Suggest a book for the podcast or say hello!

🔎 What makes a crime seem truly impossible, and why can't mystery readers get enough of these types of stories? Join me as we unlock the irresistible appeal of locked room mysteries that have delighted readers for over 150 years.

🧐 I’ll break down the difference between a locked room mystery and a closed circle — and why readers get genuinely cranky when authors mix them up. 

🗝️ Then I’ll  give you some classic locked room stories starting with Edgar Allan Poe, running through the Golden Age, and finishing up with some modern takes on the genre in both books and television. 

Links:

Trope Thesaurus: Mystery and Thriller by Sara Rosett and Jennifer Hilt: https://books2read.com/mysteryandthriller/

Related MBP Episodes: 

Bonus: Murder on the S.S. Cleopatra by Sara Rosett

S6E1 Agatha Christie

S4E5 Crime TV Shows for Cozy Mystery Readers

S3 E5 Under Lock and Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian

🕵️‍♀️ 📦 Cozy Books Corner Subscription Box (affiliate code), a book box curated for cozy mystery readers.

➡️ Use code SaraR5 and get 15% off! ⬅️

Support the show

📚 Buy Sara's books: SaraRosettBooks.com

🔎  Get more mystery in your life when you sign up for Sara's updates.

Suggest a book for the podcast or say hello!

🧶 What’s an amateur sleuth mystery? One of the most beloved subgenres in mystery fiction! They're stories of an ordinary person, not a professional detective, who solves a crime. 

📚 If you love cozy mysteries, classic whodunits, or Golden Age detective fiction, this episode is your guide to the amateur sleuth.

🕵️ The amateur sleuth has a long, rich history that spans from Agatha Christie's Miss Marple to Dorothy L. Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey to modern cozy mystery series. 

⚡️ I also tackle what I call the "special problems" of writing amateur sleuth mysteries, and I break down how the Polish mystery film In for a Murder solves each of the challenges.

🔗 For a twice-a-month update on newly released historical mystery books, sign up HERE.

Podcasts Mentioned:

• S1E6 Her Royal Spyness
• Bonus: Murder on the S.S. Cleopatra by Sara Rosett
• S6E1 Agatha Christie
• S6E6 Dorothy L. Sayers
• S2 E5 - The Mimosa Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu
• S4E5 Crime TV Shows for Cozy Mystery Readers
• S2E4 Mystery in Translation
• S2 E1 - Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
• S2 E3 A Peculiar Combination

Books on Writing Fiction:

• Trope Thesaurus: Mystery and Thriller by Sara Rosett and Jennifer Hilt: https://books2read.com/mysteryandthriller/
• How to Outline a Cozy Mystery by Sara Roset: https://books2read.com/howtocozy

🕵️‍♀️ 📦 Cozy Books Corner Subscription Box (affiliate code), a book box curated for cozy mystery readers.

➡️ Use code SaraR5 and get 15% off! ⬅️

Support the show

📚 Buy Sara's books: SaraRosettBooks.com

🔎  Get more mystery in your life when you sign up for Sara's updates.

Suggest a book for the podcast or say hello!

🔎 Ready for your next whodunit? Let’s talk about mysteries arriving in early 2026. 

Join me as I dive into the most exciting upcoming classic-style whodunits releasing from January to March 2026—think locked rooms, closed circles, clever clues, and satisfying reveals that echo the Golden Age greats.

Get a curated preview of fresh releases and rediscovered gems, including debuts like The Murder at World’s End and A Field Guide to Murder, British Library Crime Classics reprints, a meta-Holmes homage in The Final Problem, and my own Murder on the S.S. Cleopatra, which is perfect historical if you want a Golden Age travel whodunit.

🕵️‍♀️ 📦 Cozy Books Corner Subscription Box (affiliate code), a book box curated for cozy mystery readers.

