James Patterson’s Alex Cross series; Jeffrey Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme series, Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series, Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child’s AXL Pendergast series
Susan Hill’s Simon Serrailer series for something gentle; Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series for something clever, thoughtful and with a Gothic sensibility.
I Am Pilgrim for a quick, very American thrill ride
My very first detective series was John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee. I will always love Travis McGee after all he was my first❤. You will know the Travis books because a color will be in the title.
Yesss my first intro to him was The Girl in the Plain Brown Wrapper. People like Stephen King, Koontz, Kellerman, Lee Child, Sue Grafton, MH Clark all think that John D. McDonald was one of the, if not THE best!
If you want humor I liked the Stephanie plum series by Janet evanovich (not sure I spelled her name correctly) first book is one for the money. There is a movie for first book which was ok.
If you want something that is slightly different to the American/British stuff then maybe give David Hewson’s Nic Costa books a try. Set in Rome, Italy all of the books are great crime mysteries and are also steeped in Italian and especially Roman history and art. So good. Starts with A Season For The Dead.
In the Woods is the first book in the series, but I started with The Secret Place (book club pick), then read The Trespasser bc I love the detectives in those two books.
P.J. Parrish’s Louis Kincaid series, Lisa Miscione’s Lydia Strong series, Stephen White’s Alan Gregory series, Nelson DeMille’s John Corey series, Tami Hoag’s Elena Estes series . (I see John Sandford, Michael Connelly were already mentioned )All wonderful characters with great mystery/thriller plots.
I second Tana French, Michael Connolly, John Sandford and C.J. Box. My husband and I also love Lee Child. His character, Jack Teacher, isn’t a detective, but he used to be a military detective. They’re fast-paced and awesome.
I like the early Doc Ford books by Randy Wayne White ( the newer ones seem to be getting a bit too nuts). Deborah Crombie. Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie series is wonderful. And def. agree with CJ Box and Lee Child’s Reacher. Nevada Barr’s good, too.
I’m crushed that no one mentioned the queen of mystery Agatha Christie! Harlan Coben, Linwood Barclay, Tess Gerristen, Kathy Reichs, Ngaio Marsh, and Ruth Rendell.
Elvis Cole by Robert crais, Harry Bosch/Mickey haller by Michael Connelly, John Sandford, John grisham, Jonathan kellerman, Diane Fallon, just a few of my favorite detective authors
Loved The Bridesmaid. Also The Crocodile Bird. Anna’s Book. Brimstone Wedding. No Night is Too Long. The Tree of Hands. There are just so many to choose from and even the ones I didn’t like as well are still better than most.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova is both thriller and mystery with a tad of horror thrown in. Can’t recommend it enough. Intelligent and on the edge of your seat reading!
I found a series and am loving it. The Elizabeth Goodfeather series by Vicki Lane. She is a transplant to the Appalachians (a southerner, but not a mountain girl) she is a matron not a kid, and all the mystery or detective part of it centers around the folks, traditions, and history of the mountains. I am enjoying the reading very much.
An old one I just read that should totally be a miniseries: While Still We Live, by Helen McInnes. It’s set in Poland at the time of the Nazi invasion.
I’ve been reading all of Rachel Abbott’s books. I’m hooked. I said to my husband just last night that her style of writing literally makes me afraid for her characters. So many twists. Each chapter leaves you hanging so you can’t put the book down. I’ve downloaded all of them from Kindle Unlimited.
Tonya French -for literary detective fiction.. the writing is soooo good. Louise Penny… the arch of moral development with characters and food you want to know and eat dinner with. Such a great character in Inspector Gamache.
Those are great books. Opposite ends of the spectrum. Love the Spenser for Hire books. Easy reads. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series is more complex.
Louise Penny series Donna Leon series The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey and others by Tey Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers and others by Sayers Enjoy!
James Patterson’s Alex Cross series; Jeffrey Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme series, Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series, Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child’s AXL Pendergast series
Susan Hill’s Simon Serrailer series for something gentle; Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series for something clever, thoughtful and with a Gothic sensibility.
