Language of the Birds, K.A. Merson

Arizona and her mom and Mojo the dog are scattering Arizona's dads ashes in Bodie State Park, when her mom vanishes, kidnapped by the same people who say they killed her father. Now Arizona must decrypt a series of ciphers that will lead a bunch of 'believers' to an alchemical secret so powerful it was hidden for the good of mankind, encoded in the legacy of a long dead president. Can Arizona get over her people allergy, outwit the kidnappers and save her mom?

Part national treasure style hunt, part coming of age story with so many kinds of ciphers thrown in that it may rekindle your interest in cryptography.

The Tennant, Freida McFadden

Blake Porter is in over his head he just doesn’t know it yet and the answer to his sudden money troubles is renting out a room in his and fiancée’ Krista's NY brownstone to Whitney Cross.

Yes, that Whitney Cross, the one who, oh you'll find out soon enough and so will Blake. Poor, poor, Blake...

A Drop of Corruption, Robert Jackson Bennett

Fantasy blends with Sherlockian intrigue in the second of the Ana and Din mysteries. The pair are dispatched to the far flung Canton of Yarrow to investigate the abduction and subsequent murder of a treasury officer.

What began as an impossible crime -solved quickly by Ana - morphs into a battle of wits between Din, Ana and an opponent whose enhancements have rendered them quite brilliant; not to mention functionally insane. With the fate of Yarrow at stake, Din begins to worry that Ana has finally met her match.

Library Game Gigi Pandian

Team Secret Staircase are working on a bequest; The Harold Gray Library will be a treasure trove of classic mysteries for the public to enjoy but there are complications. Someone is sabotaging the project, a nosy neighbour has started a petition against the building ever opening, Ivy has fallen for Cameron, the newphew of the deceased and Tempest Raj? The former stage magician is having mixed feelings about the imminent departure of Gideon, who is headed to France for a stonemason's internship - this project will be his last - for now.

On the eve of Hidden Creek's Summer Stroll a rehearsal for the mystery play written by Tempest and Ivy is derailed by a murder but then the body doesn't seem to want to stay put. Tempest finally convinces Detective Blackburn to investigate, landing Sanjay (The Hindi Houdini) in the role of main suspect. Could Tempest's close friendship with Sanjay be clouding her judgment or is there a most ghostly explanation.

This is book 4 in the series (Christmas Caper is a Novella so I'm not counting it here.) If you are new to this series start with Under Lock and Skeleton Key.

A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage, Asia Mackay

Haze and Fox are the perfect couple, think Mr. and Mrs. Smith just killing really bad men. Until Haze falls pregnant with Bibi and they get into a suburban rut of play dates and the straight jacket of nine to five.

A series of mistakes by Haze and Fox’s soulless parents trying to steal Bibi away could bring everything crashing down. Can their marriage survive without them killing each other?

The Collaborators, Michael Idov

A geopolitical thriller with a sly sense of humour and a touch of Slow Horses to it. Ari Falk is too young for burnout but the failed exfil of an anti-Kremlin blogger could be the last straw and anyone close to the CIA op is being systematically wiped out. 

Maya Obrendt’s financier father just drowned himself in the Med. Seeking answers the former actress gets entangled - with Falk. The combo of civilian and spy threatens to expose a U.S cabal that would rather stay hidden. It’s a wild ride you’ll root for Ari and Maya but I want an Operation Flea Collar book next!

Deadly Animals, Marie Tierney

Ava Bonney is a grittier version of Flavia De Luce. It’s the 1980s and fourteen year old Ava’s obsession with animal anatomy causes her to stumble across the body of a classmate.

Kids are going missing in her north England village and Ava is determined to investigate alongside the local police, even if it means phoning in tips and preserving evidence. Ava is convinced that a killer has been hiding in the village for years - a wolf in sheep’s clothing you might say.