10 Best Fantasy Mystery Books: Modern Fairy Tales
Ready to immerse yourself in worlds where dragons soar, witches weave their spells, but all is not as it seems? Welcome to a universe that combines the thrill of detective work with the enchantment of fairy tales. A place where palaces harbor dark secrets and fairy glens become crime scenes. Our 10 best fantasy mystery books are set in realms far from humdrum reality, yet their riddles would stump even the keenest detectives in our own world.
These novels transport readers into uncharted territories, blending magical creatures, uncanny occurrences, and daring quests with confounding puzzles and shocking twists. Don't be fooled by the sprinkling of pixie dust or the charming spellbound prince; underneath lies a compelling whodunit that'll keep you guessing till the last page.
Expect crafty plot twists and immersive world-building carrying the echo of timeless fairy tales, yet rejuvenated with captivating mysteries. These stories are perfect for those who delight in the peculiar blend of sleuth's suspense and fairytale whimsy. They combine the best of both worlds, providing a unique reading experience that is both magical and mentally stimulating. Get ready for a breathtaking journey as you step into these modern fairy tales, learn to expect the unexpected, and engage in unraveling the enigmatic mysteries.
『The Hazel Wood』
Welcome to Melissa Albert's The Hazel Wood—the fiercely stunning New York Times bestseller everyone is raving about! Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: Her mother is stolen away—by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.” Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began—and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong. Don’t miss the bestselling sequel to The Hazel Wood, The Night Country or the illustrated collection of twelve fairy tales, Tales from the Hinterland!
Author | Melissa Albert |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Flatiron Books |
Release Date | Mar 26, 2019 |
Source | Google Books |
『Cinder』
Queen Levana is a ruler who uses her 'glamour' to gain power. but long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story - a story that has never been told ... until now.
Author | Marissa Meyer |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Macmillan |
Release Date | Jan 08, 2013 |
Source | Google Books |
『Kingdom of the Wicked』
A James Patterson Presents Novel From the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series comes a new blockbuster series... Two sisters.One brutal murder. A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself... And an intoxicating romance. Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe -- witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family's renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin...desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister's killer and to seek vengeance at any cost-even if it means using dark magic that's been long forbidden. Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked-princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia's side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women's murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems...
Author | Kerri Maniscalco |
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Price | $10.99 |
Publisher | Little, Brown Books for Young Readers |
Release Date | Oct 27, 2020 |
Source | Google Books |
『Rapunzel Untangled』
Author | C. Bennett |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Sweetwater Books |
Release Date | Sep 01, 2015 |
Source | Google Books |
『The Book of Lost Things』
'A brilliantly creepy coming of age novel' Daily Mirror 'A moving fable, brilliantly imagined, about the agony of loss and the pain of young adulthood' The Times 'This is no saccharine fairytale, but an eerie fable that's perfect for long winter nights' Daily Mail This illustrated edition includes two new short stories - Cinderella, A Version and The Rat King, the latter introducing the Crooked Man who is central to the world of The Book of Lost Things - and an afterword from the author. 'Once upon a time, there was a boy who lost his mother . . .' As twelve-year-old David takes refuge from his grief in the myths and fairytales so beloved of his dead mother, he finds the real world and the fantasy world begin to blend. That is when bad things start to happen. That is when the Crooked Man comes. And David is violently propelled into a land populated by heroes, wolves and monsters in his quest to find the legendary Book of Lost Things.
Author | John Connolly |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Hodder Paperbacks |
Release Date | Jan 01, 2017 |
Source | Google Books |
『Cinderella Six Feet Under』
When her friend's estranged mother, Henrietta, is found dead in a pumpkin patch, leaving behind an evasive husband and two sinister stepsisters, Ophelia Flax launches an investigation that reveals an ever-twisting family history.
