Mystery lovers, got recs for me?

[scribblinlenore]

Once upon, I was a very avid reader of mysteries. I loved Patricia Cornwell's early books. I love Minette Walters. I like Nancy Picard's amateur detective Jenny Cain. But at some point, mysteries and I just seem to drift apart, and I have no idea who's writing what in the genre anymore. Recently, though, I read The Thirteenth Tale, which I adored. It isn't a genre novel, but mystery is a big part of what makes it so compelling. And that, in turn, inspired me to read The Woman In White, pretty much the grandparent of the genre. And now I want to read more.

If there are any mystery lovers out there, do you have any writers you'd recommend? I especially like female detectives, tend to prefer amateur detectives to P.I.'s, and I'm more in the mood for contemporary fiction, although something in the vein of The Woman In White would also be fantastic.

Rec me?

Comments

[innie_darling]

My favorite modern mystery series is the Amanda Pepper series by Gillian Roberts. It starts with Caught Dead in Philadelphia, and it's important to read them in order, trust me. The last good book of the series (number nine or ten, I think) is Helen Hath No Fury. After that point, they get weird and meander-y and not all that interesting. Still, that's nine or ten really good mysteries - they're smart and funny and totally relatable.

I have lots of recs (with the same caveat of started strong, went awry somewhere) for historical mystery series, but that sounds like something you don't want right now.

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Thank you! That sounds great. And I'd love to hear you historical mystery recs too, if you have time to share them. I did really enjoy The Woman In White.

[slodwick.livejournal.com]

I'm quite a fan of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum mysteries; there are fourteen books in the series so far. :)

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Great! Thanks so much, Slod. I appreciate the help.

[thisisbone.livejournal.com]

Jenny Cain, FTW! \o/

Along with several other folks, I recommend the Stephanie Plum books, too. Reading a new one is like catching up on all the gossip with an old friend.

I devoured mystery series throughout the 1990s. I read all the Sue Grafton "Alphabet" mysteries ("A is for Alibi", etc) and all of Sara Paretsky's "V.I. Warshowski" series. The V.I. ones were a little dark for me, frankly. Lots of mother issues. The Sue Graftons continue to be good, clean fun (I thinks she's up to T now), but the one series I continue to be most excited about is Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books. I think they've improved as they've gone along, and the cast of characters is ridiculously appealing, especially Ranger and Stephanie's loopy grandma. :)

[writerlibrarian]

Just a few titles

Snake Agent Liz Williams http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/429890.Snake_Agent_A_Detective_Inspector_Chen_Novel

The Death Artist Jonathan Santlofer http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/331198.The_Death_Artist

Edward Sklepowich's Urbino series set in Venice. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/331198.The_Death_Artist

Donna Leon's Venice mysteries Death at La Fenice http://www.amazon.ca/Death-Fenice-Commissario-Brunetti-Mystery/dp/006074068X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219071160&sr=8-4

Both have gay characters and set in every day Venice.

Amanda Cross' Kate Fansler novels http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/567038.In_the_Last_Analysis

and Jonathan Lethem's Motherless Brooklyn which I just loved. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/328854.Motherless_Brooklyn

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the recs! The ones of these I've read are the Amanda Cross books, which I enjoyed very much.

[writerlibrarian]

I'm a book addict and I've found that Bookmooch.com is helping managed the space and budget aspect of this addiction. It's a very inexpensive way to try out new author or series.

[swanswan.livejournal.com]

I'm not much of a mystery reader, myself, but I think we must have similar taste, because every book you mention that I recognise, I really like. Oooh - I preferred Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone to The Woman in White so if you haven't read that one, you totally should.

I love throw-away mysteries (like the Cornwell ones, so good for stretching out on the sofa or in the sun and just enjoying them) - i think the Kathy Reichs early novels are good too. They're the ones the Bones tv series is based on.

I love serious ones too, though. Probably my long-term favourites are a series of stories by Martin Cruz Smith. The first is called Gorky Park, and they all have the same detective. They're set in Russia in the 80s and 90s and I love them because they're realistic and tense (they kind of transcend detective fiction and become really good novels) but also have an emotional plot - the detective's lover has disappeared, he thinks she's either dead or has betrayed him. Recommended reading!!

