Five historical mysteries for rainy fall days

And some UK bookstore highlights

The first half of this post was originally supposed to go out last week but between many a chaotic going-on in my everyday life (all good things!) and a quick trip across the Atlantic, it was left abandoned in my drafts folder. On the bright side, that means I can now pair it with some photos and tidbits from the three bookstores I managed to squeeze in to my UK trip.

But first: mysteries and fall just go together. Country house murders and a cup of apple spiced tea, intrepid Victorian detectives and a slice of pumpkin bread, dark deeds on foggy nights and rain tapping against the windows…Katy at the Mindful Librarian had a round-up of some of her recent mystery reads and peek into her genre preferences earlier this month and it got me thinking about my own mystery affinities. My mystery reading changed radically for the better when I gave myself permission to largely stop reading domestic suspense and realized that I prefer to read from the perspective of the person investigating the crime.

I lean heavily towards historical mysteries, ideally with the following:

• Witty narration and dialogue but a sense of real emotional stakes

• An elegant puzzle of a central mystery with a surprising yet satisfying solution

• A compelling, intrepid central detective

• And a dash of slow-burn romance, preferably stretched out over the course of several books for maximum impact.

The three series I’m seriously committed to

Sparks & Bainbridge Mysteries by Allison Montclair

Set in post-war London, this series follows the quick-witted Miss Iris Sparks, possessed of a reckless streak and friends in both high and low places, and the elegant yet pragmatic Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, a widow fighting to regain control of her life and move past her grief. The marriage bureau they start together soon acquires a sideline in solving mysteries and the series has everything from royal intrigue to Cold War espionage to legal drama. I’m particularly fond of the rich sense of place, quippy dialogue, and emotional complexity of both main characters.

Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn

I am perpetually behind on this series but that’s because I like to have a spare installment on hand for when I really need it. Capable, sharp lepidopterist Veronica is one of my very favorite heroines and she and natural historian Stoker make a splendid pair both professionally and romantically. These witty adventures are my platonic ideal of read-in-a-day books and I also enjoy Raybourn’s thoughtful commentary on Victorian society. I read these on paper but I have heard that they’re wonderful on audio.

Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas

This gender-bent take on Sherlock Holmes is basically everything I’ve ever wanted out of a Sherlock retelling. Sherry Thomas does a superb job of both capturing the classic Holmesian qualities and showing how very different Sherlock's path might be as a woman. The Victorian setting is meticulously researched, the slow-burn romance shiver-inducingly good, and the mysteries puzzle box-intricate. This is definitely a series that demands patience from its reader but if you’re in the mood to sink into a rich, dense mystery for a few days, it’ll reward that patience a thousandfold.

Two recommendations set outside the UK

The Hidden Moon by Jeannie Lin (Lotus Palace Mysteries #3)

A well-born lady and street-smart scoundrel team up to solve an asassination and unravel a wide-ranging conspiracy. This mystery set in Tang Dynasty China is the perfect blend of action, intrigue, and pure swoon. I adored our stubborn, bookish heroine Wei-Wei and the undeniable intensity of the connection between her and Gao. There’s two books in the series before this one that I have yet to track down but you could absolutely start here and let Lin’s storytelling sweep you away.

Lavender House by Lev A.C. Rosen (Evander Mills #1)

After detective Evander Mills is caught in a gay bar and fired from the San Francisco Police Department, he finds himself being recruited to solve a mysterious death at Lavender House, an estate whose queer residents can live freely behind its gates but where there are still secrets aplenty. This 1950’s set mystery is original and wonderfully atmospheric, providing both a satisfying plot and a fascinating look at a less commonly depicted period of queer history. The cast of supporting characters is fabulous and as a San Francisco native, I loved the Bay Area setting.

And one series on my TBR

The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey

I’d really love to discover more historical mystery series set outside the UK and I’ve heard fabulous things about this series set in 1920’s India and its heroine, trailblazing female lawyer Perveen Mistry. I’ve owned a copy for at least three years! So I’m officially considering this newsletter my push to finally pick this up sometime this fall.

---

I was only in the UK for five days, a sizable chunk of which was spent on trains, but I did fit in an afternoon tea, two Shakespeare plays, and three gorgeous bookstores. First, I visited John Sandoe Books in London, a charmingly chaotic bookstore located near Sloane Square. Books overflow from tables, shelves, and seemingly every corner of the bookstore and rummaging through its stacks feels like a bookish treasure hunt. I always look for the distinctive green spines of Virago Modern Classics here and picked up titles by Barbara Pym, Elizabeth Taylor, and Rosamond Lehmann. They also carry a wide assortment of Persephone Books editions (more on them in a minute!), in case you can’t make it to the Persephone shop in Bath.

In Bath, I visited both Persephone Books and Topping and Co Booksellers. Persephone Books is both a bookseller and a publisher that specializes in reprinting neglected titles, mostly by women writers from the mid-20th century. As you might be able to guess, this is extremely my thing. It also doesn’t hurt that the Persephone books are gorgeously designed, with dove-grey jackets, beautifully patterned endpapers, and a mtching bookmark. I’ve been steadily building my collection since my first visit to their original London shop. They put out both fiction and non-fiction and have the best eye for hidden gems.

Topping and Co is a marvelously sprawling bookstore located in an old Quaker meeting house, with room after room of every possible kind of fiction and nonfiction you can imagine. I could have spent hours browsing here, clambering up and down the rolling ladders and trying to restrain myself from buying a whole clutch of Terry Pratchett hardcovers. The atmosphere was cozy and bustling, the selection vast, and there was even free tea and coffee on offer. I spent over an hour here and ended up finding both a UK new releases that’s been on my radar (Small Bomb at Dimperley by Lissa Evans) and another of my beloved Virago Modern Classics.

---

Currently reading: Colored Television by Danzy Senna, which is the FictionMatters buzzy book of the month pick. I’m also reading Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton at bedtime, because the main character of Colored Television is stressing me out just a bit too much to be my bedtime book.

Recommendations, miscellany, and little bits of joy:

• Normal Gossip is back! Last week’s episode, about fanfic community drama, had me cackling with delight.

• Even more corduroy pants for fall, this time from Madewell. Super comfortable, a deliciously rich bordeaux color, and with a dash of retro flair.

• The beginning of the Grand Prix season with Skate America this weekend and a pairs event that has the potential to be really good? (When it’s good, pairs is hands down my favorite discipline. And yes, my current WIP is a romance novel about a pairs team.) If you’re looking for a fun figure skating Substack, I’ve been deeply enjoying The Nice Capades.