Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been addicted to books since I was young, and as a person with a disability that keeps me largely housebound, most of my time is filled with reading and writing. I love stories where I can’t predict the ending—because the plot takes an unexpected twist, or because the mystery unravels in an unanticipated way, and since I’m a fantasy fan, I’m thrilled when those stories include unique monsters and magic. As an author who combines fantasy and mystery, it’s uncommon for me to be truly surprised by a book, but the ones on this list left me delighted, surprised, or unravelling the mystery until the very end.


I wrote

Lovely, Dark and Deep

By Claudia Cain,

Book cover of Lovely, Dark and Deep

What is my book about?

It’s a beautiful day in autumn, and a little girl has gone missing… she’s not the first. Hannah Hendricks is…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Rook

Claudia Cain Why did I love this book?

The Rook is one of the most original books I’ve ever read. In this world, magic and monsters are kept in line by a supernatural organization: the Chequy. Our main character, Myfanwy, keeps this organization running. It doesn’t sound unique—except Myfanwy can’t remember who she is. Someone in the Chequy has betrayed her, erasing her memory, and that person is still trying to kill her. Myfanwy is a fantastic protagonist, uncovering a conspiracy while following the instructions left by her past self, and though aspects of this book have certainly been done before, Daniel O’Malley makes the story unpredictable, immersive, and wildly entertaining. I loved it so much that it influenced my first novel, and The Rook has never left my list of favorite books.

By Daniel O'Malley,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The body you are wearing used to be mine.' So begins the letter Myfanwy Thomas is holding when she awakes in a London park surrounded by bodies all wearing latex gloves. With no recollection of who she is, Myfanwy must follow the instructions her former self left behind to discover her identity and track down the agents who want to destroy her. She soon learns that she is a Rook, a high-ranking member of a secret organization called the Chequy that battles the many supernatural forces at work in Britain. She also discovers that she possesses a rare, potentially deadly…


Book cover of Gideon the Ninth

Claudia Cain Why did I love this book?

If you prefer your mysteries with a side of sci-fi, you can’t go wrong with Gideon the Ninth. There’s a lot going on here— deadly trials, spooky settings, competing necromancers, and secrets upon secrets—but in this dark, imaginative world, the characters are what make this book amazing. Gideon Nav (sarcastic swordswoman and reader of dirty magazines) is cool, funny, and somehow very relatable, and her relationship with her nemesis, Harrowhark (horrible little bone witch) is the heart of the story. This isn’t an easy read, and the book is one people either love or hate, but it’s unique, original, and the mystery kept me guessing until the very end. There are few books I’ve become totally obsessed with, but this is one of them.

By Tamsyn Muir,

Why should I read it?

23 authors picked Gideon the Ninth as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

15+ pages of new, original content, including a glossary of terms, in-universe writings, and more!

A USA Today Best-Selling Novel!

"Unlike anything I've ever read. " --V.E. Schwab

"Lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space!" --Charles Stross

"Brilliantly original, messy and weird straight through." --NPR

The Emperor needs necromancers.

The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.

Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead nonsense.

Tamsyn Muir's Gideon the Ninth, first in The Locked Tomb Trilogy, unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, as…


Book cover of House of Hollow

Claudia Cain Why did I love this book?

It’s not often that a book keeps me awake until 3 am, but this one did. The mystery in House of Hollow is straightforward: Iris Hollow’s sister, Grey, has gone missing under strange circumstances, echoing the way Iris and her sisters disappeared when they were children. Although this book is for young adults, there’s nothing childish about it. House of Hollow is beautifully written and totally unpredictable, the magic sinister and unnerving. As the mystery unfolds, it creates more questions for the reader, and by the end I was no longer sure I wanted to know the answers. This book was a 10/10 for me, and I’m sure the stunning prose influenced my own work.

By Krystal Sutherland,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked House of Hollow 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?

'A gorgeous, grisly modern fairy tale.'
- THE GUARDIAN

'Dark and delicious. House of Hollow hums with malice and mystery. I devoured it whole.'
- KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVE

** SHORTLISTED FOR THE YA BOOK PRIZE 2022 **

The Hollow sisters - Vivi, Grey and Iris - are as seductively glamorous as they are mysterious. They have black eyes and hair as white as milk. The Hollow sisters don't have friends - they don't need them. They move through the corridors like sharks, the other little fish parting around them, whispering behind their backs.

And everyone knows who the Hollow sisters…


Book cover of The Bone Houses

Claudia Cain Why did I love this book?

