The Blanche White series was groundbreaking when it came out in the ’90s, and I’ve recently rediscovered it—thanks to the audiobooks. ’s heroine, Blanche, a middle-aged African American housekeeper, is smart and observant, so naturally she’s perfect for a life as an amateur sleuth—even if that’s not what she set out to be. She literally goes on the lam for the first half of Blanche on the Lam and ends up pretending to be a housekeeper for another family in order to hide out. And wow, is it the wrong family to choose! Blanche is a keen observer who I love following along with, especially with Lisa Reneé Pitts's narration, which really places the character in your mind, letting you feel and see the world as she does.
It never occurred to me that an 11-year-old girl with a passion for poisons and a desire to be a chemist would make an excellent sleuth, but I’m sure glad it occurred to , because she is! If you’re looking for a delightful and inventive series—and you enjoy reading British cozy mystery authors—look no further, and dig right into The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. While most people don’t think to run up to a dead body to investigate, Flavia de Luce does. Yes, she’s partly horrified, but the mystery always compels her, superseding any fear or disgust. Plus, Jayne Entwistle’s lovely voice in your ears is a perfect balance of sweet for this macabre-seeking character.
I ain’t afraid of no ghosts! Really, not only am I not afraid of ghosts, I love them—especially when they’re helping solve a mystery. There’s a lot to love about ’s determined ghost and the down-to-earth mortal who team up to solve their first mystery in Murder in G Major. Charming and funny, Gethsemane Brown is an American musician who has moved to a small Irish town to teach music. As it turns out, the cottage she’s staying in is haunted by the ghost of a man, Eamon McCarthy, who was falsely accused of murder and needs Gethsemane to clear his name. But it’s a cozy one, so you know poking around is only going to lead to trouble! I love watching the friendship of Eamon and Gethsemane develop throughout the series, and their public arguing is always hilarious when she’s the only person who can see him. Another bonus of the audiobook is hearing the various accents of the different characters living in the town.
Miss Capability Kitty Weeks covers fashion and gossip for the New York Sentinel at the beginning of World War I. She isn’t happy with being relegated to the Ladies' Page, though. She’s always pushing to live her life on her own terms—a pretty difficult feat for a woman in the early 1900s—and, of course, finds herself snooping around to solve a murder that occurred during an event she attended. A Front Page Affair is a treat for any mystery-loving listener who’s tired of all the dead girls in crime novels, as well for fans of historical fiction. Inspired by 1910s action-film heroines, gets the era’s details, from its fashion to society’s view of women, just right. Justine Eyre's narration moves effortlessly between characters to bring their personalities to life, making it easy to keep track of the conversations and story. It felt like I was listening to a great TV period drama mini-series.
