The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

I have become a slave to detective fiction. Are there any alternative sleuths out there? Have just read CJ Box Out Of Range, about a game warden. And I know in a few of Michael Connelly books a journalist has the task of solving murders.

Who else but the police can solve crimes? Any recommendations?

Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar series fits the bill. Myron is a former professional basketball player now turned sports agent who routinely is solving cases that usually involve his clients. I love this series and have listened to each story on audiobook where the narrator pretty much nails the attitude of Myron.

The first book in the series is Deal Breaker .

Do you want humor or serious? Take a look at Hank Phillippi Ryan's first series. I think it started with Prime Time. Her latest series is more thriller/suspense than sleuth. The first book in that series (about a journalist and a cop - co-protagonists) is

Terry Ambrose
Mysteries with Character

Thank you Jonetta and Terry. I have put the books in my 'to read' box.
Jonetta - thank you for your suggestion. Ashamedly, I haven't read any Harlan Coben. Is Deal Breaker a good introduction of his works?
Terry - I suppose my interest is 'serious' crime, but books with the odd bit of humour are fine - so long as they aren't too corny. I enjoy black humour. I particularly like the sound of The Other Woman.

Toby - In Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon mysteries, Anna is a US Park Ranger who gets involved in mysteries at the various National Parks. Interesting concept and you do get to visit all the parks in the US. In Jan Burke's Irene Kelly series, the protagonist is a newspaper reporter. She is married to a police officer, but she is the main person solving the mysteries. Both series are quite good.

Faces of the Gone by Brad Parks and The Poet by Michael Connelly are two journalist trying to solve crimes.

Toby wrote: "Thank you Jonetta and Terry. I have put the books in my 'to read' box.
Jonetta - thank you for your suggestion. Ashamedly, I haven't read any Harlan Coben. Is Deal Breaker a good introduction of hi..."

I thought so. His standalone books are also highly touted but I haven't tried them yet.

Toby, The Other Woman doesn't have a lot of humor, it's a political suspense novel...I hesitate to call it a thriller because that connotes global-destruction themes and that's definitely not the case here. However, in the sense of stuff happening and characters digging themselves into holes, it's a thriller.

And Harlan Coben is excellent. Deal Breaker should be a good start. And, I just saw Jan Burke listed above, another great writer.

If you like a bit of history with your mystery I would suggest the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear The first is Maisie Dobbs.

One series I've enjoyed is the Gabriel DuPre series by Peter Bowen, set in northern MT. The main character is a brand inspector and a folk musician, a Metis'. Very accurately written about the location, the people and their attitudes. Peter Bowen

Just finished The Guards by Ken Bruen and this might fit what you are looking for. I little bit of dry, dark humor. Not a traditional PI book because "There are no private eyes in Ireland. The Irish wouldn't wear it. The concept brushes perilously close to 'informer'." A pretty grim, but very enjoyable read. This was my first Ken Bruen book and I will definitely be checking out the rest of his books.

Charles Todd's newer series - Bess Crawford - she is a nurse in WWI who gets involved in various mysteries.

Have you tried Marcia Clark? Her LA heroine is a district attorney. (Clark was OJ Simpson's head prosecutor, so she knows her stuff.)

David Rosenfelt's 'Andy Carpenter' series features a defense attorney. The first in the series is Open and Shut.

Jefferson Bass writes about Dr. Bill Brockton, who investigates crimes as an anthropologist at the Tennessee's 'Body Farm'. The first in the series is Carved in Bone. (A strong stomach is sometimes needed for this series.)

I would also recommend Linwood Barclay as an author that writes about everyday people caught up in an investigation of some sort. Not a series but his standalone books are very good. I really loved Never Look Away: A Thriller.

Wow, thank you guys. My To Be Read shelf has become significantly bigger!!

And there's nothing wrong with having a bigger TBR shelf.. :0)

For something completely different, try Ian Sansom's Mobile Library series...

How about the new book Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie or the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley.

There is also the Dr. Siri series by Colin Cotterillthat starts with The Coroner's Lunch

J.J. wrote: "Have you tried Marcia Clark? Her LA heroine is a district attorney. (Clark was OJ Simpson's head prosecutor, so she knows her stuff.)"

Marcia Clark knows her stuff? She lost.

I would definitely recommend Harlan Coben too. I think Dealbreaker is the first in the Myron Bolitar series. It's the first one I read and I thought it was a very strong introduction to the various characters.

