Tracy, P. J. The mother-daughter writing team P. J. Tracy crafts fast-paced, entertaining, yet thoughtful crime dramas that star the quirky misfit employees of the Monkeewrench Software company. Leavened with humor, these witty romps feature well-drawn and appealing characters, smart dialog, and suspenseful cases. Start with Monkeewrench. Mysteries
Turow, Scott Scott Turow's elegantly written legal thrillers raise important questions of morality, truth, and justice. Turow offers recurring characters in his novels set in fictional Kindle County in a Midwestern state, with a landscape and politics reminiscent of Cook County and Chicago. Start with Reversible Errors. Fiction
Winspear, Jacqueline Jacqueline Winspear’s enchanting protagonist, Maisie Dobbs, is a plucky and intelligent young woman who began as a servant and now runs her own private investigation firm. While these are technically cozy mysteries with their well-drawn characters and setting, the series has a darker tone due to Maisie's experiences as a nurse during World War I. Start with Maisie Dobbs: A Novel. Mysteries
Walker, Martin A former foreign correspondent for the Guardian, Martin Walker’s mystery series are set in the Perigord region of rural France. The protagonist is Police Chief Bruno Courrèges, a country policeman and former soldier who was wounded while serving with the UN peacekeepers during the siege of Sarajevo. The writing is richly detailed and witty, with a strong sense of place. Start with Bruno, Chief of Police. Mysteries
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Book descriptions taken from NoveList
Adler-Olsen, Jussi First known in his native Denmark for writing espionage thrillers, Jussi Adler-Olsen has gained international fame with his Department Q police procedural novels. His writing is fast-paced with inventive plotting and visceral psychology. Plots are supported by taut prose, with flashes of humor. Start with The Keeper of Lost Causes. Mysteries
Atkinson, Kate Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie P.I. books, set in the United Kingdom, feature eccentric characters who dance through a host of complicated storylines, coverging in a masterful act of plotting that even the most attentive readers cannot anticipate. Occasional violence and dark themes are leavened by frequent dashes of subtle humor. Start with Case Histories. Fiction
Slaughter, Karin Karin Slaughter writes suspenseful, character-driven mysteries. Though the detectives in her novels encounter brutal crimes, they also struggle with their own personal troubles as well as relationships with their fellow officers and friends. The well-developed and realistic characterizations, as well as the bleak and atmospheric depictions of poverty and urban decay, make these stories accessible for readers. Start with Blindsighted. Fiction
Smith, Alexander McCall Alexander McCall Smith has written several distinct series, but every book features the richly drawn characters, engaging prose, and vivid settings that have earned him a loyal following. Characters' thoughts and perspectives are central to his novels. Attention to word choice and a gentle, often warm tone typify his books. Start with the Isabel Dalhousie mystery The Sunday Philosophy Club. Mysteries
Barr, Nevada Nevada Barr's detective/park ranger Anna Pigeon is a serious woman with a self-deprecatory sense of humor. The stories have a strong sense of place, set in areas of spectacular beauty and using evocative prose to describe the scenery and advocate for ecoogical and conservation perspectives. Pacing is not rushed, but Barr builds tension by reintroducing past characters and embroiling Anna in family and friendship issues. Start with Track of the Cat. Mysteries
Julia Spencer-Fleming’s Reverend Clare Fergusson mysteries, set in small-town upstate New York, have a solid sense of place and community, with plots revolving specifically around the region's contemporary problems and the uneasy friendship between her protagonists, an Episcopal priest and a married police officer. Start with In the Bleak Midwinter. Mysteries
Berry, Steve
Todd, Charles
Attorney and novelist Steve Berry brings a love of history and meticulous research to his thrillers, which frequently involve conspiracies spanning the globe. His series protagonist, Cotton Malone, a former federal agent, and a recurring cast of characters develop over a series of novels. Start with The Templar Legacy. Fiction
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Spencer-Fleming, Julia
Charles Todd (pen name for American mother-son team Caroline and Charles Todd) began writing with a post–World War I mystery series featuring shellshocked Ian Rutledge, an upper-class Scotland Yard detective whose envious superior keeps trying to get rid of him. Their more recent series feature World War I nurse Bess Crawford. Start with A Test of Wills. Mysteries
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Rozan, S. J. New York City looms large in the novels of native daughter S. J. Rozan. The author of the Lydia Chin and Bill Smith mysteries, Rozan frequently sets her stories in NYC, of which she writes with loving yet unblinking eyes. Her novels are remarkable for her exploration of many different native voices, with a particular focus on the Chinese community of P.I. Lydia Chin. Start with China Trade. Mysteries
Bolton, S.J. Her fans know S. J. Bolton as a writer of chilling psychological thrillers and police procedurals. Bolton's protagonists are sympathetic and complexly imagined characters with well-delineated and individual backstories. Secondary characters, both good and villainous, are also well-written and multidimensional. The plotting of her novels is tense and tautly paced. Start with Awakening. Mysteries
Box, C. J.
