100 books like Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered

By Karen Kilgariff, Georgia Hardstark,

Here are 100 books that Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered fans have personally recommended if you like Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Monster of Florence

A.M. Kirsch Author Of Murder of an Uncommon Man

From my list on dysfunctional family, gender identity, and murder.

Why am I passionate about this?

Born into a family with friction between parents, I never thought relationships could get much worse. When my parents divorced, father became estranged, then died by apparent suicide, memoirs by diverse voices opened my world and made me feel less alone. When I went through a sexual and gender identity crisis of my own, they helped me navigate the turmoil in my own life. I spent more than twenty-five years writing professionally for corporate and academic employers before writing biography and memoir became a coping skill.

A.M.'s book list on dysfunctional family, gender identity, and murder

A.M. Kirsch Why did A.M. love this book?

Preston and Spezi’s memoir helped me learn how to write from inside a murder investigation. I knew I needed to write about my father’s unusual death and my suspicions, but I didn’t have the tools to tackle it. The two journalists describe how they solved an infamous serial killer case only to become suspects themselves. Preston and Spezi drive their story with a momentum I tried to match in telling mine.

By Douglas Preston, Mario Spezi,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Monster of Florence as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Monster of Florence, which was shortlisted for the prestigious CWA Gold Dagger Award for Non Fiction in 2010, is a true account of brutal serial murder in idyllic Florence. After settling in Italy in 2000, Douglas Preston discovered that the olive grove in front of his family's new home had been the scene of one of the most infamous double-murders in Italian history, committed by a serial killer who had never been found and was known only as the Monster of Florence. Preston, intrigued, met Italian journalist Mario Spezi, who had followed the case since the first murders in…


Book cover of Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI

James Polchin Author Of Shadow Men: The Tangled Story of Murder, Media, and Privilege That Scandalized Jazz Age America

From my list on crime that reshapes our understanding of the past.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always liked narrative history and how we can take research and turn it into a story. More importantly, I love books that can recover the histories of marginalized people—people who don’t make it into the history textbooks. Historical true crime gives me access to realities we don’t often see. Court transcripts, detective reports, news accounts, and oral histories all combine to illuminate a world beyond the famous and known. I’m drawn to those books (and book projects) that ask the question: what can we know about the past if we look at it through the lens of a crime? Whose realities do we witness through such a lens? 

James' book list on crime that reshapes our understanding of the past

James Polchin Why did James love this book?

Few writers can compare to Grann in his storytelling skills and his ability to bring historical lives to contemporary realities. I admire the way Grann turns his research into a compelling narrative, bringing me into the 1920s Southwest—a world that often is not part of our idea of the Roaring Twenties.

In focusing on the tragedies the Osage suffered, the book opens up a new understanding of the Roaring Twenties that has little to do with speakeasies and lavish parties. And this, for me, is the power of Grann’s book to expand our understanding of this iconic era through this long-ignored story of the Osage people. While I liked the movie version of the book, nothing compares to Grann’s compelling storytelling voice. 

By David Grann,

Why should I read it?

21 authors picked Killers of the Flower Moon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Indian nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, they rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions and sent their children to study in Europe.

Then, one by one, the Osage began to be killed off. As the death toll climbed, the FBI took up the case. But the bureau badly bungled the investigation. In desperation, its young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to unravel the mystery. Together with the Osage he and his undercover…


Book cover of And the Sea Will Tell

Nicole Maggi Author Of The Forgetting

From my list on true crime to keep you up at night.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always hated horror movies and anything scary—but I love true crime. I’m particular in how I consume it; I prefer to listen to it rather than read it and never at night. But give me a Dateline marathon and I’m a happy woman. While much of my own writing is far from true crime (Twin Willows Trilogy is YA urban fantasy, and What They Don’t Know is contemporary YA), my thriller The Forgetting explores dark subject matters—so dark, in fact, that my agent said to me, “But you seem so nice.” I am, for the most part…but I’m also not afraid to shine a flashlight into the darkness that lives in all of us.

Nicole's book list on true crime to keep you up at night

Nicole Maggi Why did Nicole love this book?

