# Humorous Mysteries in Unconventional Settings **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 11, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821 "2010-06-11T18:13:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Skott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skott)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/1 "2010-06-11T18:13:11Z")
I’ve been analyzing some of my favorite books, TV shows, and movies, and have come to the conclusion that a lot of them usually have some of these aspects: [ul][li]Humorous or absurdest, especially self-aware[/li][li]Revolves around a mystery[/li][li]Set in an unconventional and/or imaginative location (usually scifi and/or fantasy)[/li][/ul] Which would explain why I like the Terry Pratchett’s Night Watch novels and John DeChancie’s _Castle Murders_ so much. I also enjoyed _The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse_, but to a lesser extent since it seemed more like Robert Rankin was making it up as he went along. The Dirk Gently series and Doctor Who could also qualify. Using only two aspects of the set shows other things I like: [ul] [li]Unconventionally-set humor - Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series, Discworld series, Castle Perilous series, Princess Bride, Stardust, Firefly[/li] [li]Humorous mysteries - Nero Wolfe, House, Stephanie Plum, Fletch, Psych, Monk[/li] [li]Unconventionally-set mysteries - Asimov’s Elijah Baley novels. I could stretch and say that the Wheel of Time series and A Song of Ice and Fire series have murder mysteries in them, but they’re only pursued as such in an off-handed manner. I guess Lost kinda qualifies as well.[/li][/ul] What other TV shows, movies, or especially books might meet these criteria? Unconventionally-set mysteries is the weakest category. Are there any novels about a detective agency in a fantasy setting? ---
**Author:** ![Skott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Skott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skott)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/2 "2010-06-11T18:21:37Z")
How could I forget Pushing Daisies???:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/3 "2010-06-11T18:23:13Z")
Check out Jasper Fforde. His “Nursery crimes” series ([The Big Over Easy](http://www.amazon.com/Big-Over-Easy-Nursery-Crime/dp/0143037234/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276280417&sr=1-9) and [The Fourth Bear](http://www.amazon.com/Fourth-Bear-Nursery-Crime/dp/0143038923/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276280417&sr=1-10)) fit your requirements more closely, but his Thursday Next series is also fun and has some of what you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/4 "2010-06-11T18:43:50Z")
Prepare to sing my praises: “Bimbos of the Death Sun” by Sharyn McCrumb is a humorous mystery set in a science fiction convention. “Zombies of the Gene Pool” is a sequel. I’ve read both, Bimbos is hilarious, Zombies less so but still fun. And if you like humor in your mysteries, Robert Parker’s “Spenser” novels are packed with wicked little one-liners. Never really thought of Nero Wolfe as humorous, but … you’re right, he sure can be. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/5 "2010-06-11T18:53:36Z")
Though I haven’t read them, I would assume Ron Goulart’s _Groucho Marx, Detective_ series would fit your criteria. Goulart has always been a very funny writer. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/6 "2010-06-11T19:08:22Z")
Nobody’s mentioned Robert Westlake’s Dortmunder series? > **[John Dortmunder](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dortmunder)** > > John Archibald Dortmunder is a fictional character created by Donald E. Westlake. He is the protagonist of 14 novels and 11 short stories published between 1970 and 2009. He first appeared in the novel The Hot Rock, published in 1970. > Westlake originally intended The Hot Rock to feature his Parker character and to publish it under his Richard Stark pseudonym. However, the plot involves a precious gem that is stolen, lost, reacquired, stolen again, lost again (and so forth), which seemed too comi... Some of the best pure writing around. Robert Westlake was easily the equal of P. G. Wodehouse, at his best, and that’s no small compliment. (also, P. G. Wodehouse, who was who Douglas Adams wanted to grow up to be.) ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/7 "2010-06-11T19:11:07Z")
Haven’t read them myself, but I’ve always meant to find the [Lord Darcy stories](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Darcy_(character)), which seem to qualify. Larry Niven wrote a series of science fiction (with psi powers) stories, the Gil the Arm stories, which have been collected in various places and under various titles. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/8 "2010-06-11T19:12:26Z")
Also, _Bridge of Birds_ by Barry Hughart is sort of a mystery, is definitely funny, and definitely has a fantastic setting (for multiple meanings of fantastic). ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/9 "2010-06-11T19:22:54Z")
Since you like Douglas Adams’s Hitchhiker trilogy, I’ll suggest his Dirk Gently novels, [Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency](http://www.amazon.com/Dirk-Gentlys-Holistic-Detective-Agency/dp/0671746723/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_8) and [The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul](http://www.amazon.com/Long-Dark-Tea-Time-Soul/dp/0671742515/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b). The first has science fiction elements, and the second involves Norse gods. Aagh. I missed your reference to these in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Skott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Skott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skott)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/10 "2010-06-11T20:45:12Z")
