I’m going to start by talking about the romance genre but I promise we’ll get right back to mystery!
Two common elements found in the romance genre are rotating protagonists and—especially in romantasy—sprayed edges.
While mystery readers are used to a book series having the same protagonist(s) in every book, this isn’t how series work in the romance genre because the book has to have a HEA (happily ever after) and it doesn’t make sense for the main characters to come back every book unless you break them up and get them back together over and over again—which isn’t what the romance genre does. So romance series are set in the same fictional world with characters that know each other, but the leads change for each book.
And in romantasy (romance + fantasy), sprayed edges —literally the edges of a book painted with a pop of color or with a design stenciled on— have become super popular.
While both of these elements are very common in the romance/romantasy genre, I’ve recently noticed them popping up in the mystery genre, too. I thought it would be fun to round up two mystery series with rotating protagonists and a mystery, thriller, and horror novel with sprayed edges!
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Mystery Series With Rotating Protagonists
The first time I noticed rotating protagonists in the mystery genre was with Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series, which is set in the same police department but changes the detectives it follows in each book. I equally love series and standalone books and the merging of both felt fresh, and it’s something I’d like to see more of. With that in mind, I have two mystery series, one middle grade/YA and one adult, that change the protagonists with each book.
Undercover Latina by Aya de León
This is a really fun middle grade / YA series full of action, friendship, family, and spies!
The Factory is a world organization of spies, and in Undercover Latina, 14-year-old Andréa learns her parents are part of the organization. This quickly leads to her becoming a spy herself by going undercover in a new school to befriend the estranged son of a white nationalist.
In Untraceable, 15-year-old Amani Kendall’s life is upended when her house is set on fire. She has to change names and schools, and move in with her mom’s friend. Oh, and she finds out it’s all because her mom’s cover has been blown and they’re in danger!
Secret Identity by Alex Segura
This series is a great blend of mystery and crime that dives deep into the comic book industry, which starts as a historical (‘70s!) and moves to current times!
In Secret Identity, Carmen Valdez moves from Miami to New Yorl to work in the comic book industry. Her struggle is rewarded when she finally has the chance to write her own superhero, but instead her colleague is murdered, her dream is taken, and a cop on the case is convinced Carmen is lying about something.
In Alter Ego, Annie Bustamante is a comic book artist and filmmaker who grew up the biggest fan of the superhero that Carmen Valdez created, Lethal Lynx. With Annie’s life far from where she wants it, it feels like a dream come true to be offered a chance to adapt her favorite superhero across mediums, but the job comes with strings and danger…
Mystery, Thrillers, & Horror With Sprayed Edges
I love sprayed edges. Anything that adds a pop of color or design to a thing is generally something I am here for and I’ve been tempted more than once to buy a book with sprayed edges even though I have zero interest in the actual book (A+ for marketing— at least towards me). I recently wrote about how Louise Penny’s anniversary special edition book was getting the sprayed edges treatment, which made me curious whether any other books in the crime genre had also gotten their edges sprayed. I was pleasantly surprised to find some!
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
I am thrilled that Stephen Graham Jones has been making a name for himself as a horror author and I will forever love Night of the Mannequins. Now his new historical horror novel—about a Lutheran pastor’s 1912 diary, vampires, and revenge!—has gotten the fancy sprayed edges treatment with a bold red edging. Totally fitting with the whole vampire-drinking-blood lore.
Bonus: if you’re into authors talking about how they discovered reading as a child and how it shaped them, Stephen Graham Jones is on a great podcast episode of First Edition!
The Woman in Suite 11 (B&N Exclusive Edition) by Ruth Ware
One of 2025’s most anticipated thrillers is a sequel to the blockbuster book The Woman in Cabin 10 which has an upcoming adaptation starring Keira Knightley. All of that is exciting enough, and now the upcoming sequel, The Woman in Suite 11, has a special edition with sprayed edges that looks like dangerous water!
The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels (B&N Exclusive Edition) by Beth Lincoln, Claire Powell (Illustrator)
I adore this series which landed on my Best of 2024 and Best of 2023 lists because it’s equally a love letter to language and the mystery genre, with a zany family at the center. And as an adult, I am as delighted by the sprayed edges as I would have been as a kid.
Be sure to also pick up the sequel, The Swifts: A Gallery of Rogues.
Browse the books recommended in Unusual Suspects’ previous newsletters on this shelf. See upcoming 2025 releases, and mysteries from 2024 and 2023. Check out this Unusual Suspects Pinterest board and get Tailored Book Recommendations! Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Bluesky, Goodreads, Litsy, and Substack.
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