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Fowler, Christopher. Bryant & May: Peculiar London. Bantam. (Peculiar Crimes Unit). Dec. 2022. 400p. ISBN 9780593356241. $28.99. MYSTERY

Head of London’s Peculiar Crimes Unit and their country’s oldest working detectives, Arthur Bryant and John May return in a mystery cum history/travel guide that escorts readers around London with the help of various Peculiar characters. From CWA Dagger in the Library winner Fowler, whose series boasts over a half million copies in print.

Higashino, Keigo. A Death in Tokyo: A Mystery. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. (Kyoichiro Kaga, Bk. 3). Dec. 2022. 352p. tr. from Japanese by Giles Murray. ISBN 9781250767509. $27.99. MYSTERY/INTERNATIONAL

The body of a murdered man is deposited on Tokyo’s Nihonbashi Bridge beneath the statue of a kirin—a benevolent winged creature originating in Chinese mythology and seen throughout East and Southeast Asia—even as a young man dashing from the police is discovered with the victim’s wallet. But they’ve never met. Edgar/CWA finalist Higashino (Silent Parade ) gives Det. Kyoichiro Kaga another case. With a 35,000-copy first printing.

Jones, Darynda. A Hard Day for a Hangover. St. Martin’s. (Sunshine Vicram, Bk. 3). Dec. 2022. 352p. ISBN 9781250233141. $28.99. CD. MYSTERY

In this wrap-up to the trilogy, small-town New Mexico chief of police Sunshine Vicram must investigate the disappearance of several woman even as she deals with personal drama: her devil-may-care daughter wants to be an investigator, too, and the guy she loves belongs to an evil family that would like to eliminate him and Sunshine. With a 60,000-copy first printing.

Lovesey, Peter. Showstopper. Soho Crime. (Detective Peter Diamond Mystery, Bk. 21). Dec. 2022. NAp. ISBN 9781641294706. $27.95. MYSTERY

An absconding star, repeated injuries, and now two missing personnel: no wonder the hit British TV show Swift is considered cursed. Even as he hunts for the missing men, Peter Diamond, Chief Superintendent of the Avon and Somerset Murder Squad, learns that the show’s producer has also vanished. From that rare author to have been graced with both MWA Grand Master status and a CWA Lifetime Achievement Award.

Shelton, Paige. Winter’s End: A Mystery. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. (Alaska Wild, Bk. 4). Dec. 2022. 272p. ISBN 9781250846594. $26.99. MYSTERY

Spring has arrived in remote Benedict, AK, as have two strangers. So Orin tells friend (and series star) Beth Rivers as they check on a far-flung neighbor to see how he has fared during the winter. Not well, as it transpires, and Orin must quickly return to town for help. Then he vanishes, and Beth and police chief Gril learn that he’s been involved in some top-secret research. Next in Shelton’s LJ-starred “Alaska Wild” series.

Spotswood, Stephen. Secrets Typed in Blood. Doubleday. (Pentecost and Parker Mystery, Bk. 3). Dec. 2022. 384p. ISBN 9780385549264. $27. Downloadable. MYSTERY/HISTORICAL

Someone is imitating Holly Quick’s pulp-magazine tales of revenge to the letter, strewing 1947 New York’s streets with dead bodies, and Holly quickly turns to Willowjean “Will” Parker and her boss, legendary detective Lillian Pentecost, for help. They’ve got to investigate the murders and find the culprit without alerting the police. Next in the Nero Award–winning “Pentecost and Parker Mystery” series.

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