Here are 10 books that The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris fans have personally recommended if you like The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris. Book DNA 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 Frozen River

Jessica James Author Of The Monarch Alliance

From my list on thrillers that are set in real locations and connect a past event with the present.

Why am I passionate about this?

I live in a 200+ year old house and have always been drawn to stories with dual timelines where the past and present intersect. Living in an old house where people lived and died, and exploring historic sites for my blog Past Lane Travels, I’m constantly aware of the lives that came before mine. I love the idea that something hidden in the past can still shape the present – and sometimes it seems like it’s just waiting to be uncovered by the right person. When stories are set in real places, it adds even more intrigue—I can visit, walk the same ground, and experience it for myself. 

Jessica's book list on thrillers that are set in real locations and connect a past event with the present

Jessica James Why Jessica loves this book

What I loved the most about this book was setting and time-period of colonial America.

Since I’ve written some historical fiction, I know how much research it takes to create a plot in a different era, and this book not only entertains, but educates! It’s chock-full of history and mystery – and kept me guessing until the end.

The author also has a very distinct writing style that is a joy to read.

By Ariel Lawhon ,

Why should I read it?

45 authors picked The Frozen River as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • GMA BOOK CLUB PICK • AN NPR BOOK OF THE YEAR • From the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and Code Name Hélène comes a gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history.

"Fans of Outlander’s Claire Fraser will enjoy Lawhon’s Martha, who is brave and outspoken when it comes to protecting the innocent. . . impressive."—The Washington Post

"Once again, Lawhon works storytelling magic with a real-life heroine." —People Magazine

Maine, 1789: When…


If you love The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris...

Book cover of The Woman in the Painting

The Woman in the Painting by Amanda Roberts,

Two women, nearly 400 years apart, and one ring.

When Hannah finds the ring buried in her garden and it gives her a physical shock, she embarks on a quest to discover who had once owned it, and how they lost it. Her research leads her to a woman lost…

Book cover of Hanging Mary

Kara O’Neal Author Of Prickly Poppy

From Kara's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Kara's 3 favorite reads in 2025

Kara O’Neal Why Kara loves this book

I enjoyed this story very much. It was well-researched. What I liked most, besides the subject matter, was how the characters spoke. I felt like I was listening in on real conversations that could've happened in the 1860s. I was immersed in the time period, and learned much about these real people. The festivities held in D.C. that related to the election and presidency were very interesting and were described vividly by the author.

By Susan Higginbotham ,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Based on the true case of Mary Surratt, Hanging Mary reveals an untold story of President Lincoln's assassination - the story of a widow whose boardinghouse became the site of her secessionist son's activities.


Book cover of The Midnight Library

Susan Pease Banitt Author Of Women Therapists on Healing

From Susan's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Susan's 3 favorite reads in 2025

Susan Pease Banitt Why Susan loves this book

I love a book that dives deep into the psyche and at the same time has some nonordinary reality themes. It encouraged self-reflection without being preachy.

By Matt Haig ,

Why should I read it?

41 authors picked The Midnight Library as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times bestselling WORLDWIDE phenomenon

Winner of the Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction | A Good Morning America Book Club Pick | Independent (London) Ten Best Books of the Year

"A feel-good book guaranteed to lift your spirits."-The Washington Post

The dazzling reader-favorite about the choices that go into a life well lived, from the acclaimed author of How To Stop Time and The Comfort Book.

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of…


If you love Evie Woods...

Book cover of Forward

Forward by Iulia Dobre-Trifan,

A novel about becoming, healing and courage, which spans over 40 years, interweaving complex characters from different worlds, all gravitating around a common timeless axis: the desire for happiness.

Lia, a tenacious woman who has been working successfully on her own for many years, starts a new project, one that…

Book cover of The Lost Bookshop

Maureen Thorpe Author Of All the World's a Stage

From Maureen's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Maureen's 3 favorite reads in 2025

Maureen Thorpe Why Maureen loves this book

I love magic and this story is full of magic. I also write magic!

By Evie Woods ,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked The Lost Bookshop as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Echo of Old Books meets The Lost Apothecary in this evocative and charming novel full of mystery and secrets.

'The thing about books,' she said 'is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.'

On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found...

For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.