[swanswan.livejournal.com]

Oooh and btw bandom just started a harlequin challenge, and the first story i read from it is so delicious. You don't have to care who the dudes are, it's just so sweet. Forced marriage fics ftw!!

http://disarm-d.livejournal.com/124791.html

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

I just ordered The Moonstone. Can't wait to read it. And the Martin Cruz Smith novels sound fantastic, as well.

Also, thanks for the bandom rec. I've never read an arranged marriage story I didn't like!

[kensieg.livejournal.com]

Donna Andrews. Funny amateur with zany relatives.

Carole Nelson Douglas Irene's Last Waltz The heroine is a woman from the Sherlock Holmes universe called Irene Adler.

Margaret Duffy Death of a Raven about a British spy and his wife. Very different approach.

Peter J. Heck The Mysterious Strangler the detective is Mark Twain.

Laurie R. King The Beekeeper's Apprentice. features a retired Sherlock Holmes and his partner Mary Russell.

Carola Dunn Death at Wentwater Court. Daisy Dalrymple 1920's England.

Ellis Peters A Morbid Taste for Bones. Brother Cadfael. medieval mysteries.

Agatha Christie. In addition to Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, there's Tommy and Tuppence husband and wife team. series starts with them in their early 20's and continues until they are in their 60's.

Charlotte MacLeod humorous mysteries. two series under her own name: Peter Shandy and Sarah Kelling. Shandy is 20th century NH or VT. The Kelling ones are set in Boston. two series under the name Alisa Craig: Grub and Stakers and Inspector Rhys. Both of these are set in Canada.

Dorothy Sayers Peter Wimsey. 1920's and 30's England.

Elizabeth Peters. Amelia Peabody. set in 19th century Egypt among the European Egyptologists.

Please forgive me that some of these titles aren't quite what you mentioned in your post. They are a wide and varied lot that I have enjoyed reading. You might enjoy one of them.

hth,
kensieg

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

This is great! Thanks so much for the list. I'm excited to get started reading.

[chicklet-girl.livejournal.com]

The mysteries I read tend toward the 'crime novel' end of the genre and are pretty hardcore, like Dennis Lehane's Kenzie/Gennaro series and George Pelecanos, so I don't know if they're your cuppa. But they *are* incredibly written.

I'm probably the only person in the room who gave up on the Plum mysteries. I made it to #12 and got sick of how Stephanie never learns a goddamn thing. I like my heroines to be competent. *g*

[kensieg.livejournal.com]

I prefer cozies.

[chicklet-girl.livejournal.com]

Ack! I must have hit the wrong REPLY tag on Lenore's journal. Apologies!

[epeters.livejournal.com]

I like P. Cornwell too.
If you like her medical mystery stuff you might enjoy Tess Gerritsen's novels. I haven't read any of her most recent ones but the earlier stuff was good.

http://books.google.com/books?as_auth=Tess+Gerritsen

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the rec! I do really enjoy a good medical mystery.

[meredevachon]

You may want to try Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series. The first is Bootlegger's Daughter; I've skipped around since then, but reading them in order would probably be better.

Oh, and I always try to recommend Sharyn McCrumb's Bimbos of the Death Sun & Zombies of the Gene Pool to fannish types who read mysteries: the murders are set amidst fancons, gaming, and comics.

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Those sound great! Thanks so much for the recs. I really appreciate it!

[luvmax1.livejournal.com]

I LOVED The Thirteenth Tale. Not only was it a great mystery in and of itself, it was a book about BOOKS, and the people who love them. I recommend Ruth Rendell, aka Barbara Vine, the British mystery author. I recently read her BV novel The Blood Doctor, which was just wonderful. She has a whole series, the Inspector Wexford novels, which I actually don't read- I prefer her standalones.

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the rec! I'm going to get a copy of The Blood Doctor. It sounds great!

[luvmax1.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. The only thing I love talking about more than Tom Welling is books! I have a whole list of Rendell/Vine books I loved. One of them, A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES made Entertainment Weekly's Top 100 books of the lsat 25 years list, and it really is that good. Incredibly creepy.

