Has anyone read the J. D. Robb death series?

[Vinca]

I'm almost through John Sandford books and looking for a new mystery writer. Thanks for any reviews.

[Ritabert]

1. I wasn't impressed

Too bizarre for me. Have you read Ian Rankin and the Rebus mysteries or Michael Connelly and the Harry Bosch series? Also Colin Dexter with the Inspector Morse books and Peter Robinson with the DCI Banks books.

[Vinca]

2. I've read Michael Connelly. Haven't read the Rebus mysteries. There was a British TV series

called "Rebus" and I liked that. I'll have to check to see if it was based on the Ian Rankin character. Thanks for mentioning your bizarre impression. I don't want anything too far out there. I've seen both the "DCI Banks" series and "Inspector Morse." (We love British cop shows.) They're probably worth reading, too.

[Ritabert]

4. Yes Rebus is based on the Rankin books

..but there's much more to the books than shows up in the show. Another good writer is Val McDermid who writes mysteries about northern Great Britain.

[Vinca]

14. I'll check out Val McDermid. Haven't heard of that writer before.

Edited to add: Just googled her and discovered she wrote the Karen Pirie stories. I've seen the television version. Love the name of her genre - "tartan noir."

[Ritabert]

15. I like her stuff.

I'll try to find you more authors tomorrow.

[NanaCat]

19. You're lucky I'm here to help, LOL

If you like Bosch and Rebus...

Jane Harper - Falk series

Elizabeth George - Inspector Lynley series.

Arnaldur Indriðason - Erlendur series

Ragnar Jónasson - Dark Iceland series

Henning Mankell - Wallander series.

William McIlvanney - Laidlaw Trilogy. Literally the father of Tartan Noir.

Jo Nesbø - Harry Hole series

George Pelecanos - He has the Derek Strange series

Carlos Ruiz Zafón - Sempere series.

These all line up fairly well with Bosch/Rebus books.

[NanaCat]

9. As noted, Ian Rankin's Rebus is the same one from the series

I consider the books much better than the TV show.

Same with the Inspector Banks books--the series was good, but I preferred the books.

Morse--Oh dear. It's better to stick to the TV show because the books haven't aged as well. I'm trying to remember the one that involved a rape case, and the victim-blaming was so pernicious that it was triggering for me to read so soon after my own assault. The title was something-Woodstock (that much I remember). It involves a murdered rape victim, but Morse actually 'muses' early on that that the victim probably wanted to be raped. And then he treats the case with downright indifference, not even following proper forensics that were common for the day.

Bloody sexist wanker. Can't stand him.

[Ritabert]

11. Dexter did write some strange stuff

He also seemed to have an interest in pornography. I'll rescind my recommendation.

[Vinca]

12. It's funny. Sometimes I read a book series and they're so good I don't want to spoil it in my head

by seeing the series on television. The Lee Child's Reacher books are like that for me. I really liked Morse and the Lewis and Endeavor sequel and prequel so maybe I should just enjoy the television version.

[BlueKota]

6. I did read many of them.

The relationship between Eve and Roarke is very interesting to see developed. The interaction between Eve and Roarke's house-manager, substitute father figure, Somerset is a hoot. Also a lot of the long term side characters are pretty unique.

The criticism that I would offer is that after a while the author started thinking too much about introducing new readers to the characters' and things that happened to them in earlier books in the series. As a longer term reader I thought the re-hashing was way overdone. For example Eve had a traumatic childhood and it was interesting to see how that impacted her at first, but in later books it keeps getting dragged in over and over again, even after they've had Eve say she'd dealt with it.

The futuristic stuff was fun, if you enjoy a touch of fantasy. Over all I think the first few are worth the read but the later ones not so much.

[Vinca]

13. Thanks. I'm not into fantasy at all, so maybe this particular series isn't for me. I was surprised at how many books

were in the series. Guess someone likes them a whole lot!

[Bayard]

3. I'm reading David Baldacci now,

The Michelle Maxwell and Sean King series. I'm liking them a lot. I would also recommend Lisa Gardner books. Very good.

Dean Koontz is a big favorite if you like mysteries with a twist, and maybe a bit of the supernatural.

[Vinca]

5. Thanks. I've read quite a few David Baldacci books, but I didn't become obsessed with them in the way

I did the Jonathan Kellerman Alex Delaware books or the John Sandford Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers novels. I haven't read Lisa Gardner or Dean Koontz, so I'll check them out. I was also going to check out Tami Hoag. I was browsing books at the thrift store one day and just read a couple of paragraphs in one of her books and it struck me that she was a "possible."

[Bayard]

16. I love John Sanford's Davenport and Flowers books

I'm pretty sure I've read them all by now.

Kellerman never seems to hold my interest for some reason.

[Srkdqltr]

7. I have read all of them. Some are good and some not so.

As with most series after a few you can see the outline. I enjoy most of them and will continue.

[NanaCat]

8. I read the first book when it came out

It was all right, but...only all right. It was so mediocre, I don't remember anything of the characters or plot, other than both seemed formulaic.

I've met Nora Roberts and liked her, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her I thought she was a better fit with her romance books. I concentrated my remarks on those books that I'd read, and ignored the In Death series entirely.

[Ritabert]

10. Agreed very formulaic

[Bayard]

17. I would also recommend checking out DU member, Hermetic's, Sunday post:

"What Fiction are you reading this week?" There's always some interesting finds there.

[Vinca]

18. I will! Thanks.