In honor of Mystery Month, I’m going to present my reading recommendations for adults a little differently. Instead of giving you a list of selected books, I’ll selected authors who write mystery series. The author is listed with a short introduction to the book series. I love the mystery genre and there is no shortage of talented authors writing mysteries. Whether you prefer police procedurals, cozy mysteries, amateur sleuths, private investigators, classic detectives, or the hard-boiled Phillip Marlowe types, there’s a series that’s right for you.
Police procedural:
P.T. Marsh Novels by John McMahon – Detective Marsh was a rising star in the Mason Falls, Georgia police department until his wife and son were killed in an accident. Since the accident, he’s become obsessed with protecting the underdog and finding justice at any price. His methods are often at odds with acceptable police procedure, and he struggles to find that balance again.
Rizzoli and Isles Mysteries by Tess Gerritsen - Detective Jane Rizzoli teams up with coroner Maura Isles to solve crimes. This mystery series is also considered a medical thriller series.
Leaphorn and Chee Novels by Tony Hillerman - Navajo Tribal Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn and Officer Jim Chee solve crimes and help maintain order on the reservation while balancing Navajo traditions with modern police procedures.
Walt Longmire Mysteries by Craig Johnson - Walt Longmire is the sheriff of Absaroka County in Wyoming. With the help of his lifelong friend Henry Standing Bear and Deputy Victoria Moretti, Longmire protects and serves the people of his county with courage and a dash of humor.
Charlene Taylor Mysteries by Luke Murphy – Taylor is an LAPD homicide detective. Her father was a cop and after his death, she struggles with being his legacy and finding her own identity. Along with solving crimes, Charlene drinks too much. She avoids getting too close and haphazardly tries to improve her relationships with her mother and sister who resented Charlene’s closeness with her dad.
Amateur sleuth:
Miss Marple Mysteries by Agatha Christie – Miss Marple is that nosy busybody we all love and tend to ignore, but appearances can be deceiving. Jane Marple is intelligent and resourceful. She pieces together the little details most people miss, and she sees through even the most elaborate web of lies.
The Cat Who… Mystery Series by Lilian Jackson Braun - Jim Qwilleran is a reporter who solves crimes with the help of his Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum. “Qwill” is a sometimes-prickly confirmed bachelor who is also kind and thoughtful. He is active in his new community and his “nose for news” often puts him in the thick of murder and mayhem. Koko and Yum Yum are delightful and it’s a fun series.
Zoe Chambers Mysteries by Annette Dashofy - Zoe a paramedic in rural Vance Township in Western Pennsylvania. She also serves as deputy coroner. She teams up with police chief Pete Adams to solve crimes. Zoe and Pete have definite chemistry and Dashofy has created a colorful cast of supporting characters. Also don’t miss Death by Equine the first book in what we all hope will be a new mystery series by Annette Dashofy featuring Veterinarian Jessie Cameron.
Clare Fergusson/Van Alstyne Mystery Series by Julia Spencer-Fleming – Clare is a former Army helicopter pilot and an Episcopal priest. She teams up with police chief Russ Van Alstyne in a small town in Upstate New York to solve crimes. Sparks fly between Clare and Russ professionally and personally in this well-written series.
A Mrs. Murphy Mystery Series by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown – this is a fun series about Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen, a Virginia postmaster, her cat named Mrs. Murphy, and her corgi, Tucker who solve crimes in their community. Brown claims to write each mystery with the aid of her cat Sneaky Pie.
Classic detective:
Edgar Allen Poe’s C. Auguste Dupin – Poe is often credited with inventing the detective fiction genre with the creation of C. Auguste Dupin in 1841. Dupin first appears in “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” He also appears in “The Mystery of Marie Rogêt,” and “The Purloined Letter.” Dupin is not a professional detective and solves cases for his own amusement and to supplement his income.
Sergeant Cuff in The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. Collins wrote The Moonstone in 1868 and is credited with writing the first English detective novel. His protagonist Sergeant Cuff is said to be based on Jonathan Whicher, a Scotland Yard detective.
Sherlock Holmes Mysteries by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr. Watson are two of the most famous characters in detective fiction. If you haven’t read their adventures now is a great time to get started.
Hercule Poirot Mysteries by Agatha Christie: Poirot is a world-renown Belgian detective who solves crime in Europe. He’s elegant and sophisticated. Christie envisioned him as an elderly man, but the popularity of his character and her readers’ demands for more novels featuring Poirot caused her to backpedal on his exact age as the series progressed.
Private Investigators:
Travis McGee Novels by John D. Mac Donald – McGee considers himself more of a beach bum than a detective. He lives on a houseboat and only works when necessary. He’s wary of credit cards, retirement accounts, mortgages, and responsibilities in general. He also fits the hard-boiled detective genre.
Trevor Galloway Mysteries by J.J. Hensley - Trevor Galloway is a cross between a private investigator and a hard-boiled detective. Galloway, a former narcotics detective in Pittsburgh is a recovering addict who suffers from PTSD after being held captive, repeatedly drugged, and tortured by a drug cartel when his cover is blown. Galloway’s sarcastic quick wit entertains readers who will also be charmed by his honesty and vulnerability.
Calvin Watters Mysteries by Luke Murphy – Watters was destined for a big NFL contract, but a poor decision during the championship game costs his team the victory. Watters loses his scholarship and his bright future. He ends up an enforcer for a dodgy Las Vegas casino owner. He detests the man he has become. To save himself, Watters must use his intellect and physicality. Calvin discovers his knack for getting at the truth will serve him well as a private investigator.
Hard-boiled detective:
The Spenser Mystery Series by Robert B. Parker: Spenser is a former professional boxer and ex-Boston homicide detective who makes his living as a private investigator. Spenser quotes literature, drinks fine wine, and isn’t afraid to mix it up with the worst criminals in Boston.
Phillip Marlowe Mysteries by Raymond Chandler – Marlowe is the hard-boiled detective others emulate. He first appears in 1939 in The Big Sleep. He’s a wise-cracker not afraid to take a punch or throw one. Chandler was influenced by Dashiell Hammett’s Sam Spade character when he created Marlowe, but Chandler’s development of the Phillip Marlowe character continues throughout the series.
Sam Spade Mysteries by Dashiell Hammett – Spade makes his debut in 1930 in The Maltese Falcon and appears in four other short stories by Dashiell Hammett. Spade is known for remaining detached from his clients, his keen powers of observations, and his dogged pursuit of justice.
Kinsey Milhone Mysteries by Sue Grafton – Kinsey Milhone appeared in 1982 in A is for Alibi, the first of what was supposed to be 26 books starting with a different letter of the alphabet (A-Z). Milhone is a divorced former cop living in the detached garage apartment of her friend, Henry, an elderly retired baker. After leaving the police force in Santa Teresa, California, she worked as an insurance investigator before becoming a private detective. Milhone likes the simplicity of living alone and owns few possessions. She has an unconventional lifestyle and a real talent for solving crimes. Y is for Yesterday was released shortly before her death. The final book in the series was not completed and in accordance with her wishes, the series will end at Y.
V.I. Warshawski Mysteries by Sara Paretsky – Warshawski, a former public defender, is a private investigator in Chicago specializing in white-collar crimes. She’s the daughter of an Italian immigrant and a Polish American cop. To keep her bills and be able to help people who can’t afford her services, she takes on routine jobs for wealthy clients. Warshawski is hot-tempered, sarcastic, and idealistic. She doesn’t shy away from physical altercations