Ryan, Hank Phillippi Widely lauded as both a reporter and a mystery novelist, Hank Phillippi Ryan draws on her journalistic experiences in writing engagingly conversational novels. She mixes complex plotting and breakneck pacing with a warm and pithy portrayal of setting (Boston) and characters, including her appealing reporter protagonists. Start with The Other Woman. Mysteries
Wyoming native C. J. Box’s experience as a journalist covering the outdoors shows in his Joe Pickett mysteries. The stories mix introspection and examination of the American mountain states' complex struggles, including environmental. Loving depictions of the region's rugged beauty combine with taut plot development. Box's language is vivid and well-chosen, often employed to show-stopping effect. Start with Open Season. Mysteries
Burke, James Lee
Sayers, Dorothy L. Dorothy L. Sayers’ mysteries feature not only devilishly clever plots that delight traditional mystery readers, but also the graceful writing, nuanced characters, and beautifully evoked settings often found in literary fiction. Series character Lord Peter Wimsey deepens and grows more subtle as the books progress, especially after he meets Harriet Vane. Start with Whose Body? Mysteries
James Lee Burke is best known for two haunting mystery series that reflect on the evil in the world and the hero's violent reaction to it: one follows P.I. Dave Robicheaux and the other ex-Texas Ranger Billy Bob Holland. Narrated in the first person, these are introspective stories, filled with the hero's thoughts, philosophy, actions, and dreams. Start with A Stained White Radiance. Mysteries
Sears, Michael
Harlan Coben's characters in his standalone novels are ordinary people who find their lives invaded by extraordinary circumstances. He employs strong characters, a rapid-fire plot, and a first-person point of view, allowing the readers to experience each plot twist and emotion with the protagonist. Fans of his Myron Bolitar mystery series enjoy the finely plotted puzzles and the behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of sports. Start with Tell No One. Mysteries
Coben, Harlan Michael Sears writes financial thrillers centered around the Wall Street. As a former player in the bond market, Sears knows his subject well. Better yet, he's capable of making the dry world of finance and brokerages into a thing of both beauty and drama. He expertly handles suspense, tension, and momentum as well. Start with Black Fridays. Mysteries 14
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Connelly, Michael Michael Connelly's cunningly plotted mysteries blend realistic police procedurals with the forlorn heroism of classic hardboiled fiction. Protagonist Harry Bosch is portrayed as a maverick hero. The plots hit the ground running: full of shocking twists, climactic build-up, and often violent confrontations. Start with The Black Echo. Mysteries
Crais, Robert Robert Crais uses a clean, terse style to write hardboiled mysteries with engaging plots and welldeveloped characters. Liberal humor and a little romance set an upbeat tone. His series features world-weary gum shoe Elvis Cole. His standalone novels offer tension-filled, high-stakes plots. Start with The Monkey's Raincoat. Mysteries
Crombie, Deborah Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James work together empathetically, using good procedure and intuition to solve crimes. Deborah Crombie’s multilayered but still fast-moving plots bring in the family and personal issues of Kincaid and James and present details of history and life in various parts of the UK. Start with A Share in Death. Mysteries
Davidson, Hillary Hillary Davidson is a Toronto-born travel journalist and the author of 18 nonfiction books who now lives in New York City. She writes a series starring travel agent and amateur detective Lily Moore. Her mysteries are intricately plotted, fast-paced, and sometimes disturbing and creepy. Start with The Damage Done. Mysteries
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Penny, Louise Louise Penny writes a mystery series featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec, a man of moral integrity. Penny's fans also enjoy her cast of secondary characters, especially the residents of Three Pines. The mysteries themselves are intricate and quirky, while their pacing reflects the thoughtful pace of Gamache himself. Start with Still Life. Mysteries
