Mystery Lovers! discussion

I love to read serials and I am always looking for new authors to read. Some of my favorites; Harry Bosch (Michael Connelly), Elvis Cole (Robert Crais), Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich), Dismas Hardy (John Lescroart) Myron Bolitar (Harlan Coben), Adam Dalgliesh (PD James) I'd love to hear some of your favorites.

I love Stuart Woods - I've only read one of the Holly Baker? series, and I've got two of them in my TBR bins. I've got more of his Stone Barrington and the Holly Baker lined up for 2010 challenges.

I'm going to read One for the Money next year as well, after reading Eleven on Top last year. ok, so I don't go in order...

And, I'd like to start JD Robb this year, maybe. Can't remember if I put it on my challenge list or not.

I enjoy DisMas Hardy (John Lescroart); V. I,. Warshawski(Sarah Paretsky; Thomas and Charlotte Pitt (Anne Perry_ and William Monk (also Anne Perry).

Also early awaiting the fifth book in the Monkeewrench series by P J Tracy.

Greg Iles
Dennis Lehane
Karin Slaughter
Lisa Jackson-just her mysterys
Tami Hoag
Val McDermid
Brenda Novak
Allison Brennen

Anita - The author that I suggest most who has become my favorite; and yes, outranking some of the ones you mention like M Connelly, Woods, and Coben.

Brian Freeman
Immoral
Stripped
Stalked
In the Dark
The Burying Place (US 4/13/10)

This series features Lt Jonathan Stride of the Duluth MN police department. All I can say is that he has impressed me more than any other author after five books. The characters, the plots, the suspense/twists, and his writing style describing a scene is top-notch in my book. If you haven't read Immoral then please give it a try.

Thanks for the suggestions. Some of these authors I've tried (Dennis Lehane, Stuart Woods, Val McDermid, JD Robb and Sarah Paretsky) and though the books were fine I didn't love them enough to want to read everyone in the series. I will check out some of Kathy Anne's suggestions and I will look into Brian Freeman as well. I just got an Amazon gift certificate from my dad so it's a good time to try some new authors.

How about Sue Grafton? I'm reading her latest, U is for Undertow. It's quite good.

P.D. James definitely, though I don't know if she has another one left it her.

I heard PD James on NPR today. She sounds hale and hearty. She said she plans to continue her writing! She is great!

I heard PD James on NPR today. She sounds hale and hearty. She said she plans to continue her writing! She is great!

Amazing! Did anyone mention how old is she now?

I didn't catch her age, but she sounds elderly and they remarked that she has been humming along for many years!

P.D.James was born in August 1920, so still going strong at 89. Saw that P.D stands for Phyllis Dorothy James, and she's Baroness of Holland Park with an OBE as well, not to mention all those great books.

Thanks for the info, Deanne.

Holly Barker from Stuart Woods Orchid Series
Eve Dallas from the In Death Series
Adam Dalgliesh P.D James
Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie
Kinsey Milhone, Sue Grafton
Stone Barrington, Stuart Woods

Vanessa, have you read Grafton's newest book? I'm about through. It's a good read. I also love Dalgleish and Hercule.

I've read all the Dalgliesh and Poirot. I read one Eve Dallas and didn't like it at all. Kinsey Milhone isn't edgy enough for me. I read Stuart Woods from time to time but I just don't think he's a great writer. Keep the suggestions coming. Thanks.

Barbara wrote: "Vanessa, have you read Grafton's newest book? I'm about through. It's a good read. I also love Dalgleish and Hercule."

Hey Barbara,

No, I haven't read U is for Undertow. I'm on a list with the library and I think I'm pretty close. I eventually plan to collect all the audios as soon as I'm finished doing that with the "In Death" series by J.D. Robb. I also listened to some of the audio books for Poirot. A lot of them are done by the guy who played Hastings in the PBS series with Suchet. I know his name, but I can't think of it at the moment. He does a really good job as a reader and Suchet has done a couple as well.

Harry Bosch, Mickey Haller, Sunny Randall, Jesse Stone, Irene Kelly (just started my first in that series), and anything written by John Hart!

TC, I enjoyed th Sunny Randall books too. Jesse Stone is good, but I wish that he'd stop obsessing about his wife! Have you seen the Tom Selleck films about Jesse on the networks? They just didn't seem to catch the character very well- which is often the case with films based on novels.

Barbara wrote: "TC, I enjoyed th Sunny Randall books too. Jesse Stone is good, but I wish that he'd stop obsessing about his wife! Have you seen the Tom Selleck films about Jesse on the networks? They just didn't ..."