I Am Pilgrim for a quick, very American thrill ride
Bosch series mentioned above ❤️
John Sanford’s “Prey” (Lucas Davenport) books,
Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch books
Louise Penny’s Gamache series
Anne Perry’s Thames River police commander William Monk series
C.J. Box, Wyoming game ranger Joe Pickett series
M.C. Beaton’s Hamish series
Lucas Davenport❤️
I prefer that f**’n Flowers. 😉
James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux, Sara Paretsky’s V.I. Warshawski, The Dry by Jane Harper…
Friend Request by Laura Marshall
I love Babara Nadel’s Inspector Ikmen series & Keigo Higashino’s Prof Galileo series
My very first detective series was John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee. I will always love Travis McGee after all he was my first❤. You will know the Travis books because a color will be in the title.
Yesss my first intro to him was The Girl in the Plain Brown Wrapper. People like Stephen King, Koontz, Kellerman, Lee Child, Sue Grafton, MH Clark all think that John D. McDonald was one of the, if not THE best!
If John D. MacDonald did not set the bar, he definitely raised the bar!
My first too. Loved them.
Michael Connolly. Val McDermid. Ian McEwan. John Connolly. Faye Kellerman
Cormoran Strike
Ross McDonalds books are classic
Mark Billingham’s Thorne series and John Connolly’s Charlie Parker series.
Stuart Woods Stone Barrington novels. There’s nearly 50 books and he’s a NYC detective. 50 pages in and it’s awesome!
If you want humor I liked the Stephanie plum series by Janet evanovich (not sure I spelled her name correctly) first book is one for the money. There is a movie for first book which was ok.
Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache. They are beautifully written and have wonderful characters.
I agree. Her books are wonderful.
If you want something that is slightly different to the American/British stuff then maybe give David Hewson’s Nic Costa books a try. Set in Rome, Italy all of the books are great crime mysteries and are also steeped in Italian and especially Roman history and art. So good. Starts with A Season For The Dead.
Tana French is great and I like Chris Carter too.
I would like to try reading Tana Fench books. Which one would you recommend I start with?
In the Woods is the first book in the series, but I started with The Secret Place (book club pick), then read The Trespasser bc I love the detectives in those two books.
In the Woods is a stunning book. Loved it.
Great, that’ll be next on tbr list.Thanks!?
Higashino s novels
P.J. Parrish’s Louis Kincaid series, Lisa Miscione’s Lydia Strong series, Stephen White’s Alan Gregory series, Nelson DeMille’s John Corey series, Tami Hoag’s Elena Estes series . (I see John Sandford, Michael Connelly were already mentioned )All wonderful characters with great mystery/thriller plots.
Chris Carter books
The Katie Burkholder series by Linda Castillo
Yeah !! These are very good DETECTIVE books…
I second Tana French, Michael Connolly, John Sandford and C.J. Box. My husband and I also love Lee Child. His character, Jack Teacher, isn’t a detective, but he used to be a military detective. They’re fast-paced and awesome.
I like the early Doc Ford books by Randy Wayne White ( the newer ones seem to be getting a bit too nuts).
Deborah Crombie.
Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie series is wonderful.
And def. agree with CJ Box and Lee Child’s Reacher.
Nevada Barr’s good, too.
Agree re Doc Ford
Louise Penny’s Gamache series. Donna Leon’s Brunetti series.
Thrillers: The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson and Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pimsborough.
Estelle Ryan’s Genevieve Lenard series
For a detective story with a fair amount of the macabre and supernatural: Dean Koontz–Dragon Tears.
Linwood Barclay, Greg Iles,Sally Spencer, James Patterson ‘s Women’s Murder Club, if you want something light Mrs Jeffries Series are fun.
I love Greg Iles.
Love Greg Iles too!
@Pam so do I
Following!!!!
I’m crushed that no one mentioned the queen of mystery Agatha Christie! Harlan Coben, Linwood Barclay, Tess Gerristen, Kathy Reichs, Ngaio Marsh, and Ruth Rendell.
Elvis Cole by Robert crais, Harry Bosch/Mickey haller by Michael Connelly, John Sandford, John grisham, Jonathan kellerman, Diane Fallon, just a few of my favorite detective authors
Elvis! I knew I was forgetting somebody! Yes yes yes to Robert Crais!
Should be diane fanning not fallon. She writes Lucinda pierce, detective as well as great true crime
Never heard of Diane Fanning but I love the rest of your recommendations so I’m looking her up now!