In 1974, two couples sailed into the Palmyra Atoll in search of a tropical paradise—but only one couple sailed back. When Eleanor “Muff” Graham’s body washes up on shore 6 years later, Buck Walker and his former girlfriend Stephanie Stearns are charged with her murder, but the outcome of their trials surprises everyone. Written by Stearns’ famed defense attorney Vincent Bugliosi, this story has everything: a tropical island teeming with tension, two couples whose ideologies were bound to come to a head, and a wild court case that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

By Vincent Bugliosi, Bruce Henderson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked And the Sea Will Tell as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

ALONE WITH HER NEW HUSBAND on a tiny Pacific atoll, a young woman, combing the beach, finds an odd aluminum container washed up out of the lagoon, and beside it on the sand something glitters: a gold tooth in a scorched human skull. The investigation that follows uncovers an extraordinarily complex and puzzling true-crime story. Only Vincent Bugliosi, who recounted his successful prosecution of mass murderer Charles Manson in the bestseller Helter Skelter, was able to draw together the hundreds of conflicting details of the mystery and reconstruct what really happened when four people found hell in a tropical paradise.…


Book cover of Justice: Crimes, Trials, and Punishments

Nicole Maggi Author Of The Forgetting

From my list on true crime to keep you up at night.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always hated horror movies and anything scary—but I love true crime. I’m particular in how I consume it; I prefer to listen to it rather than read it and never at night. But give me a Dateline marathon and I’m a happy woman. While much of my own writing is far from true crime (Twin Willows Trilogy is YA urban fantasy, and What They Don’t Know is contemporary YA), my thriller The Forgetting explores dark subject matters—so dark, in fact, that my agent said to me, “But you seem so nice.” I am, for the most part…but I’m also not afraid to shine a flashlight into the darkness that lives in all of us.

Nicole's book list on true crime to keep you up at night

Nicole Maggi Why did Nicole love this book?

Every month when my copy of Vanity Fair arrived, I’d flip directly to Dominick Dunne’s column and savor every word. Each story in this collection reads like those columns: full of juicy details alongside human pathos. While most of the pieces cover the O.J. Simpson trial (for which Dunne was front and center in the courtroom every day), he also writes about other high-profile cases of the rich and infamous such as the Menendez Brothers and Sunny von Bulow. But the first story in the book is about the murder of Dunne’s own daughter, Dominique, reminding us that at the other end of these sensationalized stories is a real person whose life has tragically been cut short. One of the things that affected me most about Dunne’s writing is that he was always on the side of the victim, and that’s displayed here in spades.

By Dominick Dunne,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Justice as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Dominick Dunne's mesmerizing tales of justice denied and justice affirmed.

For more than two decades, Vanity Fair published Dominick Dunne’s brilliant, revelatory chronicles of the most famous crimes, trials, and punishments of our time. Whether writing of Claus von Bülow’s romp through two trials; the Los Angeles media frenzy surrounding O.J. Simpson; the death by fire of multibillionaire banker Edmond Safra; or the Greenwich, Connecticut, murder of Martha Moxley and the indictment—decades later—of Michael Skakel, Dominick Dunne tells it honestly and tells it from his unique perspective. His search for the truth is relentless.


Book cover of The Tactical Guide to Women: How Men Can Manage Risk in Dating and Marriage

Tony Endelman Author Of The Big Stick: Collected and Applied Wisdom from the Teachings of Dr. Robert Glover

From my list on men’s self-development books that don’t totally suck.

Why am I passionate about this?

In 2013, my father–an amazing man who was the picture of health–died suddenly and unexpectedly while at the gym. At the time, I was miserable and unfulfilled. My father’s passing sent me down a path of deep self-exploration, where I realized that life is simply too short and unpredictable to settle for less than what you truly want. As I endeavored to change my life, I became a certified life coach, relationship coach, and happiness trainer, initially to help myself, but soon discovered a passion for helping others. I've been lucky to have incredible mentors like Dr. Robert Glover. My unconventional brand of self-help has been featured in numerous publications.

Tony's book list on men’s self-development books that don’t totally suck

Tony Endelman Why did Tony love this book?

While No More Mr. Nice Guy may have saved my life, this book has repeatedly saved my ass.

In the book, Dr. Smith uses his years of clinical experience (and his distinct sense of humor) to offer men a plan to attract the right women and confidently move on from the wrong women. This was a plan that I desperately needed. 

This book forced me to examine my unhealthy relationship patterns. It showed me how to meet amazing women and avoid emotionally unstable women. It taught me how to identify red flags, see women more clearly, and have healthier partnerships.

By Shawn T. Smith,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Tactical Guide to Women as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

For men, love is a high-stakes gamble. The right woman can be the best part of a man's life, and the wrong one can lead to personal and financial ruin. In today's climate, no man should venture into romance without a reliable risk-management strategy.

