SUMMER SOLSTICE: SUMMERTIME MYSTERIES

Today marks the Summer Solstice! It is my favorite day of the year because it's the longest, and I love light! Today is also the first day of summer. 

Summertime, and the living is easy. Or is it? So many mysteries taking place during Summer are filled with murder and mayhem -- on the Beach, at the Lake, and in the 'hot' City! What follows is a list of Summer Crime Fiction that exudes the heat and accompanying crime of Summertime. I've omitted most Fourth of July and Labor Day Mysteries from this list because I'll be updating those specific lists later this Summer. 

And, the latest Mystery Readers Journal focuses on Murder Takes a Holiday (40:2). Plenty of summertime mysteries in this issue. I will gradually add some of the reviewed books to this list. I've also added a short list of Summer Camp mysteries. I'm sure there are more. Love to hear from you.

As always I invite you to add any titles I've missed. Post a note in the comments or shoot me an email. This is far from a definitive list, but it's been updated since last year. I've included thrillers, cozies, traditional, suspense, and more. Put a bunch of these mysteries in your beach bag and enjoy the reads!

Summertime Mysteries 

Foxglove Summer by Ban Aaronovitch
The Corpse with the Garnet Face by Cathy Ace
A Cat on a Beach Blanket by Lydia Adamson
A Deadly Cliche; Murder in the Mystery Suite by Ellery Adams
Moon Water Madness by Glynn Marsh Alam
A Tangled June by Neil Albert
Meet Your Baker; Hold on for Beer Life by Ellie Alexander

Mint Chocolate Murder by Mere Allen

The Leaving by Tara Altebrando  
Gone Gull: Murder Most Fowl by Donna Andrews

Sunset Beach; High Tide Club; The Home-Wreckers by Mary Kay Andrews
Tiger's Eve by Barbara Annino
Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea by Nancy Atherton
Sweet Tea and Secrets by Joy Avon
Live and Let Chai; Partners in Lime by Bree Baker
Gold Medal Threat by Michael Balkind (Kids: 7-15)
A Midsummer Night's Killing by Trevor Barnes
Milwaukee Summers Can Be Deadly by Kathleen Anne Barrett
One Hot Murder by Lorraine Bartlett
Love, Lies and Liquor by M.C. Beaton
Summertime News by Dick Belsky
Pups, Pilots and Peril by Cindy Bell

The Hiding Place by David Bell
The Summer School Mystery by Josephine Bell
Jaws by Peter Benchley
Buried in a Good Book by Tamara Berry

Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
Murder by Fireworks by Susan Bernhardt
A Death in Summer by Benjamin Black

The Beach Hut Murders by Peter Bland
Another Man's Ground by Claire Booth
The Down East Murders by J.S. Borthwick
Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen

Lowcountry Boil by Susan M. Boyer
Deadly Readings by Laura Bradford
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
Tour de Force by Christiana Brand

Pot Boiler by Ali Brandon
The Cat Who Saw Stars, The Cat Who Went Up the Creek by Lilian Jackson Braun
Chill of Summer by Carol Brennan
Death by the Sea by Kathleen Bridge
Death at the Seaside by Frances Brody

Devils Island by Carl Brookins
Killer in Crinolines; Braking for Bodies by Duffy Brown
Tall Tail by Rita Mae Brown
Scrappy Summer by Mollie Cox Bryan
A Fatal Fettucinne by Julia Buckley

Death on the Riviera by John Bude

Magic and Macaroons by Bailey Cates
Wonton Terror by Vivien Chien 

Twanged; Zapped by Carol Higgins Clark
Footprints in the Sand by Mary Jane Clark
Remember Me by Mary Higgins Clark
Thin Air by Ann Cleeves
Dead and Berried by Peg Cochran
All You Need is Fudge, To Fudge or not to Fudge; A Midsummer Night's Fudge by Nancy Coco
BlackBuried Pie by Lyndsey Cole
Murder at the Mansion; Digging Up History by Sheila Connolly
Beach Music by Pat Conroy
Claws for Alarm by Cate Conte

Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell
Death on a Summer Night by Matthew Costello
Murder Most Frothy by Cleo Coyle
A Shoot on Martha's Vineyard by Philip Craig
The Trouble with a Hot Summer by Camilla Crespi
A Poisonous Page; Digging Up Trouble by Kitt Crowe

Never Say Pie by Carol Culver
Barkley's Treasure, Bikinis in Paradise; Beach Blanket Barbie; Camp Carter; Maui Madness; Bikinis in Paradise by Kathi Daley
The Alpine Recluse; The Alpine Zen; Clam Wake; Dune to Death by Mary Daheim
The Diva Steals a Chocolate Kiss by Krista Davis