Ruth Rendell is amazing.
Yes!
She keeps me wide awake. More so than Stephen King
My first of hers was The Bridesmaid – still my favorite.
Loved The Bridesmaid. Also The Crocodile Bird. Anna’s Book. Brimstone Wedding. No Night is Too Long. The Tree of Hands. There are just so many to choose from and even the ones I didn’t like as well are still better than most.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova is both thriller and mystery with a tad of horror thrown in. Can’t recommend it enough. Intelligent and on the edge of your seat reading!
Loved The HIstorian!
Patricia Cornwell–
Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar series is enormous fun, the characters are wonderful.
They are awesome
Following ?
I Am Pilgram or Bird Box. Both are good, suspenseful books
I found a series and am loving it. The Elizabeth Goodfeather series by Vicki Lane. She is a transplant to the Appalachians (a southerner, but not a mountain girl) she is a matron not a kid, and all the mystery or detective part of it centers around the folks, traditions, and history of the mountains. I am enjoying the reading very much.
Jo Nesbo’s Harry Hole series.
An old one I just read that should totally be a miniseries: While Still We Live, by Helen McInnes. It’s set in Poland at the time of the Nazi invasion.
I’ve been reading all of Rachel Abbott’s books. I’m hooked. I said to my husband just last night that her style of writing literally makes me afraid for her characters. So many twists. Each chapter leaves you hanging so you can’t put the book down. I’ve downloaded all of them from Kindle Unlimited.
Jeffery Deaver has a few books with Criminologist Lincoln Rhyme in them. Excellent twisty crime solving!
Silkworm, Cuckoos’s Calling and Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith aka J.K.Rowlings
Loved them!
Truly enjoyed these.
Kinsey Milhone series by Sue Grafton. Should keep you busy for awhile at least
Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Karen Slaughter, Julia Spencer-Fleming, William Kent Krueger Naomi Hirahara, Greg Hurwitz,
Tana French!
Tonya French -for literary detective fiction.. the writing is soooo good. Louise Penny… the arch of moral development with characters and food you want to know and eat dinner with. Such a great character in Inspector Gamache.
The Spenser books by Robert b parker
The pendergast series
I recently discovered the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths.
Mr. Mercedes series by Stephen King
Love Inspector Gamache series by Louse Penny
me too!
I’ll second the Spenser books and I will add The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo trilogy.
Those are great books. Opposite ends of the spectrum. Love the Spenser for Hire books. Easy reads. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series is more complex.
Loved the Girl with the dragon tattoo and the other 2 also
Daniel Silva, “House of spies”, he is an art restorer who helps the Mossad. I am looking at 9 of his, so I guess I am a wee bit smitten .???
Lee Child books
Elizabeth George, PD James, Michael Connelly, Jo Nesbo, Sophie Hannah…
Michael Connelly, Jeffrey Deaver, Patricia Cornwell, Stuart Woods
Definitely Jo Nesbo!
Peter James, Stuart Macbride, Mark Billingham, Angela Marsons and Robert Bryndza X
Harlan Coben and Catherine Coulter
Great choices.
The Yiddish Policeman’s Union by Chabon.
Harry Bosch novels
Louise Penny series
Donna Leon series
The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey and others by Tey
Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers and others by Sayers
Enjoy!
Yes love the old time ladies of crime!
I am your book buddy….. I have read and loved all of these! Ellen Sanders Nirenstein! ?
Harlen Coben, Lee Child, Greg Isles are just a few of my favorites
I LOVE the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child.
Mark Dawson, Harlan Corbin, Adam Mitzner, Ben Coes, Greg Hurwitz, Michael Connelly, to name a few…
Check out this page
http://stopyourekillingme.com/
Robert j Parker Spenser books ed McCain 87th precinct books
Michael Connolly, Elizabeth George
Sara Paretsky’s VI Warshawski series, Tana French, James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux. Early Steve Martini…
Any book by Jo Nesbo especially the Harry Hole series. The Son is awesome too
dennis lehane is my favorite
Oh yes! And I also forgot Greg Rucka!
And Mo Hayder!
Robert Crais and Michael Kortya are good authors in the genre.
Detective type
A Beautiful Poison