Mystery Lovers! discussion

I love mysteries but I just can't read modern mystery writers. Their books are just too grim, too violent, too PC, too obsessed with serial killers and psychopaths.

I prefer the writers of the golden age, when murder was still fun!

Anyone else have this problem with modern authors?

I also don't much care for the serial killer/psychopath genre or the modern "hard" crime mysteries, but have found that there are a large number of well written modern mysteries that follow the golden age themes. Some of them are even police procedurals. A couple are the Gregor Demarkian series by Jane Haddam, the Richard Jury series by Martha Grimes, the Kincaid series by Deborah Crombie.

I have mixed feelings about this. I agree wholeheartedly that the violence is over-the-top and has become downright pornographic in recent years. I also feel that too many authors see this kind of violence as a required feature of a good story. It is not. That aside, the storytelling itself has gotten much much better in my opinion. If you can point me to a golden age mystery writer whose books are as gripping as Michael Connelly's or Ian Rankin's for example, I will read them. Then I will eat them.
By the way, if you haven't read Sue Grafton you may find that her mysteries are just what you're looking for. Her murders tend to be less grisly than those of her peers while her writing is unmatched. She spins a good yarn with great characters and has a great sense of humor to boot. Others have tried to imitate her, none have come close!

Liz wrote: "or Ian Rankin's for example"

Ian Rankin is one of the writers I just can't read I'm afraid. The one book of his that I've read turned me right off.

I am a devoted fan of the older mysteries, especially set in England. As you said, they are less grisly (in fact they are seldom grisly at all), and the puzzles are complex and fun. The modern writers that I enjoy are Ian Rankin, Reginald Hill, Ruth Rendell and P.D. James. I am also a fan of the Nero Wolfe series......but most of my mystery library is made up of books written in the 1920-1950s.

I've enjoyed some of P. D. James' books quite a bit. Ruth Rendell I didn't like at all - I found her to be very PC.

I agree. But the shift to more violence is probably inevitable. When something works, by which I mean it produces sales, publishers want more of it and escalation is the result.

Reading Reginald Hill's Deadheads at the moment, each chapter is named after a rose, with it's description. Daziel is his usual politically incorrect self, and Pascoe suffers for it.

I prefer less gore & violence, but do read modern mysteries.

Kendall wrote: "I agree. But the shift to more violence is probably inevitable. When something works, by which I mean it produces sales, publishers want more of it and escalation is the result."

You are right on the money, Kendall. Violence sells in this day and age.......look at film. It has gone from scenes of people being shot but never bleeding to internal organs being blown all over the room. I don't mind some violence in a book (or film) but gratuitous violence is unnecessary in my opinion. I certainly read modern authors but steer away from those whose stories are all violence and no plot.

Dfordoom have you tried Jacqueline Tey, my favourite so far is The Daughter of Time,(apparantly it's Truth). Written in the 30's, 40's and 50's.

Deanne wrote: "Dfordoom have you tried Jacqueline Tey, my favourite so far is The Daughter of Time,(apparantly it's Truth). Written in the 30's, 40's and 50's."

Yes, I've read a couple of hers and liked them. Especially A Shilling for Candles.

For my money, it's very hard to beat Dorothy L. Sayers.

My mystery Fallen From Grace isn't of the past, but is set in the past and may meet your criteria for a pleasant read. I invite you to check the reviews here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1610...

Dfordoom wrote: "I love mysteries but I just can't read modern mystery writers. Their books are just too grim, too violent, too PC, too obsessed with serial killers and psychopaths.

I prefer the writers of the g..."

I do find some modern crime novels too guresome and scary, but murder is gruesome and scary.

Three series I personally read hav emuch less vilence and gore but are modern:

Luke Thanet mysteries by Dorothy Simpson.Last Seen Alive is one of them. She won the British Silver Dagger award. All have been reprinted in the US.

Jane Jeffrey Mywsteries by Jill Churchill.Grime and Punishment is the first. Very well done.

Sister Mary Helen mysteries by Sister Carol O-Marie. Novena for Murder: A Sister Mary Helen Mystery. Good characterization and vilence and language kept to a bare minimum. Eight so far in the series.