Let’s face it—sometimes you want your crime fiction shaken, not stirred, with a twist of absurdity and a garnish of gallows humor. If you prefer your murder mysteries served with sass, sarcasm, and a healthy dose of chaos, the campy and comedic thriller is where it’s at. And personally, when I fall in love with characters, I want them to stick around for many, many books.
These are stories where the danger is real—but so are the laughs. Because what’s more thrilling than a botched hit job, an exploding wig, or a dead body turning up at brunch?
Whether you’re cheering on a suburban mom-turned-hitwoman (Finlay Donovan, anyone?), watching retired assassins get revenge, or unraveling secrets at a wedding gone very wrong, these books bring the drama and the comedy. Let’s dive in:
🔪 The Finlay Donovan Series, by Elle Cosimano
Meet Finlay Donovan: novelist, single mom, and…accidental contract killer?
It all starts with a misunderstood conversation at Panera Bread and spirals into a world of hit jobs, mobsters, and hair dye. With bestie Vero by her side, Finlay navigates her chaotic double life with sharp wit and serious mom-energy.
If Desperate Housewives and Dexter had a baby—raised by caffeine and chaos—it’d be this series.
🎯 Killers of a Certain Age and Kills Well With Others by Deanna Raybourn
Four female assassins. One cruise. And a very inconvenient murder attempt.
Killers of a Certain Age is what happens when elite hitwomen hit retirement age—and realize the agency that trained them now wants them dead. Raybourn serves spy-thriller vibes with sass, style, and sharp-tongued sisterhood. Think Golden Girls…with Glocks.
Aging has never looked so fierce—or so dangerous.
💐 The Vacation Mysteries by Catherine Mack
It was supposed to be a destination wedding. Emphasis on was.
In the second entry of this laugh-out-loud series, secrets and lies bubble beneath the surface of a family gathering—until someone turns up dead. Cue the drama, deception, and gasp-worthy moments, all wrapped in McKenzie’s signature biting humor.
🍵 Vera Wong Series by Jesse Sutanto
Meet Vera Wong: 60-something tea shop owner, professional meddler, and unexpected detective with a side of matchmaking.
When a dead body turns up in her San Francisco Chinatown tea shop, Vera decides the police aren’t doing enough and takes matters into her own hands. Armed with nothing but her sharp wits, unfiltered opinions, and a thermos of the perfect oolong, this Chinese-American grandmother proves that age is just a number when it comes to solving crime.
From Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers to her continued adventures, Sutanto delivers a delightful blend of mystery, cultural humor, and heartwarming family dynamics—all wrapped in Vera’s unique brand of unapologetic nosiness and maternal instinct.
Think Miss Marple meets Crazy Rich Asians with a dash of your most lovably intrusive Asian auntie.
📚 Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone and Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson
When Ernest Cunningham’s family reunion at a snowy mountain resort turns deadly, he’s not exactly surprised. After all, everyone in his family has killed someone.
Part Agatha Christie, part meta-commentary on the murder mystery genre itself, this wickedly funny thriller breaks the fourth wall and keeps you guessing. The narrator establishes his own “rules” of detective fiction while navigating a deliciously dysfunctional family of criminals.
If Knives Out had a bookish Australian cousin with an even darker sense of humor, this would be it.
☕ Final Thoughts
If you love your thrillers fast-paced but also funny, with characters whose adventures just keep going, these books deliver. Grab your favorite drink (dry martini, anyone?) and prepare for mayhem—with a wink.
Want more offbeat crime fiction recs or book club picks with humor? Drop a comment or let’s chat!
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