5 Mystery Novels to Read this Fall

I am typically not a fan of mystery novels. I like facts and certainty.

Mysteries typically make me anxious and uneasy. With every turn of the page, I have no idea what is going to happen next. A nightmare for a Type A personality like mine.

Yet, something changes when fall arrives. I always joke with my friends that I am a different person come late September. When the leaves change color and the temperatures drop, someone new takes up residency inside of me. My wardrobe, music taste and go-to book genre change.

When the leaves change color and the temperatures drop…my go-to book genre changes.

I expect this fall to be no different. As the weather continues to change and the days become shorter, I predict lots of mystery novels to accumulate in my “Need to Read” book stack.

I am a self-proclaimed bookworm. Since quarantine began in March, I have read more than 30 books. Books are sacred to me, and I only recommend books that I really enjoy.

Here is a list of mystery novels that I have read, am currently reading or want to read this fall:

“And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie is an author whose work can be found on every mystery lover’s bookshelf. “And Then There Were None” is a classic of hers. This novel was required summer reading during high school, and it left quite the impression on me. It was one of the few books that I read for school that did not feel like an assignment.

A quick synopsis: 10 strangers end up on a private island for a weekend. Slowly, one by one, they disappear until there are none. This murder mystery is a nail-biter.

“The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie” by Alan Bradley

This story follows the adventure of 10-year-old chemist Flavia de Luce. The story is fictional, but the details that author Alan Bradley employs makes it feel so real. A murder surrounding a stamp and a dead bird captures the attention of the young girl.

I felt like I was reading a Nancy Drew story the whole time! It is whimsical and charming—a perfect fall treat!

“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” by J.K. Rowling

The second book in the Harry Potter series is one of my favorites. When Harry returns to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year, a mysterious “Chamber of Secrets” is opened within the school. Students of Hogwarts are in danger of being paralyzed by the creature living in the chamber. Harry and his best friends, Ron and Hermione, investigate to learn the truth about the chamber and to close it before anyone gets killed.

I recommend reading this book when you have a lot of free time because you won’t want to put it down.

“The Vanished Bride” by Bella Ellis

This book is on my must-read list for the fall. I recently read Wuthering Heights this summer, and I am fascinated by the lives of the Brontë sisters.

In this tale, the three sisters are detectives in a historical mystery. After their neighbor’s mysterious disappearance, the Brontë sisters attempt to investigate what happened. I can’t wait to read this!

“Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë

Speaking of the Brontë sisters, this book by Charlotte is on the top of my list. Jane Eyre accepts a governess position at a manor, Thornfield. There she meets Rochester, who she begins to fall in love with. The plot thickens as Jane begins to learn about his secret past. I can’t wait to discover what Rochester is hiding!