Posted on 04/23/2020 11:54:45 AM PDT by Pining_4_TX
Help! I need recommendations for fun reading material. I really enjoy mysteries and have been re-reading some Agatha Christie books, because so many of the newer books are PC or extremely gory. Also, I prefer my reading material to be clean. Humor books are also good, as well as real crime and crime solving methods, as long as it's not too hair-raising. Fiction or non-fiction, as long as it's entertaining.
Are there mysteries out there where the detective has at least somewhat conservative values? Are there ones set in the past that don't have feminist females entirely out of character for the times?
I read a real stinker that got a good review in the WSJ with the tired, old plot of artistic types stuck in the boonies with a bunch of knuckle-draggers who just didn't appreciate anything but farming and football. Naturally, the murderer was a high school football player. Ugh.
Books I do like, in addition to Agatha Christie, are No Stone Unturned about forensic science, and Amy's Answering Machine, which is a humorous collection of the messages left on Amy's machine by her Jewish mother. I'm not keen on spy thrillers, and please, no romance novels.
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May I suggest anything by Donald Westlake, especially the Dortmunder series?
My husband and I both read the Bosch series by Michael Connelly. The TV series on Amazon is great too!
Just read some Jack Vance mystery/thriller stories. I recommend the two Sheriff Joe Bain novels.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheriff_Joe_Bain
Freegards
Supposedly there is going to be a posthumously published sequel to The Borrowed Man, “Interlibrary Loan.” Wolfe is definitely one of my favorites, very challenging but rewarding.
Freegards
I am currently taking a class on A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW. I read scifi, historical novels and history. This book is different from my usual style .but easy to read and is thought provoking without getting too deep.
I agree. The Bosch series on prime is good as is Jack Ryan. Both have taken cold war post Vietnam characters and put them in modern day while keeping their character traits.
"Tea and crumpets" mysteries and a high standard for writing -- one of the first woman graduates from Oxford.
The novels go in chronological order but may be read separately.
Love the recommendations. I just reserved “The Shape of Water” from the library (yes, my local library is still letting us check out books but we have to reserve them and then pick them up outside, how cool is that?). Would love to find a new good series with lots of books to look forward to. I note the author, A. Camilleri, recently died, but left a great body of work.
Thank you!
Also:
Anything by Jeff Shaara - Civil War, WWI WWII historical fiction series. Very well researched.
Harry Turtledove’s alternate histories.
David Weber’s Ring of Fire and Honor Harrington Honorverse series
Good idea. I have read some, but perhaps not all of the Perry Mason books. My husband and I, being old fogeys, still watch some of the Perry Mason reruns on MeTV. :-)
Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions! You have been so helpful, and I’m going to look into these recommendations. There are enough here to keep me busy for a while!
Freegards,
Pining
Figured that might be your category, mine too.
You are correct...short stories...but still entertaining.
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