In this genre, but not a detective or murder mystery?

[Trying To Be Good]

Would any of you happen to know any books that fit in this genre or deal with law enforcement or P.Is, or private security... But aren't some kind of murder mystery like Sherlock homes, Murder on the Orient Express, ect ect?

If those are super rare, what about a murder mystery that isn't solved by the investigator being a genius / being super good at reading faces.

I'm asking because I keep hearing if I want to write something, I might want to read it first? I want to see how this kind of story looks when others write it.

 

[Helix]

Would any of you happen to know any books that fit in this genre or deal with law enforcement or P.Is, or private security... But aren't some kind of murder mystery like Sherlock homes, Murder on the Orient Express, ect ect?

If those are super rare, what about a murder mystery that isn't solved by the investigator being a genius / being super good at reading faces.

I'm asking because I keep hearing if I want to write something, I might want to read it first? I want to see how this kind of story looks when others write it.

Almost all police procedurals aren't about supergeniuses. Try Michael Connelly's Bosch novels, Ian Rankin's Rebus, Anne Cleeves Shetland or Vera series, and Val McDermid's Karen Pirie seres. (I'd suggest McDermid's Wire in the Blood books, but Tony Hill is a bit of a genius.)

 

[ajaye]

Also Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole books.

 

[ajaye]

For non-police protagonists you could try Chris Brookmyre's Jack Parlabane (investigative journalist) series or Jasmine Smart (private detective but young and new to it) series.

 

[Maryn]

And there are, of course, books that are not mystery about super-genius types solving murders at all but suspense or thrillers. Harlan Coben's stand-alone novels (rather than his series) Tell No One, One False Move, and many more; Dan Brown The DaVinci Code; Robert Harris Fatherland; Ken Follett The Key to Rebecca and Eye of the Needle; Dennis Lehane Mystic River...

And of course there's Sue Grafton's alphabet series about a female insurance fraud investigator, Jonathan Kellerman's child psychologist whose patients have been abused or used in some way--or abuse or use others, David Lagercranz The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and a bazillion more.

Since your setting is in Russia, of course you need to read Gorky Park.

Maryn, who reads suspense more than her writing genre

 

[ironmikezero]

Hmm, this is somewhat in my wheelhouse . . . I write police procedurals/mysteries (and dabble in some genre mashups).
In a good (and most credible) police procedural there is never--or very rarely--any sort of lone genius who solves things with a glance. That occasional sort of sudden insightful realization can and sometimes does happen, but it can be by any investigator working the case. Different characters will always have different perspectives, ergo different insights and speculative theories/conclusions. Such contributions to the investigative team effort, and the subsequent steps taken to corroborate of refute the resultant leads are what keeps the reader engaged and moves the story along. A good police procedural has to credible to those who work within the scope of generic law enforcement, investigation, and subsequent court procedures. The lone-genius detective has become a trope that doesn't work all that well in a very credible police procedural, whereas it can be very entertaining in other mystery forms (P.I, cozies, etc.).
I don't want to get off track, but should you feel the need to explore this further, feel free to PM me.

 

[Trying To Be Good]

And there are, of course, books that are not mystery about super-genius types solving murders at all but suspense or thrillers. Harlan Coben's stand-alone novels (rather than his series) Tell No One, One False Move, and many more; Dan Brown The DaVinci Code; Robert Harris Fatherland; Ken Follett The Key to Rebecca and Eye of the Needle; Dennis Lehane Mystic River...

And of course there's Sue Grafton's alphabet series about a female insurance fraud investigator, Jonathan Kellerman's child psychologist whose patients have been abused or used in some way--or abuse or use others, David Lagercranz The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and a bazillion more.

Since your setting is in Russia, of course you need to read Gorky Park.

Maryn, who reads suspense more than her writing genre

Gorky Park to start.

 

[Maryn]

It's a good book, as I recall, although I read it long ago. The movie adaptation helped me untangle a little bit of who's who.

 

[Trying To Be Good]

It's a good book, as I recall, although I read it long ago. The movie adaptation helped me untangle a little bit of who's who.

I would ask in PMs, but people do rumors find that creepy. Did you get better in terms of health.

ETA: I wrote some words besides “do rumors”and autocorrect was dumb on me.

 

[Helix]

Gorky Park to start.

Gorky Park is a police procedural.

It's a good book, as I recall, although I read it long ago. The movie adaptation helped me untangle a little bit of who's who.

I couldn't think of Renko as anyone other than William Hurt after that. (It wasn't a problem.)

 

[Maryn]

And I loved Brian Dennehy, whose name I may have misspelled.

(I’m on day sixteen of Covid, still testing positive but feeling better. First glass of wine in over two weeks!)

 

[Trying To Be Good]

And I loved Brian Dennehy, whose name I may have misspelled.

(I’m on day sixteen of Covid, still testing positive but feeling better. First glass of wine in over two weeks!)

I'm 1/14th through the book. At this rate, it's goin to take me 8 hours.

I don't know if all of this information is made up, but since I doubt anyone has sources to correct me, I'm going to use what I find useful.

Solid writing and drama, but the author uses Russian brand names and locations, but then makes all the law enforcement terms very English. They even used what I think is an Anglo-Saxon word.

"It is considered to be derived from the Olde English pre 7th Century 'burh' meaning 'fortress'"

But that's just me being me. When I translate these words (And I have to, because readers get so mad if I don't), I use very generic terms that aren't attached to a specific meaning.

 

[Helix]

You can see now why we recommended reading Martin Cruz Smith. He has done his research.

The story could only have been set where it was set. Renko's backstory also feeds into the way he interacts with his fellow police, the security services and citizens.

The questions we all have to ask ourselves when writing a story are why this setting, why these people, why this story and how do we make it feel real? Why do you want to write a crime novel set in Russia and how much work are you willing to put in to create something that feels authentic?