Author | Maia Chance |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Penguin |
Release Date | Jan 01, 2015 |
Source | Google Books |
『Snow White Red-Handed』
Miss Ophelia Flax is a Victorian actress who knows all about making quick changes and even quicker exits. But to solve a fairy-tale crime in the haunted Black Forest, she’ll need more than a bit of charm… 1867: After being fired from her latest variety hall engagement, Ophelia acts her way into a lady’s maid position for a crass American millionaire. But when her new job whisks her off to a foreboding castle straight out of a Grimm tale, she begins to wonder if her fast-talking ways might have been too hasty. The vast grounds contain the suspected remains of Snow White’s cottage, along with a disturbing dwarf skeleton. And when her millionaire boss turns up dead—poisoned by an apple—the fantastic setting turns into a once upon a crime scene. To keep from rising to the top of the suspect list, Ophelia fights through a bramble of elegant lies, sinister folklore, and priceless treasure, with only a dashing but mysterious scholar as her ally. And as the clock ticks towards midnight, she’ll have to break a cunning killer’s spell before her own time runs out…
Author | Maia Chance |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Penguin |
Release Date | Nov 04, 2014 |
Source | Google Books |
『Beauty, Beast, and Belladonna』
From the author of Cinderella Six Feet Under, a beauty must solve a beastly murder. Variety hall actress Ophelia Flax knows how to win over an audience. That’s why she’s accepted the marriage proposal of the brutish Comte de Griffe to nettle her occasional investigative partner—and romantic sparring partner—the pompous if dashing Professor Penrose. But with his boorish table manners, wild mane of hair, and habit of prowling away the wee hours, the comte has shredded Ophelia’s last nerve. She intends to disengage from her feral fiancé at his winter hunting party—until Penrose, his lovely new fiancée, and a stagecoach of stranded travelers arrive at the comte’s sprawling château. Soon she can’t tell the boars from the bores. When one of the guests is found clawed and bloody in the orangerie, Ophelia is determined to solve the murder before everyone starts believing the local version of Beauty and the Beast. But until the snows melt, she can’t trust her eyes—or her heart—since even the most civilized people hold beastly secrets...
Author | Maia Chance |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Berkley |
Release Date | Feb 02, 2016 |
Source | Google Books |
『The Near Witch』
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY'S BEST YA OF THE DECADE NEW YORK TIMES bestseller Brand new edition of Victoria Schwab's long out-of-print, stunning debut. All-new deluxe edition of an out-of-print gem, containing in-universe short story "The Ash-Born Boy" and a never-before-seen introduction from V.E. Schwab. The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. There are no strangers in the town of Near. These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. But when an actual stranger, a boy who seems to fade like smoke, appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true. The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi's need to know about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy. Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab's debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won't soon forget.
Author | V. E. Schwab |
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Price | $11.99 |
Publisher | Titan Books (US, CA) |
Release Date | Mar 12, 2019 |
Source | Google Books |
『The Grimm Legacy』
Elizabeth has just started working as a page at the New York Circulating Material Repository - a lending library of objects, contemporary and historical, common and obscure. And secret, too - for in the repository's basement lies the Grimm Collection, a room of magical items straight from the Grimm Brother's fairy tales. But the magic mirrors and seven-league boots and other items are starting to disappear. And before she knows it, she and her fellow pages - handsome Marc, perfect Anjali, and brooding Aaron - are suddenly caught up in an exciting, and dangerous, magical adventure.
Author | Polly Shulman |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Penguin |
Release Date | Jul 07, 2011 |
Source | Google Books |
And so, there you have it, folks - our take on the spellbinding cross-section of fantasy and mystery, presented in no particular order. These books exemplify what it truly means to be caught in the fast-paced, thrilling turmoil of unanticipated plot twists and jaw-dropping revelations, not forgetting the splash of fantasy that brings the extraordinary to the ordinary. Whether you're a lover of delicately woven fairy tales, or a fan of heart-pounding suspense, these tales are sure to take you on unforgettable journeys. These stories promise complex, multifaceted characters, and plotlines that constantly blur the lines between reality and fantasy, challenging the reader’s perception as they navigate through layers of intrigue and imagination. If you've been yearning for a unique reading experience, well, be prepared to get lost in the captivating world of these narratives. So, kick back, grab one of these novels, and allow yourself to be transported to a realm where magic and mystery flawlessly intertwine. Each book is a ticket to an adventure of a lifetime - and the best part, you get to decide how and when the journey begins!
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