Perry, Thomas Perry’s novels offer relentless pacing, a menacing atmosphere, carefully drawn characters, dangerous stories, and elegant prose. Characters are quirky yet realistic, and even bad guys may be quite likable, when not engaged in murderous activities. Start with Vanishing Act. Fiction
Quartey, Kwei Kwei Quartey’s protagonist is a talented and temperamental detective inspector in the capital city of Ghana. Quartey, a Ghana-born medical doctor who now lives in Los Angeles, renders a compelling cast of characters inhabiting a world precariously perched between old and new. Start with Wife of the Gods. Mysteries
Robinson, Peter Peter Robinson chronicles the career of Inspector Alan Banks, who transferred from London to Yorkshire to get away from it all, only to find that violent crime thrives everywhere. His outsider stance and introspective nature let him perceive clues overlooked by others and he is usually unhampered by preconceptions. Start with A Gallows View. Mysteries
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Nunn, Malla Malla Nunn vividly recaptures 1950s South Africa in her gripping and thoughtful historical mysteries. Born in South Africa, Nunn portrays the politics, cruelty, sorrow, and rebellion in daily life. Her stories, which are reflective, fast-paced, and intricately plotted, will appeal to fans of Michael Connelly and Stieg Larsson. Start with A Beautiful Place to Die. Mysteries
Paretsky, Sara Sara Paretsky's V. I. Warshawski mysteries pioneered the tough, urban, feminist P.I. with a strong social conscience. These dark novels are set in Chicago's mean streets and pit Warshawski against desperate, dangerous, and powerful opponents. The stories of secondary characters, and Chicago's own history of corruption, make these novels appealing for men as well as women. Start with Indemnity Only. Mysteries
Flynn, Gillian Filled with quirky, offbeat characters, severely dysfunctional families, and peculiar, violent crimes, Gillian Flynn’s standalone psychological thrillers are both beguiling and disturbing. Her writing, pungent and direct, charms us with its darkly humorous observations about human relationships. Her plots fascinate while serving to illuminate the frailties we all share. Start with Sharp Objects. Fiction
French, Tana Tana French is an Irish mystery writer whose finely plotted police procedurals feature the fictitious Dublin Murder Squad. Grim realities of social class, police politics, and human violence give the stories a dark tone, while the vividly drawn character portraits of the protagonists add emotional depth. Start with In the Woods. Fiction
Friedman, Daniel Parker, Robert B. Best known for Spenser, his Boston-based P.I., Robert B. Parker created three mystery series that have a similar theme: how to live correctly, by a personal code of honor, in a violent world. Parker refined the hardboiled P.I. to create a detective with the ability to use muscle to ensure that justice is done. Descriptive settings, strong supporting characters, and dialog drive these compelling stories. Start with Early Autumn. Mysteries
Newer author Daniel Friedman’s mysteries feature octogenarian Buck Schatz, an ex-homicide cop who is abrasive and has trouble remembering. But his cop's watchfulness is intact and he keeps his .375 Magnum close. Fast-paced plots and funny, sarcastic dialogue takes the edge off more serious issues. Start with Don't Ever Get Old. Mysteries
Galbraith, Robert (J. K. Rowling) Parks, Brad Veteran journalist Brad Parks brings his experience to his much-lauded mystery novels, with his most famous, the Carter Ross series, describing the investigations of a hard-driving but personable Newark reporter. Parks' prose is journalistic and terse yet descriptive. Tonally, it mixes utter seriousness with dark humor. Start with Faces of the Gone. Mysteries
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Under the name Robert Galbraith, J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, writes mysteries featuring London private investigator Cormoran Strike, who uses skills of deduction and observation to solve crimes. Vividly drawn characters, skilled storytelling, and multiple twists characterize her writing. Start with The Cuckoo's Calling. Mysteries
