Oline Cogdill’s Best Mystery Novels of 2025

Oline is a syndicated reviewer whose column of mystery reviews initially appears in the South Florida Sun Sentinel. She is also a member of our Barry Award nominating committee.

EL DORADO, Megan Abbott
THE PROVING GROUND, Michael Connelly
CROOKS, Lou Berney
TOO OLD FOR THIS, Samantha Downing
THE BONE THIEF, Vanessa Lillie
KING OF ASHES, S. A. Cosby
THE TROUBLE UP NORTH, Travis Mulhauser
THE GIRL IN THE GREEN DRESS, Mariah Fredericks
THE OLIGARCH’S DAUGHTER, Joseph Finder
THE NOTE, Alafair Burke
LOW APRIL SUN, Constance E. Squires
MISSISSIPPI BLUE 42, Eli Cranor
HEAD CASES, John McMahon

Debuts
WE DON’T TALK ABOUT CAROL, Kristen L. Berry
FLORIDA PALMS, Joe Pan
THE VANISHING PLACE, Zoe Rankin

Short Story Anthologies
CRIME INK: ICONIC, Edited by John Copenhaver
DOUBLE CROSSING VAN DINE, Edited by Donna Andrews, Greg Herren and Art Taylor
EVERY DAY A LITTLE DEATH, Edited by Josh Pachter
HOLLYWOOD KILLS, Edited by Adam Meyer & Alan Orloff
BEST OF THE STRAND MAGAZINE, Edited by Andrew F. Gulli and Lamia J. Gulli