Need a Mystery Recommendation!

Saint09 · Dec 27, 2011

Okay, so I know what kind of book I want to read...I'm just not familiar enough with the writers of the genre to know what to look for.

I want a good amateur P.I. novel. By amateur I mean not FBI/police/homicide detective novels. Stand-alone is fine, but a series would be better. The Reacher novels aren't too far off from what I'm looking for, but I kind of want something a little more who-done-it. Preferably something with a younger main character (20-30ish?).

Doesn't matter too much what setting it's in. I've read all the Sherlock collections and love them. So anything Victorian to modern would be fine.

What would be really brilliant is to find something in the same vein as "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang". Was modern, but had a very noir feeling to it.

Suggest away!

cbenoi1 · Dec 27, 2011

http://www.lawrenceblock.com/books_rhodenbarr.htm

-cb

alleycat · Dec 27, 2011

You might enjoy something by Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett.

At some point you'd probably want to read a few Agatha Christie novels.

knightrunnermat · Dec 27, 2011

This isn't necessarily a P.I. mystery, but I'm reading Harlan Coben's No Second Chance right now. It is a great read with a lot of twists and turns.

Calla Lily · Dec 27, 2011

I threw modesty to the wind when I got published.

Please to see links in sig.

Karen Junker · Dec 27, 2011

I'll suggest the tattoo shop mysteries by Karen E. Olson. She's a great writer -- except that her amateur sleuth does go into dangerous situations alone sometimes. I once wrote to the author telling her that I thought that made her sleuth Too Stupid to Live and she wrote me back to tell me that it is acceptable in amateur sleuth novels for the sleuth to do some reckless things. Very entertaining writing, though.

Saint09 · Dec 27, 2011

cbenoi1 said:
http://www.lawrenceblock.com/books_rhodenbarr.htm

-cb

Haha so funny you wrote that. I had just bought 10 of the burglar series about an hour after I posted this. Also bought the new Sherlock and Moriarty books. I'll look into the other recommendations too.

blacbird · Dec 27, 2011

Saint09 said:
Okay, so I know what kind of book I want to read...I'm just not familiar enough with the writers of the genre to know what to look for.

I want a good amateur P.I. novel. By amateur I mean not FBI/police/homicide detective novels. Stand-alone is fine, but a series would be better

1. The Nero Wolfe novels by Rex Stout.

2. The Travis McGee novels by John D. MacDonald.

caw

Chrisla · Dec 29, 2011

How about Sue Grafton's Books? Or Jan Burke--although Burke's character isn't a P.I. - she's a reporter.

Sea Witch · Dec 30, 2011

+1 on what blacbird said. Definitely. the Travis McGee books may feel slightly dated, but they are great for pacing and plot. The first of the series is The Deep Blue Good-By

blacbird said:
2. The Travis McGee novels by John D. MacDonald.

caw

Saint09 · Dec 30, 2011

Sea Witch said:
+1 on what blacbird said. Definitely. the Travis McGee books may feel slightly dated, but they are great for pacing and plot. The first of the series is The Deep Blue Good-By

I'll add that to my list.

Right now I'm very much enjoying the Burglar series. Only half-way through book one, but I like the style.

Grunkins · Dec 30, 2011

blacbird said:
2. The Travis McGee novels by John D. MacDonald.

caw

Another vote for Travis McGee. He's an amateur, there are 22ish of them, and they're fantastic novels.

(Added bonus, everyone's favorite hairy economist Meyer.)

Rachel77 · Dec 30, 2011

There's Jane Haddam's books. Her main character is a retired federal agent who takes on private cases.

Need a Mystery Recommendation!

Saint09

is a very hoopy frood.

cbenoi1

alleycat

Still around

knightrunnermat

Calla Lily

On hiatus

Karen Junker

Live a little. Write a lot.

Saint09

is a very hoopy frood.

blacbird

Chrisla

practical experience, FTW

Sea Witch

Stirring the word cauldron

Saint09

is a very hoopy frood.

Grunkins

Grand adventurer of the couch

Rachel77