Another endorsement for the Aubrey/Maturin Cycle here.
Also recommend The Flashman Papers by George MacDonald Fraser. 12 books of 19th century historical fiction centered on the adventures of a roguish anti-hero in the British army. Lots of interaction with historical figures and events; some of the best parts are Fraser’s footnotes.
Thanks, muldoonthief. I thought that happened over a couple of books.
Another vote for Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosiganverse novels.
Excellent recommendations I’ve read and enjoyed most all of them. A few additions:
Nelson DeMille, John Corey Books, he also has written several other great series.
Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, FBI Agent Pendergast solving some really strange crimes.
David Baldacci, Started with his Camel Club books and moved on through about 6 or 8 different series.
Jo Nesbo, a Norwegian author his detective is Harry Hole in Oslo, Norway.
Olen Steinhauer, Has Milo Weaver a CIA agent.
John Sandford, Lucas Davenport is great, one of my favorites and also his spin off detective Virgil Flowers solving crimes in the North Woods.
Ted Bell, Alex Hawke books
I’m going to give a conditional second mention to this series. Conditional, because I loved the first few books where the scale was comparatively small - I love urban fantasy where you can have immense power, but are stuck roughing up punks just to afford smokes, booze, and a flophouse. It’s always a fun change from uber-wealthy immortal tropes (my example being from the White Wolf TT-RPG where a Fallen Angel in my group was working as a short order cook to pay rent).
The later books got caught up in an escalation of power, scope, and consequence to the point they were less fun for me. Doesn’t mean bad, just less fun.
I’m glad to see some love for Connelly. As with most series the earlier Bosch books are better IMO, and the TV series doesn’t compare.
That said, I like his Lincoln Lawyer series slightly better. The movie starring Matthew McConaughey was pretty good, but I didn’t like the casting in the Netflix series and soon lost interest.
I just pulled up a list of the Sandman Slim books, and apparently, I lost track of this series. The last one I read was Kill City Blues, which was 10 years ago(yikes!).
What, in your opinion was the last good one?
Good is values of good - the last one I really loved was in fact Devil Said Bang - because that’s where he himself seemed to realize that power, authority, wealth and influence were just not him. So one book before you stopped. The rest are various flavors of fine, but too much world saving / world ending consequences. 
Plus, like any long series of high action, “high-stakes” sort of conflict, you know the plot armor is there (well, to degrees). That’s less of an issue with, say, detective works (which for others in the thread, this borrows certain noir detective elements from, but it’s not a real focus) where bloody conflict isn’t a focus, but it is here.
ETA - the last book I read was Killing Pretty, so about two books past your endpoint. Not bad, but just didn’t feel like buying more after that point.
So I quit when I was ahead, without even knowing it.
Hey!! Ya know…
Allan D. Hunter’s autobiographical trilogy. (First two in print, third pending). You’re right, we count! (and yeah I’m biased too)
I may or may not have a son named after the protagonist of this book series.
(I do.)
I was so inspired by Miles because he faces so many disadvantages with so much grace and dignity.
Reading that series is one of the best life experiences I have ever had. And every book is different, there are many different genres. Action, mystery, romance, horror, something for everyone. A Civil Campaign is one of funniest things I have ever read.
And I am madly in love with Aral Vorkosigan. I don’t think I’ve ever loved a fictional man more.
So many have mentioned the Vorkosigan series that I’m thinking I should read it. What is the first book? I always prefer to read series in order.
I’ve enjoyed the Charles Todd series and character Inspector Ian Rutledge, although I haven’t read them all, and I keep hoping that the inspector will make get at least a little better, mental health wise. “Charles Todd” was actually two people (mother and son I think) and the mother died, so I don’t know if the series has continued or not. I have to space these out because I find them grim as well as good reads, so I haven’t kept up with the speed of writing and publication up to now.
I have also read and enjoyed quite a few of the Peculiar Crimes Unit series by Christopher Fowler. I keep imagining the two old (senior in every sense) detectives being played by Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan, but the years tick by and it doesn’t happen. What I enjoy about this series is that every episode is truly, well, peculiar, or weird if you prefer.
The Brother Cadfael mysteries, by Ellis Peters, are good in spite of their ecclesiastical setting, especially as Cadfael is a lay brother and so has minimal religious duties. Sometimes it gets a little into the weeds of that historical period, but mostly it presents a human-level portrait of life at the time, as well as mysteries to be solved.
Probably my favorite series is one that I’ve actually read and collected every volume (still missing a few short stories) – the Maigret series by Georges Simenon (translated into English, as I don’t understand French). They are so different from other genre fiction mysteries, they focus on social mores and human interactions instead of puzzles.
A question for the Vorkosigan fans here, have you read any of Bujold’s other books? If not, I recommend you at least read The Curse of Chalion, it’s one of her best books.
I tend to disagree. I feel first time readers can start with Shards of Honor or even The Warrior’s Apprentice. “Dreamweaver’s Dilemma” is technically part of the series but it’s set five hundred years before the main part of the series. And it’s a not particularly memorable short story that’s out of print and hard to get a copy of. Falling Free is a decent novel worth reading but it’s not the best book in the series and it’s connection with the rest of the series is minor (it’s another book set long before the events of the main series).
I will add that it is a wonderful, fun, and funny series.
I will also add that there are plenty of tragic moments, where bad things happen to good and well intentioned people, or at least, people trying to be good. And sometimes frequently.
Which makes it more realistic than most, but will sometimes break your heart.
I’ve read all of them, and while they were all enjoyable, the 3-volume original World of the Five Gods is terrific fiction with lovely writing and twists that made me laugh out loud with appreciation.
What’s that ? Google sent me back here !
My favorites :-
Lucas Davenport
Virgil Flowers
John Dortmunder
Harry Bosch
Jack Reacher
Joe Picket
Roy Grace (Peter James, UK)
Alan Banks (Peter Robinson, UK)
Bob Skinner (Quintin Jardine, UK)
Probably others i can’t think of atm.
ETA: Oh yes …
Bernie Rhodenbarr (Lawrence Block)
Matt Scudder ( " )
More …
Elvis Cole / Joe Pike
R. Daneel Olivaw / Elijah Baley