Friday Mood Recs: Research-based mystery novels I stayed up late reading
In which I finally discover the mysteries I enjoy and need your help finding more
I have been quite vocal about my disinterest in (most) mystery novels. After much reflection, I’ve realized that because I’m not much of a plot-driven reader, if I find myself in the middle of a book and the only thing I’m interested in is finding out what happened, I’m out. I’d rather skip ahead and get the solution, ask a friend to spoil if for me, or find a summary online. In the few mysteries I have enjoyed, I find that I’m compelled by the “what happened?” question, but also deeply invested in the characters, in awe of the setting, or interested in how the author is using the mystery to explore broader themes.
But this week, I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish a mystery novel. I couldn’t put it down! I’ll be sharing the book and a review on Sunday, but it made me realize that there is a specific sort of mystery novel I really do like. I like a mystery where the case is solved not by collecting clues, interviewing witnesses, and compiling evidence, but one where the sleuthing is actually better described as research. Give me academics poring over long-lost texts, researchers deep in the library archives, and detectives piecing together historical tidbits.
has written about “reading kinks,” and I think down-and-out scholar discovers a long lost letter and sets out to uncover the truth might just be one of mine. I eat that up every time.This should have been obvious to me because A.S. Byatt’s Possession is one of my all-time favorite novels (have I mentioned that before?). But I just assumed this was an anomaly! Looking back at my reading I’ve identified a handful of other research-based mysteries that I’ve enjoyed and I’m sharing those today.
Additionally, I need your help! Especially if you’re a mystery reader. Does this type of mystery have a name? How can I search for more books like the ones I love? Do you have any books that fit into this category that you’d recommend? I’m eager for more of these stay-up-late reading experiences and I don’t know where to start.