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A good mystery?


Liz CA
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I am looking for a well written mystery / crime story. Bonus points if they are also available on audio but I am primarily looking for reading material.

I have gotten good suggestions from other threads.

 

Here is what I have enjoyed in the past: Christie, P.D. James, Ngaio Marsh, Lisa Scottoline, Dana Stabenow, J.T Ellison (some stuff is a little graphic and I have some issues with the hero worship of her own characters but end up getting sucked into the story anyway :) ), Dee Henderson (some hit, some miss), Dani Pettrey, Elizabeth Peters.

There are more but I cannot possible remember all of them.

 

What is new and good out there? Or not so new but good?  :)

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How about the Brother Cadfael mysteries? Or are you really looking for something more modern? 

 

I mainly listen to historical mysteries (like Cadfael), but I did enjoy the Jack Reacher novels. Does that count as mystery? Action/mystery? If you do like historical mysteries, I really love the Mistress of the Art of Death books, by Ariana Franklin. And the Inspector Ian Rutledge books by Charles Todd (a bit more modern, set just after WWI). 

 

I consider these all fairly well written, but I could be wrong!

Edited by ILiveInFlipFlops
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How about the Brother Cadfael mysteries? Or are you really looking for something more modern? 

 

I mainly listen to historical mysteries (like Cadfael), but I did enjoy the Jack Reacher novels. Does that count as mystery? Action/mystery? If you do like historical mysteries, I really love the Mistress of the Art of Death books, by Ariana Franklin. And the Inspector Ian Rutledge books by Charles Todd (a bit more modern, set just after WWI). 

 

I consider these all well written, but I could be wrong!

 

No, I am totally open to just about any era. I read Anne Perry's book and liked them a lot. Forgot to mention those.

 

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Some ideas from my bookshelves:

 

- Donna Andrews

- Dorothly L. Sayers

- Ellis Peters

- Georgette Heyer

- Carolyn G. art

- Anne Perry

- Margery Alingham

- Michael Innes

 

Some of these I haven't read in a while but as far as I remember I enjoyed these and they seem somewhat similar to books you have enjoyed in the past.

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If you like police procedural mysteries two good Italian ones are the Inspector Montalbano series and the Inspector Brunetti series. Montalbano is set in Sicily while Brunett is in Venice. Both are good mysteries. The John Picket mysteries are historical and have a bit of romance with the mysteries/cases.

 

If you want amateur sleuths Agatha Christie almost always comes through (her later work isn't all that good imo). I also recommend the Captain Lacey Regency mysteries, the previously mentioned Brother Cadfael mysteries, and the Charles Lenox series. I haven't found an amateur sleuth series set in the present that I like. 

 

These two websites are good for finding mysteries though if you're like me you'd rather get recommendations from people you know, even if you only know them from online. :)

 

http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/

 

https://www.cozy-mystery.com/

 

Are you on Goodreads? They have quite a few groups for mystery readers. Some you have to join to read but others are open and you can just look at their lists if you don't want to join.

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Are you on Goodreads? They have quite a few groups for mystery readers. Some you have to join to read but others are open and you can just look at their lists if you don't want to join.

 

I see references to "Goodreads" a lot but have never checked it out. It is a reading club?

 

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I've loved Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad books - gritty police procedural mysteries. Lots of language. Not cozy. I've read them all and am anxiously awaiting a new one.

 

Goodreads is a great way to find new books as well as keep track of reading (and to-read list). There are also various groups you can join. Click the link in my sig to get to my page and check it out if you like.

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I see references to "Goodreads" a lot but have never checked it out. It is a reading club?

 

Goodreads is a place you can keep track of your '"read" books and your "to be read" books.  It has reviews, lists, recommendations, as well as groups.  I love it. It has introduced me to books I would never have come across otherwise.  You can even link it to your library system.  (please don't ask me how!!  I can't remember how to do it)

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I'm not sure whether Sue Grafton's alphabet series is considered historical or modern, since they are all set between 1986 and, what, 1989? My kids would never get the lack of cellphones and the use of carbon paper.

 

I liked the Tana French police procedurals. The main character changes in each book, but was a minor character in the previous book. It was interesting to become sympathetic to characters I, didn't think I could possibly feel sympathetic to.

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Louise Penny writes an incredible series featuring Inspector Gamache. Current setting in Québec but many of the books have a bit of history as part of the sleuthing. I recommend the audio versions. Series starts with Still Life and should be read in order https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338691.Still_Life?ac=1&from_search=true.

 

Another favorite audio series is Julia Spencer Fleming https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/113002.In_the_Bleak_Midwinter?ac=1&from_search=true series about a female Episcopal priest. Starts with In the Bleak Midwinter. Once again I preferred these on audio.

