Mystery
From GRPLpedia
Contents |
Introduction
It was Mr. Green with the revolver in the conservatory...or was it? Like the game Clue, mysteries are puzzles that readers get to help solve. Essentially, a crime has been committed, an investigator follows clues and uncovers evidence to discover "who-dun-it," and the cast of supporting characters along with the book's setting create just enough intrigue and suspense to keep you guessing....and reading.
Classics
Classic mysteries, such as those written by Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, typically involve a close community atmosphere with a memorable detective who uses keen observation and rational deduction to solve the crime that has been committed. Classic mysteries usually end with the criminal caught and social order restored.
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Catherine Aird - C.D. Sloan Series Margery Allingham - Albert Campion Series |
Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot Series, Miss Marple Series, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford Series Arthur Conan Doyle - Sherlock Holmes Series |
John D. MacDonald - Travis McGee Series Dorothy Sayers - Lord Peter Wimsey Series |
Private Investigator
Though private investigators operate independently of law enforcement, they have knowledge of police procedures and often have friends that are police officers who give them inside information. In this type of mystery investigations are carried out step-by-step, the setting is usually urban, and the overall tone of the books are darker and more violent.
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James Lee Burke - Dave Robicheaux Series Robert Crais - Elvis Cole Series and Joe Pike Series Sarah Dunant - Hannah Wolfe Series |
Sue Grafton - Kinsey Millhone Series J. A. Jance - Brandon Walker Series Dennis Lehane - Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro Series |
Walter Mosley - Easy Rawlins Series Robert Parker - Spencer Series Stuart Woods - Stone Barrington Series |
Police Detective
The character of police officer plays a big role in this type of mystery, so these books include details of police departments, police work, and investigative procedures. Also, because the police are the lead investigators, several unrelated cases may be included, but only one or a few of them will be solved.
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Michael Connelly - Harry Bosch Series Deborah Crombie - Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Series Tony Hillerman - Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee Series |
P. D. James - Adam Dalgliesh Series Stuart Kaminsky - Abe Lieberman Series Ed Mcbain - 87th Precinct Series |
T. Jefferson Parker - Merci Rayborn Series Ian Rankin - Inspector John Rebus series John Sandford - Prey Series |
Amateur Detective
Usually on the cozy side, these mysteries are solved by curious amateurs who "fall into" solving a mystery. Amateur detectives have another job or hobby which helps frame the story, gives characters another dimension, and often adds details to the mystery.
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Nevada Barr - Anna Pigeon series Edna Buchanan - Britt Montero Series Harlan Coben - Myron Bolitar series |
Janet Evanovich - Stephanie Plum series Dick Francis - Sid Halley series Jonathan Kellerman - Alex Delaware series |
Harry Kemelman - Rabbi Small series Sharyn McCrumb - Elizabeth MacPherson series Randy Wayne White - Doc Ford series |
Historical
These mysteries have historical settings such as Ancient Rome, Victorian England, or the Revolutionary War. The methods used to solve the crimes in these books are true to their time period. Readers may enjoy learning about history and solving a mystery simultaneously.
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Bruce Alexander - Sir John Fielding series Stephanie Barron - Jane Austen series Fiona Buckley - Ursula Blanchard series |
Lindsey Davis - Marcus Didius Falco series Kathy Lynn Emerson - Susanna, Lady Appleton series Sharan Newman - Catherine LeVendeur medieval series |
Anne Perry - Inspector William Monk series and Thomas and Charlotte Pitt Victorian series Elizabeth Peters - Amelia Peabody series Kate Sedley - Roger the Chapman medieval series |
Suspense
Suspense mysteries focus more on why the crime was committed and the psychology of the perpetrator. The reader often knows early on "who done it," so that suspense is created in watching as the detective chases down the criminal. These books are often darker and more fast paced.
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Catherine Coulter - FBI series |
Thomas Harris - Hannibal Lector series Iris Johansen - Eve Duncan series |
James Patterson - Alex Cross series Mary Willis Walker - Molly Cates series |
Legal Thriller
In this type of mystery, the protagonist is usually a lawyer trying to clear his or her name, either from being wrongly accused of a crime or from unknowingly representing a client involved in organized crime. Often as the lawyer is trying to solve the crime, the perpetrators focus on him as their next target. As in suspense, the focus is more on the chase than it is on solving the mystery.
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William Bernhardt - Ben Kincaid series John Lescroart - Dismas Hardy / Abe Glitsky series |
Phillip Margolin - Amanda Jaffe series Steve Martini - Paul Madriani series Richard North Patterson - Christopher Paget series |
Lisa Scottoline - Rosato and Associates series Robert Tanenbaum - Butch Karp and Marlene Ciampi series |
Noir
As in film noir, this type of mystery involves a dark, convoluted plot with elements of fear, greed, and sexuality. The protagonist may be a detective, but may also be a perpetrator, victim, or both. In some cases the protagonist is a private eye or detective for hire.
Crime/Capers
These books look at mysteries from the other side of the lens - that of the criminal or perpetrator - so readers follow the criminal rather than the detective. These are cunning protagonists who may be career criminals or regular people forced into crime by outside influences.
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Lawrence Block - Bernie Rhodenbarr series Kyril Bonfiglioli - Charlie Mortdecai series |
Tim Dorsey - Serge Storms series Barry Eisler - John Rain series |
Elmore Leonard - Chili Palmer series Peter O'Donnell - Modesty Blaise series Donald Westlake - Dortmunder series |
Culinary Crimes
These mysteries feature amateur detectives who work in the food industry as bakers, caterers, or restaurateurs. Often these are cozy mysteries with quaint settings, in which the subject of food and cooking is a main ingredient. As an added feature, these books often include recipes, so readers can cook along with the detective!
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Claudia Bishop - Casebook of Dr. McKenzie series and Hemlock Falls series Michael Bond - Monsieur Pamplemousse series Laura Childs - Tea shop mysteries series |
Diane Mott Davidson - Goldy Schulz culinary series Jerrilyn Farmer - Madeline Bean culinary mystery series Joanne Fluke - Hannah Swensen series |
Janet Laurence - Darina Lisle series Tamar Myers - Pennsylvania Dutch mystery with recipes series Joanne Pence - Angie Amalfi series |
