Five Mystery Novels to Read If You Love Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building

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Five Mystery Novels to Read If You Love Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building

If you’re a true crime fan, you don’t believe your neighbor would end his life. No, you know he was murdered—and you’ll join forces with other true crime obsessives to prove it.

Washed-up actor Charles (Steve Martin), former theater director Oliver (Martin Short) and enigmatic Mabel (Selena Gomez) team up to solve a homicide in Hulu’s delightful new series Only Murders in the Building. The trio all reside at the same luxury apartment complex in Manhattan, meeting by chance the day their universally abhorred neighbor dies. Dark humor and hijinks ensue as they chronicle their investigation in a podcast, searching for the truth even as they hide secrets from each other.

While you’re waiting for a new episode to air every Tuesday, you can check out the five novels below to fill your murder mystery void.

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Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimanofinlay-donovan.jpgIf you love the show’s quirky vibe surrounding murder, then this is the book for you. The titular Finlay Donovan is a struggling single mom whose career as a suspense novelist has stalled. But when a conversation about Finlay’s latest manuscript gets misunderstood, she finds herself tasked with becoming a hitwoman. Most everything about Elle Cosimano’s novel is delightful—from the fact that secret rendezvous take place at a Panera to the (ridiculous) reasoning behind a neighbor’s intense hatred of Finlay—and yet the novel still includes despicable crimes. Cosimano’s book kicks off a new series, so you’ll also want to check out Finley Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead when it hits shelves in February.

You can purchase the novel here.

Sadie by Courtney Summerssadie.jpgWish you could listen to All Is Not OK in Oklahoma, the true crime podcast hosted by Cinda Canning (Tina Fey) in the show? Then you should dive into Courtney Summers’ twisted novel. Sadie alternates between two perspectives: that of the titular 19-year-old runaway, and podcast transcripts by the radio personality looking for her. What sets this young adult novel apart is why Sadie chose to run…and who she’s planning to murder.

You can purchase the novel here.

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutantodial-a.jpgOne of the most captivating facets of the TV show is the intergenerational drama between its three leads. Selena Gomez’s Mabel would sympathize with Dial A for Aunties’ Meddy, who must rely on her Chinese-Indonesian family matriarchs to hide the fact that she accidentally killed a guy. Covering up a homicide is one thing; hiding a dead body from TWO THOUSAND wedding guests is another. Jesse Q. Sutanto continues the Chan family’s antics in the sequel, Four Aunties and a Wedding, releasing in March.

You can purchase the novel here.

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaitemy-sister.jpgIf the title doesn’t grip you, Oyinkan Braithwaite’s amusing and chilling prose will draw you in from page one. Matching Only Murders’ laissez faire approach to dead bodies, the novel follows the serial killer Ayoola’s bitterly exhausted sister Korede. Worn out from cleaning up her sociopathic sibling’s trail of corpses, Korede hits her breaking point when Ayoola sets her sights on a hot doctor—who happens to be Korede’s crush. But like the book cover says, “Blood is thicker, and more difficult to get out of the carpet, than water.”

You can purchase the novel here.

The Tower Treasure by Franklin W. Dixonhardy.jpgHow could this list be complete without acknowledging the Hardy Boys? Unlike Mabel’s “Hardy Boys” friend group referenced in the show, the literary Hardy boys are brothers who’ve been solving mysteries since 1927. The first book in the series, The Tower Treasure, follows amateur sleuths Frank and Joe Hardy as they search for a stash of stolen jewelry. Sound familiar? If you believe this book will play a crucial role in the show (or just want to revisit a childhood classic), The Tower Treasure is an intriguing choice.

You can purchase the novel here.

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