I so agree with you about Jesse Stone; it drives me crazy how he obsesses about his ditzy ex!! Just a couple of days ago I saw THIN ICE with Tom Selleck and he wasn't at all the way I imagined Stone. The whole piece was too brooding and dark, when there's a lot of fun banter in the books.

Come to think of it, Sunny also obsesses about her ex. Somehow it doesn't bother me as much though - maybe because her ex is more interesting and not a ditz! :)

I agree about Sunny and her ex- and their dog!
Have you read any other Parker books? I love the banter between Spenser and Hawk too!

Anita wrote: "I've read all the Dalgliesh and Poirot. I read one Eve Dallas and didn't like it at all. Kinsey Milhone isn't edgy enough for me. I read Stuart Woods from time to time but I just don't think he's..."

Anita, if it's edgy you want, try:

John Connelly (MC is Charlie Parker)
Ian Rankin (MC is John Rebus, in Scotland)
T.Jefferson Parker (MC is Mercy Rayburn)
Lynda LaPlante (she wrote the Prime Suspect on PBS, and also a series with MC Lorraine Page)
Kathy Reichs (MC is Temperance Brennan)
John Sandford (MC is Lucas Davenport)
James Lee Burke (MC is Dave Robicheaux)
Karin Slaughter (MC is Dr. Sara Linton)

My favorite of the list is John Sandford.

Keep us posted as to if any of these fit the bill.

Barbara wrote: "I agree about Sunny and her ex- and their dog!
Have you read any other Parker books? I love the banter between Spenser and Hawk too!"

Oh yeah, Spenser and Hawk are great together! I've read some of each, Spenser, Stone and Randall, but not all. One thing I noticed looking at Amazon reviewer comments is that lots of readers are annoyed by Spenser's obsession with the "Harvard educated girl of his dreams." Seems they like the tough-guy Spenser much more than the domestic Spenser.

I loved the early Spenser books but got extremely tired of his slavish devotion to a woman who remains aloof, self-centered, etc. This seems to be a theme in all of Parker's work: Jesse Stone and Sunny Parker are obsessed as well.

Gail wrote: "I loved the early Spenser books but got extremely tired of his slavish devotion to a woman who remains aloof, self-centered, etc. This seems to be a theme in all of Parker's work: Jesse Stone and S..."

Good point, Gail. I can see what you mean about Susan. At least she has stood by Spenser (mostly) for a while. True, this seems to be a weakness in Parker's male's relationships with women.

mmmm... I commented on this somewhere else about authors (not just Parker, by any means) having subtexts running through their works. Of course, authors of long-running series have other issues to deal with as well: freshness, variety, probably their own boredom with the characters...

Oh, and I meant Sunny Randall, obviously, not Sunny Parker; I guess that was my own sort of Freudian slip.

A couple mystery writers who haven't been mentioned:

Aimee & David Thurlo - MC Ella Clah, an ex-FBI agent who's now a detective in New Mexico.

Michael McGarrity - MC (can't remember his name) is a police chief, detective in New Mexico.

Stephen White - MC Alan Gregory, a psychiatrist in Boulder. His newest, THE SIEGE, is excellent and very timely.

I'm an Ella Clah fan too, Lynne. Other series dealing with Native Americans that I really like are Sandi Ault's series about a Bureau of Land Management employee who has been unofficially adopted by a medicine woman and Margaret Coel's series about a priest and a lawyer who investigate cases on the Arapaho reservation.

Gail wrote: "I loved the early Spenser books but got extremely tired of his slavish devotion to a woman who remains aloof, self-centered, etc. This seems to be a theme in all of Parker's work: Jesse Stone and S..."

The objects of obsession seem to provide a place for Parker's tough protagonists to pour out their hearts and show some vulnerability. Wonder what Parker would say about them.

T.C. wrote: "Gail wrote: "I loved the early Spenser books but got extremely tired of his slavish devotion to a woman who remains aloof, self-centered, etc. This seems to be a theme in all of Parker's work: Jess..."

Yes, despite their tough guy facades, inside there beats hearts of gold!

Interesting insight, T.C., and it may be what he has in mind. I see them (i.e., the protagnonists) as being more than vulnerable, though, when viewed through the lens of their romantic relationships. Stone and Spenser display copious amounts of compassion and kindness through their work. To me, their tolerance of what almost amounts to emotional abuse (more in Stone's case than Spenser's; Spenser just seems fatuous about Susan) makes them not vulnerable to their better emotions, but weak. Of course, I'm aware that Parker and his wife of many years occupy the same house, but different floors. On the other hand, Mother always said, "In every relationship, one is more loved and the other more loving; which do you want to be?" Just sayin'...Open to many interpretations, I guess.