[beeej.livejournal.com]

I love Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. They're a bit lighter, though, as in LOL funny. Stephanie is adorable, and the two men in her life remind me oh so much of John Sheppard and Ronon. *g* One For The Money (http://www.amazon.com/One-Money-Stephanie-Plum-No/dp/0312362080/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219081430&sr=8-1) is the first one.

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Okay, so you totally had me at John and Ronon. *g* I'm definitely going to read these books!

Thanks so much for the recs...

[dolimir-k.livejournal.com]

Well, I do have a rec, but he does male characters as opposed to female, but he rocks.

Harlan Coben writes great characters. He has a series about a sports agent (versus a detective) and he has several stand alone books. I highly recommend Tell No One

As far as females go, I love Janet Evanovitch's series. It's a great laugh!

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

I love amateur detectives, and I'm a big sports fan, so this sounds perfect for me. Thanks so much for the rec, doll!

[lycomingst.livejournal.com]

Reginald Hill, especially his Dalziel & Pascoe books. I rec him to everybody, all the time.

[black-bird-777.livejournal.com]

yes, me too. He's an stunningly perfect writer!

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the rec! I'm definitely going to check these books out.

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

*rubs hands together* This is great! I have so many wonderful sounding writers to check out. Thanks so much for the rec!

[astrothsknot.livejournal.com]

Spooky-ish contempory fic would be John Connolly's Charlie Parker books, even though they're about a male PI. They may fit your WIW bent.

For something more cat and mouse twisty-turny, try the Scots writer Val McDermid. I'd also recommend reading The Hound of the Baskervilles, even though everyone knows the story. There's something about the original prose.

I'm not doing well for female protagonists, am I?!

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

I love spooky! That sounds great. And, hey, didn't Val McDermid write the books that the TV series Wire in the Blood is based on? Because I LOVE that series.

Thanks so much for the recs!

[astrothsknot.livejournal.com]

Indeed she did. You might also try The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, but I forget who writes them and Ian Rakin's Rebus novels

I forgot to mention, Jane Hill writes about women who find themselves in mysterious circumstances. She's just about to publish book three.

And hey, don't mention it. Good books need to be advertised amongst friends, because you can't trust critics.

[tzi.livejournal.com]

I'm a complete whore for Elizabeth Peter's "Amelia Peabody" series. The first couple of books are slow, but once you get past that, it's all fun and games. Also, I'm not so secretly in love with Ramses. And possibly a little bit with David.

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Cool! Thanks so much for the rec, doll. I'm going to check it out.

[beledibabe.livejournal.com]

Seconding Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody books, and also Donna Andrews' Meg Lanslow series -- she also did 3 books with an artificial intelligence sleuth, named Turing Hopper, which are great fun.

Elaine Viets has a couple of series, all of which are very funny. Dana Cameron's sleuth is an archeologist in New England, and her books are excellent. Ellen Crosby's Virginia wine country books are fascinating. SJ Rozan has a series that alternates between Lydia Chin, her female sleuth, and Bill Smith, her assistant. Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan series is set in Baltimore, and is full of local color, and her standalones are brilliant.

I'll stop now, but if you'd like more recs, let me know and I'll pass them on.

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

These all sound great! I grew up in Virginia and had many a happy jaunt to the VA wine country while I was in college, so that sounds especially appealing.

Thanks so much for the recs!

[beledibabe.livejournal.com]

Cool! Then Donna Andrews' Meg Lanslow books should also appeal -- many of them are set in a small, (fictional) college town in that area of Virginia. And the characters are a hoot!

Oh, and (tooting my own horn, here) if you like mystery short stories, Chesapeake Crimes 1, 2 and 3 are full of good ones. (My own small offerings are in vols 2 and 3.)

[tehomet.livejournal.com]

Smilla's Sense of Snow (a.k.a. Ms Smilla's Feeling for Snow, or Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow, depending on the publisher/translator/phase of the moon) is fecking brilliant! I recommend it to you. :)

[tehomet.livejournal.com]

I should also mention that it has a female detective (as you probably gathered from the title), is totally rivetting, has some killer lines, and its mystery is utterly unguessable.