We got lucky to see some beautiful fall colors on our trip to Colorado last week.
(More pictures here and on Instagram!)
(More pictures here and on Instagram!)
Today's Top Ten Tuesday prompt is a freebie! I think some bloggers love the freebie weeks but not me; I'm really horrible at coming up with my own topics for these things (props to the clever ladies at The Broke and the Bookish who supply them week after week!). Since I'm in a bit of a fall mood -- it was only in the 60s here in Ohio on Monday and I put out some autumn decorations and plan on slurping down at least one pumpkin spice latte this week -- I decided to talk about mystery series that I hope to start.
There's just something about the briskness of fall -- snuggling under a blanket with a warm cup of coffee while the leaves blow off the trees outside, the days getting shorter, the pumpkins, the digging out of jackets and sweaters, Halloween -- that makes the idea of curling up with something a little bit scary seem really appealing. I already read a few mystery series but there are soooo many more I'd like to start. Below are the 12 at the top of my to-read list.
I included six cozy mysteries and six thrillers. Which do you prefer? The older I get (or the more I read?), the more I prefer the serious, edge-of-my-seat, read-with-all-the-lights-on mysteries over the mellow genre ones. There are a few cozy series I'm devoted to (the Lady Emily mysteries by Tasha Alexander, for example, and Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books, which, by god, I will keep suffering through 'til the end!) but I so often find them cheesy. The cozies on my list are more historical than topic-specific (i.e. amateur sleuths who work at yarn stores, tea shops, bookstores, libraries, cupcakeries, etc., etc.) so I'm hoping they'll satisfy my craving for light but not overly twee reading.
Have you read any the series on my TBR list? What's your favorite mystery series?
The Cozies:
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache // Maisie Dobbs
Hercule Poirot // Lady Julia Grey
Her Royal Spyness // Amelia Peabody
The Thrillers:
Dublin Murder Squad // Charlie Parker
Inspector Lynley // The Murder Squad
Harry Bosch // Inspector Ian Rutledge
Agree about this time of year... something about it. Wind blowing the leaves around... I like the Emily books too, although I skipped a few in the middle, and I'm looking forward to the new one next month. I've been a late convert to cozys, I guess...
ReplyDeleteI feel like every fall I say I'm finally going to read all the gothic, scary and mystery books I've had on my to-read list forever... and then it never happens. Maybe this is the year!
DeleteI'm definitely looking forward to "The Adventuress!" I've loved all the Lady Emily books except one... the one set in Venice. Book 7, I think, was a little disappointing.
As a mystery lover, I LOVE this list. I have read many of the books on here and they are all wonderful for different reasons. Enjoy!!
ReplyDeletehttp://hiddenstaircase.net/2015/09/15/ttt-ten-books-set-in-sunny-california/
I hate freebie weeks too!! Dublin Murder Squad is one of my favorite series. I can't wait for more of them. I will check out some of the other thrillers you have on that list!
ReplyDeleteDublin Murder Squad books are great. I also read everything I can by John Sandford, Linda Fairstein, Kathy Reichs, Stephen White, Perri O'Shaughnessy, and Faye Kellerman. As for the cozies, looks like you like a lot of them set in the past? For something current, I enjoy the Orchard series by Sheila Connolly. Really quick, fun reads.
ReplyDeleteI just read your post more closely.....re: cozies set in cupcake shops, etc. I guess the Orchard ones would fall along those lines... But, I know what you mean. I got on a cozy kick for a while and then most of them just got old.
DeleteThere is one cozy mystery series I've stuck with for several years: Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow books. Have you read any of those? They all have a subtle (or sometimes not-so-subtle) bird theme. She just put out a new one that's Halloween-themed -- perfect for fall!
DeleteThanks for all your suggestions! I will definitely keep the Orchard series in mind. Do you watch the "Bones" TV show? One of my friends at work -- who loves "Bones" -- recently read the first book in Kathy Reichs' series and really didn't love it. Apparently most people either like the books OR the show...?
I read some Reichs books before the show came out, so was a little disappointed that the show was so different. But, I like both the show and the books, so....
DeleteI have read some of the Donna Andrews books. I read a few and thought they were just ok. Will have to try again!
Love all your recommendations and your site!
I agree, Amy, that the Meg Langslow books aren't mind-blowing -- and a handful of them have been pretty boring -- but there's something about them that keeps me coming back. I started around book 7 or 8 ("Owls Well that Ends Well" -- it caught my eye at the library a few years ago) and then ended up going back to start at the beginning. I'll probably continue the series until its conclusion -- it's just so easy and comfortable to read a new installment of a series with so many familiar characters and locations!
DeleteI agree, Amy, that the Meg Langslow books aren't mind-blowing -- and a handful of them have been pretty boring -- but there's something about them that keeps me coming back. I started around book 7 or 8 ("Owls Well that Ends Well" -- it caught my eye at the library a few years ago) and then ended up going back to start at the beginning. I'll probably continue the series until its conclusion -- it's just so easy and comfortable to read a new installment of a series with so many familiar characters and locations!
Deleteall of these look great - i need to head over to goodreads now lol My TTT
ReplyDeleteSeveral of these would be on my list of mysteries to start... or in the case of the Lady Julia and Maisie Dobbs series, re-start, since it's been quite a while. Louise Penny and Elizabeth Peters are definitely on my to-start list, along with Todd's Bess Crawford series (and maybe the Insp. Rutledge ones too) and perhaps the Inspector Lynley books (I'm not sure about those yet.) Great list!
ReplyDelete