Visions of Sugar Plums A Stephanie Plum Holiday Novel

by Lisa Lutz

Izzy Spellman has that same chaotic energy as Stephanie Plum—a dysfunctional family constantly interfering with her work, quirky supporting characters who steal scenes, and a protagonist who's competent but perpetually exasperated by the absurdity around her. Lutz has the same gift for balancing genuine stakes with laugh-out-loud family dynamics, and the mystery plotting is just as tight beneath all the comedy.

by Agatha Christie

This one might surprise you, but hear me out: like Evanovich, Osman creates a cast of misfits solving a mystery together, and he has that same warmth underneath the humor—your investment in these characters feels genuine even as ridiculous situations unfold. The puzzle-solving is more intricate than Plum, but the tone shares that same 'we're all just doing our best in chaos' sensibility, and the banter between characters crackles with the same affection.

by Sue Grafton

Published in 1982, this gives you a different era of female detective fiction—Kinsey's got Stephanie's independence and resourcefulness, but Grafton writes with a slightly grittier, more procedural approach. Where Evanovich leans into absurdist humor, Grafton grounds her mysteries in real detective work, yet both authors create protagonists you genuinely root for despite their flaws and the chaos they attract.

by Alan Bradley

Flavia de Luce is a precocious 11-year-old solving murders in 1950s England, and while the setting couldn't be more different from Jersey, Bradley captures that same blend of genuine mystery-solving with eccentric family members and unexpected humor. The voice is distinctive and charming rather than sarcastic like Stephanie's, but both books understand that the best mysteries have heart alongside the puzzle.