by Elaine Faber

Here is the latest installment of our new column, Top 5 Mysteries I Have Read During the Pandemic, this one from mystery author Elaine Faber. As we continue to spend most of our time at home, we are all looking for book suggestions so we asked mystery authors and reviewers to share the top 5 mysteries they have read during this pandemic.

As a Cozy Mystery writer, I read cozy mystery or mystery novels to see how other writers handle scary or humorous scenes, or manage narration and dialogue.

1. The Final Cut, by Catherine Coulter. An international spy thriller, filled with modern science and technology as a Scotland Yard detective moves between two continents, to solve a murder.

2. The Whole Enchilada, by Diane Mott Davidson. A catering cozy mystery, where multiple recipes are included in the plot as she solves her best friend’s murder.

3. A River in the Sky, by Elizabeth Peters. I like the setting and time elements as they match wits with German spies in Jerusalem (not in Egypt this time) during 1910 when war is threatened.

4. The Shadow Dancer, by Margaret Coel. A tale of a Jesuit priest on an Indian reservation. Native religion clashes with Christianity as a woman is accused of murder. I greatly admire Ms. Coel’s ability to intermingle almost poetic phrases as she describes the scenery, complexity, and mystery of her novel.

5. The Prince and the Pauper, by Mark Twain. A favorite classic tale. An old favorite set during the sixteenth century as the prince is caught in a life style where he learns how his people survive in poverty and want.

My novel, Mrs. Odboddy Undercover Courier has similar attributes as these five novels. 1) The thrill and misfortune of finding an alternate plan when the first plan goes sadly awry. (2) The humor of an elderly, eccentric sleuth who stops at nothing to achieve her goal. (3) A humorous, historical fiction, set in 1943, that includes life and times of that era, as she travels by train to deliver a package she feels sure contains secret war documents to President Roosevelt. (4) I admire the talent of writing beautiful phrases that linger in the reader’s mind as they reach the thrilling and satisfying plot. (5) Mr. Odboddy learns how ‘the other half lives,’ when she misses the train in Albuquerque, New Mexico. All in all, a hysterical, historical, fun-filled novel to satisfy the need for a cozy mystery-adventure that won’t keep you awake at night.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify. A new episode just went up!

You can use this link to purchase many of these books from indie bookstore Mysterious Galaxy, and KRL gets a portion of the sale:

You can learn more about Elaine and her books on her website.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.