The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

I really enjoyed all 5 of Tana French's Dublin Squad novels. I'd like to find similar police procedurals (preferably whodunnits) to read- could be a series or stand alone. Any thoughts?

Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series.

50+ books starting with Cop Hater in 1956 and ending with Fiddlers in 2005. All of them are fairly short (around 200 pages) and loaded with police procedures. It's interesting to see how the police and their procedures change over the years.

Something a little dated, but a classic, is the first Martin Beck mystery: ROSEANNA, by Sjowall and Wahloo. In many ways it broke from convention and set the stage for the cascade of "scandinavian/nordic" procedurals.

Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series
Faye Kellerman's Pet Decker series
Sunny Frazier's Joaquin Valley series

Thanks so much!

:)

the book that started it all, cinema-wise
'The Naked City', or
Hillary Waugh’s ground-breaking police-procedural 'Last Seen Wearing' (1952)

Quillracer wrote: "Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series.

50+ books starting with Cop Hater in 1956 and ending with Fiddlers in 2005. All of them are fairly short (around 200 pages) and loaded with police procedures. It'..."

I just bought my first in this series.

Thanks everybody. I will definitely be checking all of these out. Let me know how it is Bill!

Good Morning Chelsea
I have just finished "A Song for the Dying" by Stuart MacBride the most riveting police and Interviewing procedure I have read in a long time

Thank you Stan! I will check it out

Thank you Stan. That kind of review is very helpful. I am definitely going to check it out.

Note to Bill McBain's 87th precinct series is consistently excellent. It has the best back and forth dialogue by cops sitting around a table in crime novels. You know he also wrote "Blackboard Jungle" - and wrote the screenplay as well. He wrote that under a different name.

Laurence wrote: "Something a little dated, but a classic, is the first Martin Beck mystery: ROSEANNA, by Sjowall and Wahloo. In many ways it broke from convention and set the stage for the cascade of "scandinavian/..."

"Set the stage for the cascade ..." So many Scandinavian writers were influenced by Wahloo and Sjowall. But the series should definitely be read as a whole -- the authors were on a mission here. Dated? Maybe, but still my all-time favorite crime series ever.

Thomas wrote: "Note to Bill McBain's 87th precinct series is consistently excellent. It has the best back and forth dialogue by cops sitting around a table in crime novels. You know he also wrote "Blackboard Jungle" - and wrote the screenplay as well. He wrote that under a different name."

Evan Hunter.

my personal fave is:

First Directive
an unrecognized classic

one with international flair:
The Butcher's Theater
set in the holy city of Jerusalem

For the Dignified Dead by Michael Genelin
My review(4*)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Loving all these!

They sure sound great.

Feliks wrote: "my personal fave is:

First Directive
an unrecognized classic

one with international flair:
The Butcher's Theater
set in the holy city of Jerusalem"

sounds like a Kellerman

Thomas wrote: "Note to Bill McBain's 87th precinct series is consistently excellent. It has the best back and forth dialogue by cops sitting around a table in crime novels. You know he also wrote "Blackboard Jung..."

And from what I've read, it seems each case generally involves different detectives? So not critical to read in order?

I was wondering that too Bill

Has anyone here read Kellerman's Alex Delaware series? I know it's not necessarily pertaining to this thread but you all seem pretty knowledgable :)

Yes, Chelsea; I have read most of his series.

I have, too, Chelsea

Would you guys recommend them? I'm a little intimidated by the sheer amount of books but they look so good.

I would, Chelsea.

They're quasi-procedurals in that Alex's friend, Milo Sturgis, is a detective who often comes to him for psychological insight into a case he's working.

I would suggest you read them in order as there is one sub-plot that runs through many of the books that can be a little confusing if you read them randomly.

The stories on the whole are good, the plots complex but easy to follow. Sometimes the climax is a little weak and the follow-up chapters don't tie everything up as completely as I would like.

Yes, read them in order.

Thanks guys. I'm definitely going to start them. I appreciate the insight! Excited to read the first one!