The Tactical Guide to Women delivers a solid plan for allowing the right women into your life, and keeping the wrong ones at a safe distance. You'll discover how to:

Identify good women of low drama and high character Reduce your vulnerability to women who seem perfect for you--but aren't Spot the early warning signs of…


Book cover of Get a Life, Chloe Brown

Sylvia Barry Author Of Lessons in Timing

From my list on grumpy/sunshine romance with a healthy side of yearning.

Why are we passionate about this?

Sylvia Barry is our invention, a solitary witch who writes queer romance from her lighthouse keep. As a pair of co-authors, one of us grew up with the dry humor of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams, and the other grew up with fanfiction and romance tropes. We came together to write quirky, queer romances that are playful and ironic but also deal with deeper themes of self-discovery, trauma healing, and community. Rivals-to-lovers and grumpy/sunshine are our favorite tropes to write, especially in dual (or more!) POV, because the Yearning is always juicy, and we play off each other’s energy as we write our opposing characters.

Sylvia's book list on grumpy/sunshine romance with a healthy side of yearning

Sylvia Barry Why did Sylvia love this book?

We loved the steamy romance between clever, uptight Chloe and broody artist Red. 

To be perfectly honest, we don’t usually go for heterosexual romances, but Chloe and Red are wonderfully queer to us in their own special way. We really enjoyed the dual POV, getting to experience Chloe and Red falling head over heels for each other from both perspectives.

It had so many of the tropes we enjoy: the vivacious yet rigid (for good reason, she spends a lot of her time in pain) Chloe slowly learning to let go, and the kind yet gruff (for good reason, he’s had his heart smashed) Red coming into his own.

Book cover of One Night on the Island

L.E. Wagensveld Author Of Breaking Down

From my list on romance with “more”.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve loved romance stories for as long as I can remember. When I was a child, we’d make the long drive to visit my grandma, and I would always sneak into her room, perusing the Harlequin romance books she was never without. As I grew older, I turned to novels with love stories to escape the hard times in my life. If I could rely on anything, it was that I would get a happy ending when I delved into those pages. When I began writing my own books, that feeling was what I became most passionate about giving to my readers. An escape from the everyday. The promise of a happy ending.

L.E.'s book list on romance with “more”

L.E. Wagensveld Why did L.E. love this book?

I loved this book. It wasn’t just a romance. It was a love story for a place.

An ode to an age when women begin to learn their power. It was a love story about friends who become family and the people who touch us along the way.

I closed this book feeling so many emotions and have recommended it repeatedly to anyone who needs to lose themselves in a book. 

By Josie Silver,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked One Night on the Island as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Day in December . . . When a double-booking at a remote one-room cabin accidentally throws two solace seekers together, it feels like a cruel twist of fate. But what if it’s fate of a different kind?

“A perfectly executed and quintessential romantic comedy.”—Christina Lauren, author of The Unhoneymooners

Spending her thirtieth birthday alone is not what dating columnist Cleo Wilder wanted, but she plans a solo retreat―at the insistence of her boss―in the name of re-energizing herself and adding a new perspective to her column. The remote Irish island…


Book cover of Filthy Animals

Sue Mell Author Of A New Day: Stories

From my list on short story love, loss, and starting over.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up in an intellectual household with a New Yorker subscription, I became a fan of the short story early on, with J.D. Salinger, Ann Beattie, and Raymond Carver forming a baseline of personal taste and inspiration. I especially love stories that resonate with my own sense of yearning for life and love—and the deep losses that inevitably come our way. Decades of reading would pass before I began writing stories myself, and I’m thrilled to have a chance to recommend these moving and beautifully written collections.

Sue's book list on short story love, loss, and starting over

Sue Mell Why did Sue love this book?

I’m a big fan of stories about people striving for creative expression and the ups and downs that accompany that path, even better when that desire is tangled up in and complicated by love—or picking oneself up after catastrophe.

I was deeply moved by the emotional richness and psychological complexity that Taylor achieves. I read this book when it first came out in 2021, but I still sometimes think about the love triangle that carries across some of these linked stories between a graduate student in mathematics and a pair of dancers in an open relationship.