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I keep a list of my favorite mystery authors on my phone, along with the release date of their next book, so that I know when to expect the new titles to come out. I'm always looking for new authors, but I enjoy reading series. These are the authors that I track:

 

Jane Casey

Linda Castillo

Tami Hoag

Lisa Gardner

Michael Connelly

Tana French

Sharon Bolton

Alan Bradley

Tess Gerritsen

Julia Keller

Sue Grafton

Elizabeth George

Julia Spencer-Fleming

C.J. Box

 

I've also read quite a bit of J. A. Jance and some Lisa Scottoline, but I haven't made it through their whole series yet (I have read every one of the above authors' books to date). I read many others, as well, but these are the authors whose next installments I eagerly anticipate.

 

I like police procedurals and private detective stories that have strong character development. I have to like the characters to stick with a series long term, and the writing has to be of good quality.

Edited by Storygirl
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I am looking for a well written mystery / crime story. Bonus points if they are also available on audio but I am primarily looking for reading material.

I have gotten good suggestions from other threads.

 

Here is what I have enjoyed in the past: Christie, P.D. James, Ngaio Marsh, Lisa Scottoline, Dana Stabenow, J.T Ellison (some stuff is a little graphic and I have some issues with the hero worship of her own characters but end up getting sucked into the story anyway :) ), Dee Henderson (some hit, some miss), Dani Pettrey, Elizabeth Peters.

There are more but I cannot possible remember all of them.

 

What is new and good out there? Or not so new but good?  :)

 

 

Tony Hillerman.  His daughter, Anne Hillerman, is continuing his characters Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito.  I like both of them.

 

J. A. Jance.  She's got a lot of stuff out there.  I'm most familiar with her Beaumont and Brady characters, but she has others, also.

 

Martha Grimes.  She writes more than mysteries, but I have yet to find a book of hers I didn't like.

 

For some literary fun and a bit of some mysteries check out Jasper Fforde.  One main character's name is Thursday Next, but branching off of that story line is the Nursery Crimes Division line.  I think that story line starts with The Big Over Easy.

 

Terry Pratchett I always find delightful.  Not all of his books are mysteries, but some are.  Look for his Captain Vimes character (he's a cop).

 

Father Brown mysteries are good.

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Louise Penny writes an incredible series featuring Inspector Gamache. Current setting in Québec but many of the books have a bit of history as part of the sleuthing. I recommend the audio versions. Series starts with Still Life and should be read in order https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338691.Still_Life?ac=1&from_search=true.

 

Another favorite audio series is Julia Spencer Fleming https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/113002.In_the_Bleak_Midwinter?ac=1&from_search=true series about a female Episcopal priest. Starts with In the Bleak Midwinter. Once again I preferred these on audio.

 

I was replying to recommend Louise Penny as well. I adore her series. I prefer reading to audiobooks, but you can't go wrong either way.

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Others already answered but Goodreads is a way to keep track of books you've read, are reading, and want to read. You can get involved in the community or just use it as a check list. I joined a bunch of groups but am only active in a few. There are numerous groups for all kinds of genres and types of readers, lists, a blog, and a way to connect with authors. You can have friends, similar to facebook and then you'll see what books they're reading and reviews they write. If you join you're not required to participate in any way so don't let all of that scare you away. As I said you don't have to participate or join any groups or become friends with anyone. You can stay private if you like. When I first joined I didn't friend anyone and only used it to keep track of my books. As time went on I joined a few groups and a few more groups and became friends with others. 

 

Goodreads.com

 

Some of us in the Book-a-Week thread (and maybe even those not in the threads) have links to our goodreads page in our signatures. If someone has a link, they probably don't mind you visiting their pages or requesting friendship. 

Edited by Lady Florida.
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Based on the suggestions above, I'll add Margaret Maron, Laurie King, Faye or Jonathan Kellerman, and Beverly Connor. I also liked the 'Southern Sisters' and the 'Miss Julia' mysteries, but I don't remember their authors. The Lydia Chin mysteries by Rozan? were interesting - I don't think there's been anything new in a long time.

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The Dry by Jane Harper is a fairly new release, and I believe is being expanded into a series. It is set in modern-day rural Australia during a drought, with the setting described so well it almost functions as its own character. It was one of my top reads so far this year.

 

I am probably the only person in the reading world who has not loved Louise Penny's Three Pines series. I love the inside view into a small town in Quebec, even more so since my family drove through the province, got stuck in the snow in the middle of the countryside at night, and was rescued by the friendliest group of French-speaking teens. Penny's characters are a little too eccentric to me--they seem more like caricatures than real people. Also, the mysteries of the books I've read so far (books 1 & 2) are less than compelling. I'm hoping it gets better as I read further into the series.

