When the setting of a story is done right, it feels like a character in its own right – dark and moody, bright and sandy, gothic and eerie. Think of The Shining without the Stanley Hotel, or Rebecca without Manderley. The setting literally sets the tone for a novel, creating a world so immersive that readers won’t even know what decade it is, much less where they are when they’re reading.
When I set out to create the world of Hempstead Island in my rom-com mystery, She Doesn’t Have A Clue, I wanted to evoke a remote and mysterious manor, full of the oddities of an old money family and the (sometimes literal) skeletons in their closet. I knew I had to fit in every inspiration I could – the creepy Victorian house, secret passageways, the inaccessible location, a raging storm, and a shocking body drop. I took my inspiration from cult-classic movies like Clue, as well as novels like Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. And because the story also has a comedic tone, I knew I had to pack the place with quirky characters, odd decorations, and delightfully macabre surprises.
In these five selections that range from haunting thrillers to whip-smart homages to detective novels of a bygone era, setting plays a critical role in the execution of the story. The stories are worth reading not only to solve the murder, but to lose yourself in their immersive worlds.
The Sun Down Motel by Sierra St. Simone
When Carly Kirk arrives in Fell, New York seeking a job at the Sun Down Motel, she’s there for more than just the vending machine snacks. She’s investigating the disappearance of her aunt, Viv, from the same hotel nearly twenty years ago. What follows is a haunting thriller (in more ways than one) that will keep you guessing. And while you wouldn’t think a motel would be a compelling setting, in St. Simone’s hands the rural dive spot turns downright menacing as the building takes on a life of its own. Haunting, obsessive, and completely engrossing, you’ll want to draw those curtains tight for this one.
A Midnight Puzzle by Gigi Pandian
The Secret Staircase series introduces Tempest Raj’s delightful family, along with their unique line of work – using their backgrounds in stage magic to create reality-defying interior designs for their customers. In this third book in the series, Tempest has purchased the local derelict theater in hopes of reviving her former magic career. But what happens instead seems impossible – a door that spouts knives, killing her dear friend and mentor. Is the theater haunted? Or is the Raj family curse coming for Tempest? The set designs are as elaborate as the mysteries, and fans of a classic cozy locked room mystery will adore this series for the dedicated work that Pandian puts into the set piece solutions.
Night Film by Marisha Pessl
An expert blend of mystery, thriller, and horror, Night Film is a meticulous look at the lengths obsessive creatives will go to achieve their visions. When disgraced former journalist Scott McGrath reads about the death of a cult film director’s daughter, he immediately knows foul play was involved. After all, the director, Stanislaus Cordova, was the engineer of Scott’s professional downfall after Scott’s obsession with him went too far. The investigation into the daughter’s death is anything but by the book, as elements of the occult and stories of Cordova’s extreme directing methods begin surfacing. Pessl has written an absolute masterpiece, the culmination of which takes place at Cordova’s remote ranch/filming stage. What follows is a mind-bending chase through film sets, puzzle boxes, and even an abandoned pool that will make you question everything you know and trust. Fans of cult films and underground directors will appreciate Pessl’s detailed dedication to creating Cordova’s world.
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
The queen of the locked room mystery, Christie’s seminal novel that takes place on the overnight express train set the standard for settings that inspire the story. It’s got all the elements we love in a classic whodunnit – a luxurious sleeper train, a murdered American tycoon, a host of eclectic suspects, and a setting so claustrophobic you can feel the knife pressing close. Even if you think you know the ending, it’s worth visiting Christie’s masterpiece to study her deft handling of the reveal.
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
Another entry in the “snowed in with a murderer” category, but not like any you’ve read before. Stevenson pledges to follow the ten commandments of detective fiction in this Golden Era nod to a true whodunnit by telling you up front that everyone in Ernie Cunningham’s family has killed someone (hence the title). Ernie figures he’s joining his family for a celebration weekend at a ski resort, welcoming back their prodigal son in the form of his older brother, just released from prison. But as a major snow storm hits the resort and the bodies start piling up, the clues and reveals get as dramatic as the snowdrifts. The 70s vibe of the cozy ski resort lends to the locked room atmosphere of the piece, and Stevenson’s witty descriptions and cultural references (like calling one of the murder victims “green boots” after the famous hiker on Everest) makes the whole place come alive.
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