By Meena Johal
For the month of March, we’ve decided to highlight books featuring a mystery by a racialized author. All of the books that we’ve shared are written by authors who are from or reside primarily in North America but represent various backgrounds from populations who have traditionally been underrepresented in traditional publishing. Did you know that March 8th is International Women’s Day? It’s a day that is recognized globally to celebrate women’s and girls’ achievements in many realms. It’s also a time to draw attention to the work that still needs to be done towards achieving gender equality. For this reason, we thought it would be valuable to share and make space for these racialized female authors who write about strong female characters.
1) Cold by Mariko Tamaki (Young Adult)
A boy, a murder, a girl, a secret. From award-winning author Mariko Tamaki comes Cold, a haunting YA novel about a shocking homicide in a quiet town and four students who knew too much and said too little.
This is the story of a boy who died—and a girl who wants to know why.
Todd Mayer is dead. Now he’s some sort of ghost, hovering over his body, which has just been found in the town park, naked and frozen in the snow. As detectives investigate Todd’s homicide, talking to the very people who are responsible for how he died, Todd replays the events that lead him to his end in the park.
Georgia didn’t know Todd. But she can’t stop thinking about him. Maybe it’s because they’re both outcasts at their school, or because they’re both queer. It might also be because Georgia has a feeling she’s seen Todd somewhere before, somewhere he wasn’t supposed to be.
In the vein of The Lovely Bones, this dual narrative is told through the voices of Todd in his afterlife and Georgia as she uncovers the truth behind his death, resulting in an immersive, emotional, and provocative read.
2) Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes (Chapter Book)
A room locked for fifty years.
A valuable peacock ring.
A mysterious brother-sister duo.
Paloma Marquez is traveling to Mexico City, birthplace of her deceased father, for the very first time. She’s hoping that spending time in Mexico will help her unlock memories of the too-brief time they spent together.
While in Mexico, Paloma meets Lizzie and Gael, who present her with an irresistible challenge: The siblings want her to help them find a valuable ring that once belonged to beloved Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Finding the ring means a big reward — and the thanks of all Mexico. What better way to honor her father than returning a priceless piece of jewelry that once belonged to his favourite artist!
But the brother and sister have a secret. Do they really want to return the ring, or are they after something else entirely?
3) Stella and the Mystery of the Missing Tooth by Clothilde Ewing, illustrated by Lynn Gaines (Picture Book)
In this effervescent companion to the picture book Stella Keeps the Sun Up, Stella goes on the hunt to figure out who’s behind her friend’s missing tooth.
Stella, her bestie Roger, and her second-best friend Owen are excited to go see Sue the T-rex at the museum, but when Owen has to leave early because he lost a tooth, Stella becomes determined to find it for him. How did he manage to lose a tooth? Was it stolen? Could the tooth fairy be responsible? Could Owen be…a dinosaur boy?
Nothing will keep Stella from her investigation, even if she and Roger fear their own teeth could be stolen too. But the more Stella investigates, the more she realizes that perhaps this case is not as complicated as she thought.
Ardo Omer