I love zombies. They’ve always captured my imagination, but they’re rarely portrayed as originally and thoughtfully as they are here. In this book, the walking dead are known as bone houses, and the mystery is why they’ve suddenly started leaving the woods and attacking the village of Colbren. The Bone Houses is heavily influenced by Welsh mythology, and I’m an enormous fan of mythology in general, so that drew me in. But while I expected to enjoy this book, the unexpected emotional moments made me fall in love with it. And as someone who suffers from chronic pain, I really appreciated the way Lloyd-Jones handled the subject, as it’s rarely represented so well.

By Emily Lloyd-Jones,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Bone Houses 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?

Seventeen-year-old Aderyn ("Ryn") only cares about two things: her family, and her family's graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote Welsh village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to fae creatures known as the Otherfolk. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don't always stay dead.

The risen corpses are known as "bone houses," and legend says that…


Book cover of The Bear and the Nightingale

Claudia Cain Why did I love this book?

The Bear and the Nightingale takes place in a fantasy version of medieval Russia, and it’s one of the most atmospheric, well-written fantasy novels I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Magic is deeply embedded in this book, and creatures veer between monstrous and mundane depending on the views of the character who sees them. Religion and mythology are combined and wrapped in a riveting, emotional story, filled with characters I fell in love with, or loved to hate. While it might contain less mystery than the other books on this list, I couldn’t guess the way it would end, and I wasn’t disappointed when I reached the final page.

By Katherine Arden,

Why should I read it?

12 authors picked The Bear and the Nightingale as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

_____________________________
Beware the evil in the woods...

In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia, where the winds blow cold and the snow falls many months of the year, an elderly servant tells stories of sorcery, folklore and the Winter King to the children of the family, tales of old magic frowned upon by the church.

But for the young, wild Vasya these are far more than just stories. She alone can see the house spirits that guard her home, and sense the growing forces of dark magic in the woods. . .

Atmospheric and enchanting,…


Explore my book 😀

Lovely, Dark and Deep

By Claudia Cain,

Book cover of Lovely, Dark and Deep

What is my book about?

It’s a beautiful day in autumn, and a little girl has gone missing… she’s not the first. Hannah Hendricks is the fourth child to disappear from the town of Fallow Creek. Search parties comb the woods, but there’s no trace of the missing children, as if they’ve vanished off the face of the earth.

Cassandra Reilly is certain magic is involved, but few people trust the word of a witch, and fewer still want her help. It seems there’s little she can do—until Hannah’s parents arrive on her doorstep, begging for magical aid. But agreeing to help is more dangerous than Cass knows. Something evil is at work in Fallow Creek, and if she’s not careful, she’ll lead it back to her own door.

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Beacon of Truth

By Randy C. Dockens,

Book cover of Beacon of Truth

Randy C. Dockens Author Of T-H-B

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been fascinated by science fiction and by Biblical Scripture. That may seem dichotomous to some, but not to me. I have a passion for science and for Scripture because both bring understanding about our world from the microcosm to the macrocosm. My writings are a mixture of science and mystery with a science fiction feel and a Christian perspective. I like stories that show how truth arises even from the dark, confusing, and ambiguity of life to help one discover something about God they may not have considered before, and at the same time enjoy a fun, fast-paced, and exciting journey as they read.

Randy's book list on mystery with a science fiction feel

What is my book about?

Killion is born several generations after the establishment of the Cities of Light which now sprinkle each continent of the world, places where God’s spirit produces a tangible presence felt by all who enter. Yet he is raised outside these cities, under the direction of Adar, who teaches his followers that such cities are dangerous, run by cult leaders, kill any who disagree with their teachings, and should be avoided at all costs.

But circumstances cause Killion to enter a City of Light, and this begins his journey of discovery. What he experiences here doesn’t match what he thought he…

Beacon of Truth

By Randy C. Dockens,

What is this book about?

What if the knowledge of God's glory covered the earth like the waters cover the sea?

Killion is born several generations after the establishment of the Cities of Light which now sprinkle each continent of the world, places where God’s spirit produces a tangible presence felt by all who enter. Yet he is raised outside these cities, under the direction of Adar, who teaches his followers that such cities are dangerous, run by cult leaders, kill any who disagree with their teachings, and should be avoided at all costs.

But circumstances cause Killion to enter a City of Light, and…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in good and evil, curses, and secret society?

Good And Evil 140 books
Curses 76 books
Secret Society 65 books