➡️ Use code SaraR5 and get 15% off! ⬅️

Support the show

📚 Buy Sara's books: SaraRosettBooks.com

🔎  Get more mystery in your life when you sign up for Sara's updates.

Suggest a book for the podcast or say hello!

❣️ Valentine’s Day is coming up, so what better time to talk about romantic couples who just happen to solve mysteries. 

I explore the enduring appeal of romantic detective pairings, breaking down why mysteries with relationship arcs and witty banter keep fans turning the pages. You'll hear how opposites attract, expert/novice combos, and slice-of-life moments bring these stories to life.

Get a curated tour through time, from Victorian Egypt to 1920s drawing rooms to modern art heists, as I share my list of couples—from Amelia Peabody and Radcliffe Emerson to Nick and Nora Charles. 

Add a few titles to your TBR stack and see how dynamic duos make whodunits twice as intriguing.

Get a printable PDF of the list here. 

🕵️‍♀️ 📦 Cozy Books Corner Subscription Box (affiliate code), a book box curated for cozy mystery readers.

➡️ Use code SaraR5 and get 15% off! ⬅️

Support the show

📚 Buy Sara's books: SaraRosettBooks.com

🔎  Get more mystery in your life when you sign up for Sara's updates.

Suggest a book for the podcast or say hello!

📬 Do you love mysteries where the format is part of the puzzle? What about crime fiction told through letters, emails, and documents? If you answered yes to either question, join me as I explore epistolary mysteries—one of my favorite subsets of the mystery genre.

✉️ I share the inspiration behind my own Mysteries in the Mail letter subscription featuring Lady Eileen and Fitzhugh, two delightful characters whose adventures are told in installments mailed in physical letters.

📖 Then I delve into epistolary crime fiction, and I also discuss epistolary-adjacent mysteries like interactive puzzle books and crime fiction where letters play a key role in the plot.

📚 Read-alike recommendations include classic epistolary mysteries, puzzle books, and more letter-based crime fiction to add to your TBR pile, all of which make fantastic gifts for mystery readers. 

Links mentioned in this episode:

Mysteries in the Mail by Sara Rosett: https://sararosettbooks.com/products/mysteries-in-the-mail

Epistolary Mystery Novels:

The Appeal by Janice Hallett: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54621096-the-appeal

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13526165-where-d-you-go-bernadette

Currently Reading:

Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1499952.Daddy_Long_Legs

To Read:

The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/129117.The_Spellman_Files

The Documents in the Case by Dorothy L. Sayers: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/130633488-the-documents-in-the-case-by-dorothy-l-sayers-and-robert-eustace

Death on the Down Beat by Sebastian Farr: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61041891-death-on-the-down-beat

Epistolary-Adjacent : Interactive Puzzles:

Cain's Jawbone by E. Powys Mathers: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50074593-cain-s-jawbone

The Creeping Hand Murders by Maureen Johnson: You Are the Detective: The Creeping Hand Murder: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222683984-you-are-the-detective

The Museum Heist by Henry Lewis: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/173404229-the-museum-heist

Epistolary-Adjacent : Crime Fiction with Letters:

The Brothers of Baker Street by Michael Robertson: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/967256

🕵️‍♀️ 📦 Cozy Books Corner Subscription Box (affiliate code), a book box curated for cozy mystery readers.

➡️ Use code SaraR5 and get 15% off! ⬅️

Support the show

📚 Buy Sara's books: SaraRosettBooks.com

🔎  Get more mystery in your life when you sign up for Sara's updates.

Suggest a book for the podcast or say hello!

🚢 What secrets unravel when a murderer strikes aboard a Nile steamer? 

In this special bonus episode, I take you behind the scenes of my new mystery novel, Murder on the S.S. Cleopatra, the second book in the 1920s Lady Traveler in Egypt series.

🔎 I share how Blix and Hildy's tranquil cruise turns into a classic closed-circle whodunit filled with secrets, intriguing characters, and plenty of 1920s flair. 

