Hi friends,

Welcome back to Midsummer Murders Week here at What to Read If. Each year in mid-July or so, in a nod to the British show “Midsomer Murders” and the book series of the same name.

Set in a wealthy community in the English countryside, it features detectives solving intricate, bizarre crimes (woman crushed by a giant round of cheese, woman tumbled to death in a dryer, man covered in truffle oil and left for a wild boar). They’re cozy puzzles, not gory.

So, this week I’m spotlighting three books in a similar vein. I hope you enjoy!

And, now what to read if…

You Want to Extend the World Cup Vibes

The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy by Angela Cervantes

I cannot tell you how excited I was to have a World Cup mystery to feature in this newsletter when I realized Midsummer Murders would fall the day after the final. (It’s the little things.) And, as a bonus, it’s a charming, fun middle-grade mystery, perfect for the whole family.

Diez Espada — named after the jersey number of his father’s favorite fútbol player, Lionel Messi — loves two things: soccer and mysteries. His two obsessions collide when the famous trophy disappears from an exclusive party hosted by his wealthy friend Rio’s family. In a twist straight out of one of Diez’s favorite mysteries, the world-famous Detective Enzo happens to be at the site of the crime. Eager to impress his hero, Diez sets out to assist the detective and find the missing trophy.

The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy is such a fun read. As soon as I finished it, I Googled to see if we could expect a sequel. Nothing is planned yet, but fingers crossed we’ll see more of Diez in the future. Even if we don’t, this one is definitely worth a read.

You Want Some Southern Charm

The Primrose Murder Society by Stacy Hackney

Lila Shaw was raised to be the perfect wife to the perfect southern gentleman. Unfortunately, her supposed catch of a husband fled the country after investigators began to close in on his less-than-legal business activities. Now, she’s a broke, friendless single mom to ten-year-old Bea — with no place to live. A desperate Lila agrees to clean out and live in a former hoarder’s apartment in a luxurious over-50 building.

Shortly after they move in, the owner of the builder’s penthouse dies and announces a $2 million reward for any resident who solves the murder of his granddaughter, who died 21 years later in the Primrose. Bea, a true crime obsessive and “Murder, She Wrote” super fan, begs Lila to join the contest. Lila, seeking a way to bond with her daughter, reluctantly agrees. They’re joined by two residents, Jasper, a lonely former detective, and Estelle, a bejeweled socialite, on their quest to find the killer and solve Lila’s money troubles.

The Primrose Murder Society is a perfect example of one of my favorite genres — “These quirky strangers must come together to save their community/solve a murder/organize a festival/save each other.” Think of it as a cross between The Thursday Murder Club and “Only Murders in the Building” with a dash of “Gilmore Girls” thrown in.

You’re a Carl Hiaasen Fan

Killer Vibes by Jack Friday

If Carl Hiaasen set a book in Austin, Texas instead of his home state of Florida, it would be a lot like Killer Vibes, the start of a new mystery series starring Texas’s self-proclaimed “laziest private detective.”

Peter Key, an underemployed stoner, has just been kicked out of yet another apartment when he discovers an uncle he barely knew left him a decrepit house in Austin’s priciest neighborhood. The inheritance isn’t as straightforward as it first appears. It comes with a crushing debt load, pressure from locals to sell — and a bag full of cash hidden in the walls. The cash, combined with cryptic messages telling him to leave, makes him think his uncle’s death wasn’t the accident everyone claims. Together with his new friend Carlos, he discovers a secret cousin and his family’s connections to a powerful, secretive fraternity.

With an amateur sleuth mystery, I find you often get either a compelling sleuth or a tightly plotted mystery. Killer Vibes delivers both. Peter is a memorable character, and the plot brings together family secrets, politics and a delightful Beyonce dance party scene.

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