MamaSheep Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 My ds has rather suddenly developed an interest in reading mysteries. Mystery has never been my genre (well, not since Nancy Drew days) and I'm not familiar with the authors in that field. He checked out an Agatha Christie collection from the library yesterday and is quite enjoying it so far. I am a little concerned because he is insisiting that he wants books for grownups, not books from the basement kids' section. I know that many modern mystery books for adults can have fairly graphic violence and sex scenes in them, which I want to try to steer him away from. Can anyone recommend some good mystery authors, serieses (is that a word?), or titles for a kid who wants the intellectual process of figuring out whodunit without tripping over smut and gore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 If you're looking for more Christie-esque, cozy British mysteries, you might try such authors as Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh, and perhaps even a few of the easier Dorothy Sayers titles. Oh, and Donald Westlake wrote very funny mysteries! The thing is, a lot of the 'cozy' mysteries are more girly--they have romantic subplots. Ask your friendly neighborhood librarian for help perusing the mystery shelves! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSheep Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 If you're looking for more Christie-esque, cozy British mysteries, you might try such authors as Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh, and perhaps even a few of the easier Dorothy Sayers titles. Oh, and Donald Westlake wrote very funny mysteries! The thing is, a lot of the 'cozy' mysteries are more girly--they have romantic subplots. Ask your friendly neighborhood librarian for help perusing the mystery shelves! Oh, we'll get the librarian involved too, I just thought all the moms here might have some good suggestions. I'm not even sure what exactly he's looking for other than logic puzzles in the stories, he just sprung this on me yesterday at the library. He might even like spy thrillers or something, who knows? Before yesterday he's always been more of a non-fiction, "don't bug me with your annoying imagination" kinda guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizabeth Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/ A terrific website with tons of suggestions . As usual if the novel was written before the mid 1970's it is likely to lack excessive violence and smut. Agatha Christie is excellent as are Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. Classics in the genre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSheep Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/ A terrific website with tons of suggestions . As usual if the novel was written before the mid 1970's it is likely to lack excessive violence and smut. Agatha Christie is excellent as are Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. Classics in the genre. Oh! That DOES look helpful. Thanks. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Maybe even Sherlock Holmes stories? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 has he read the roman mysteries? they've been quite a hit around here. ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mooooom Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 should both be acceptable - no sex. Dick Francis will have some fight scenes but I wouldn't call them graphic - especially for a teen boy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 The Mysterious Benedict Society and its two sequels are really, really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/ A terrific website with tons of suggestions . As usual if the novel was written before the mid 1970's it is likely to lack excessive violence and smut. Agatha Christie is excellent as are Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. Classics in the genre. Although written later, I think one can safely add Ellis Peters' mysteries to your list. The Brother Cadfael novels are set in the 12th Century. The historical backdrop of King Stephen and Empress Maud, references to the First Crusade, the use of herbs in medicine, etc. make the series quite interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in PA Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Although written later, I think one can safely add Ellis Peters' mysteries to your list. The Brother Cadfael novels are set in the 12th Century. The historical backdrop of King Stephen and Empress Maud, references to the First Crusade, the use of herbs in medicine, etc. make the series quite interesting. I second the Brother Cadfael books. I haven't read them in many years, but I don't remember anything objectionable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSheep Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 Thank you all, keep 'em coming! I'm beginning to feel like I'll at least have a starting point next time we're in the library and will be able to make some "safe" suggestions, at least. You're right, mooooom (cute name, btw), that I'm more concerned just now about the sex scenes for him than about the violence. I'd rather not go TOO overboard with that, but some fight scenes and a little flying blood I'm ok with. Dead bodies on the floor are fine, even if they're nasty and bloated. I'd prefer not to have him reading a twelve page detailed description of all the smells and sounds and delights of skinning someone alive, or prying eyeballs out of their sockets or whatever, though, especially from the killer's point of view. I'd much rather he identify with the crime-fighting detective than with the sociopath. Sex scenes, though...we need to prettty much steer away from that. His social skills are a bit behind his age due to his 'disability' anyway. He's just getting into the beginning stages of maaaaaybe girls are not completely disgusting, and I'd like him to develop some somewhat 'wholesome' attitudes toward girls and women before having to process heaving bosoms and throbbing manhoods. (I mean REALLY, anyway.) I'm totally good with a little flirting going on, and maybe even some kissing, but I really want everyone to keep their clothes on if at all possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I've enjoyed the Traces series. I've read the first 5 books in the series. The 2nd book was a little weak, but you meet one of the characters from that book again in the 5th book. So far the series has been completely clean. I'm waiting for the 6th book to come out, but amazon doesn't have a publication date listed yet. http://www.amazon.com/Framed-Traces-Malcolm-Rose/dp/075345971X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253224309&sr=8-2 I've also enjoyed the first two Forensic Mystery books by Ferguson. My library doesn't have the 3rd book yet. This series is about a teen whose father is a coroner. She wants to be a forensic investigator and gets her start as her father's assistant. These books do get a little gory, but the gore is in what they find, not in descriptions of the actual doing of it. They are completely clean so far. http://www.amazon.com/Christopher-Killer-Forensic-Mystery/dp/0142408115/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253224528&sr=1-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 I have not yet read them, but another mother I know suggested The Cat Who... books by Lilian Jackson Braun. I have not read them myself, but her 10 yr old ds loves them (as does she), and they look about up my own alley, so I plan to give them a spin. There are several in the series and I get a very Sherlocky/Peter Wimseyesque feeling from the synopsis of the stories. You can find them here: http://www.amazon.com/Brauns-Cat-books-order-part/lm/9KFYP7HV2SU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 I second Sherlock Holmes - get him the big book that has the whole collection - should keep him busy for DAYS - and no graphic anything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 A little more sophisticated but no s*x or violence (except mental) - Wilke Collins (The Moonstone, Woman in White). Dorothy Sayers has been mentioned. How about E. A. Poe? Turn of the Screw - Henry James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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