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Old 02-07-2013, 09:38 PM
 
Location: SoCal & Mid-TN
2,325 posts, read 2,637,546 times
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I love the Robert Crais Elvis Cole and Joe Pike books. Also enjoy Tony Hillerman's Navajo police series with Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee.

Amazon.com: Robert Crais: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

Amazon.com: Tony Hillerman: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle
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Old 02-08-2013, 09:13 AM
 
3,175 posts, read 3,640,795 times
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I really loved the older Nicci French books but the recent ones were not as good to me. 1997 through 2003 were my favorites.
I just received Blue Monday which is recent and hoping for the best.
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Old 02-08-2013, 02:52 PM
 
12,270 posts, read 11,279,274 times
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If you like John Sandford and the Lucas Davenport Prey books, be sure to check out his series with Virgil Flowers, one of the characters in the later Prey books.

Dark of the Moon #1 in Virgil Flowers

Heat Lightning #2 in Virgil Flowers

Rough Country #3 in Virgil Flowers

Bad Blood #4 in Virgil Flowers

Shock Wave #5 in Virgil Flowers

Mad River #6 in Virgil Flowers

The series is a bit lighter than the Prey books, but the plotting and storytelling are just as intense.
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Old 02-09-2013, 10:09 AM
 
3,175 posts, read 3,640,795 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mag32gie View Post
I really loved the older Nicci French books but the recent ones were not as good to me. 1997 through 2003 were my favorites.
I just received Blue Monday which is recent and hoping for the best.
Just wanted to warn everybody, I have almost finished Blue Monday and it is terrible!
I was on a reading kick about 3 years ago and loved Nicci French (2 people writing under one name) but this book was so bad it made me wonder if their children wrote this one.
What a waste of time.
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Old 02-09-2013, 10:23 AM
 
750 posts, read 1,430,982 times
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Agree with many of the authors suggested here. Love Tana French, Dennis Lehane, Michael Connelly and many others.

A new, favorite mystery series is the Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson. Never in a million years would I have picked up a "western" about a sheriff in the least populated county in Wyoming, but a friend, whose taste in books I respect, raved about them. I thoroughly enjoy his writing style, very human cast of characters and some laugh out loud moments that come unexpectedly. Not slapstick, just very human observations. Love these books and recommend them to all of my friends who love to read. I have made many converts!
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Old 02-09-2013, 12:06 PM
 
589 posts, read 1,341,647 times
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I may be repeating some names, but try

Mary Higgins Clark
Nancy Taylor Rosenberg
John Grisham
Dan Brown
Jeffrey Archer
Jeffrey Deaver

If you are willing to add a little bit of supernatural/paranormal element to your reading, start with:

F. Paul Wilson - the Repairman Jack series
Jim Butcher - The Dresden Files (you have to stick with this until at least halfway through book 2 - you'll likely hate Harry Dresden at first, but he does grow on you)
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Old 02-09-2013, 06:27 PM
 
1,034 posts, read 1,791,614 times
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I read a lot, and when I can't find anything new that tickles my fancy I turn to older books. Some of these authors may be harder to find through libraries, some are reprinted, and new and older printings are often available through Amazon or ABE booksellers.

These are oldies but goodies with lots of humor, published mainly in the 30's & 40's.
Phoebe Atwood Taylor's Asey Mayo series and the Leonidas Witherall series. The Witherall series can get quite wacky.

I've been reading books by Constance & Gwyneth Little during the past few weeks. They are all stand alones, quirky, and I haven't stumbled on a clunker yet.

John Dickson Carr & Carter Dickson (same author) - very enjoyable, primarily set in England.

Georgette Heyer wrote both regency romances & mysteries. All very good, and as a rule I hate romances, but I loved hers.

Elizabeth Daly - all very good, the exploits of rare book expert Henry Gamage

Dorothy Sayers , classics, on par with Agatha Christie

Margey Allingham, ditto

Ellery Queen, the author, not the magazine collections

SS van Dine, wrote about Philo Vance

John Marquand's Mr. Moto. When I first tried one I wasn't too sure I'd like it, but it was fascinating. The story was well written, not like the movies at all. Marquand won a Pulitzer for his novel The Late George Apley.

Earl Derr Biggers Charlie Chan books were also a surprise.

Stuart Palmer, hard to find author, wrote the Hildegarde Withers novels. She was a NY public school teacher, and several of the books were made into movies in the 30's.

Michael Innes is good, some have humor, others are more serious in tone.

Craig Rice and Kelly Roos were hard to find authors, but I enjoyed most of the ones I could find.

Of contemporary authors, I think most have been mentioned by others. Not sure if anyone mentioned M C Beaton's Agatha Raisin series. I love it.

Victoria Laurie has 2 series out, both with a psychic bent. I can't get into the one at all, but I got a kick out of the ghost hunter series. Every title has the word ghoul in it. I think there's 5 or 6 out, and I've enjoyed them all so far.
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Old 02-09-2013, 10:03 PM
 
1,370 posts, read 2,172,106 times
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I really have enjoyed the J. D. Robb/Nora Roberts "In Death" series. Although they are a cross with romance books, they are still a cop/crime procedural/mystery, and you get to know and love the characters. They also have a lot of humor. First book in the series is "Naked in Death": Amazon.com: Naked in Death (In Death, Book 1) (9780425148297): J. D. Robb: Books

I also recommend Kate Wilhelm's "Barbara Holloway" series, which is a combination mystery/courtroom stories. First book in the series is "Death Qualifed": Death Qualified (Barbara Holloway Novels): Kate Wilhelm: 9781551668727: Amazon.com: Books

Also P. D. James' "Adam Dalgliesh" series - more dry, but still good mysteries. First book in the series is "Cover Her Face": Amazon.com: Cover Her Face (Adam Dalgliesh Mysteries, No. 1) (9780743219570): P.D. James: Books

Thanks for starting this thread, and thanks to all the contributors, as I am getting so many new ideas for mystery series!
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Old 02-10-2013, 01:13 AM
 
995 posts, read 1,109,406 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by C2ShiningC View Post
I really have enjoyed the J. D. Robb/Nora Roberts "In Death" series. Although they are a cross with romance books, they are still a cop/crime procedural/mystery, and you get to know and love the characters. They also have a lot of humor. First book in the series is "Naked in Death": Amazon.com: Naked in Death (In Death, Book 1) (9780425148297): J. D. Robb: Books
I, too, have read all of the "In Death" books by JD Robb. I've read every single book Nora Roberts has written since her first Silhouette romance came out in 1982? 81? Every.single.one.

The problem is, when I recommended any of her books in the past, the romance fans don't like the mystery/sf of her JD Robb titles, and the mystery fans aren't crazy about the romance in her Nora Roberts books. It's a little screwy...I just like Nora's stuff.
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Old 02-13-2013, 08:25 AM
 
Location: NW Philly Burbs
2,430 posts, read 5,556,655 times
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Quote:
Lee Child (Jack Reacher series although I gagged when Tom Cruise bought the rights to the novels so he could play Reacher)
Ha ha!! My Dad is all up in arms about this.. "Reacher is supposed to be 6-foot-something, a great big powerful guy, and they've got Tom Cruise playing him... I won't see it!"

He's SO disappointed, since I think he really would have like to have seen the film, with another star.
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