Hooked on Mysteries

stringertom

Bionic Poster
I am an addict for well-crafted contemporary mysteries. I have read every Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller book by Michael Connelley and wait for his next release eagerly. When I had finished those series, I lucked out and discovered Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus series and have devoured those and his subsequent creations featuring Malcolm Fox. A customer of mine recommended The Millenium Trilogy and I went through those three rather quickly. Does anyone have a favorite author and series to advance to until my pals, Rankin and Connelley, get published again?
 

Avles

Hall of Fame
I don't read many mysteries, but a lot of people seem to like Donna Leon's Guido Brunetti novels set in Venice. She's written 20+ so if you like them they'll keep you busy for a while.
 

treblings

Hall of Fame
I don't read many mysteries, but a lot of people seem to like Donna Leon's Guido Brunetti novels set in Venice. She's written 20+ so if you like them they'll keep you busy for a while.

second that
also Robert Parkers ´Spenser´series is tremendous
 

Sentinel

Bionic Poster
Used to call 'em whodunits in my time.

I loved the Enid Blyton ones. Famous Five, Secret Seven etc. :D

Asimov also published some neat sci-fi mysteries. I remember The Lost Robot.
 

Mauvaise

Rookie
I haven't read them yet, but they are on my To Read List: The Jack Reacher books by Lee Childs.

I'm reading Tana French's Murder Squad series now and she can really write! But I've only read the first one (In The Woods) and I would only recommend it if you don't mind a book that ends on a fairly depressing, unfinished note. If that doesn't bother you - I can't recommend it highly enough.

For a (very) light fluffy read - I suggest Harlen Coben's Myron Bolitar series. They are what I call "beach reads": not particularly well-written or believable, and can be somewhat repetitive, but they are like potato chips: I just can't stop consuming them. They are just fun - he writes some good dialogue.
 

sureshs

Bionic Poster
Used to call 'em whodunits in my time.

I loved the Enid Blyton ones. Famous Five, Secret Seven etc. :D

I didn't even consider those because I thought OP meant adult mysteries.

You forgot Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew (yes I admit I have read a few).

You will be surprised that most of these authors are unknown to the present generation in the US. I think Enid Blyton was never known here. Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew yes, even movies made on them, but they are probably as unfamiliar as Laurel and Hardy.

It has something to do with the colonial tradition I think.

Tintin and Asterix are also virtually unknown here, until Spielberg's movie on Tintin.
 

Sentinel

Bionic Poster
Do spy novels come under Mystery ? They do have the same whodunit/detection thing except on a larger scale.

Is it possible that the Mystery novel (such as Christie and Doyle) got replaced by spy novels in the 80's. In my time, Alistair MacLean was a hot author (usually kids graduated from Hardy Boys to MacLean). "Fear is the Key" was the hot title. Then Sidney Sheldon etc became popular. I liked Tom Clancy and the spy theme.

After the breakup of Russia, the spy novel (and 007) moved onto North Korea which became very dull.
 

chrischris

G.O.A.T.
Its a mystery how people are increasingly divorcing themselves from their own nature and will.

The Spy Who came in from the Cold was pretty good imo.
 

max

Legend
Its a mystery how people are increasingly divorcing themselves from their own nature and will.

The Spy Who came in from the Cold was pretty good imo.

Right. I recommend the whole John Le Carre bibliography.

Oh, and our escapism comes from many sources: excessive individualism, break-up of our social connections, The Global Economy and Its Constant Pressure. . .
 

CoachingMastery

Professional
While not as 'classic' as those mentioned, anyone who is a Disney fan or has been to Disneyland will enjoy the action-adventure mystery series, "HIDDEN MICKEY" (which, I created and co-authored.) These have been top-selling books at the Disney resort and have garnered the attention of production companies of Irwin-Winkler and Jerry Bruckheimer.

Imagine finding the long-lost diary of Walt Disney and finding he has left an obscure clue to finding something of great value that he hid before dying in 1966!
 
N

Net_Rusher

Guest
Try out Norwegian Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole (pronounced something like "Harry Hula" in Norwegian) mysteries, starting with The Redbreast. The Harry Hole character reminds me a bit of early Harry Bosch. The confusing part with these books is that The Redbreast is actually the third novel in the series, but for years the first two novels were not translated into English. Now, finally, those missing novels are getting translated, with the first one "The Bat" coming out in the UK in a couple of weeks; they will probably get released over here in a year or two. There's also one book, called The Redeemer, that has only been released in the UK, too, so far, because the US publishers didn't find it as marketable as other later books in the series. Anyway, here's a short bio on Nesbo and the book reading order: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/n/jo-nesbo/ And, yes, I know the above is a bit of overkill, but hey, I'm a fan:)

I also like the books of South African author Deon Meyer (except Blood Safari). He writes mostly police procedurals, with a little bit of private detective/espionage/thriller thrown in, but everything is set in the same "universe," he just sometimes focuses the stories on one cop/character, then he'll have that cop/character become a secondary character in another book, where the previous book's supporting character now comes to the forefront; sort of like Ed McBain's 87th Precinct stuff, with a South African twist.
 
