A good mystery keeps its reader guessing till that final reveal. One of the biggest tools that writers often use to achieve this target is to narrate the story from the perspectives of various characters, each giving us a part of the unfolding tale. If you enjoy mysteries that use multiple perspectives in their narrative, here are a few books that should be on your TBR.
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Considered by many to be Christie’s finest plot, And Then There Were None takes place on an island where a group of people, all of whom are unknown to each other, has been invited. They soon start dying one by one and the question that haunts them all, and the reader, is who’s the killer? Christie augmented this engaging plot by showing us the narrative unfold from the perspective of the various guests, a technique that definitely adds to the feeling of isolation and eeriness inspired by the plot and the setting.
One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Karen M. McManus’ bestselling YA mystery One of Us is Lying uses shifting points of view throughout the book. The book is about five high school students who are in detention together when one of them dies. The readers get the story from the first-person narratives of the four surviving characters, Bronwyn, Addy, Cooper, and Nate, one of whom is lying to the reader.
Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon
Mother-Daughter Murder Night is a cosy mystery that features a trio of grandmother-mother-daughter who play sleuths solve a murder. The plot progresses as we see things unfold from the perspective of the three women – Lana, Beth and Jack – as they attempt to solve the murder and find the culprit. This book is perfect for fans of domestic thrillers, family dramas and cosy mysteries.
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
British journalist Ben Daniels has been living in a strange apartment in Paris where his half-sister Jessie comes to visit him only to find that he has disappeared. The mystery of his disappearance seems linked with the varying degree of sinister residents of this apartment. The novel unfolds through chapters narrated by different residents through which the reader gradually learns of their secrets and the truth behind Ben’s disappearance.
Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman
All four books in Osman’s fantastic Thursday Murder Club are a perfect fir if you want to read a mystery with multiple perspectives. These books feature a group of elderly citizens who reside in a retirement village and meet once a week to investigate unsolved murders. But soon they face real murders and real dangers and prove to be aces at solving those too. The four books in the series so far – The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet that Missed, and The Last Devil to Die – are heart-warming yet cleverly plotted books that you must give a try.
Pick up any one of the 5 Gripping Mysteries Told From Different Perspectives from any Kunzum store or WhatsApp +91.8800200280 to order. Buy the book(s) and the coffee’s on us.
About the Reviewer:-
Sneha Pathak has a PhD in English Literature and has taught at the collegiate and university level. She currently works as a freelance writer/translator. Her writings have appeared in various publications such as Muse India, Purple Pencil Project, The Wise Owl Magazine, The Curious Reader, Mystery and Suspense Magazine etc. She recently published her first book of translation, an anthology of stories translated from Hindi. Follow her here: Instagram