Here are three novels that would be categorized as Crime Fiction, but thanks to the ingenious writing, provide so much more than what one usually expects from the genre.

"Honey" by Imani Thompson

A new young 27-year-old writer who’s British, with Jamaican heritage, Thompson has written what on the surface could be called a Feminist Crime novel. Think of the film Promising Young Woman, but transpose it to blend with a campus novel, and you’ll have some idea of where this novel wants to take you. We meet Yrsa, a graduate student at Cambridge University, England, and in the first instance, she accidentally murders a Professor who had taken advantage of one of Yrsa’s friends and stolen said friend’s research. She flicks a bee into his drink, and it turns into a fatal swallow. Rather than feeling guilt or remorse, she senses fulfillment and the satisfying flutter of a deep thrill. Quickly justifying it to herself as a blow in the name of feminism, Yrsa then finds other deserving victims, and becomes a serial killer - one who truly believes she’s an avenging angel.

Yrsa feels alive with these deaths, a sweet feeling that’s hard to define, but even harder to deny to herself. A darkly comic, sexy, and unpredictable novel; it’s about taking justice in one’s own hands, even if in extremely non-righteous ways. Bored with life and genuinely confused by the sense of excitement, Thompson succeeds in making Yrsa sympathetic, relatable, and far from one-dimensional. A complicated relationship with her parents and long-buried family secrets add texture to the kind of character that we can invest in as readers. The men in Yrsa’s past become part of the narrative’s development, and we’re never far from the distinct possibility that Yrsa will be caught out in this dangerous game of vengeance that is really just a ‘beard’ for something more disturbing and malevolent in her personality. Well-written, often darkly humorous, this is a genuine page-turner.

"Quite Ugly One Evening" by Chris Brookmyre

Over 30 years ago, Brookmyre published his "Quite Ugly One Morning," and took the Crime Fiction world by storm, reaping several First Novel Awards. With this new novel, rogue journalist Jack Parlabane is brought back - in a locked room mystery that’s set on a cruise liner that’s hosting a fan convention. It’s a wonderful premise, as they’re on a trans-Atlantic voyage, with a strict timeframe under which Parlabane has to solve the murder, or be implicated himself as the criminal. At the center of the mystery is the Maskyn family, three generations of them. The late patriarch founded a 1960s TV series of animated puppets, and the series enjoys cult status and a relevance that has no real connection to the merits of the series. Merchandise, a reboot, and a hostile takeover are all on the sailing itinerary - while fans of the series join the cruise.

It’s when one of the in-laws of the Maskyn family, one of the faction pushing for the sale of all the assets, suddenly expires in his locked stateroom that the unraveling of the mystery commences. Who would go to the extent of murdering Anton and be smart enough to frame Jack to look like he was the one who murdered Anton? That so much of the circumstantial evidence will point to Jack only makes him more desperate to solve the case before they dock in New York. If there’s something Brookmyre has long been admired for, it’s his skillful plotting and his withholding of discoveries and revelations until the right moment. Those are all on brilliant display in this new mystery adventure, with the cruise liner setting adding so much atmosphere. Writing with his wife as Ambrose Parry, Brookmyre has written several novels of historical forensic crime fiction, and they’re worth checking out as well.

"Dissection of A Murder" by Jo Murray

Set in Durham, England, this legal drama unfolds as Anton Smythe, a well-respected judge, is found murdered, and the suspect, Jack Millman, specifically asks that young lawyer Leila Reynolds handle his defense. While this would be a career-defining first murder case, the complication arises when Leila discovers that handling the prosecution will be her mentor and former pupil supervisor, her husband, Julian. In England, as the couple has separate, exclusive careers in the legal arena, it’s not seen as a conflict of interest to have them opposing each other in court. As Julian is a notorious, ruthless, and thorough prosecutor, it may be more a case of whether their marriage can take the strain and pressure. In their first meeting for this case, Millman isn’t of much help, insisting he take the stand without giving any hint of what he’ll be saying.

The courtroom thriller has a new voice in Jo Murray, and that it’s a woman’s voice is a welcome one. Reminiscent of Turow and Grisham, there are twists galore, and what’s fascinating to note is how they make sense and don’t require much suspension of disbelief. Even the ones that blindside us were hinted at, and can be seen in hindsight as making perfect sense. This is a crime novel that doubles as a courtroom drama, then extends to be even more. There’s a silent defendant, a profusion of liars in the courtroom, and secrets that would have best been left buried. Murray has an excellent time learning how to rewrite the rules, and she has us as willing victims to what sleight of hand she is in possession of. This is one of those page turners that will happily have us losing precious hours of sleep, then slowing down as we realize we are coming to the end.