[Free eBook] Evil Things by Katja Ivar [1950s Finnish Lapland Police Procedural Mystery]

Evil Things by Moscow-born Paris resident author Katja Ivar is the 1st novel in the Hella Mauzer trilogy of Nordic Noir-styled historical police procedural mystery/crime thrillers, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Bitter Lemon Press.

The series is set throughout Finland during the 1950s, starring the former first-ever female Inspector for the Helsinki police’s Homicide Unit, who was dismissed from the force under the excuse of “emotional instability” and now must find a way to prove herself and her skills against prejudice while investigating crimes involving the complicated post-war conditions. This is apparently being made free to help promote the upcoming 2nd novel, Deep as Death, which will be released in June.

This first installment takes place in the far north of Finland in 1952, in the Lapland area populated by the indigenous Sami, as Hella jumps at the chance to look into a seemingly simple missing persons’ case in a small village on the Soviet Russian border, which apparently harbours far more terrible secrets and crimes to uncover.

Offered in US & UK (possibly other countries worldwide excluding Canada), available at multiple retailers.

[Free eBook] 3 Historical Mysteries by Edith Maxwell [Award-Nominated Mystery Shorts]

3 Historical Mysteries by Edith Maxwell is the 9th compilation in the Black Cat Thrillogy series of mystery author spotlights, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Wildside Press as one of their sporadic weekly giveaways to help promote their Black Cat Mystery Community for mystery/pulp fiction reprints.

The three short stories in this spotlight volume were originally published in anthologies and Kings River Life Magazine in 2015 and 2016, and two of them have been nominated for the Agatha Award.

All belong to or are related to the author’s Quaker Midwife Mysteries novel series, starring a Quaker midwife in late 19th century Massachussetts, whose novels have also been nominated for the Agatha and Macavity Awards.

Offered worldwide through August 20th (probably), available DRM-free directly from the publisher.

[Free eBook] Lessons in Trust by Charlie Cochrane [LGBT Historical Mystery with Romance]

Lessons in Trust by British author Charlie Cochrane is the 7th novel in the Cambridge Fellows series of historical murder mysteries with strong m/m romantic elements, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Endeavour Press.

This was originally published in 2009 by Samhain. The series takes place at the turn of the 20th century in England, and stars an amateur sleuthing gay couple solving crimes, mostly in and around the university-going set.

This is set in London in 1908, pitting the sleuthing couple against both a suspicious Inspector who refuses to let them help in the case of the murder of an unidentified man for whom they’ve uncovered clues, as well as a family mystery which leads one of the pair to abruptly disappear.

Offered worldwide, available at Amazon.

[Free eBook] Lessons in Temptation by Charlie Cochrane [LGBT Historical Mystery with Romance]

Lessons in Temptation by British author Charlie Cochrane is the 5th novel in the Cambridge Fellows series of historical murder mysteries with strong m/m romantic elements, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Endeavour Press’ Endeavour Media imprint.

This was originally published in 2009 by the now-defunct Samhain Publishing. The series is set in England at the turn of the 20th century and stars an amateur sleuthing gay couple solving crimes, mostly in and around the university-going set.

This story takes place during a visit to Bath in 1907, where one partner starts looking into the mysterious death of a local prostitute, while the other gets distractingly drawn into a theatrical drama produced by an overly flirtatious old friend set on doing Shakespeare’s Macbeth and possibly more if he can help it.

Offered worldwide, available at Amazon.

[Free eBook] Dead Blossoms: The Third Geisha by Richard Monaco [Japan Historical Fantasy with Mystery]

Dead Blossoms: The Third Geisha by Richard Monaco, a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist for his Parsival saga of Arthurian novels, is his apparently standalone historical fantasy novel with strong mystery elements, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Endeavour Press’ Venture imprint.

This was originally self-published in 2012 by by the author himself, via Lulu Press. NB: This may have only very mild sfnal elements, since nothing overtly fantastical is mentioned in the blurb or customer reviews, but the publisher has still filed it under several Fantasy categories. YMMV.

The story takes place in 16th century feudal Japan, starring a ronin who also claims to be a ninja, who finds himself being hired by a nobleman to investigate the mysterious disappearance of another’s daughter, undertaking a journey in pursuit of uncovering the terrible truth behind it.

Offered worldwide, available at Amazon.