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George, Elizabeth Elizabeth George blends the elegant language, expertly evoked settings, and aristocratic police detectives of the traditional British mystery with contemporary social issues and the darker tone of modern crime fiction. Her intricately constructed plots include secondary storylines that give her novels a leisurely pace. Start with A Great Deliverance. Mysteries
Mark, David David Mark has a newer police procedural series set in England and featuring Detective Sergeant Aector McAvoy. For fans of Peter Robinson, Michael Connelly, and Elizabeth George, Mark’s writing is intricately plotted and gritty with a sometimes disturbing tone. Start with The Dark Winter. Mysteries
May, Peter Griffiths, Elly Archaeology plays a crucial role in unearthing longburied secrets and hidden crimes in Elly Griffiths' atmospheric and suspenseful mysteries, which unfold in present-day rural England. Spare but evocative prose and the incorporation of history and folklore lend Griffiths' work a haunting, moody quality. Start with Crossing Places. Mysteries
Peter May writes three series but is best known for his Enzo Files stories featuring Enzo Macleod, a former forensic scientist working as a biology professor at a French university who becomes involved in applying the latest scientific methods to solve cold cases. Start with Extraordinary People. Mysteries
Mina, Denise
Gruley, Bryan Bryan Gruley's novels bear the clear stamp of his previous life as a journalist. Known for his Starvation Lake mysteries, which follow the amateur sleuthing of a small-town newspaper editor in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Gruley creates casts of flesh-andblood characters. Start with Starvation Lake. Mysteries
Hallinan, Timothy Timothy Hallinan writes the Junior Bender mysteries, featuring a Los Angeles burglar who solves crimes for other criminals. Gritty, dangerous situations abound, along with some truly evil bad guys and consistently great dialogue. Hallinan occasionally lightens the mood with excellent comic scenes. Start with Crashed. Mysteries
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Scottish mystery novelist Denise Mina exposes a seamy underbelly in the streets of her native Glasgow. All of her books are moody, tempered by a feeling of anxiety that slowly crescendos through tightly-plotted stories. Be warned that the crimes are violent and gruesome, and the heroes are deeply flawed. Start with Field of Blood. Mysteries
Nesbo, Jo Norwegian author Jo Nesbo’s twist-filled, fast-paced crime stories feature the personally troubled and substance-abusing Detective Harry Hole as he wades through the seedy underbelly of Oslo to solve brutal murders. His gripping page-turners demonstrate a keen and sensitive understanding of the social realities of poverty, drug addiction, and organized crime. Start with The Redbreast. Mysteries
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Lippman, Laura Laura Lippman delves into the well of true crime for inspiration and places her adult crime fiction novels in the dark side of Baltimore. She has written several standalone novels, but is best known for her Tess Monaghan series, which is described as "Chick-Lit with guns.” These books are full of complex characters, lots of witty dialogue, and twists and turns that keep the pace moving. Start with Baltimore Blues. Mysteries
MacNeal, Susan Elia While she has written nonfiction books about entertaining, Susan Elia MacNeal is best known for her Maggie Hope mysteries, set in World War II Britain. Well-researched and richly detailed, MacNeal's novels mix espionage with cozy mystery plotting and the details of everyday life in extraordinary times. Start with Mr. Churchill's Secretary. Mysteries
Maitland, Barry Barry Maitland is the Australian author of the Kathy Kolla and David Brock police procedural series set in England. The stories are intricately plotted, fastpaced, and compelling. His books will appeal to readers who enjoy Deborah Crombie and Michael Connelly. Start with The Marx Sisters. Mysteries
Malliet, G. M. G. M. Malliet's cozies are a throwback to mysteries that feature multiple suspects in a whodunit scenario that forces readers to constantly reevaluate the suspects. Her newer series features Max Tudor, a former MI5 agent turned Anglican priest, trying to begin a new life in a small village. Start with Wicked Autumn. Mysteries
