Five glass mysteries to thrill you this fall

Murder has never been more marver-lous, suspense never as shattering, as in these thrilling reads. Whether you like your mysteries classic, cozy, or kid-friendly, there’s a glass-related story for you in the Rakow Library’s collection.

Here are five books to add to your fall reading list:

The Purloined Paperweight by P.G. Wodehouse

Originally published as Company for Henry, this zany tale of romance and intrigue follows paperweight collector J. Wendell Stickney on his quest to liberate a distant relative of a magnificent family heirloom.

Read about the history of paperweights and browse images of paperweights in the Museum’s collection.

 

 

Shattered by Dick Francis

This thriller follows glassblower Gerard Logan on a hunt for a stolen videotape. Logan’s friend, jockey Martin Stukely, gave him the tape shortly before dying in a fall on the racetrack. But someone stole the tape from Logan, and now he must find it before his own life is smashed to pieces.

If you’re an equine enthusiast, you might also be interested in browsing the Museum’s collection of glass featuring horses.

 

Pane and Suffering by Cheryl Hollon

Savannah Webb’s world is shattered when her father dies unexpectedly. She travels to St. Petersburg, Florida, to settle his affairs – including the fate of his glass shop – only to find her father’s assistant has suffered the same fate. Dismissed by the local police, Savannah must solve the mystery behind these suspicious deaths before the killer strikes again.

This is the first book in A Webb’s Glass Shop Mystery series. Read about the history of stained glass and browse examples of stained glass in the Museum’s collection.

 

Shadows in the Glasshouse by Megan McDonald

Kidnapped! In 1612, twelve-year-old Merry Shipman is taken from the streets of London and shipped to the New World. Her captors force her into indentured servitude in a Jamestown glasshouse. The glassblowers are competing to be the first to make cristallo, and when someone tries to sabotage their efforts, Merry has to save her friend from taking the blame.

This book is part of the American Girl History Mysteries series. Browse more kid- and teen-friendly books about glass and read about cristallo glass.

 

Insinuendo: Murder in the Museum by Miriam Clavir

Museums are filled with mysteries and, in this case, with murder! Soon after Berry Cates begins a conservation internship at the Museum of Anthropology, she’s accused of a serious crime. Now she needs to figure out who the real culprit is before she gets into even more trouble.

Read about the (murder-free) adventures of our own conservation team and browse ancient mosaic plaques like the piece featured on the cover of this book.

 

Find more mysteries and thrillers on our guide to glass popular fiction.

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The Rakow Research Library is open to the public 9 am to 5 pm every day. We encourage everyone to explore our collections in person or online. If you have questions or need help with your research, please use our Ask a Glass Question service.