Murder Mysteries/Detective Fiction

Which authors and/or series do you like? What are you reading lately? What did you not like? Do you just read what comes to hand or do you like particular types of mysteries?

I like European murder mysteries, I am on a Spanish kick at the moment, having gotten the bug from Auturo Pereze Reverte (Flanders Panel, Dumas Club, Queen of the South) and expanded from there. Eugenio Fuentes is good, a bit hard to find; I've read the first two Javier Falcon (by Robert Wilson) mysteries, but the downside of that is he eats a lot and leaves you craving tapas. I also like Eastern European mysteries but those are harder to come by - Dan Fesperman, whose latest book, The Prisoner of Guantanamo, just hit the stores, had a two book series featuring a Bosnian detective that were excellent. I am about to start a Miguel Vasquez Montalban book inbetween getting the next Javier Falcon from the library, and I have a book by Ivan Klima lined up next, though I am not clear on if it is a mystery rather than a novel.

Other mystery books I tend to read are set in LA - they feed the homesick nostalgic in me. Connolly, Patterson & Mosley are great for that, and I just read a fantastic book called LA Requiem by Robert Crais that I'd recommend for LA pulp detective fiction fans. Gonna pick up more of his books at the library as well.

What have you read recently, what did you like about it?

My mother raised me on Agatha Christie, although I do not like Miss Marple.  Sadly, mine are all English, because my dad was a huge Conan Doyle fan.  So I read sort of the boring main line ones.  I am now trying to find a Colin Dexter one to begin, as watching Morse on tv has wetted my appetite to read the books.  Hmmm... I really do not read very interesting books.  But I know I prefer them in series because I like watching how their personality unfolds in the books.  I know I've read loads more, but I just can't think of them now.  I like the ones that seem to deal more with the psychological way of looking at it.  Give me a detective with a hunch (or theory), and I'm a happy girl!

I love love love the Blanche White series by Barbara Neely!

http://www.blanchewhite.com/

Persephone, Have you read any of the Ian Rankin ones?

I like that about series, too, watching a character unfold. If they are really well done, its hard to leave the book, you become fond of the people in them. Fesperman's Bosnian detective was like that, I was pleased he had a sequel and sad to get to the end of it. I wanted to know what else became of the characters!

I love love love the Blanche White series by Barbara Neely!

http://www.blanchewhite.com/

They look good, what do you like about them?

Persephone, Have you read any of the Ian Rankin ones?

I like that about series, too, watching a character unfold. If they are really well done, its hard to leave the book, you become fond of the people in them. Fesperman's Bosnian detective was like that, I was pleased he had a sequel and sad to get to the end of it. I wanted to know what else became of the characters!

No.  Are they good?  Can you pm me like an idea of what the characters are like?  I'll be on the lookout next month for a holiday read!  I need one that says makes me never want to put it down, as I get lazy about reading sometimes. 

They look good, what do you like about them?

I'm generally not into this genre. It's modern, with a strong Black female lead. The writing is funny and an easy read with sharp perceptions on class, race, gender issues. I can't recommend them enough.  

No.  Are they good?  Can you pm me like an idea of what the characters are like?  I'll be on the lookout next month for a holiday read!  I need one that says makes me never want to put it down, as I get lazy about reading sometimes. 

I'm sure there's Ian Rankin fans lurking about here that will give a better description of this Scottish institution, but basically you have your hard-boiled, drink soaked detective in Scotland going from case to case, and the books are as much about his own evolution as they are about solving the cases he looks at. If you like the typical English mysteries, you'll enjoy the Rankin ones.
Here's his website: http://www.ianrankin.net/

Another series which you may like are the books by Charles Todd, I think there's 3 or 4 of them, about an English shell-shocked WW1 vet who comes home and ends up doing police work. They are good psychological studies as well as being good mysteries.
Here's the first in the series, http://www.charlestodd.com/TOW.htm
And the rest of the website: http://www.charlestodd.com/

I'm generally not into this genre. It's modern, with a strong Black female lead. The writing is funny and an easy read with sharp perceptions on class, race, gender issues. I can't recommend them enough.  

Have you read any Walter Mosley? His Easy Rawlins series sounds like the male counterpart to Blanche. He really captures 1950s/60s South Central, and nails the racial/class divide.

I'll keep an eye out for Neely! Thanks for the tip! 

Not sure if these would be your cup of tea, but I really like the Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child books. They've got a few different recurring characters but not really a series. All well written thriller/mystery style.

http://www.prestonchild.com/

I've been reading Ruth Rendall lately also and they've been pretty good. The Inspector Wexford ones.

Agatha Christie.  Hands down.  Then there is James Patterson but I haven't read anything by him a few years.  I might pick up "Cat and Mouse" when I'm done with the book I'm reading now.

June

My favourite is Elizabeth George. Her character development is incredible, and I honestly don't think anyone does the detective genre better. But lately I've also developed a fondness for Boris Akunin's books. They're really really good!

I love Jeffrey Deaver, and find his books really hard to put down.

For old fashioned, reoccurring character mysteries, you can't beat Colin Dexter (yay for Inspector Morse) and Agatha Christie.

My husband recommended Mark Billingham to me, but I can't say that I'm enjoying him much, mostly because he switches POVs too much for my liking.

Patricia Cornwell's earlier books were also great, but the later books, where she started writing in third person, are not as polished.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (I think) she is a new author.  I loved this book.  It is a little gory, just to warn you.

My favourite is Elizabeth George. Her character development is incredible, and I honestly don't think anyone does the detective genre better.

I LOVE Elizabeth George!  I love her amazingly strong Amelia Peabody, and I've adored watching Ramses grow up.

My favorites mysteries tend to be either set in the South (Joan Hess' Maggody series and Claire Malloy series, Carolyn Hart's Death on Demand series, Rita Mae Brown, etc.) or what I call "catering" mysteries (Diane Mott Davidson's Goldy Bear series, Katharine Hall Page's Faith Fairchild series).  I also have a fondness for Midnight Louie and Miss Temple (Carol Nelson Douglas).