renee George
March 31
A Recipe for Murder (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery, Book 21) by Verity Bright
A Witchy Spookfest (Witches of Whispering Pines, Book 4) by Rhonda Hopkins
Body at the Beach (Holly Holcraft Mysteries, Book 3) by M. R. Dollschnieder
Every Witch Way but Lost (Magical Misfits Mysteries, Book 18) by K. E. O’Connor
Harlequin Is Dead (Richard Brinsley Sheridan Mysteries, Book 1) by R. M. Cullen
I Kill Always Love You (A Right Royal Cozy Investigation Mystery, Book 11) by Helen Golden
Murder on the Steel Pier (A Tess Mancini Time Travel Mystery, Book 1) by Rosie Genova
Run Killer Run (The Loveday Mysteries Series Two, Book 2) by Rena George
Star Power (Ellis McFadden Mysteries, Book 2) by Kristen Painter
The Case of the Unfortunate Fortune Teller (WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries, Book 11) by Cathy Ace
The Cheese Burger Murder (A Sleepy Creek Cozy Mystery, Book 7) by Rosie A. Point
The Memory Collector (The Memory Collector, Book 1) by Annelie Wendeberg
The Secret (Murder Most Magic Series, Book 3) by Sarah Carey
Witch Peril (A Mackenzie Coven Mystery, Book 13) by Sonia Parin
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