I recently finished The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett and adored it. It was one of only a few five star reads for me this year. If you aren't familiar, it's a fantasy/biopunk spin on Sherlock Holmes, from the pov of the Watson analogue. It's got some fantastic world building (are the kaiju people??? write faster Robert I need to know) and a true whodunnit with just enough clues for me to solve about 80% into the book but not so early that I was bored during the reveal. Plus a neat little lowkey LGBT romance in there as a bonus. There will eventually be a sequel, but I can't wait that long!
I'm fairly new to the mystery genre, and I'm struggling to find books in the same vein because mystery is so frequently lumped in with thrillers. I am specifically looking for murder mysteries with sci-fi/fantasy elements.
Some other things I've already read / related things:
- I actually read some of the original Sherlock Holmes stories from a big collection many years ago and enjoyed them, even if they were a bit dated
- I have a hold on Jackaby by William Ritter at my library, so that one's already on my list
- Some books in the Expanse series had some mystery elements, but I'd hesitate to say they were true mystery novels
- I love Clue: The Movie, it's one of my favorites. I've also really enjoyed Knives Out and even that Adam Sandler murder mystery/romcom movie I'm currently forgetting the name of.
- There are seemingly an infinite number of "Sherlock Holmes but make it X" books, and it's hard to tell which ones are worth reading
- I really did NOT enjoy the first Thursday Next novel. By not being incredibly British and incredibly well versed in Shakespeare I felt I was missing a lot.
- I've been recommended Donald Westlake before but have no clue where I would start. Someone who writes that many books has to miss more than they hit, right?
by OfficerHalf