Here are 83 books that Mary Finch and the Thief fans have personally recommended if you like Mary Finch and the Thief. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Lightning Thief

J.L. Kodanko Author Of Storyteller

From my list on fantasy books to ignite your stalled imagination.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a grown-up who struggles to stay in the here and now, vastly preferring to live in the stories in my head or in the book in front of me. I grew up in New England, Spain, and now have settled in Colorado after traveling around most of the lower 48 states. I’ve been a fan of well written fantasy since I learned to read, and at 35 I started writing my own fantasy stories. Now when I need a perfect getaway escape, I read my own books!

J.L.'s book list on fantasy books to ignite your stalled imagination

J.L. Kodanko Why J.L. loves this book

As someone who’s moved around a LOT and lived far from family most of my life, I’m a sucker for found family of any kind.

This story is one of the best. I loved reading about all these demi-god children working together and finding their connection through loyalty and depth of friendship.

As someone very familiar with Greek mythology, I really enjoyed the fresh and enjoyably new story with familiar players. 

By Rick Riordan ,

Why should I read it?

24 authors picked The Lightning Thief as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

The Lightning Thief: the First book in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series.

The first bestselling book in Rick Riordan's phenomenally successful Percy Jackson series.

Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood. I never asked to be the son of a Greek God. I was just a normal kid, going to school, playing basketball, skateboarding. The usual. Until I accidentally vaporized my maths teacher. That's when things started really going wrong. Now I spend my time fighting with swords, battling monsters with my friends, and generally trying to stay alive.

This is the one where Zeus, God of the Sky,…


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Book cover of The High House

The High House by James Stoddard,

The Victorian mansion, Evenmere, is the mechanism that runs the universe.

The lamps must be lit, or the stars die. The clocks must be wound, or Time ceases. The Balance between Order and Chaos must be preserved, or Existence crumbles.

Appointed the Steward of Evenmere, Carter Anderson must learn the…

Book cover of The Magic School Bus in the Time of the Dinosaurs

Feather Chelle Author Of Stranded

From my list on children's series that are undercover educators.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been in love with the ocean, since I first visited Galveston at the age of five. The cadence of the waves and tide called to me in a way that is hard to explain, and every creature within simply mesmerized me. I read everything about the ocean that I could find, and I haven’t stopped to this day. My book is fact-checked by two marine biologists as well, just to ensure that all of the information is accurate.

Feather's book list on children's series that are undercover educators

Feather Chelle Why Feather loves this book

It is hard to think of your childhood without remembering The Magic School Bus. Both the books and the show were simply captivating and taught scientific concepts in a fun, engaging way that stuck with all of us. It is always my go-to when I am teaching science, and my kids absolutely adore watching or reading this series.

By Joanna Cole , Bruce Degen (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Magic School Bus in the Time of the Dinosaurs as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 6, 7, 8, and 9.

What is this book about?

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Scholastic is re-releasing the ten original Magic School Bus titles in paperback. With updated scientific information, the bestselling science series ever is back!

The classroom is decorated as Dinosaur Land, but Ms. Frizzle-inspired by an archeological dig-craves a more authentic experience. The Magic School Bus turns into a time machine and transports the class back millions of years to an adventure where they learn about dinosaurs, their habitats and diets, and even a Maiasaura nesting ground.

Book cover of Dinosaurs Before Dark

Michele C. Hollow Author Of Jurassic Girl: The Adventures of Mary Anning, Paleontologist and the First Female Fossil Hunter

From my list on dinosaur books for kids that make great presents.

Why am I passionate about this?

I work as an author and a journalist. Researching my book, Jurassic Girl: The Adventures of Mary Anning, I interviewed historians at the Lyme Regis Museum. Anning grew up in Lyme Regis. The Museum has a Mary Anning wing. I enjoyed interviewing the experts about her life in Lyme Regis, finding out about her discoveries, and learning how she triumphed.

As a mom, I know my kids loved learning about dinosaurs, fossils, and paleontology when they were young, and they still find it fascinating.

Michele's book list on dinosaur books for kids that make great presents

Michele C. Hollow Why Michele loves this book

Honestly, I think I’ve read almost every book Mary Pope Osborne wrote.

