Magic, Murder, and Mayhem: 6 Novels That Perfectly Blend Magic and Mystery
By Rebecca Mix and Andrea Hannah
There’s a quiet thrill that arises when I realize the book I’m reading has no intention of staying in its lane. You know the ones—the high-stakes thriller with a surprisingly sweet romance, the horror with laugh-out-loud humor, and the murder mystery that ends up asking such thoughtful questions about what it means to be human you have to step away and stare in the mirror for a good hour before finding out who the killer is. The more I read, the more I appreciate stories that remind me that genre isn’t a box, but a doorway.
And the more I write, the more I appreciate just how difficult these stories are to pull off.
My next novel, I KILLED THE KING, co-written with Andrea Hannah, is a locked-castle magical murder mystery that follows six teenagers tasked with figuring out who killed the king on the night of a historic ball—and one of them is the murderer. Told over twelve hours, KING flips between the POV’s of all six suspects as they race to stop the killer while a magical storm spins out of control and threatens to bury everyone alive.
As we get closer to publication, I’ve been thinking a lot about books that blend multiple genres into a thrilling, magical read. It’s no easy task—but when it works, it works.
I read Belladonna in one go while lying next to a pool in Florida, which couldn’t have been a more ironic setting to read a moody, gothic murder mystery that blends magic, romance, and a slow unraveling of clues so seamlessly. Dead bodies and visits from Death himself are contrasted with tense tea parties, masquerade balls, and botanical danger (my favorite!), whirling together for a thrilling trilogy-opener that can happily stand alone.
This item is a preorder. Your payment method will be charged immediately, and the product is expected to ship on or around August 30, 2022. This date is subject to change due to shipping delays beyond our control.
It’s rare I’m willing to call a book perfect, but I’m staking my claim here – Margaret Owen’s Little Thieves is perfect. Expert plot twists, deftly woven character arcs, a delightfully unique magic system, and jokes that actually made me laugh out loud make for an immensely satisfying read. There’s no greater pleasure as an author than reading a book so well crafted my first thought upon finishing it is, “Man, I could never pull that off. No notes.” But that’s how I feel about this book. No notes!
Format
Hardcover
This item is a preorder. Your payment method will be charged immediately, and the product is expected to ship on or around October 19, 2021. This date is subject to change due to shipping delays beyond our control.
There are some books you can’t pitch to people – you just have shove it in their hands with the fervor of a madwoman and beg-threaten, “Just trust me!” Piranesi is one of those books. This is the weirdest and most wonderful book I have ever read and I refuse to do you the disservice of telling you what it’s about. All I can tell you is that if you want to read an excellent story that blends magic and mystery, you need to read Piranesi. Seriously. Just trust me.
Format
Hardcover
This item is a preorder. Your payment method will be charged immediately, and the product is expected to ship on or around September 15, 2020. This date is subject to change due to shipping delays beyond our control.
I love when I pick up a book and it’s immediately clear I am about to ruin my sleep schedule and my life until I’ve finished it. Joan He’s gorgeous and action-packed fantasy debut is brimming with head-spinning plot twists, mysteries that beget mysteries, and so many twisting court politics that Hesina’s search for the truth behind her father’s death is equal parts thrilling and stress inducing. Just don’t read this the night before an important presentation at work. You will not sleep well. Ask me how I know!
Format
Hardcover
This item is a preorder. Your payment method will be charged immediately, and the product is expected to ship on or around April 9, 2019. This date is subject to change due to shipping delays beyond our control.
I love when a book comes along that is such an atmospheric and immersive story I immediately make it my mission to harass everyone around me into reading it. That was my experience with Alix Harrow’s Starling House last year. This book has everything – a delightful slow-burn romance, a kind-of-alive house, and a story unraveling within a story that feeds the magic and the monsters spilling from in it the best way.
Format
Hardcover
This item is a preorder. Your payment method will be charged immediately, and the product is expected to ship on or around October 3, 2023. This date is subject to change due to shipping delays beyond our control.
I love when I go into a book with no preparation and leave fully surprised and delighted. Oh, how unprepared I was for the brilliance of Witchmark! Mystery, politics, romance, high stakes, and a magic-system reveal that haunts me years later means this one remains a permanent feature on my “YOU MUST READ THIS!” list to friends. There’s a reason Time Magazine listed this as one of the best fantasy novels of all time. This trilogy opener does not disappoint.
Format
Trade Paperback
This item is a preorder. Your payment method will be charged immediately, and the product is expected to ship on or around June 19, 2018. This date is subject to change due to shipping delays beyond our control.
After a decade of war, the kingdoms of Avendell and Istellia have finally agreed to peace. As nobles and magic wielders from both countries arrive at remote Castle Avendell for a historic all-night masquerade to celebrate, King Costis summons an unlikely group to his chambers. But before Costis can reveal why he has gathered them, the castle goes dark.
The king is dead–murdered with the princess’s knife, in a weak spot only his guard knew of, and with venom from one of the beast tamer’s monsters lacing the blade.With no clear killer-and everyone a suspect-they make a risky pact: Tell no one until the treaty is signed. But when a winter storm seals everyone inside and someone aware of the king’s untimely death begins to pick off guests one by one, the six suspects must work together to discover who killed the king . . . before one of them is next.
Format
Hardcover
This item is a preorder. Your payment method will be charged immediately, and the product is expected to ship on or around September 16, 2025. This date is subject to change due to shipping delays beyond our control.
