36 books like The Con Artist

When I was young, I quickly developed a taste for sci-fi. Thanks to my father, I also learned to love murder mysteries. I still remember us watching Columbo together.

My love for those genres makes it feel like The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle was written for me. At first glance, the setting is normal, a country house in the 1920s. The twist is that there’s a time loop, and the only way to break it is for the protagonist to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle.

Even better, for every loop, the protagonist has his consciousness awakening in a different body, allowing him to experience the events through multiple points. This setting allows for a complex, dazzling narrative filled with twists and turns. I can’t recommend it enough.

I like how Agatha Christie takes a darker turn in this book. Most of the time, I associate her works with a comfortable crime mystery, but that is not the case with this title. The mind games and mystery created within these pages made for an enthralling read that kept me guessing to the end.

The other aspect I loved was how the environment and setting were really a character all of their own and had a profound effect on the characters there on the island, as well as the reader.

Devious might bit a bit heavy-handed with the religious references, but it makes sense given its location and the types of murders occurring in this book.

I enjoyed how the author worked those references into the overall mystery with not just the location, but the clues and other discoveries along the way. There also is a big twist behind the true killer in this book that I really enjoyed reading, too.

I wish I could explain it in more detail, but that would give away major spoilers! 

This book surprised me based on the twists involved with the characters’ relationships with each other, especially for three of them.

The fact that they were all trapped in the same location helped raise the stakes for everyone suspecting each other of the crime. Those that trusted each other might even cover up for each other – with later plot reveals showing what happened otherwise.

This made it hard for me as a reader to figure out which characters were innocent or guilty, but I enjoyed the challenge of figuring out who did it! 

Wes and Stella have bonded online over their favorite sci-fi show that was tragically cancelled after the first season ended on a cliffhanger. Something I, as a huge sci-fi fan, sympathize with. Wes draws amazing fan art, while Stella writes fanfic and deals with the mansplaining of what a real sci-fi fan is. Wes and Stella agree to meet in person to uncover their identities at the local comic con.

The Twist? In real life, they hate each other, to the point of a prank war and are both competing to be valedictorian.

Shipped is You’ve Got Mail at comic con. It’s a love letter to fandom and played to my sci-fi-loving heart.

Not only does this book have a strong female lead, a scary, spooky adventure, and an unusual friendship where cousins who start off not liking one another have to work together, or else, but the idea that a funeral home guards another realm. I love it. And Chuck Wendig really nailed the voice of this story! It’s totally Chuck-like, but not the creepy Chuck we get in his adult horror books. This is 100% snarky, goofy, yeehaw, let’s-have-a-rollicking-good-time kid-at-heart Chuck. Also, this one made me laugh out loud in places, and I can always use a good laugh.

In Illuminary, the main character Kamryn finds herself in the land of Ur after falling down a staircase. I felt an immediate kinship—fellow klutzes, unite! This contemporary adventure blends elements of well-known fairytales (like Peter Pan) with a unique, fantastical world. For me, characters really make the story come alive, and this story was no different. Ur held wonderful side characters, as well as a villain that’s easy to hate.

I also need happy endings for my reading choices. Kamryn and the hero Reese both had to draw on a strength greater than their own to reach their own happy ending, but it was so worth it.

Obviously my top choice, having just written a book about not only Tolkien’s novel but also the whole phenomenon of adaptation and artistic creativity.

Tolkien is now a multi-platform media experience.

Alongside his own immersive vision there is also now a universe of creativity inspired by Tolkien in film and video, radio and audio, music and art, gaming and cosplay, fanfic and fashion, and in souvenirs from replica swords to Hobbit cookbooks – so I have no problem with people coming to the novel through the films, TV series, or games.

And remember that Tolkien himself was not only a novelist, but also a poet, artist, calligrapher, and designer, and even recorded musical settings of his songs: he was an unparalleled creative force.

The penultimate time traveler? What is not to love here. A time lord racing through time, saving the world past and present maintaining the status quo in a phone. Adventure, romance all done with a chuckle that will warm the coldest heart. Of course, a steady diet of this might lead one to become a cosplay addict existing from one Comic-con to the next.

There are people out there who think they are (or at least call themselves) vampires. At the extreme end, a handful of violent, deranged individuals believe they are the real article and are entitled to attack the living for sustenance. At the other end are role-players, cosplayers, and fans that are just in it for the fangs and the finery. In the middle, there are a wide range of types and personalities. Some believe they are physically addicted to drinking blood and seek out willing donors. Others find a morbid, sexual thrill in the practice. Still others believe they can, and need to, drain the energy of those around them (Colin Robinson, anyone?).

The subculture is vast, nuanced, and always growing. But what it is more often than not is misunderstood. While many are happy to talk about their practices, others shun attention for fear of being mocked, misunderstood, and… show more.