But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones…


Book cover of The Book Thief

K. Lang-Slattery Author Of Immigrant Soldier: The Story of a Ritchie Boy

From my list on Jewish experiences in WWII: beyond Auschwitz.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I learned, at seventeen, of my father’s Jewish heritage, I flung myself headlong into reading about Judaism. Naturally, this led me to the Holocaust and World War II, and my novels are inspired by family stories from this harrowing time. While doing research, I traveled to Germany and London, interviewed WWII veterans, and read countless memoirs, academic nonfiction tomes, and historical fiction books about this era. I now speak at libraries and to community organizations about the Ritchie Boys, Secret Heros of WWII. People sometimes tell me concentration camp stories are too disturbing, so I recommend books about Jewish survival, heroism, and everyday life during the Third Reich.        

K.'s book list on Jewish experiences in WWII: beyond Auschwitz

K. Lang-Slattery Why K. loves this book

I was immediately hooked by this brilliant novel because of its unusual omniscient narrator, the Grim Reaper. Death, stressed out by the surfeit of “clients” he must deal with during World War II, reveals himself to be a sensitive narrator who sees everything. He especially keeps his eye on a young German girl, her loving foster parents, and the Jewish man they hide and protect.

I fell in love with these characters as they struggled with moral decisions, wartime hardship, danger, and tragedy. Despite the realistic portrayal of German life during WWII, I found this book to be an uplifting read. 

By Markus Zusak ,

Why should I read it?

39 authors picked The Book Thief as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

'Life affirming, triumphant and tragic . . . masterfully told. . . but also a wonderful page-turner' Guardian
'Brilliant and hugely ambitious' New York Times
'Extraordinary' Telegraph
___

HERE IS A SMALL FACT - YOU ARE GOING TO DIE

1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier.
Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall.

SOME IMPORTANT…


Book cover of The Shadow of the Wind

Nicholas Holloway Author Of The Loop

From my list on books for mystery fans experiencing “genre burnout”.

Why am I passionate about this?

Before becoming an author, I’d dabbled in almost every other genre—science fiction, western, coming-of-age, fantasy, and the like. When I wrote, published, and won awards for my first two mystery thrillers, I felt like I had finally found my niche with mystery readers. Good writers are good readers, so for years, I read only the genre for which I was writing. After a time, all those mysteries started to become rather formulaic, so I decided to branch out into other genres I used to enjoy. When I heard that other mystery fans were experiencing “genre burnout,” I built this list to encourage them to enjoy the fruits of all genres.

Nicholas' book list on books for mystery fans experiencing “genre burnout”

Nicholas Holloway Why Nicholas loves this book

Much like the bibliophilic protagonist of The Shadow of the Wind, I discovered this life-changing novel in a most hidden corner of the world—in my case, tucked out of sight on the bottom shelf of a discount bookstore in the Red Light District of Amsterdam.

While the narrative focuses on one child’s unwavering perseverance to solve the mysterious disappearance of his favorite author and unmask the pyromaniac burning all his books, I became enmeshed in the noir-style, labyrinthine backdrop of 1940s-50s Barcelona in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War.

This masterpiece is equal parts mystery, coming-of-age, midcentury gothic, and European historical fiction, and left me with eyes brimming with tears when I finished the final page.

By Carlos Ruiz Zafón , Lucia Graves (translator) ,

Why should I read it?

14 authors picked The Shadow of the Wind as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The New York Times bestseller

"The Shadow of the Wind is ultimately a love letter to literature, intended for readers as passionate about storytelling as its young hero." -Entertainment Weekly (Editor's Choice)

"One gorgeous read." -Stephen King

Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer's son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julian Carax. But when he sets out to find the author's other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been…


If you love The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris...

Book cover of The Heirloom

The Heirloom by Julie Brooks,

A dual-time mystery with a dusting of magic and a sprinkle of romance from the author of The Keepsake.

Sussex, 1821: Philadelphia Boadle wakes to find her husband, the tailor Jasper Boadle, dead. As the daughter of the local cunning woman, Philadelphia is soon accused of murder by witchcraft.…

Book cover of The House in the Cerulean Sea

Isabel Tutaine Author Of When Mist and Brine Touch

From Isabel's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Isabel's 3 favorite reads in 2025

Isabel Tutaine Why Isabel loves this book

This is just a fun book with an under lying moral tale that doesn't;t feel didactical. Very nice summer read.

By TJ Klune ,

Why should I read it?

