After a long day’s research at home or at the archives, what better to relax than with a great genealogy mystery. These are some of the genealogy fiction books I’ve read or I’m going to read very soon.
In The Blood by Steve Robinson
The first of five Jefferson Tayte genealogical mysteries. The action takes place in Cornwall, England, where genealogist Jefferson Tayte has to solve the family mystery before being bumped off himself. I couldn’t put this book down, and I read it in a couple of days. In the Blood has a 4.5/5 rating on Amazon with over 550 reviews.
To The Grave by Steve Robinson
Jefferson Tayte returns to England in his second genealogical adventure. To the Grave has a 4.7/5 rating on Amazon with over 260 reviews.
The Last Queen of England by Steve Robinson
The third genealogy thriller featuring Jefferson Tayte. Again, he’s in England trying to solve a family history mystery while keeping himself alive.
I’ve read and really enjoyed all of Steve’s books, and it’s hard to say which is best because they’re all great. The Last Queen of England has a 4.5/5 rating on Amazon with over 190 reviews.
The Lost Empress by Steve Robinson
Tayte is expert in tracking killers across centuries. In The Lost Empress, his unique talents draw him to one of the greatest tragedies in maritime history as he unravels the truth behind Alice’s death amidst a backdrop of pre-WWI espionage.
Kindred by Steve Robinson
Jefferson Tayte is good at finding people who don’t want to be found. For years he has followed faint genealogical trails to reunite families—and uncover long-hidden secrets. But Tayte is a loner, a man with no ties of his own; his true identity is the most elusive case of his career.
Dying Games by Steve Robinson
Washington, DC: Twin brothers are found drowned in a Perspex box, one gagged and strapped to a chair. It’s the latest in a series of cruel and elaborate murders with two things in common: the killer has left a family history chart at each crime scene, and the victims all have a connection to genealogical sleuth Jefferson Tayte.
Letters From The Dead by Steve Robinson
When genealogist Jefferson Tayte is hired to prove the identity of a black sheep in his client’s family tree, he unwillingly finds himself drawn into a murder investigation with nothing more to go on than a 150-year-old letter and a connection to a legendary ruby that has been missing for generations.
Hiding the Past by Nathan Dylan Goodwin
Introducing Morton Farrier, Forensic Genealogist – a stubborn, determined man who uses whatever means necessary to uncover the past. Readers give it 4.2/5.
The Lost Ancestor by Nathan Dylan Goodwin
When Morton is called upon to investigate the 1911 disappearance of his great aunt, a housemaid working in a large mansion, he has no idea of the dangerous journey into the past that he is about to make.
The America Ground by Nathan Dylan Goodwin
Morton Farrier, the esteemed English forensic genealogist, had cleared a space in his busy schedule to track down his own elusive father finally. But he is then presented with a case that challenges his research skills in his quest to find the killer of a woman murdered more than one hundred and eighty years ago.
Three Times Removed by M.K. Jones
Maggie Gilbert and her children, Jack and Alice, live a pretty normal life. That is, until Maggie starts looking into her family tree. In doing so, she uncovers a dark mystery that endangers her children. She has to solve a mystery in the past, if she is to save her family in the present.
Deadly Pedigree by Jimmy Fox
Mystery, genealogy, murder! Climbing Louisiana family trees can be deadly. Nick Herald, a professional genealogist working in New Orleans, searches for possible Louisiana relatives of a lonely Holocaust survivor. After the shocking murder of the elderly man who was his client, Nick fears that something much more sinister than innocent genealogical curiosity lurks in the shadows.
Lineages and Lies by Jimmy Fox
Mystery, genealogy, murder! Follow the adventures of Nick Herald, a professional genealogist working in New Orleans.
Jackpot Blood by Jimmy Fox
Professional genealogist Nick Herald must rescue a Louisiana Indian tribe’s future from a deadly past!
A Habit of Dying by D.J.Wiseman
I was hooked on this story from the very beginning. Although it’s not really a thriller, it’s a great family history mystery with a compelling story. The author also likes to keep his readers’ guessing about the budding romance between the two main characters. Amazon readers give it 4.7/5 stars.
The Death Of Tommy Quick And Other Lies by D.J.Wiseman
Genealogy sleuth Lydia Silverstream responds to a dying man’s plea. Her work, her home, her stuttering relationship, even her skills as a researcher, all the familiar patterns are disrupted, leaving her with more challenges than ever.
And why won’t a mother tell her son who his father is? It all goes to show, as always, there’s so much more to a family’s history than the certificates would have you believe.