Deadly Summer Nights by Vicki Delany
A Summer in the Twenties by Peter Dickinson
The Gold Coast, Plum Island by Nelson DeMille
Dead & Buried by Leighann Dobbs

The Safe Place by Anna Downes
He Started It by Samantha Downing

Dead in the Water; Fall of a Philanderer by Carola Dunn
Kilt at the Highland Games by Kaitlyn Dunnett
Murder at the Bridge by Frances Evesham
Killer Heat by Linda Fairstein

Cloudy with a Chance of Murder by Gerald Elias

Margin for Muder by Lauren Elliott

Four Dog's Sake by Lia Farrell
Blackberry Burial, Dying for Strawberries; Killed on Blueberry Hill by Sharon Farrow
One Fete in the Grave by Vickie Fee
Murder Sends a Postcard; Murder Buys a T-shirt by Christy Fifield
The Angel of Knowlton Park by Kate Flora
Lord James Harrington and the Summer Mystery by Lynn Florkiewicz
Apple Turnover Murder, Blackberry Pie Murder, Carrot Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke
A Wrinkle in Thyme by Sarah Fox

Beneath the Skin by Nicci French
Independence Slay by Shelley Freydont
A Death Long Overdue (and others) by Eva Gates
A Dish Best Served Cold by Rosie Genova

Murder Makes Waves by Anne George
The Caleb Cove Mystery Series  (3 in the series) by Mahrie Reid Glab
Summertime, All the Cats are Bored by Philippe Georget
Reserved for Murder by Victoria Gilbert

The Cats that Watched the Woods by Karen Anne Golden
A Fatal Fleece, Angora Alibi: Murder at Lambswool Farm by Sally Goldenbaum
A Fatal Booking; Reserved for Murder by Victoria Gilbert

Sunflower Street by Pamela Grandstaff
Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake; Knockdown; Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake by Sarah Graves
Sound Proof by Barbara Gregorich
Spirited Away; Whole Latte Murder by Lena Gregory

Mystery on Mackinac Island by Anna W. Hale
Bowled Over by Victoria Hamilton
Murder at the Blueberry Festival by Darci Hannah

Dead Days of Summer; Dead Man's Island by Carolyn Hart
Pesticide by Kim Hays
Town in a Lobster Stew; Town in a Strawberry Swirl by B.B. Haywood
A Stitch in Crime by Betty Hechtman

Thunder Moon by Richard Helms
Tilling the Truth by Julia Henry
The Summer of Dead Toys by Antonio Hill
The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Summer of the Big Bachi by Naomi Hirahara
Death of a Cookbook Author; Death of a Lobster Lover; Death of an Italian Chef by Lee Hollis
Cracked to Death by Cheryl Holton
Beach Bags and Burglaries by Dorothy Howell
Murder at Wrightsville Beach by Ellen Elizabeth Hunter 

Last Summer by Evan Hunter
Magic Hour by Susan Isaacs
Death in Holy Orders by P.D. James
A Death at Candlewick Castle by Emma Jameson

A Palette for Murder by Sybil Johnson
Laid Out in Lavender by Gin Jones
Outdoors, Oars, & Oath (and others) by Tonya Kappes
One Feta in the Grave by Tina Kashian
A Summer for Dying by Jamie Katz
Murder Under a Full Moon by Abigail Keam

The Foxglove Killings by Tara Kelly (YA)
Hooked on a Feline by Sofie Kelly
Rainy Day Women by Kay Kendall

Murder in the Past Tense by E.E. Kennedy
Death and a Pot of Chowder by Cornelia Kidd
Banana Split by Josi S. Kilpack

Joyland by Stephen King
Antique Auctions are Murder by Libby Klein
Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch

Midsummer Malice by M.D. Lake
Dark Nantucket Noon by Jane Langton
The Bottoms by Joe Lansdale

A Timely Vision; A Watery Death by Joyce and Jim Lavene
You Only Witch Once by Amanda M. Lee
Death of a Bacherlorette by Laura Levine
A Sense of Entitlement by Anna Loan-Wilsey

Fishing for Trouble by Elizabeth Logan
A Tale of Two Biddies by Kylie Logan
Boarding with Murder by Kathryn Long

Murder on the Ile Sordou by M.L. Longworth
August Moon, June Bug by Jess Lourey
Nun But the Brave by Alice Loweecey
Jasmine and Jealousy: Peonies and Poison by London Lovett
A Summer to Die by Lois Lowry
The Body in the Wetlands by Judi Lynn

Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies by Catherine Mack  
Berried to the Hilt, Death Runs Adrift; Claws for Alarm; Murder on the Rocks by Karen MacInerny
A Demon Summer; Death in Cornwall by G.M. Malliet
Grave Heritage by Blanche Day Manos
Swimming Alone by Nina Mansfield (YA)
Death in a Mood Indigo by Francine Mathews
Murder at Beechwood; Murder at the Breakers by Alyssa Maxwell
Till Death Do Us Bark by Judi McCoy
Killer Honeymoon by G.A. McKevitt
Left Hanging by Patricia McLinn
Tippy Toe Murder by Leslie Meier
Summers Lease by John Mortimer

Murder Most Finicky by Liz Mugavero
Country Club Murders Series (Killing Me Softly - and others) by Julie Mulhern

Bats and Bones; Peete and Repeat, The Lady of the Lake, To Cache a Killer by Karen Nortman
Murder at Kildare Mensa by Clare O'Beara
Foal Play; Murder on the Hoof by Kathryn O'Sullivan
The Body in the Lighthouse; The Body in the Birches; The Body in the Wake by Katherine Hall Page
Murder at the Seaside Hotel by Sonia Paris
Mercury's Rise by Ann Parker  

Paws in the Action; A Timely Murder by Max Parrott
The Heat of the Moon by Sandra Parshall
Mrs. Bundle's Dog Days of Summer: A Case of Artful Arson by Allison Cesario Paton
The Summer House by James Patterson; Lifeguard by James Patterson and Andrew Gross; The Murder House by James Patterson and David Ellis
Thread and Dead by Elizabeth Penny

A Rule Against Summer by Louise Penny
Summer of the Dragon by Elizabeth Peters
5 Dan Marlowe/Hampton Beach, NH mysteries by Jed Power
Murder at Honeysuckle Hotel by Rose Pressey
The Cabin by Natasha Preston

Cat of Many Tails by Ellery Queen
Still Life in Brunswick Stew by Larissa Reinhart
Deep Green Envy by Joy Ann Ribar
Cons & Quinces by Sheri Richey 
Summer Garden Murder by Ann Ripley

In the Dead of the Summer; How I Spent My Summer Vacation by Gillian Roberts
Calamity@the Carwash by Sharon Rose
Mint Juleps, Mayhem, and Murder; Milkshakes, Mermaids and Murder by Sara Rosett
Boiled Over, Clammed Up ( and others) by Barbara Ross

Murder in the Dining Room by Betty Rowlands
The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager
The Field of Prey by John Sandford 

Dark Fire by C.J. Sansom
Hang My Head & Cry by Elena Santangelo
Miss Lizzie by Walter Satterthwait

Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers
Purl Up and Die; Yarn Over Murder by Maggie Sefton

Love & Death in Burgundy by Susan C. Shea
Vacations Can Be Murder; Bushel Full of Murder by Connie Shelton
Bushel Full of Murder, If Onions Could Spring Leeks by Paige Shelton
Poised to Quill by Morgan W. Silver

Summer in the Woods by Steven K. Smith
Pick Your Poison; The Cat, The Vagabond and The Victim by Leann Sweeney
Live and Let Fly by Clover Tate

Cape Cod Mystery by Phoebe Atwood Taylor
A Fine Summer's Day by Charles Todd
Deception in the Cotswolds; The Threlkeld Theory by Rebecca Tope
Trouble in the Tarot by Kari Lee Townsend
Rooted in Deceit by Wendy Tyson
Board Stiff by Elaine Viets
Shadows of a Down East Summer; Thread and Gone by Lea Wait
Deadly Delights by Laura Jensen Walker

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware
The Great Chili Kill-Off; Killer Crab Cakes; Never Trifle with Murder by Livia J. Washburn
Murder and Misfortune; Sweet Avengers; Sweet Sun and Shadow by J.A. Whiting
A Sense of Entitlement by Anna Loan Wilsey

Trail of Secrets by Laura Wolfe (YA)
An Old Faithful Murder, Remodelled to Death; Death in a Beach Chair by Valerie Wolzien
Orchid Beach by Stuart Woods
Sins of a Shaker Summer by Deborah Woodworth
Summer Will End by Dorian Yeager

Murder by the Seashore by Samara Yew
Heart of Stone by James Ziskin 

***

Summer Camp Mysteries:

You Will Pay by Lisa Jackson
The Counselors by Jessica Goodman
The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson
Camp So-and-So by Mary McCoy
I'll Never Tell by Catherine McKenzie

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Short Story Collections

Murder by the Seaside: Classic Crime Stories for Summer (Edited by Cecily Gayford)
Murder in Midsummer (not to be mistaken for Midsomer)

Any titles you'd like to add? Make a comment below.