30 authors picked The House in the Cerulean Sea as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not…


Book cover of The Wishing Game

Sherry Roberts Author Of Up There

From my list on magical realism books that turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a Minnesota writer of cozy mysteries and contemporary fiction. I love the magical and care deeply about nature, the environment, and what is happening due to climate change. My novel was a chance to combine both interests. I wrote the first draft of Up There during the pandemic. While we were locked down, I spent time with a character who could fly. But while she was free, I discovered she was still lost. I spent so much of that year walking in the woods—thinking about how our world is changing, how confusing it is, and how we all are a little lost in these times.

Sherry's book list on magical realism books that turn the ordinary into the extraordinary

Sherry Roberts Why Sherry loves this book

I am a sucker for characters who find themselves through books.

In this novel, a girl enters a contest to meet her favorite author and win the only copy of his latest book. But first, she has to go to a mysterious island and compete with a band of ruthless opponents. I was never quite sure of anyone in this book, but that is a good thing when you are going after your greatest wish. It keeps you on your toes.

This is not a story of “be careful what you wish for”; it is a “keep wishing” story. 

By Meg Shaffer ,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Wishing Game as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Years ago, a reclusive mega-bestselling children’s author quit writing under mysterious circumstances. Suddenly he resurfaces with a brand-new book and a one-of-a-kind competition, offering a prize that will change the winner’s life in this absorbing and whimsical novel.

“Clever, dark, and hopeful . . . a love letter to reading and the power that childhood stories have over us long after we’ve grown up.”—V. E. Schwab, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Make a wish. . . .

Lucy Hart knows better than anyone what it’s like to grow up without parents who…


Book cover of The Echo of Old Books

Donna Norman-Carbone Author Of Of Lies and Honey

From Donna's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Donna's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Donna Norman-Carbone Why Donna loves this book

This book taught me to look at books in a new way and imagine the hands that old books have been in before my own.

By Barbara Davis ,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Echo of Old Books as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A novel about the magical lure of books and summoning the courage to rewrite our stories by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Keeper of Happy Endings and The Last of the Moon Girls.

Rare-book dealer Ashlyn Greer's affinity for books extends beyond the intoxicating scent of old paper, ink, and leather. She can feel the echoes of the books' previous owners-an emotional fingerprint only she can read. When Ashlyn discovers a pair of beautifully bound volumes that appear to have never been published, her gift quickly becomes an obsession. Not only is each inscribed with a startling incrimination,…


If you love Evie Woods...

Book cover of The Paris Affair

The Paris Affair by Muna Shehadi,

Cornwall, Christmas, 1915. A grieving father gives his motherless daughter an exquisite, one-of-a-kind doll.

Indiana, summer, 1975. Helen Kenyon is set to marry her college sweetheart, when the opportunity arises to spend five months in Paris. With two American friends and an ‘adopted’ antique doll, Helen plunges into a sophisticated…

Book cover of The Girl Who Chased the Moon

Sherry Roberts Author Of Up There

From my list on magical realism books that turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a Minnesota writer of cozy mysteries and contemporary fiction. I love the magical and care deeply about nature, the environment, and what is happening due to climate change. My novel was a chance to combine both interests. I wrote the first draft of Up There during the pandemic. While we were locked down, I spent time with a character who could fly. But while she was free, I discovered she was still lost. I spent so much of that year walking in the woods—thinking about how our world is changing, how confusing it is, and how we all are a little lost in these times.

Sherry's book list on magical realism books that turn the ordinary into the extraordinary

Sherry Roberts Why Sherry loves this book

I have read all of Sarah Addison Allen’s books and have never been disappointed. She gives me quirky characters (which I love) and wondrous things, from wallpaper that changes to suit your mood to unexplained lights skipping across the yard to a woman who bakes hope into her cakes.

Can a hummingbird cake really bring back a lost love? I like to think so. I love that the extraordinary in her books are taken with a shrug and that the bizarre is not to be feared but to learn from. Although I have found my personal love and do feed and protect the hummingbirds, I wouldn’t mind tasting a slice of hummingbird cake.

By Sarah Addison Allen ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Girl Who Chased the Moon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The charming New York Times bestseller. Emily Benedict has come to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother's life. But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew, she realizes that mysteries aren't solved in Mullaby, they're a way of life: Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor, Julia Winterson, bakes hope in the form of cakes, not only wishing to satisfy the town's sweet tooth but…


Book cover of The Frozen River
Book cover of Hanging Mary
Book cover of The Midnight Library

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