By Brandon Taylor,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Filthy Animals as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER 

WINNER OF THE STORY PRIZE

SHORTLISTED FOR THE DYLAN THOMAS PRIZE

NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY USA TODAY, NPR, VULTURE, MARIE CLAIRE, THE TIMES OF LONDON, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

A group portrait of young adults enmeshed in desire and violence, a hotly charged, deeply satisfying new work of fiction from the author of Booker Prize finalist Real Life

In the series of linked stories at the heart of Filthy Animals, set among young creatives in the American Midwest, a young man treads delicate emotional waters as he navigates a series of sexually…


Book cover of Bombshell

Melissa McTernan Author Of Marked for Each Other: The Princess and The Barbarian

From my list on romance in which the heroine saves herself.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a voracious reader my entire life, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I discovered romance. How many times had I turned up my nose at those ridiculous books with half-naked men on the cover? Countless. Little did I know the absolute joy those books held inside. I love to read and write romance, especially stories with strong heroines and deliciously squishy-inside heroes. Not to mention all the amazing queer stories out there proving that love is love. These aren’t your grandmother’s bodice-rippers (I mean, they are a little bit, but only in the best ways). The genre is constantly growing, and I’m always eager to find new converts like me!

Melissa's book list on romance in which the heroine saves herself

Melissa McTernan Why did Melissa love this book?

This book is a kick to the face of the patriarchy and I loved it. Bombshell is not your typical historical romance filled with wallflowers, ballrooms, and handsome rakes. Instead it is centered around a girl gang of four amazing women and their unique talents, taking down the privileged men of the ton. The book opens with a bar fight and the whole story ramps up from there. Bombshell is book one in the Hell’s Belles series, and it focuses on Sesily Talbot, the “bombshell” of the group. Sesily uses what the good lord gave her to help her friends stop the bad guys. The fact that Caleb Calhoun adores her for it is what makes this a great romance. In the end, it’s unclear who saves who, but Sesily definitely does her share of the fighting (much to Caleb’s chagrin). It’s delightful.

By Sarah MacLean,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bombshell as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean returns with a blazingly sexy, unapologetically feminist new series, Hell's Belles, beginning with a bold, bombshell of a heroine, able to dispose of a scoundrel-or seduce one-in a single night.

After years of living as London's brightest scandal, Lady Sesily Talbot has embraced the reputation and the freedom that comes with the title. No one looks twice when she lures a gentleman into the dark gardens beyond a Mayfair ballroom...and no one realizes those trysts are not what they seem.

No one, that is, but Caleb Calhoun, who has spent years trying not…


Book cover of Fight Night

Kerri Schlottman Author Of Tell Me One Thing

From my list on fierce female protagonists.

Why am I passionate about this?

My sister and I were raised by our single mother in Southeast Detroit, who worked hard to put herself through law school when we were kids. We had a lot of financial struggles growing up, and I had to overcome many obstacles to get where I am today. Because of that, I am drawn to fierce female protagonists who overcome challenges and don’t shy away from struggle. In my own creative writing, I tend to feature strong female characters who have faced some type of instability and have worked hard to better their circumstances. I love an underdog and think there’s a lot of unsung narratives to tell.

Kerri's book list on fierce female protagonists

Kerri Schlottman Why did Kerri love this book?

Miriam Toews has an incredible writing style that is somehow whimsical and also serious, and this book is no exception.

I fell so in love with the characters in this book that I didn’t want the story to end. The novel follows young Swiv, a quirky and fierce kid who is dealing with a lot of very grown-up issues as she navigates an absent father, a feisty grandmother, and a single mother.

While this might sound like a Young Adult novel, it is very much a book for adults, which just shows how talented Toews is at using the voice of young protagonists to unearth some very heavy and serious adult topics. Still, even with the heavy content, Swiv’s special spirit gives the book a welcomed lightness. 

By Miriam Toews,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Fight Night as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

FROM THE WRITER OF THE OSCAR-WININNG WOMEN TALKING
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR
LONGLISTED FOR THE DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD

'Go Grandma Elvira!' Margaret Atwood
'Wickedly funny and fearlessly honest.' The New Yorker
'Glorious.' Sarah Moss
____________
You are a small thing, and you must learn to fight.

Swiv has taken this advice too literally. Now she's suspended from school, in the care of her foul-mouthed, hilarious grandmother.

Mom is busy being pregnant, so Grandma gives Swiv a very different education. Swiv learns maths with Amish jigsaws and How to Dig a Winter Grave. Grandma's methods may be unorthodox, but she has faced…


Book cover of The Monster of Florence
Book cover of Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
Book cover of And the Sea Will Tell

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