6 New Mysteries to Scratch That ‘White Lotus’ Itch

Saltwater

Hays’s stellar sophomore novel (after The Cloisters) is a powerful, surprise-packed study of family, wealth, and consequences. In 1992, promising playwright Sarah Lingate—wife of the youngest heir to the Lingate oil fortune—drowned beneath the cliffs of the family’s property in Capri. Her daughter, Helen, was three years old at the time. Three decades after Sarah’s death, which was officially ruled an accident, the Lingates are preparing for their latest trip to Capri when Helen intercepts an anonymous package addressed to her uncle that contains a necklace Sarah was wearing the night she drowned. Before the family arrives in Capri, Helen and her friend, Lorna, who happens to be her uncle’s assistant, decide to seize on the opportunity and use the necklace to blackmail the family for 10 million euros, which would allow them to break free of the Lingates’ suffocating clutches. When Lorna disappears, however, it becomes clear that each member of the Lingate family has their own agenda—and that many of them are willing to go to extremes to keep the police from reinvestigating Sarah’s death. Hays uses the island setting to brilliantly exploit locked-room mystery tropes, and doles out jaw-dropping reveals at just the right moments. This masterful suspense story has all the momentum of a runaway train. Agent: Sarah Phair, Sanford J. Greenburger Assoc. (Mar.)

Bearer of Bad News

A struggling hairstylist takes a job delivering difficult news in Dini’s wickedly entertaining debut. Lucy Rey—who happens to be the secret, estranged granddaughter of a legendary actress—needs cash. To get it, she responds to a posting by a woman named Taffy Waters, who’s offering $25,000 to track down her sister, Coco, and deliver a sensitive message to her. After Lucy signs a draconian nondisclosure agreement, she takes off for the Italian mountain town of Ortisei, where Coco was last seen. Also in the vicinity is obnoxious influencer Cassi, mysterious researcher David, visiting student Hilde, and vacationing hottie Chris. After an unpleasant run-in with Cassi, Lucy becomes a social media villain, and Chris helps her go into hiding. Meanwhile, Lucy learns that she’s not the only person on Coco’s trail, with several other Ortisei visitors hoping to track down the missing woman and take a valuable emerald necklace from her. Dini suffuses her complex mystery plot with bright humor and a streak of darkness, and Lucy makes for a smart and endearing heroine. Readers will hope she returns for another globe-trotting adventure soon. Agent: Sophie Cudd, Book Group. (Apr.)

Homicide in the Indian Hills (Jane Wunderly #6)

Neubauer’s entertaining latest (after Secrets of a Scottish Isle) begins with newlyweds Jane Wunderly and Redvers Dibble traveling to India by train in 1927. Redvers, an English banker, is visiting the mountain town of Ootacamund (“Ooty” for short) on official business. The American Jane, meanwhile, plans to explore Ooty’s lush gardens and tea plantations. On the train, the couple bumps into British expat Gretchen Beetner, a former member of the Indian National Congress whose outspoken opposition to British rule in India instantly enchants Jane. After the three strike up a friendship, Gretchen is found dead, the victim of a supposed tiger attack. Jane and Redvers suspect foul play, however, and quickly identify people close to Gretchen with reasons both personal and political for wanting her dead. A second killing raises the stakes and intrigue, leading Jane and Redvers to believe they might be in peril. As they sort through a mélange of blackmail and betrayal, they cling to each other for support. Neubauer’s solid puzzle plot is accented by well-drawn characters, evocative scenery, and captivating historical detail. Series fans will enjoy themselves. Agent: Anne Collette, Rees Agency. (Apr.)

Murder at Gulls Nest

Kidd (The Next Ship) pivots to cozies with this delightful series launch about a nun who forsakes her vows to search for a former novice. In 1954, Sister Nora Breen’s friend and former trainee, Frieda Brogan, abruptly stops sending her letters. Frieda’s last known address is the Gulls Nest, a forlorn boarding house in the English town of Gore-on-Sea, and a frightened Nora asks to be released from her monastery after 30 years to track Frieda down. Nora takes a room at the Gulls Nest, ingratiates herself with its ragtag collection of boarders, and soon realizes she’s not the only one concealing a secret past. As she starts to dig into Frieda’s stay there, other boarders begin to die under unusual circumstances, making her wonder whether Frieda might have met a similar fate. At first a thorn in the side of Detective Inspector Rideout, who’s assigned to investigate the deaths, the intelligent and outspoken Nora gradually gains the policeman’s respect. Elegant prose, vivid characterizations, and a fascinating protagonist add up to a thoroughly enjoyable mystery. Readers will be eager for the sequel. Agent: Amelia Atlas, CAA. (Apr.)

The Last Ferry Out

Bestseller Bartz (The Spare Room) chronicles a grieving woman’s quest for answers in this stylish, serpentine thriller. Four months ago, Abby’s fiancée, Eszter, died unexpectedly during a solo vacation on a small Caribbean island off of Cancún. Abby attempts to deal with the loss by heading to Isla Colel herself. Once she arrives, she becomes involved with a trio of expats Eszter had befriended during her trip, each of whom is dealing with their own trauma. As the behavior of the expat crew grows increasingly suspicious, flashbacks reveal escalating tensions in Abby and Eszter’s relationship before Eszter left. When one of Abby’s new friends disappears just before sharing the details of Eszter’s death, Abby fears that her fiancée’s killer is still on Colel. Though the setup signals a traditional locked-room mystery, Bartz delivers something sadder and stranger, pairing tender explorations of grief and homophobia with a series of horrifying twists. The results aren’t for the squeamish, but those willing to follow Bartz’s lead are in for a memorable ride. Agent: Alexandra Machinist, CAA. (May)

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds

Bestseller Brennan (the Quinn & Costa series) delivers a breezy standalone about a book-loving accountant who gets ensnared in a murder investigation. After years of dedication to her job at a New York City accounting firm, 29-year-old Mia Crawford is offered a partnership. To sweeten the deal, her employers insist she take a two-week, all-expenses-paid vacation to a private island in the Caribbean. All modest Mia wants is to curl up with a book and, at most, carry on a quick and casual fling. In the resort’s gift shop, she spots an intriguing, water-damaged paperback on a table of books left behind by previous guests. After scooping it up, she notices messages scribbled in the margins that allude to some sort of criminal activity. When a guest’s body washes up on the beach, Mia fears she’s stumbled into something dangerous. As she investigates with the aid of her mysterious notes, she strikes up a romance with resort bartender Jason, and Brennan weaves in the personal dramas of other guests and employees. Some of the reveals are predictable, but Brennan smooths things over with plenty of beachy atmosphere and steamy sex. It’s solid summertime fare. Agent: Daniel Conaway, Writers House. (June)