 

I liked In the Woods by Tana French. It's probably one of my favorite mysteries ever. The main character is amazing. The next of the series, The Likeness, wasn't as good to me but still enjoyable. I started the third but felt a little burned out and didn't love the main character, but may pick it up later.

 

The Spellman series from Lisa Lutz is a fun series with unusual characters. 

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And if you want totally fluffy cozy mysteries, I'm currently reading through the Library Lover's Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay and the Ashton Corners Book Club mysteries by Erika Chase. They are easy reads, so good for a relaxing read before bedtime. Like a cup of warm tea for my brain :)

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I like a lot already mentioned, I will add Jussi Adler-Olsen. He is a police detective. It is similar to the Inspector Gamache by Louise Penny, because there are a lot of interesting side characters who have their own character development. I like that kind of thing a lot. The Tana French books have that too, they start to get a bit dark for me though. But they are all ones that have a police detective and they have to navigate the politics in the police department -- I like that in mysteries.

Edited by Lecka
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You might check on the website for the Edgar Awards. The Mystery Writers of America nominate & vote on the books.

 

I don't read mysteries that often, but I enjoyed the Flavia de Luce series (already mentioned in the thread) by Alan Bradley.

 

I also thought The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino was interesting & a different take on the mystery genre; it's a Japanese mystery I found out about through the Edgar site a few years ago.

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Wow, I haven't read any of the authors mentioned on this thread, except Agatha Christie. Lots for me to check out. :)

 

 

OP, would you be interested in J K Rowling's crime thriller series featuring her detective, Cormoran Strike? She writes them under the pen name Robert Galbraith. There are three books in the series so far, and they are available as audio books. The first two books were dramatized by the BBC last month.

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I like

Donna Andrews

Lisa Lutz (Spellman)

Alan Bradley (Flavia, I like her so much I feel like I'm on a first name basis with her)

Charlaine Harris (more or less mysteries... Lily Bard, Aurora Teagarden)

Joan Hess (Maggody and Claire Malloy)

Ann Charles (Jackrabbit Junction and Deadwood are both good)

Of course I LOVE Janet Evanovich but I'm not sure if these are true mysteries but still has a mystery element.

 

There's a ton more out there, what you can do is search "books like _________________________" or "authors similar to __________________"

 

 

 

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Wow, I haven't read any of the authors mentioned on this thread, except Agatha Christie. Lots for me to check out. :)

 

 

OP, would you be interested in J K Rowling's crime thriller series featuring her detective, Cormoran Strike? She writes them under the pen name Robert Galbraith. There are three books in the series so far, and they are available as audio books. The first two books were dramatized by the BBC last month.

Where can I find this! Love Cormoron Strike books.

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Others already answered but Goodreads is a way to keep track of books you've read, are reading, and want to read. You can get involved in the community or just use it as a check list. I joined a bunch of groups but am only active in a few. There are numerous groups for all kinds of genres and types of readers, lists, a blog, and a way to connect with authors. You can have friends, similar to facebook and then you'll see what books they're reading and reviews they write. If you join you're not required to participate in any way so don't let all of that scare you away. As I said you don't have to participate or join any groups or become friends with anyone. You can stay private if you like. When I first joined I didn't friend anyone and only used it to keep track of my books. As time went on I joined a few groups and a few more groups and became friends with others. 

 

Goodreads.com

 

Some of us in the Book-a-Week thread (and maybe even those not in the threads) have links to our goodreads page in our signatures. If someone has a link, they probably don't mind you visiting their pages or requesting friendship. 

 

Well, I jumped in and joined. Big deal for someone who typically dislikes joining anything and would just like to make use of the features as a "guest." I plugged in all the authors suggested here and have now over 50 books on my list. For some authors I just marked the first three books of a series but will read more if I like the books. Seems like a good way to keep track. I am not following anyone - I am just using it to organize my book list.

 

 

have you read any Dorothy Sayers "lord peter whimsey"?

 

Yes, I think I own all of them. Treasures! I remember feeling lost when I read Sayers' last book and there were no more.

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I like old mysteries like Dorothy L. Sayers, GKC's Father Brown, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and Ellis Peters's books (the non-Cadfael ones, too). Wylder's Hand by Sheridan LeFanu is creepy, Victorian Gothic, and influential.

 

More modern:

 

I have the Grantchester books (the ones that are out already) and I've heard they are good, with quite a different (less annoying) love angle than the (excellent) TV series; haven't read them yet.