Gail, well stated- excellent insights!

Why, thank you, Barbara. Many people dismiss the entire mystery genre as being beneath their notice. I don't think so, really; I think they can provide intersting commentary on our times, relationships, and life in general. And of course, my favorite things: lots of laughs and a puzzle.

Gail wrote: "Why, thank you, Barbara. Many people dismiss the entire mystery genre as being beneath their notice. I don't think so, really; I think they can provide intersting commentary on our times, relations..."

I am about finished with a Barbara Vine book, House of Stairs. I was introduced to her by GR friends. She is a totally different and wonderful writer. Her prose is elegant and her mysteries are totally different than any I have read in along while.

I love Barbara Vine--whether she's writing under this name, or her real one, Ruth Rendell.

I don't think I've read any of the B. Vine titles, but I've read several of the Rendell books and been quite intrigued. I'll have to add B. Vine to my list.

really liked PI C.W. Sughrue in James Crumley's THE LAST GOOD KISS
great descripitve language/dialogue/interesting plot/ characters

Gail wrote: "I don't think I've read any of the B. Vine titles, but I've read several of the Rendell books and been quite intrigued. I'll have to add B. Vine to my list."

We have had a running debate about which books have more psychologically "quirky" characters and plots, Vine or Rendell. Her Vine novels seem to take the prize!

Gail, it's so true about poor Jesse Stone, but if you haven't read the latest, Night and Day, you might be pleasantly surprised.



Didn't know that about Parker and wife. Like Spenser and Susan maintaining their own space.

T.C. wrote: "Gail, it's so true about poor Jesse Stone, but if you haven't read the latest, Night and Day, you might be pleasantly surprised.



Didn't know that about Parke..."

I thought that I was up-to-date with Jesse. I'll have to get it from my library. Parker is certainly prolific. He grinds out one book after another!

We have seen Parker out in public, but without his wife, so perhaps they are living separate lives.

So odd, don't you think? Well, to each their own.

Parker does produce a lot of books. I remember well when he started (Man, does that date me or what? Never mind.) and his work was only available in paperback. I was initially drawn to it because of the locales, many of which I had first-hand knowledge of, and then the humor and the characters of Spenser and Hawk kept me going for a long time.

Gail wrote: "So odd, don't you think? Well, to each their own.

Parker does produce a lot of books. I remember well when he started (Man, does that date me or what? Never mind.) and his work was only availab..."

I remember his beginnings too!
You must have been to this area since you are familiar with the locales. Sometimes he makes mistakes about streets, etc. Oh well, poetic license!

Jim, re: The Last Good Kiss, I'll check it out, but I'm afraid it might be too hard-boiled for me. He sounds interesting, though.

Barbara, when you see Parker in person does he remind you of Spenser? In pictures he seems pretty much the way he describes his character.

T.C. wrote: "Barbara, when you see Parker in person does he remind you of Spenser? In pictures he seems pretty much the way he describes his character.

"
When I saw Parker, he looked just like his pictures. I always imagine Spenser as looking like poor Robert Urich, or some other sexy male figure.

I think of Spenser as a big tough-looking guy, especially because of his boxing injuries. That's why it's so interesting to see who they cast in movies; everyone has his or her own idea!

Barbara wrote: "
I remember his beginnings too!
You must have been to this area since you are familiar with the locales. Sometimes he makes mistakes about streets, etc. Oh well, poetic license!..."

Barbara, I live in the Boston area too, and in fact work about a mile from Susan's Cambridge house/office on Linnean Street I think. I get a kick following Spenser around town on foot and by car, don't notice so much his misses on streets.

I forget now, is his office on Boylston St.? Anyhow, it's downtown Boston and I can visualise all the spots he mentions. I pass by Linnean St. frequently.
In some books he has had them traveling in the wrong direction or route to get to suburban towns- or the Cape!

Barbara wrote: "I forget now, is his office on Boylston St.? Anyhow, it's downtown Boston and I can visualise all the spots he mentions. I pass by Linnean St. frequently.
In some books he has had them traveling i..."

Yes, I think Boylston near Arlington St. I especially love when he eats out or meets someone for a drink in Boston or Cambridge. I've visited a few of those places, although Spenser does tend toward the pricey haunts... would love to have him turn up at Redbones or Johnny D's in Davis Square, or the S&S in Inman Square, LOL!

One of my dream is to visit Boston. I would love to visit the historical sites. You can learn about them in books, but seeing them would be so much better!