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Mystery / Thriller book rec's for 12 yr dd...


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Older dd loves to read and I'm running out of books. She's read a lot of Twain and just finished To Kill A Mockingbird.

 

She really enjoyed John Grisham's kid lawyer books. Does anyone know if his adult series would be appropriate (or at least some of them)? She's in the middle of Chasing Lincoln's Killer and is enjoying it. Are there more like that? She has said for the past few years she wants to be a judge so these type of books really appeal to her right now.

 

She's also been asking to read the Hunger Games trilogy but I've read them and am unsure if she should yet.

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Has she read the original stories about Sherlock Holmes? or those by Edgar Allan Poe? She might enjoy books by Agatha Christie, too.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Ohh, thanks for reminding me about Sherlock Holmes! She asked about those months ago and I think I even have a collection on my Nook but forgot. She has read some Poe but I never thought about Agatha Christie (she might really like these as she's become a fan of Murder, She Wrote lately on Netflix)

Edited by Horton
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If she likes the Golden Age mysteries, like Christie, then she should try Dorothy L. Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey novels. For my money, Sayers is superior to Christie in every area, and her novels are full of clever allusions to classics, other novels, events of her day, etc. (plus, I just adore LPW. If he were real--and not a hundred years too old for me!--I'd leave my dh for him in a minute. :D)

 

Also, the brother Cadfael mysteries by Ellis Peters are fun, well-plotted stories with good historical content; at that age, I also really enjoyed the Amelia Peabody mysteries by Elizabeth Peters. Both these Peterses were quite prolific, so there is a lot to read.

 

 

(I note, as I read what I have written, the predominance of Peters. Hmm. Do you think there's a psychological assessment in my future? :blushing: ;) :D)

Edited by Caitilin
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If she likes the Golden Age mysteries, like Christie, then she should try Dorothy L. Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey novels. For my money, Sayers is superior to Christie in every area, and her novels are full of clever allusions to classics, other novels, events of her day, etc. (plus, I just adore LPW. If he were real--and not a hundred years too old for me!--I'd leave my dh for him in a minute. :D)

 

Also, the brother Cadfael mysteries by Ellis Peters are fun, well-plotted stories with good historical content; at that age, I also really enjoyed the Amelia Peabody mysteries by Elizabeth Peters. Both these Peterses were quite prolific, so there is a lot to read.

 

 

(I note, as I read what I have written, the predominance of Peters. Hmm. Do you think there's a psychological assessment in my future? :blushing: ;) :D)

 

I find it interesting...:D Thanks for the suggestions as I haven't thought of either of these authors. I'm not sure I've read any of them so I'll look into them.

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The Enola Holmes books are fun - they're about Sherlock Holmes' much younger sister. Short and easy, but she'd probably enjoy them.

 

I also like the Echo Falls books by Peter Abrahams. They start with Down the Rabbit Hole. They're classified as YA and there are some YA themes in them - the mysteries involve actual bad guys in the real world, doing bad things, even murder. And some of the adults aren't that great - her parents bicker and it's implied that there's some worry they might divorce (though they don't and they're hardly "bad parents" - they have many good traits too). However, there's almost no romance (Ingrid has a vague interest in a boy at school who asks her out... but pretty much all they do is do homework together) and I wouldn't hesitate to give them to a 12 yo. They're very much in the style of grown up mysteries, but for kids.

 

Also, the art mysteries that begin with Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett are EXCELLENT. Absolutely spot on for a 12 yo as well. Well-written and fun.

 

The Sammy Keyes books are probably a bit too easy for her, but they're light and fun.

 

The Gilda Joyce books by Jennifer Allison are definitely on target for a 12 yo. I didn't love them, but I know of a couple of others who do. Worth a look.

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