 

I love Elizabeth Ironside:

 

http://felonyandmayhem.com/book_authors/elizabeth-ironside/

 

Ooh, how could I forget – I love love love GKC's "The Man Who Knew Too Much." Six stories, but I often take the slim Dover edition with me on trips to re-read. The stories are rather contrived, yes, like the Father Brown stories, but also clever, funny, poignant, deep, intellectual, thought-provoking, entertaining ...

Edited by Laura in CA
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On Louise Penny, I started this series three years ago by reading paper books. I had a stack from the library and made it through the first four. The enthusiasm had dwindled and the books all went back. This year a couple of people on BaW were happily reading this series and I needed several hours of audio books for a quilting project. Inspector Gamache to the rescue. I loved having these read to me far more than I enjoyed reading them. Same with my Julia Spencer Fleming recommendation, I didn't care for these in paper particularly but having them read to me made them wonderful.

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Meena, I didn't like the Louise Penny books, either. I read one or two, then gave up.

 

I tried to read her first book twice but couldn't get very far either time.  Since so  many people love them, I thought maybe I just wasn't in the right mood when I tried the first time. But no.  They just aren't for me.  :-)

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I am probably the only person in the reading world who has not loved Louise Penny's Three Pines series. I love the inside view into a small town in Quebec, even more so since my family drove through the province, got stuck in the snow in the middle of the countryside at night, and was rescued by the friendliest group of French-speaking teens. Penny's characters are a little too eccentric to me--they seem more like caricatures than real people. Also, the mysteries of the books I've read so far (books 1 & 2) are less than compelling. I'm hoping it gets better as I read further into the series.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I loved them at first even though the characters are sometimes over the top. For me they took a dark turn and I forced myself to finish the one I was reading a year or so ago, but haven't bothered with the most recent. I think there are two or three since the last one I read, and I don't care to even give them a try.

 

 

OP, would you be interested in J K Rowling's crime thriller series featuring her detective, Cormoran Strike? She writes them under the pen name Robert Galbraith. There are three books in the series so far, and they are available as audio books. The first two books were dramatized by the BBC last month.

 

Oh, I forgot about those. Very gritty, old school detective (think Sam Spade) but still good. I'm waiting for the next book. I think she's been spending time with the tv show (which I wish I could watch here) and needs to get back to writing!

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I am a mystery lover as well and have enjoyed some of the authors you like, so perhaps you would like my two favorites in the genre. 

 

Alan Brady is the author of the Flavia de Luce series, which features a precocious 11 year old girl in 1950's England.  She a genius in chemistry who lives in the delapidated ancestral home of her family.  No one in her family really understands her, so she keeps herself entertained by solving murders.  These are my all time favorite mysteries- they are humorous and intriguing, but also I think they will also inspire homeschool moms when they read how brilliant Flavia is (and she's essentially homeschooled and self-taught!)  The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is the first in the series.

 

Lindsay Davis writes about Roman times with her Marcus Didius Falco series.  Falco is a wisecracking PI who occasionally works for the emperor Vespasian.  His adventures take him to other lands, including Roman Britain.  These books are so much fun!  Falco and all the other characters are so well drawn and likeable, the stories have humor but also real suspense, and I have learned so many interesting aspects of Roman life from reading them.  These are a close 2nd in my list of favorites.  The Silver Pigs is the first in the series.  

 

A third on my list would be the Kate Shackleton mysteries by Frances Brody.  Set in 1920's Britain, Kate is a WWI war widow and detective.  These are more of your basic British mysteries, but I find them a fun, relaxing read.

 

 

Laurie

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Lolainthecola
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A little OT, but am I the only person who didn't know who Anne Perry really was until just a year or so ago? 

 

I enjoyed the first Tana French DMS novel initially, but I accidentally read something about the resolution of the first book that really didn't sit well with me. Maybe those who have read the book can confirm for me whether or not what I read is true? POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I read that the author never reveals what actually happened to Detective Ryan when he was a child. Is that right? Do you ever find out in any of the other books?

 

 

The possibility of leaving that thread hanging loose was so unacceptable to me that I just stopped reading entirely! Maybe I'm being too much of a baby about it? 

Edited by ILiveInFlipFlops
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A little OT, but am I the only person who didn't know who Anne Perry really was until just a year or so ago? 

 

I enjoyed the first Tana French DMS novel initially, but I accidentally read something about the resolution of the first book that really didn't sit well with me. Maybe those who have read the book can confirm for me whether or not what I read is true? POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD!

 

Huh, I was going to answer but realized I don't know how to do the little spoiler thingy.  Feel free to PM me!  

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