Keep me posted, and you might be interested in Faye Kellerman's Peter Decker series ( police procedurals and a very unique story line).
AND
Sunny Frazier's novels.

I will definitely! Just ordered the first one off amazon since our library doesn't carry it :(

Which one did you buy?

Oops sorry! The first Alex Delaware :)

OK!

What's the title of the first Faye Kellerman's series? I'd like to look into those too.

In addition to Ed McBain’s 87th Precinct series, the following are heavily police procedural series:
Archer Mayor’s Joe Gunther Series set in Vermont.
Frank Zafiro’s River City series set in a fictional city – the closest to Ed McBain I’ve ever read.

Not strictly police procedurals, but it plays a large part:
Stephen Booth’s Cooper & Fry series set in England.
Alafair Burke’s Ellie Hatcher series set in NYC.
Jeff Carson’s Dave Wolf series set in Colorado.
Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series set in Los Angeles.
Deborah Crombie’s Kincaid & James series set in England.
Tess Gerritsen’s Rizzoli & Isles series set in Boston.
W. E. B. Griffin’s Badge Of Honor series set in Philadelphia.
J. A. Jance’s J. P. Beaumont series set in Seattle.
J. A. Jance’s Johanna Brady series set in Arizona.
Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire series set in Wyoming.
James Patterson/Marshall Karp’s NYPD Red series set in NYC.
Ridley Pearson’s Lou Boldt series set in Seattle.
Ridley Pearson’s Walt Fleming series set in Idaho.
John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport series set in Minneapolis.
John Sandford’s Virgil Flowers series set in Minnesota.

Some police procedure:
James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux series set in Louisiana.
Steven J. Cannell’s Shane Scully series set in Los Angeles.
Bill Crider’s Dan Rhodes series set in Texas.
Marie Force’s Sam Holland series set in Washington, DC.
C. J. Lyons’s Lucy Guardino (FBI) series set in Pittsburgh.
Toby Neal’s Lei Crime series set in Hawaii.
Joseph Wambaugh’s non-series LAPD books set in Los Angeles.

I loved the Ellie Hatcher series and have NYPD Red 3 on my to read since I read the first 2. I have Harry Bosch and Rizzoli and Isles on my wish list as well. Very interested in the Ridley Pearson series as well. And will be checking out these others. A good number of mystery/thriller/suspense authors come to our local used bookstore for meet and greets and Ridley Pearson was one of those.

Chelsea wrote: "What's the title of the first Faye Kellerman's series? I'd like to look into those too."

The Ritual Bath, I think

Quillracer wrote: "In addition to Ed McBain’s 87th Precinct series, the following are heavily police procedural series:
Archer Mayor’s Joe Gunther Series set in Vermont.
Frank Zafiro’s River City series set in a fict..."

Quillracer, I think I am going to copy and paste your comprehensive list.

Chelsea,
Harry Bosch is MY BESTEST
I also adore Sue Grafton A----through X series.
Carole O'Connell's earlier books
Lisa Gardener

James Lee Burke is great. All the Tana French books, Karin Slaughter, the Robert Galbraith books are fun,

I have some of his but unread; I would love to read the Tana French books; Karin Slaughter is good, too.

Skye- the Tana French books are great. So are the Robert Galbraith. I'm currently on Karin Slaughter's new Pretty Girls for our monthly read but have read all of her other series and stand alones. I also love Harlan Coben, Alafair Burke, Chevy Stevens and Lisa Unger's older books.

Thanks so much for the recommendations, Chelsea.

I want to continue with John Sandford and try David Morrell; ut I am interested in Tana French and have heard good things about Chevy Stevens. I personally don't care for Harlan Coben.

I read Creepers by David Morrell. A lot of people didn't care for it but I found it entertaining.

He is quite charming; he has been on GRs for questions and answers and is coming back. He is also very friendly.

That's awesome! I'd definitely read another book of his. Very creative.

I just need to pick one...The Brotherhood of the Rose?

naw, that's not a procedural; its espionage...

he's more recently done a procedural set in Victorian London, impressive