I wasn't a huge fan of the Dragon Tattoo series, and I only read the first book, but they might be worth a try too? I think I'm the only person in the world who doesn't like that series actually..!

Angelo wrote: "I wasn't a huge fan of the Dragon Tattoo series, and I only read the first book, but they might be worth a try too? I think I'm the only person in the world who doesn't like that series actually..!
"

You are not alone. I tried a couple of times and never could get through the first one. Kept reading the rave reviews and thinking I obviously didn't get whatever it was.

Philip Gooden Writes two series under this name. The Shakespeare Murders are from Nick Revill's perspective - he's a Shakespeare Player. The second is the Tom Ansell series - a lawyer.

He also writes as Philippa Morgan and this mystery series is headed by Chaucer.

Nick Revill and Chaucer sometimes also feature in the Medieval Murderers, The series.

Sharon wrote: "Angelo wrote: "I wasn't a huge fan of the Dragon Tattoo series, and I only read the first book, but they might be worth a try too? I think I'm the only person in the world who doesn't like that ser..."

I didn't think it was all that great either.

Bill wrote: "Toby - In Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon mysteries, Anna is a US Park Ranger who gets involved in mysteries at the various National Parks. Interesting concept and you do get to visit all the parks in th..."

My first thought was also Nevada Barr

Other amateur sleuth/non-cozy authors off the top of my head, Edna Buchanan a Miami crime journalist, Sarah Andrews Denver based geologist and I'm sure I'll think of a few more after I hit 'post'

There's a sub-genre called "amateur detective" that you can search Amazon for. It usually means someone who comes upon a murder and solves it using their own unique skills in non-law enforcement areas. I think a lot of cozies fall into that category.

My book - http://www.amazon.com/White-Lies-eboo... is about an actor that must find a killer.

Sorry, but I have to put a comment in these unused topics as far as I can figure out to remove them from my unread topics listing on my app. Have managed to delete them on the website but they are still unread from the app point of view. Sorry for being such a pain but no other help forthcoming in terms of getting rid of them. Katherine

I love crime fiction series with a reporter as the protagonist. Here are my favorites:
Robin Hamilton (Nancy Barr)
Britt Montero (Edna Buchanan)
Irene Kelly (Jan Burke)
Jack Gannon (Rick Mofina)
Tom Reed (Rick Mofina)
Jason Wade (Rick Mofina)
Carter Ross (Brad Parks)

Tim Cockey wrote a series with a funeral director as his main character.

Annette Dashofy recently released the second book in a series featuring Zoe Chambers, an EMT and part-time coroner.

John Dunning wrote a 5 book series starring an antique book seller.

Earl Emerson wrote the Mac Fontana series about a small town fire chief.

Dick Francis wrote a slew of novels featuring jockeys and others involved in horse racing.

Sarah Graves writes a series about a woman restoring a centuries old home.

Kathryn Miller Haynes wrote a series about an actress in WWII New York.

Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series stars a child psychologist.

Christine Kling writes a series about a salvage tug operator.

Ed McBain's Matthew Hope series has a Florida lawyer as a main character.

Thomas Perry's Jane Whitefield is a native American guide (she helps people 'disappear').

Lisa Scottoline writes both series and stand-alone novels starring lawyers.

Julia Spenser-Fleming's books feature a female Episcopal priest.

Victoria Thompson's Gaslight series stars a midwife in turn of the (last) century New York.
Stephen White's just concluded Alan Gregory series featured a clinical psychologist.

I adore Michael Connelly's Jack McEvoy is a journalist;
Jonathan Kellerman and Alex Delaware (mentioned above)
Faye Kellerman and Rina Laszlow ( Peter Decker's wife).

Donna wrote: "How about the new book Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie or the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley.

There is also the Dr. Siri series by [..."

I love the Flavia De Luce Series and find they just keep getting better as 11 year old Flavia gets older and solves more Mysteries.

I will check these out

No love for Brother Cadfael the crime solving benedictine monk by Ellis Peters?

I used to read Ellis Peters.

To Simon ^^ I totally love Ellis peters cadfael books I have them all

Zoe - It is indeed an excellent series, I'm slowly working my way throught it.

Ctgt wrote: "Just finished The Guards by Ken Bruen and this might fit what you are looking for. I little bit of dry, dark humor. Not a traditional PI book because "There are no priv..."

I love those books!

If you go to stopyourekillingme.com, you can find crime solvers by occupation. That should give you a ton of choices.