Mystery Recommendations, Please!

[Maud Fitch]

I always like to put in a mention for some excellent Australian mystery writers. From tough style writers Peter Temple and Garry Disher to perfectly controlled old-school Peter Corris to delightfully modern Kerry Greenwood. All of them feature a series or two of excellent private investigators.

[vanhuchri]

The V.I. Warshawki's series by Sara Paretzky!

[booklvr62]

Kindle Freebie today~ARMED (The Alex Harris Mystery Series) 333pgs[women sleuths/mystery] by Elaine Macko
‘Twas the week before Christmas and all through the mannequin factory things were not quite what they seemed—especially not for the body of the woman splayed out in the dark warehouse. Nothing like a nice little murder to stir things up right before the holidays in this quaint New England town where absolutely nothing ever happens.
When Alex Harris, owner of the Always Prepared staffing agency, stumbles over the body of Mrs. Scott, nothing will ever be the same. Along with her sister and partner, Samantha Daniels, and their assistant, Millie Chapman, the Winston Churchill-quoting, M&M popping Alex probes and plods through clue after clue trying to unravel secrets before the murderer strikes again and really ruins Christmas.

[mdfloyd]

These are great lists!!!

I see no one has mentioned Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammet -- maybe because they're considered hard-boiled. Yes, there's blood but honestly not all much more than what you see on prime time TV these days. I love the tone of these authors.

Ruth Rendell is a great one, too. Some of her books used to scare me to death -- all innocent subjects, no blood, but terrifying. I think the one about crosswords was the one that scared me to the most.

Unless I overlooked it, Diane Mott Davidson does some great stuff, too. Her main character is a cook, then a caterer -- and someone is always getting killed in the little bitty town she lives in.

And Donald Westlake! Several of his books were turned into movies, plus many of his books are funny. He died a few years ago, unfortunately.

[Mystery_Fan]

I'm a huge Jo Nesbo fan -- his story's are taut but with strong psychological underpinnings. Another great writer I've been enjoying is Tana French. The Likeness is probably the weakest link in the series, but still held my attention. Faithful Place and others were gripping.

[Craigable]

The Dead Letter by Metta Fuller Victor is purported to be the first full-length detective novel written by an American. Came out in the late 1800s. I can't speak to its quality, but it certainly has historical significance.

Dashiell Hammett's "Thin Man" novels are quite amusing period pieces (from the 1930s, I think). Great films came of them, too.

In a Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes is a mid-20th-century "forgotten" classic.

Christopher Morley's The Haunted Bookstore is a real gem. One of the most charming books I've ever read, mystery or otherwise.

There are the novels of Walter Mosley, such as Devil in a Blue Dress, which was made into a feature film with Denzel Washington.

I've only read one Ellery Queen novel. It was Calamity Town. It was quite enjoyable, and it happened also to be an unusual one in that it featured the sleuth on vacation in the country. Usually he's in the city and working with his father, Inspector Queen.

[Faina]

I adore classic mysteries, particularly Ngaio Marsh's Inspector Alleyn books. He's pretty much my ideal detective: interesting in his own right, but not so much that his personality overwhelms the characters whose mysteries he is investigating. I particularly liked Death and the Dancing Footman, and also Died in the Wool, which takes place in New Zealand and has some interesting details about the country.

Oh, and Josephine Tey! Her book Daughter of Time is more about investigating a mystery in history (was Richard III a murderer?) rather than a murder mystery per se, but it's surprisingly tautly plotted and fascinating.

[Njkinny]

All books by Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle are highly recommended..

[booklvr62]

Two good Cozy mysteries that I recently enjoyed are "Bats and Bones (Frannie Shoemaker Campground Mysteries #1) by Karen Musser Nortman ,and the very funny "A Skeleton in the Family (Family Skeleton Mystery #1)" by Leigh Perry

[mimf47]

You might check out the following series by Elizabeth Lowell: The Donovan Series, The St Kilda Series, The Rarities Unlimited Series. I can also vouch for J.D. Robb's In Death Series, anything by James Patterson, especially the Alex Cross books. Iris Johansen is very good particularly the Eve Duncan Series. Kay Hooper, Tami Hoag, Patricia Cornwall and Sandra Brown are some others. Oh, and Johnathan Kellerman and his wife Faye Kellerman are very good, and of course John Grisham.

[ajones2216]

Hey Jenn,

I am currently reading the J.D. Robb series In Death. So far I am 15 books in and they are absolutely amazing! So good!
Great writing, the scenes are not gruesome, they are described but not in detail. The two main characters, plus supporting are so addicting. You will fall in love. There are a great deal of these books and she is still writing!
I hope you pick them up, enjoy!

[Sophrosyne]

If you're a fan of cozy mysteries, I love the Psychic Eye series featuring Abby Cooper by Victoria Laurie--I think there are currently ten books in the series so far, and Laurie's writing has gotten better with each book. Pacing is good, and storyline is always fluid (which can sometimes be a problem with mysteries!)

[tcarousel]

I'm a fan of Gillian Flynn. Finally had the chance to read Sharp Objects and Gone Girl. I loved them both! I especially loved the twist within Gone Girl.

[KLyons1]

I haven't read through all the posts, so I apologize if any recommendations are duplicated ...

Try Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache/Three Pines series, which are just wonderful. Likewise Julia Spencer-Fleming's series set in upstate NY. Both feature well-developed characters who are people, not just stereotypes (neither series has a divorced, near-alcoholic cop, for instance).

I also like British police procedurals, so try Deborah Crombie or Stephen Booth (for starters!).

[kismoody]

You might like Thieftaker series by D.B. Jackson or Lowcountry Boil by Susan Boyer