🤫 I give you behind-the-scenes research tidbits, talk about the special edition features, and let you know how to get the book or audiobook.

If you love whodunits with rich settings, this episode is for you—happy sleuthing!

🏺Murder on the S.S. Cleopatra Special Edition: https://sararosettbooks.com/collections/murder-on-the-s-s-cleopatra

📚For more classic whodunits, check out my books in print, audio, or ebook: 

High Society Lady Detective series 

🕵️‍♀️ 📦 Cozy Books Corner Subscription Box (affiliate code), a book box curated for cozy mystery readers.

➡️ Use code SaraR5 and get 15% off! ⬅️

Support the show

📚 Buy Sara's books: SaraRosettBooks.com

🔎  Get more mystery in your life when you sign up for Sara's updates.

Suggest a book for the podcast or say hello!

🔍 Ever wondered what happens when you combine medieval French scholarship, advertising expertise, and detective fiction? Meet Dorothy L. Sayers, whose Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries revolutionized the genre.

✍️ Join me as I explore the interesting career of one of the founding authors of the Detection Club who wrote mysteries where love bloomed between intellectual equals then went on to write something completely different! 

Where to start with Dorothy L. Sayers books: 

If you like to start at the beginning of a series, the first Lord Peter Wimsey book is Whose Body?

I recommend The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, which I have a podcast about: 

S4EP: The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers
 https://www.sararosett.com/mbps3ep9/

For more classic whodunits, check out my books in print, audio, or ebook: 

High Society Lady Detective series 

1920s Lady Traveler in Egypt series
 
 

Sources: 

https://www.sayers.org.uk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothy_L._Sayers

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dorothy-L-Sayers

Support the show

📚 Buy Sara's books: SaraRosettBooks.com

🔎 Get more mystery in your life when you sign up for Sara's updates.

🕵️‍♀️ 📦 Cozy Books Corner Subscription Box (affiliate code), a book box curated for cozy mystery readers.

➡️ Use code SaraR5 and get 15% off! ⬅️

Support the show

📚 Buy Sara's books: SaraRosettBooks.com

🔎  Get more mystery in your life when you sign up for Sara's updates.

Suggest a book for the podcast or say hello!

🎭 Did you know the Queen of Regency Romance was also a master of murder mysteries? Join me as we explore Georgette Heyer's lesser-known but equally interesting career as a crime writer.

🏰 Heyer’s mysteries usually revolved around country house murders with police sleuths, Superintendent Hannasyde and Inspector Hemingway. 

⭐️ Whether you're a fan of her Regency romances or new to Heyer, you'll discover why her twelve mystery novels still intrigue fans today.

Where to start with Georgette Heyer’s books:

One of my favorites is Footsteps in the Dark, which has a fun, breezy tone and lots of gothic and thriller elements as well as a murder mystery. 

For more classic whodunits, check out my books in print, audio, or ebook: 

High Society Lady Detective series 

1920s Lady Traveler in Egypt series

Sources: 

https://www.officialgeorgetteheyer.com/books/

https://cozy-mystery.com/georgette-heyer.html

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11343817-georgette-heyer-mystery-collection

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/tip-sheet/article/55450-the-reclusive-author-who-only-gave-one-interview.html

https://interestingliterature.com/2016/05/five-fascinating-facts-about-georgette-heyer/

🕵️‍♀️ 📦 Cozy Books Corner Subscription Box (affiliate code), a book box curated for cozy mystery readers.

➡️ Use code SaraR5 and get 15% off! ⬅️

Support the show

📚 Buy Sara's books: SaraRosettBooks.com

🔎  Get more mystery in your life when you sign up for Sara's updates.

Suggest a book for the podcast or say hello!

🔍 Are you fascinated by detectives who aren't quite what they appear to be? Join me for a deep dive into Margery Allingham's world, where her famous sleuth Albert Campion hides his clever mind behind a decidedly foolish facade.