N

Net_Rusher

Guest
Try out Norwegian Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole (pronounced something like "Harry Hula" in Norwegian) mysteries, starting with The Redbreast. The Harry Hole character reminds me a bit of early Harry Bosch. The confusing part with these books is that The Redbreast is actually the third novel in the series, but for years the first two novels were not translated into English. Now, finally, those missing novels are getting translated, with the first one "The Bat" coming out in the UK in a couple of weeks; they will probably get released over here in a year or two. There's also one book, called The Redeemer, that has only been released in the UK, too, so far, because the US publishers didn't find it as marketable as other later books in the series. Anyway, here's a short bio on Nesbo and the book reading order: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/n/jo-nesbo/ And, yes, I know the above is a bit of overkill, but hey, I'm a fan:)

I also like the books of South African author Deon Meyer (except Blood Safari). He writes mostly police procedurals, with a little bit of private detective/espionage/thriller thrown in, but everything is set in the same "universe," he just sometimes focuses the stories on one cop/character, then he'll have that cop/character become a secondary character in another book, where the previous book's supporting character now comes to the forefront; sort of like Ed McBain's 87th Precinct stuff, with a South African twist.

Because I'm anal about this stuff, that should read The Bat, not "The Bat."
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
^^^That's a different twist on being anal if you are also endorsing Jo's Dr. Proctor's Fart Powder and Who Cut The Cheese???? LOL!
 

Rozroz

G.O.A.T.
i read a lot of mystery/detective stuff.
but i can't stand even a hint of 'formula' in a story.
any unrealistic character plots or stupid love interests just make me stop reading or turning pages.
many of the new best sellers are of this type unfortunately.

i like the tough, dark grim ones :)
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
i read a lot of mystery/detective stuff.
but i can't stand even a hint of 'formula' in a story.
any unrealistic character plots or stupid love interests just make me stop reading or turning pages.
many of the new best sellers are of this type unfortunately.

i like the tough, dark grim ones :)

If that's your "cuppa", by all means read Rankin's Rebus series, his new Malcolm Fox works or either of the Connelley sets (Harry Bosch/Mickey Haller)!
 

Rozroz

G.O.A.T.
If that's your "cuppa", by all means read Rankin's Rebus series, his new Malcolm Fox works or either of the Connelley sets (Harry Bosch/Mickey Haller)!

thanks. i'll check 'em out.

already went out and got "black & blue", now reading :)
thanks for the info again.
 
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stringertom

Bionic Poster
thanks. i'll check 'em out.

already went out and got "black & blue", now reading :)
thanks for the info again.

Read them in sequence if you can. Black And Blue is an early one but I think Knots and Crosses started the Rebus chain. No big harm there. In the Bosch series, Black Echo is the starter.

Good reading to you!
 

Rozroz

G.O.A.T.
Read them in sequence if you can. Black And Blue is an early one but I think Knots and Crosses started the Rebus chain. No big harm there. In the Bosch series, Black Echo is the starter.

Good reading to you!

thanks! i'm In Israel so unfortunately just 3 books translated :(
please let me know if you remember any other good options for me!
 

chrischris

G.O.A.T.
Im hooked on the mystery how come our infrastructure in roads, electricity ,water pipes and energy as a nation is so bad.
 

Rozroz

G.O.A.T.
Read them in sequence if you can. Black And Blue is an early one but I think Knots and Crosses started the Rebus chain. No big harm there. In the Bosch series, Black Echo is the starter.

Good reading to you!

finished Black and Blue.
it was nice.
but i must admit i prefer even more ׳realistic' hero.
i felt that Rebus was ok part of the book until he started being 'redeemed'.
you know, he gets sober, start seeing how life is good and all that boring stuff.
i like an even darker complicated hero..
 

TW Staff

Administrator
I am an addict for well-crafted contemporary mysteries. I have read every Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller book by Michael Connelley and wait for his next release eagerly. When I had finished those series, I lucked out and discovered Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus series and have devoured those and his subsequent creations featuring Malcolm Fox. A customer of mine recommended The Millenium Trilogy and I went through those three rather quickly. Does anyone have a favorite author and series to advance to until my pals, Rankin and Connelley, get published again?

Being a fan of Connelley's Haller and Bosch books, I'll recommend the Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben. Those have been my favorite, along with the Reacher series by Lee Child.

My two cents.

Happy reading!

Spencer, TW.
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
finished Black and Blue.
it was nice.
but i must admit i prefer even more ׳realistic' hero.
i felt that Rebus was ok part of the book until he started being 'redeemed'.
you know, he gets sober, start seeing how life is good and all that boring stuff.
i like an even darker complicated hero..

Read on...I assure you his personal reform is only temporary! Aside from his flat in Marchmont (usually well stocked in fine Scotch), Rebus is most often found at the Oxford Bar, bending the elbow and rubbing shoulders with his brethren of the bottle.
 

chrischris

G.O.A.T.
Mystery:Why are there only 2 parties in the race? I want more real chances and choices...
Everything else i have my freedom of choice.
 
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