Thanks all! Sounds like I’ve got some good reading to look forward to, instead of reading _Feet of Clay_ for the millionth time 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/11 "2010-06-11T20:51:22Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > Haven’t read them myself, but I’ve always meant to find the [Lord Darcy stories](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Darcy_(character)), which seem to qualify. > > Larry Niven wrote a series of science fiction (with psi powers) stories, the Gil the Arm stories, which have been collected in various places and under various titles. The Lord Darcy stories are quite good. Gil the ARM is also quite good, I suggest getting the [Flatlander](http://www.amazon.com/Flatlander-Larry-Niven/dp/0345394801/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_12) anthology, which collects all the Gil Hamilton books and has a previously unpublished story in it. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/12 "2010-06-11T20:57:54Z")
Oh, and check out the Dream Park series, written by Niven and Steven Barnes. LARPing to the max, plus various mysteries going on in the real world. The first book is _Dream Park_, which is a nice stand alone. This book introduced me to the Cargo Cult, which I find fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/13 "2010-06-11T21:03:42Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Though I haven’t read them, I would assume Ron Goulart’s _Groucho Marx, Detective_ series would fit your criteria. Goulart has always been a very funny writer. I’ve read one of these. I love Groucho, and I love Goulart, but the one I read was disappointing. Kinky Friedman has a series starring himself as a detective in New York. Okay, but not great. But I second the Jasper Fforde series. The Jack Sprat series is a spinoff of the Thursday Next series in a way I don’t want to say because it would be a spoiler. Read “The Well of Lost Plots” to see where the spinoff happens. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/14 "2010-06-12T03:29:19Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Nobody’s mentioned Robert Westlake’s Dortmunder series? > [John Dortmunder - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dortmunder) > Some of the best pure writing around. Robert Westlake was easily the equal of P. G. Wodehouse, at his best, and that’s no small compliment. But is he as good as Donald Westlake? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/15 "2010-06-12T15:23:22Z")
I don’t know, but he’s better than Donald Parker. (Robert Parker is one of Westlake’s nom de plumes. I managed to conflate him with his real name. ) > **[Donald E. Westlake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_E._Westlake)** > > Donald Edwin Westlake (July 12, 1933 – December 31, 2008) was an American writer with more than one hundred novels and non-fiction books to his credit. He specialized in crime fiction, especially comic capers, with an occasional foray into science fiction and other genres. Westlake created two professional criminal characters who each starred in a long-running series: the relentless, hardboiled Parker (published under the pen name Richard Stark), and John Dortmunder, who featured in a more humoro... I should point out that The Grifters, a Westlake-penned screenplay, is a _hell_ of a movie. The other movies based on his work tend to be varying in quality. Point Blank and Payback are both fondly remembered. I’ve never seen The Hot Rock with Robert Redford, but it should be good. Avoid the hell out of What’s the Worst That Could Happen? with DeVito. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/16 "2010-06-12T16:11:40Z")
Glen Cook’s Garrett series. It’s a take-off on the Nero Wolfe mysteries, sorta, but set in a fantasy world. The latest ones have gotten a bit grimmer, but there’s still plenty of humour to be found. _Sweet Silver Blues_ is the first one. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/17 "2010-06-12T16:48:22Z")
I like the [Bryant and May](http://www.christopherfowler.co.uk/blog/?page_id=68) mysteries by Christopher Fowler. Not strictly supernatural, but there’s always a bunch of weird shit going on in the Peculiar Crimes Unit. The humour is very dry and very British. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/18 "2010-06-12T17:05:09Z")
[Lisa Lutz,](http://lisalutz.com/) author of the Spellman series might be in the right area. About a family of PIs who are an absurdly disfunctional family. Came inhere to mantoin Jasper Fforde, but **Thudlow Boink** beat me to it. Mysteries in which the protagonist can move from reality into books. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/19 "2010-06-12T17:09:38Z")
> [@Skott](#): > > How could I forget Pushing Daisies???:smack: How come everyone has forgotten [Harry Dresden](http://www.christopherfowler.co.uk/blog/?page_id=68)? ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2010, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821/20 "2010-06-12T23:33:51Z")
I recommend the Hilary Tamar mysteries by Sarah Caudwell–_Thus Was Adonis Murdered_, _The Shortest Way to Hades_, and _The Sirens Sang of Murder_. They are humorous mysteries, though a fairly conventional setting–one of the Courts of London. They are a lot of fun. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/humorous-mysteries-in-unconventional-settings/542821.md?page=2)