smfmommy Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 My older girls are well past Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys but do enjoy reading a good mystery. They have read the original Sherlock books (well my oldest has read them all). We all would be interested in a light hearted mystery series that isn't murder every single time. I have read the Cat Who mysteries but even they get quite the body count in a few of them. We have read Murder on the Orient Express but I don't know a lot about Agathe Christie other than what I have seen on BBC. Teen level or adult doesn't matter. We would rather skip really gruesome descriptions and lots of foul language. Thank you for whatever suggestions you can throw my way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 How about the Flavia DeLuce mysteries? They are murder mysteries, but Flavia herself is a very precocious tween/young teen and very entertaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Tea Shop Mysteries: http://www.laurachilds.com/teashopmys.html Christian Mystery Series, Grace Chapel Inn, the main website also has other ideas, this is the only series I have read: http://www.cozy-mystery.com/Grace-Chapel-Inn.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I really like the Echo Falls Mysteries. Kid protagonist, so nothing too gruesome, but the murders are real murders. A little on the young side for teens, but the art mystery series that starts with Chasing Vermeer is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmasc Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 When I was a youngster I loved mysteries. My favorite author was Christopher Pike. I think I probably read them all! However, it has been 20 years so I don't remember much about them. It seems like they were suspenseful, but not scary. I don't like scary. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I used to read books by Mary Higgins Clark and William Bernhardt. If I remember correctly they write murder mysteries with a twist. No foul language. I don't recall the books being gruesome either. Hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I loved Agatha Christie books as a teenager - especially the Miss Marple ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Agatha Christie Flavia De Luce series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I love the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 When I was a youngster I loved mysteries. My favorite author was Christopher Pike. I think I probably read them all! However, it has been 20 years so I don't remember much about them. It seems like they were suspenseful, but not scary. I don't like scary. :) I read all these as a kid too - I would point my child in a different direction though. I remember them having some sleezy undertones and poor writing. DD loves: Flavia De Luce Roman Mysteries Enola Holmes 39 Clues Chasing Vermeer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shahrazad Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 The Amelia Peabody mysteries by Elizabeth Peters. I read them for the first time at that age and still go back for re-read during rough times as a pick-me-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I'd check out Agatha Christie's Miss Marple series, and Poiroit series. There are murders, but they're gentile and discreet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Oh, and Dorothy Gilman's Mrs. Pollifax series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I'd check out Agatha Christie's Miss Marple series, and Poiroit series. There are murders, but they're gentile and discreet. Agatha Christie has written an enormous number of books with various "heros" to solve the mysteries. Tommy and Tuppence are great, especially for girls. To get a quick taste for Christie, try out a couple books with her short stories where the mysteries are solved very quickly. Her longer novels can get a bit dull in the middle. Short stories include: Poirot's Early Cases The Big Four (Poirot) The Labors of Hercules (Poirot) The Thirteen Problems (Marple) Partners in Crime (Tommy and Tuppence) If you get hooked on the short mysteries, it's a lot easier to transition to the longer books, IME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innisfree Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I'll second Alexander Mccall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, and add his Sunday Philosophy Club series as well.Elizabeth Peters is great for a light read.Ngaio Marsh and Elizabeth Tey are golden age British crime novelists similar to Agatha Christie. While their stories do include murders, they're not focused on gore as much as character and plot. I particularly enjoyed Tey's Daughter of Time, which tries to redeem Richard III, The Franchise Affair, and Brat Farrar.Mary Stewart's The Ivy Tree is also a great story with suspense but no gore that I recall. You might also like her Thornyhold.Finally, a more modern series in which art history and atmosphere of Italy outweighs blood, as far as I remember, is written by Iain Pears. I think Giotto's Hand might be the first.Hope some of these suit! ETA Josephine Tey, of course! I knew something didn't sound right there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smfmommy Posted September 10, 2014 Author Share Posted September 10, 2014 Wow, so many options! I knew there had to be quality mysteries out there but didn't have time to slog through the not so good stuff. I am sure we will find something amongst the suggestions. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weddell Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 The Amelia Peabody mysteries by Elizabeth Peters. I read them for the first time at that age and still go back for re-read during rough times as a pick-me-up. Love these! Very appropriate, no bad language or gruesome stuff. They mostly take place in Egypt on archeological digs and are super fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 In addition to Agatha Christie, you might try Dorothy Sayers and Josephine Tey. Both British, classy and well written. Several of the Tey books are not about a murder but rather some sort of deception or swindle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smfmommy Posted September 11, 2014 Author Share Posted September 11, 2014 We have gotten half a dozen from the library to see what we like, but I will keep Sayers and Tey in mind for later. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Carola Dunn writes what dd and I call Nancy Drews for older people. Her heroine is a post WWI Nancy by the name of Daisy Dalrymple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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