When my son was little, he loved these books. One of the first chapter books he picked up at a local bookstore was Dinosaurs Before DarkI love how her books are a cross between nonfiction and fiction. Her two main characters drew me (and my son) into the story. We read Dinosaurs Before Dark together. 

My son and I learned a lot about dinosaurs. We loved how the main characters travel in the Magic Treehouse. Dinosaurs Before Dark was the first book from this author. My son is grown up now, and we still remember reading most of her books. 

When I first read this book, it was a chapter book. I recently discovered the same book as a graphic novel. I love the illustrations. 

By Mary Pope Osborne , Sal Murdocca (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Dinosaurs Before Dark as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 6, 7, 8, and 9.

What is this book about?

Eight-year-old Jack and his little sister, Annie, are playing in the woods during their summer holiday, when they find a mysterious tree house full of books. But these are no ordinary books . . . And this is no ordinary tree house . . .

Jack and Annie get more than they had bargined for when Jack opens a book about dinosaurs and wishes he could see them for real. They end up in prehistoric times with Pteranodons, Triceratops and a huge Tyrannosaurus Rex! How will they get home again? The race is on . . . !


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Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Book cover of Rise of the Raptors

Feather Chelle Author Of Stranded

From my list on children's series that are undercover educators.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been in love with the ocean, since I first visited Galveston at the age of five. The cadence of the waves and tide called to me in a way that is hard to explain, and every creature within simply mesmerized me. I read everything about the ocean that I could find, and I haven’t stopped to this day. My book is fact-checked by two marine biologists as well, just to ensure that all of the information is accurate.

Feather's book list on children's series that are undercover educators

Feather Chelle Why Feather loves this book

This series really brings dinosaurs to life for young readers. One of my children was obsessed with dinos for a while, and this series was so much fun to read together. They are full of interesting facts and tons of action. I highly recommend them as read-alouds for the entire family.

By Dan Metcalf ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Rise of the Raptors as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The last humans on a planet of dinosaurs… A quest to disarm an apocalyptic weapon… Can the Dino Wars gang save the world before it's too late?

3142 AD. Humanity is on the verge of extinction after genetically engineered dinosaurs reclaimed the planet during the Dino Wars.

Adam Caine lives in the secluded city of Bastion with other human survivors and peace-loving dinosaurs.

When an old weapon that threatens all dinosaur life is activated, Adam knows it is down to him to stop it. With the help of his sister Chloe and best friend Dag, a tech-savvy Iguanadon, Adam must…


Book cover of There's a Murder Afoot

Angela McRae Author Of Emeralds and Envy

From my list on cozy mysteries to read sipping from a vintage teacup.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a former newspaper reporter turned cozy mystery writer, tea blogger, and cookbook author. If there’s a book with tea in it, count me in. I love the beverage itself, the ritual of teatime, tea parties, collecting tea wares, and growing tea (I grow camellia sinensis at home). Of all the hobbies and passions I’ve had, exploring all things tea is the one that never gets old. And so far, I’ve managed to include at least a bit of tea in every book I’ve written. 


Angela's book list on cozy mysteries to read sipping from a vintage teacup

Angela McRae Why Angela loves this book

A Sherlock Holmes–themed bookshop located at 222 Baker Street in West London, Massachusetts, with an adjoining tea shop. That’s really all I need to say, isn’t it? But in this particular book in the series, our heroine, Gemma Doyle, heads across the pond to attend a Sherlock Holmes conference, and there were so many cups of tea being brewed that I couldn’t help grinning at how it seems to be the cure for every British ailment. 

By Vicki Delany ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked There's a Murder Afoot as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Just in time for Sherlock Holmes's 166th birthday, the fifth installment in national bestselling author Vicki Delany's Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery takes Sherlockania to the max with a Holmes convention and historic 221 Baker Street.

Gemma Doyle and her friends travel to London for a Sherlock Holmes convention--but will Gemma's father take the fall for a felonious forger's fatality?

The 6th of January is Sherlock Holmes's birthday, and lucky for Gemma Doyle, January is also the slowest time of the year at both the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, and Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room. It's a good time for Gemma…


Book cover of The Luckiest Lady in London

Julia Whelan Author Of Thank You for Listening

From my list on gateway romance for literary readers and writers.

Why am I passionate about this?

