# Recommend me a new mystery series.. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 2, 2004, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-new-mystery-series/262759 "2004-09-02T13:30:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![3894](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/f4b2a3/32.png) [@3894](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3894)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-new-mystery-series/262759/61 "2004-10-31T19:17:31Z")
For those who like Tony Hillerman … Margaret Coel’s series with Arapaho attorney Vicki Holden and Jesuit priest John O’ Malley takes place on Wyoming’s Wind River rez. It’s very biased in favor of historians (Coel is a former historian) and somewhat biased in favor of the Arapaho people (at the expense of the Shoshone people with whom they share the reservation). Since the OP is a librarian, s/he might start with _The Spirit Woman_, a riff on the dispute about where and when Sacajawea died. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-new-mystery-series/262759/62 "2004-10-31T19:38:20Z")
There are too many to list all the ones I like from above, but I’ll especially second Lindsey Davis’s Falco series and Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe books. You might not like Dashiell Hammett’s Continental Op books (and many stories) and the other stuff he did because they’re so bleak and noirish (not to mention violent), but he and Chandler are fundamental to the hard-boiled genre. Lawrence Block’s Scudder series is somewhat in the same vein, but his Bernie Rhodenbarr series is light and funny. The first was _Burglars Can’t Be Choosers_, and the rest are “_The Burglar Who …_” (Donald E. Westlake’s Dortmunder books are also light and funny, but are more caper plots than mysteries.) I don’t think anybody mentioned Ed McBain’s 87th precinct series, for those who like police procedurals. They’re not really to my taste. For another look at Canada, Saskatchewan this time, look at the Joanne Kilbourn books by Gail Bowen. I’ve only read _Murder at the Mendel_ (Saskatoon’s art gallery), but that and others have gotten great reviews. (I think I could be reading for a year on the new stuff mentioned here! And that’s with no breaks except for meals and sleep!) ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-new-mystery-series/262759/63 "2004-10-31T20:53:41Z")
> [@Cryhavoc](#): > > The Tory Bauer mysteries by Kathleen Taylor. They are set in a small town in South Dakota. You really come to know the town’s residents and see how each of them affect the others by even the smallest of actions. This series has a strong following. I have been trying to get a copy of the first book, but it has run at about $50 on eBay for the paperback edition. I liked those too. A friend mailed me the first three, but I had to return them. My favorite character is the friendly rich guy with the library. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-new-mystery-series/262759/64 "2004-10-31T20:55:57Z")
I like Boris Akunin’s mysteries featuring Erast Fandorin. They’re set in Europe, turn of the century (the 20th), so they’re part historical, part mystery. I think two or three of them have been translated to English, and the rest will be coming. Really entertaining and easy without being **too** light. ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-new-mystery-series/262759/65 "2004-11-01T05:57:19Z")
**Madeleine E. Robins** is writing a series set in early (Napoleonic era) 19th century England. The main character is named Sarah Tolerance, and she is a Fallen Woman who choses to be an enquiry agent rather than becoming a whore as is usual. Only 2 books so far, **Point of Honour** and **Petty Treason** , but it is looking good. These are a mild AH, she makes some changes in some of the events of the Regency and the characters of the historical figures, but still lots of fun. ---
**Author:** ![mcms\_cricket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@mcms\_cricket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcms_cricket)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-new-mystery-series/262759/66 "2004-11-01T21:30:10Z")
Wow, my thread came back to life! 🙂 Since September, when this thread was first “alive” I’ve read (upon various posters’ recommendations) the Sookie Stackhouse books (all of 'em - loved them), the first two Catherine LeVendeur books (waiting for our library to order the next one - we’ve got all of them except #3), and the first Bailey Weggins, too. I also have the first two by Caroline Graham sitting at home. I’ve also read the latest Kate Shugak, Tess Monaghan, Goldy Shultz (Diane Mott Davidson) and the latest Deborah Crombie, too, just to name a few. This has been a great thread. I’ve got soooo many titles on my list of stuff-to-read. Right now I’m taking a break and reading “chick lit” titles because they’re fast reads and don’t require a lot of concentration. I’ve also got two titles by Mark Jude Poirier - a book of short stories and his newest novel. I’m waiting to read those, though, because they’re going to require that I pay attention. Oh, and I also just read The Time Travelers Wife for my book club and LOVED it. A fantastice book. The time traveler of the title is a librarian with great taste in music! ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-new-mystery-series/262759/67 "2004-11-01T23:50:47Z")
First a further echo for Nero Wolfe by Rex Stout. Secondly, although I didn’t much like Colin Dexter’s stuff, I expect you’ll be gripped to know that most characters therin are named after chess problemists :eek: . Sir Jeremy Morse Tony (+ Sally) Lewis etc. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-new-mystery-series/262759/68 "2004-11-02T00:25:30Z")
> [@Cryhavoc](#): > > You might also look into the Jessie Arnold mysteries by Sue Henry. Jessie is a musher and a dog breeder in Alaska. The descriptions of the wilderness of Alaska are fantastic. Since one can never have too many recommendations, I just read the beginning of a different series by Sue Henry, with Maxie and Stretch who have brief roles in the Jessie Arnold series. Called _The Serpent’s Trail_. I think it’s better than the Arnold books, but I do tend to like elderly protagonists. ---
**Author:** ![furthur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@furthur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furthur)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-new-mystery-series/262759/69 "2004-11-02T01:18:02Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > I liked those too. A friend mailed me the first three, but I had to return them. My favorite character is the friendly rich guy with the library. I agree. Tory’s a flat-out fool for not cuddling up to Neil. He’s the greatest. Has she published anything recently? Mrs. Furthur ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-new-mystery-series/262759/70 "2004-11-02T05:09:32Z")
> [@Kat](#): > > I’m not a big mystery fan, but I love Gregory McDonald’s Fletch and Flynn serieses (seriesi?). 😉 I love these books. I’ve always felt they’ve been underappreciated. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-new-mystery-series/262759.md?page=3)