📖 Allingham was born into a family of storytellers and was a child prodigy who earned her first writing fee at age eight, then went on to become one of the "Queens of Crime."

💫  Join me and discover why Margery Allingham stands alongside Christie and Sayers in the mystery hall of fame. 

Where to start reading Margery Allingham? 

The Crime at Black Dudley is a lighthearted mix of mystery and thriller.

If you want something a little darker, The Tiger in the Smoke (1952) focuses more on the psychology of a serial killer.

For more classic whodunits, check out my books in print, audio, or ebook: 

High Society Lady Detective series 

1920s Lady Traveler in Egypt series

Sources: 

Margery Allingham Society: https://margeryallingham.org.uk

Wikipedia - Margery Allingham: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margery_Allingham

Encyclopedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Margery-Allingham

🕵️‍♀️ 📦 Cozy Books Corner Subscription Box (affiliate code), a book box curated for cozy mystery readers.

➡️ Use code SaraR5 and get 15% off! ⬅️

Support the show

📚 Buy Sara's books: SaraRosettBooks.com

🔎  Get more mystery in your life when you sign up for Sara's updates.

Suggest a book for the podcast or say hello!

🎭 What happens when two Australian nurses move to New York City and start writing "wacky cozies"? Join me for the interesting story of the Little Sisters, whose 21 mysteries combined clever plots with laugh-out-loud humor.

🏥 I explore the backstory of their unique collaboration style and how Constance and Gwenyth Little's experiences as working nurses influenced their resourceful heroines.

⭐️ Their recently “rediscovered” books blend romance and mystery and are still drawing in new fans.

Where to start with Constance and Gwenyth Little books?

I suggest the first book in the series, The Grey Mist Murders, but you can pick up any because they’re all stand-alone titles. 

For more classic whodunits, check out my books in print, audio, or ebook: 

High Society Lady Detective series 

1920s Lady Traveler in Egypt series

Sources:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/55837.Constance_Little

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/55836.Gwenyth_Little

https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress.com

http://gadetection.pbworks.com

http://www.girl-detective.net/little.htm

🕵️‍♀️ 📦 Cozy Books Corner Subscription Box (affiliate code), a book box curated for cozy mystery readers.

➡️ Use code SaraR5 and get 15% off! ⬅️

Support the show

📚 Buy Sara's books: SaraRosettBooks.com

🔎  Get more mystery in your life when you sign up for Sara's updates.

Suggest a book for the podcast or say hello!

🔍 Ever wondered what happens when two mystery writers fall in love and collaborate? That’s exactly what happened with the two authors behind the pen name Kelley Roos. The result is a series of books where marriage and mystery meet.

🌆 Audrey and William Roos created sophisticated stories that balanced romance and suspense. Their Jeff and Haila Troy series, beginning with Made Up to Kill, brings to life the glamour and intrigue of mid-century New York City through the eyes of a crime-solving couple.

🎬 In this episode I’ll explore their versatility as writers—from novels to plays to television—and how the talented pair combined romance, wit, and suspense in their stories.

Where to start with Kelley Roos books? 

If you enjoy theater mysteries: Made Up to Kill - first book in the series

Their best known book is probably The Frightened Stiff 

For more classic whodunits, check out my books in print, audio, or ebook: 

High Society Lady Detective series 

1920s Lady Traveler in Egypt series

Sources: 

https://cozy-mystery.com/kelley-roos

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audrey_Roos

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/327239.Kelley_Roos

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Roos_(writer)

🕵️‍♀️ 📦 Cozy Books Corner Subscription Box (affiliate code), a book box curated for cozy mystery readers.

➡️ Use code SaraR5 and get 15% off! ⬅️

Support the show

📚 Buy Sara's books: SaraRosettBooks.com

🔎  Get more mystery in your life when you sign up for Sara's updates.