Although I currently write romantic women’s fiction, because I came up in the Literary Fiction community, I frequently have writer friends ask me to recommend well-written Romance. Leaving aside the subjectivity of well-written and the snobbery inherent in the suggestion that Romance—a category they’ve admitted to never having read—isn’t generally well-written, I first have to explain that Romance has rules: While we often associate Romance with sex on the page, technically, it’s not a requirement. There are only two requirements, according to the Romance Writers of America: the love story has to be the central storyline of the book; and there has to be a happily ever after (HEA). 

Julia's book list on gateway romance for literary readers and writers

Julia Whelan Why Julia loves this book

You like your small, introspective, architecture-of-a-marriage stories? Well, here’s the Romance version. Nothing really happens, plot-wise. It is simply a masterclass of two characters matched in every way that matters, ready to destroy everything they could potentially have because they’re scared of getting hurt. Humorous. Hot. Nerdy. Incisive. Affecting. This will introduce you to the basic foundation of Historical Romance—essentially, “the marriage plot”—in the quiet way you’re looking for.

By Sherry Thomas ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Luckiest Lady in London as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the superbly gifted Sherry Thomas comes this beautifully written romance about a marriage of convenience that turns inconveniently passionate...  

Felix Rivendale, the Marquess of Wrenworth, is The Ideal Gentleman, a man all men want to be and all women want to possess. Even Felix himself almost believes this golden image. But underneath is a damaged soul soothed only by public adulation.

Louisa Cantwell needs to marry well to support her sisters. She does not, however, want Lord Wrenworth—though he seems inexplicably interested in her. She mistrusts his outward perfection, and the praise he garners everywhere he goes. Still, when…


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of Memoirs of a Bow Street Runner

E.J. Wagner Author Of The Science of Sherlock Holmes: From Baskerville Hall to the Valley of Fear, the Real Forensics Behind the Great Detective's Greatest Cases

From my list on the beginning of crime.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a crime historian and storyteller. I study old crimes, particularly those of scientific interest, and present my findings in public presentations. Sometimes I write about them- in the NY Times, Smithsonian, Lancet, Ellery Queen. I’ve researched in autopsy suites, crumbling archives, and crime labs. I was the founder and moderator of the annual Forensic Forum at Stony Brook University. I’ve consulted on criminal matters for PBS, BBC, and commercial stations. I am fascinated by ancient crime because so much great literature derives from it - the sadly dysfunctional Oedipus family, the fraternal dispute between Cain and Abel- the unhappy Borden family of Fall River. All grist for my mill.

E.J.'s book list on the beginning of crime

E.J. Wagner Why E.J. loves this book

Before the Metropolitan Police (popularly known as Scotland Yard) existed, the Bow Street Runners were in charge of criminal investigation in Britain. Henry Goddard, the brilliant and incisive Runner, employed Sherlockian techniques years before the first Sherlock Holmes story was published. In later years, as a private detective, he continued to investigate and solve famous and complex crimes-He traveled widely, pursuing suspects through the Middle East, Europe, and Australia all of which he vividly describes.

In his old age, he dictated these memoirs, which give us a detailed account of his methods, and how he found "The Man With the Hidden Limp" and how he proved "The Butler Really Did It." It also makes clear how many errors of fact crept into later accounts of these famous crimes. Anyone with an interest in early criminal history will find this fascinating.

By Henry Goddard ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Memoirs of a Bow Street Runner as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

During the Regency and early Victorian eras, Henry Goddard, one of the last of the Bow Street Runners, chased criminals in London and through out the Kingdom, and around the globe; to France, Australia, New York, the Wild West; and made private enquiries for the King of England.
Born in 1800 in London, he was employed at Bow Street in London as a Patrol Constable from 1824 until he was promoted to be a Runner in 1827 and he remained a Runner until the Bow Street Runners were disbanded in 1839, and he became a private detective.
He wrote his…


Book cover of Professor Moriarty: The Hound of the D'Urbervilles

Margaret Walsh Author Of Sherlock Holmes and The Molly Boy Murders

From my list on set in or about the Victoria Era.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have loved the world of Sherlock Holmes and the Victorian era ever since I first read A Study in Scarlet at age nine. Despite life getting in the way, I never lost my love for the character and the period. I continue to read both to this day. The five books I mention below are five that have stayed with me over the years. I hope you enjoy the books as much as I do.

