Book description
An Edgar Award Finalist for Best First Novel
For fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Charles Todd, Murder by Degrees is a historical mystery set in 19th-century Philadelphia, following a pioneering woman doctor as she investigates the disappearance of a young patient who is presumed dead.
Philadelphia, 1875: It is…
Why read it?
1 author picked Murder by Degrees as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I’m a sucker for any book that dangles codes for me to solve, so that’s what immediately drew me into this novel. In it, the clues are in poetry form, taken from the diary of a murdered patient of the protagonist, Dr. Lydia Weston. But beyond the tantalizing codes, I appreciated that this novel stayed true to the style and attitudes of the late 1800s, something that doesn’t always happen with historical fiction.
Ritu Mukerji is also adept at bringing a sophisticated nuance to her exploration of racism, classism, and sexism. An added bonus is that rather than merely playing…
From Audrey's list on AAPI women with self-saving female protagonists.
If you love Murder by Degrees...
These Blue Mountains
A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.
German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…
Want books like Murder by Degrees?
Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 70 books like Murder by Degrees.
Share your top 3 reads of 2025!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
1,395
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like Murder by Degrees, you might also like...
Need to Know
The authoritative but accessible history of the birth of modern American intelligence in World War II that treats not just one but all of the various disciplines: spies, codebreakers, saboteurs.
Told in a relatable style that focuses on actual people, it was a New Yorker "Best of 2022" selection and…
Tsunami
On the morning of December 26, 2004, an undersea earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean. The resulting tsunami killed an estimated 230,000 people across fourteen countries, from Indonesia to Sri Lanka to Thailand to the Maldives to India and all the way to East Africa.…