[Free eBook] Boystown: Three Nick Nowak Mysteries by Marshall Thornton [Award-Nominated LGBT 1980s Historical Mystery]

Boystown: Three Nick Nowak Mysteries by Marshall Thornton, a Lambda Literary Award-winning novelist and screenwriter, is the 1st book in his Boystown series of gritty retro-historical private investigator mystery/crime thrillers with m/m romantic elements, free for a limited time courtesy of the author himself.

This was originally published in 2011 by now-defunct LGBT specialty publisher Torquere Press, and was a finalist for the 2012 Lambda Literary Awards in the Gay Mystery category. The series is set in Chicago during the 1980s and stars an ex-cop turned hard-boiled PI.

This installment contains 3 novella-length adventure cases in which he solves assorted crimes, even as he explores uneasy relationships with other men he meets in the course of investigation. NB: the cover image has some mild artistic nudity which may be NSFW depending on workplace, if someone’s browsing over your shoulder.

Offered DRM-free worldwide through August 8th, available at Amazon.

[Free eBook REPEAT] Dear Mr. Holmes: Seven Holmes on the Range Mysteries by Steve Hockensmith [Historical Western Mystery]

Dear Mr. Holmes by Steve Hockensmith is a collection in his Holmes on the Range series of Sherlock Holmes pastiche historical Western detective stories, free again for a limited time courtesy of the author himself, which was part of a long weekend holiday treat.

This is a collection of short stories originally published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and other venues from 2003 and onwards, accompanying the novel series published by Macmillan. The historical mystery series stars two brothers who are cowboys in Montana during the 1890s who are also Sherlock Holmes fanboys inspired to become detectives from reading his stories.

In these early tales, the brothers solve mysteries in the Wild West using the principles of deduction set forth by their role model, as well often referring to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original tales throughout their own adventures.

Offered DRM-free worldwide, available at Amazon.

[Free eBook] 2 Holmes on the Range books by Steve Hockensmith [Historical Western Mystery]

As a special treat for Sherlock Holmes fans, author Steve Hockensmith is offering two titles in his Holmes on the Range series of Sherlock Holmes pastiche tribute mystery novels, free for a limited time.

This historical mystery series stars two brothers who are cowboys in Montana during the 1890s who are also Sherlock Holmes fanboys inspired to become detectives from reading his stories. They solve cases in the Wild West using the principles of deduction set forth by their role model, as well as often referring to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original tales throughout their own adventures.

On the Wrong Track, the 2nd novel in the series, was originally published in 2007 by Macmillan’s Minotaur Books imprint, and Dear Mr. Holmes: Seven Holmes on the Range Stories is a collection of shorts self-published by the author, containing tales which originally appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and other outlets.

Offered DRM-free worldwide, available at Amazon.

[Free eBook] Sunset Island by Elliot Mackle [LGBT Historical Mystery]

Sunset Island by Elliot Mackle, a former US Air Force captain turned journalist and novelist, is the 3rd novel in his Caloosa Club Mysteries series of historical investigative mystery with m/m romantic elements, free for a limited time courtesy of LGBT specialty publisher Lethe Press.

This is the series for which the author was nominated for the Lambda Literary Award for the 1st novel, and won the International Rainbow Award for the second in the Best Gay Mystery/Thriller category. The series is set in 1950s Florida, specifically dealing with post-WWII fallout military/civilian societal fallout issues and assorted war-related crimes, starring an ex-Navy officer turned hotelier of the aforementioned club and an ex-Marine turned county detective. This installment continuing their investigative adventures, apparently featuring several sets of cases rather than focusing on a single overarching crime.

Offered DRM-free worldwide, available at Amazon.

[Free eBook] Another Together by Lauren James [YA Sci-Fi Historical Mystery]

Another Together by Lauren James is a mystery-themed short story in her Next Together series of young adult historical science fiction novels with strong f/m romantic elements, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Walker Books.

The series is centred around two young lovers who repeatedly reincarnate throughout history in order to fulfill mysterious missions before being torn apart again. This standalone short story takes place in the 1940s during WWII, and has them attempting to catch a killer at Bletchley Park, headquarters of the code-breaking circle (of which mathematician Alan Turing used to be a part). NB: I don’t know whether this particular short story has any overt sfnal elements in it, but the actual novels involve time travel and future reminiscing over past actions.

Offered in most regions worldwide except Canada & the US, available at multiple retailers.