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Hamilton, Steve While he's also the author of several well-received standalone thrillers, multi–Edgar Award winner Steve Hamilton is famous for the character Alex McKnight, a hardboiled detective who relocates to Michigan’s rural Upper Peninsula from sunny Los Angeles, putting a fresh spin on the genre. Plotting is complex, meshing multiple storylines. Start with A Cold Day in Paradise. Mysteries
Hart, John Former defense lawyer John Hart updates the southern gothic mystery in his erudite thrillers, grounding it in the present day and its challenges. Hart's Edgar Award–winning, character-driven novels focus on sympathetically written protagonists attempting to make the best of bad decisions and bad luck. Start with King of Lies. Fiction
Henry, Sara J. Sara Henry’s first two mysteries are set in the Adirondack Mountains and feature freelance writer Troy Chance. These suspenseful novels are moving, disturbing, and have a strong sense of place. Henry won the Anthony Award and the Agatha Award for best first novel, along with the Mary Higgins Clark Award. Start with Learning to Swim. Mysteries
Hill, Susan Susan Hill, who is also known for her gothic ghost stories, writes a police procedural series set in England and featuring the detective Chief Inspector Simon Serrailler. Hill's fine writing and nuanced insight into human nature should appeal to fans of the psychological thriller. Start with Various Haunts of Men. Mysteries
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Kaaberb̨ l, Lene Danish author Lene Kaaberbl’s Nina Borg mysteries are intricately plotted with grisly murders, bleak settings, deeply flawed characters, and desperate causes. Her Scandinavian mysteries are compelling, gritty, emotionally resonant, and stylistically complex with multiple points of view. Start with The Boy in the Suitcase. Mysteries
Krueger, William Kent Krueger’s loving descriptions of rural Minnesota ground the action of his stories, which are shaped by those beautiful and dangerous surroundings. Krueger's stripped-down prose belies the richness of his character-driven stories, which ground his protagonists' lives in their relationships with others and in their work. Start with Iron Lake. Mysteries
Larsson, Stieg
Keller, Julia Julia Keller’s mystery series featuring county prosecutor Bell Elkins is set in Acker's Gap, West Virginia, “a shabby afterthought of a town” in the Appalachians. Keller, who grew up in West Virginia, won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for feature writing while working for the Chicago Tribune. Start with A Killing in the Hills. Mysteries
Stiegg Larsson’s trilogy offers thought-provoking social themes set in a hauntingly beautiful Sweden. But what truly distinguishes Larsson is his character development: his two heroes are unforgettable. Only avoid these page-turners if frequent sex or graphic violence is a turnoff. Start with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Mysteries
le Carré, John
King, Laurie King's carefully plotted, imaginative works, including three series, often feature admirable heroines who bend societal norms in some way. Her popular Sherlock Holmes novels feature Mary Russell, who is Holmes's equally brilliant, strong-willed, partner, and nearly his scandalously younger wife. Start with The Beekeeper’s Apprentice. Mysteries
John le Carré is the acknowledged grandmaster of the serious spy novel, crafting realistic stories that explore moral and political issues. His action-filled novels emphasize the inner struggle of characters living in a world beyond good and evil, where the heroes, usually men, are unsure of right and wrong. Start with The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. Fiction
Lehane, Dennis Koryta, Michael Michael Koryta’s hard-boiled mysteries, notably his Lincoln Perry books, are gritty, action-packed noirs fully of snappy dialogue and well-developed, colorful characters. The fast pace and clear, straightforward prose will appeal to mystery fans looking for gripping page-turners. Start with Tonight I Said Goodbye. Mysteries
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Dennis Lehane's powerful evocations of place, intricate plots, and multi-dimensional characters have made him one of today's best crime and suspense storytellers. His books are set in Boston's toughest neighborhoods. Violence is graphic in these gritty stories, and often falls on the innocent. Start with A Drink Before the War. Mysteries
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