From my list on off-kilter mysteries for off-kilter readers.
Why are we passionate about this?
We almost said “quirky” instead of off-kilter in this title. But quirky is becoming synonymous with cozy, which is weird because it doesn’t mean the same thing at all. So, off-kilter it is. Done well, playing with expectations makes for an especially engaging read. We’ve attempted that trick in our own Shady Hollow Mysteries, which uses the form of a traditional murder mystery, but in a world of anthropomorphic animals. So naturally we love when other authors play with the form. These five books all fit the description of “off-kilter,” and we hope you can find fun and joy in reading them.
Jocelyn's book list on off-kilter mysteries for off-kilter readers
Why Jocelyn loves this book
Flashback to a classic. Not enough people know about the Mysterious Mr. Quin stories by Agatha Christie. They have all the glamour of Poirot, but they’re not quite whodunits. Or are they? Despite the fact that crime is solved in each, they’re a little weird and magical and even melancholy. Our “detective” Mr. Satterthwaite seems to find himself near death over and over, and each time his acquaintance Mr. Quin (who bears a lot of resemblance to the tragic Harlequin figure of commedia dell’arte) arrives to help him to find his way to the truth. Each story is super short, so they’re good for when you can’t muster attention for a marathon reading session. Worth seeking out!
1 author picked The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
Hercule Poirot is joined by the mysterious problem solver Harley Quin in the pages of The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories—a collection of ingenious short masterworks of mystery and suspense that showcase the legendary Agatha Christie at her very best.
A grand treasure for fans of the grande dame of mystery, The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories brings together nine rare and brilliant Christie tales of murder and detection that span nearly half a century of her storytelling genius.
In The Mystery of the Spanish Chest, Hercule Poirot unravels the psychological conundrums that motivate a killer. . .…