Margaret's book list on set in or about the Victoria Era

Margaret Walsh Why Margaret loves this book

I don’t just love this book; I adore it. I have read it so many times that I have worn out two paperback copies and need to acquire a new copy. I found this such a fun book. It inverts the Sherlock Holmes world, with the “hero” being Professor Moriarty, and the narrator being his henchman Colonel Sebastian Moran.

I laugh every time I read it, especially because of its Sherlockian humor and the appearances of characters from other books of the period.  

By Kim Newman ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Professor Moriarty as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Imagine the twisted evil twins of Holmes and Watson and you have the dangerous duo of Prof. James Moriarty - wily, snake-like, fiercely intelligent, unpredictable - and Colonel Sebastian 'Basher' Moran - violent, politically incorrect, debauched. Together they run London crime, owning police and criminals alike. Unravelling mysteries - all for their own gain.


Book cover of The Holmes-Dracula File

Christian Klaver Author Of Sherlock Holmes and Count Dracula

From my list on Sherlock Holmes mash-ups.

Why am I passionate about this?

My name is Christian Klaver, and I’ve had, in turn, many different jobs as a bookseller, martial arts instructor, and bartender before settling into a career in internet security. Books have always been a passion of mine, with science fiction, fantasy, and mystery as my main focus. I’ve been a lifelong fan of Sherlock Holmes and am a proud member of two different Sherlock Holmes Societies.

Christian's book list on Sherlock Holmes mash-ups

Christian Klaver Why Christian loves this book

The story unfolds with sections both from Watson and Count Dracula and is just a great deal of fun.

Saberhagen wrote an entire series starring Dracula, but this one, with Holmes in it, is the best of the lot and Saberhagen does some really fun, fun things with the conflict between the two.

By Fred Saberhagen ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Holmes-Dracula File as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

1887, London, Victoria’s Jubilee -- criminals threaten to release thousands of plague infested rats on the day of celebration. The extraordinary powers of the Count and sharp mind of the Master Detective team up to avert a catastrophic public disaster. (And, the reader discovers more than a deerstalker hat and an Invernes Cape in Holmes’ family closet.)


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Trevor P. Kwain Author Of The Wynnman and the Black Azalea

From my list on turning history upside down.

Why am I passionate about this?

History is nearly always relegated to heavy tomes and stuffy museum rooms. Learning about our past seems no longer important, and we keep promoting it in such uncool and unsexy ways. I feel any of our histories, with either a capital or lower case ‘h’, whether focused on big world events or local life, deserve to be told in a special kind of way, with that sprinkle of “magic realism” only fiction authors can deliver. Alternative history, historical fiction, magic fabulism, they are the sides of the same dice creating new, different stories inspired by our collective memory of things that have happened. These books touch this topic so dear to me.

Trevor's book list on turning history upside down

Trevor P. Kwain Why Trevor loves this book

Although not historical fiction per se, Sherlock Holmes is a strong product of his time. He embodies the revolutionary modernism of the late Victorian period and for this reason alone the famous fictional detective has become a real character himself embedded in history. The fact his home address half-exists in London makes him even more real. His stories were one of the sources to inspire me for the Wynnman. This idea of creating real characters in a real setting that share their way of thinking, their passions, their curious attitudes, without having to answer to the hard, crude boundaries of factual reality.

By Arthur Conan Doyle ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

Is there a more enduring, legendary detective than Sherlock Holmes?
This quintessential collection includes many of the famous cases that made the legendary Sherlock Holmes one of fiction's most popular creations. Set against the foggy backdrop of London and the English countryside, each story unravels an exciting new mystery, from mistaken identity and ominous omens to counterfeit currency and jewellery theft. Including 'A Scandal in Bohemia', 'The Five Orange Pips', 'The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle', 'The Speckled Band' and 'The Final Problem', the collection follows Sherlock Holmes and John Watson on some of their most enjoyable cases.
First published…


Book cover of The Lightning Thief
Book cover of The Magic School Bus in the Time of the Dinosaurs
Book cover of Dinosaurs Before Dark

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Interested in Sherlock Holmes, the East End of London, and Scotland Yard?

Sherlock Holmes 116 books
Scotland Yard 28 books