With a lot of the heavy hitters knocking out some of their best this year, it was great to see some newcomers announce their presence. Here are the five favorite debuts of MysteryPeople.
Three-Fifths by John Vercher
This book dives into race like no other with a young man hiding his racial identity and dealing with witnessing his Aryan Brotherhood friend beat a black man into a coma. Vercher creates true, lived in characters on the hard luck side of life, struggling with the traps and divisions they’ve created for themselves.

Ain’t Nobody Nobody by Heather Harper Ellet
A funny gritty rural crime novel about family, land, and Dr. Pepper with a former sheriff seeking redemption by solving the murder of the local pig hunter. Ellet precisely captures country life and people in their wit, dark impulses, and community.

The Girl In The Rearview Mirror by Kelsey Rae Dimberg
A nanny with secrets uncovers those for the family she works, putting her charge and herself in danger. Dimberg creates strong and unique moods from intimate human behavior and putting evil out in the harsh sunlight of her Arizona setting.

Murderabilia by Carl Vandernau
The son of an infamous serial killer is framed for murder by a mysterious adversary. To clear his name, he must deal in the grotesque world of people to buy and sell art by famous murderers and face his father. A tight, well developed thriller with an ending both poignant and unsettling.

Murder Once Removed by S.C. Perkins
Austin genealogist Lucy Lancaster becomes involved in a murder and assassination plot when she discovers the ancestor of one senatorial candidate may have murdered the other’s ancestor. Perkins creates a great amateur sleuth, using her skills and city to great effect.

You can find these great mystery titles in-store (along with other thrilling reads) or shop with us online!