Mystery Books and Authors

What to Read While Awaiting the Next Gamache Book

Last updated April 9, 2024

One of my favorite authors is Louise Penny. For many years, she has been writing approximately one book a year in her Three Pines series featuring Inspector Gamache. I have created a blog posting to track her work and her thoughts which I try to update every month or two. Inevitably, as her fans (many of whom reread the entire series in preparation for her next book) await her next book, they ask for recommendations of other mystery books and authors to read in the meantime. What follows is a compilation, in alphabetical order by author’s last name, of some of those recommendations. I have provided the nationality of the author, a link to a site about them, and the name of the series for which they are known. In some cases, I also indicate where the series was set. I have only included authors when I could verify that they wrote mysteries or crime novels. I will update or add to this posting occasionally as my time and interest permit.

Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 2022

I have left off recommendations for authors who write only in other genres such as fantasy, historical fiction, or romance.

For a comprehensive list of mystery writers from around the world, I recommend that you consult the List of Mystery Writers available through Wikipedia.

• Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem and Anna Waterhouse (American) Sherlock and Mycroft series. (set in England)
• Airth, Rennie. (South African) John Madden series
• Asimov, Isaac. (American) Black Widowers mysteries and others
• Atkinson, Kate. (British) Jackson Brodie series
• Baldacci, David. (American) Multiple series
• Barr, Nevada. (American) Anna Pigeon series (set mostly in U.S. national parks)
• Beaton, M.C. (British: pseudonym of Marion Chesney) Hamish Macbeth series, Agatha Raisin series
• Berg, Elizabeth. (American) Mason series
• Berry, Steve. (American) Cotton Malone series
• Bowen, Gail. (Canadian) Jo-Anne Kilbourn series
• Bowen, Rhys. (British) Royal Spyness series, Molly Murphy series, Constable Evan Evans series (set in Wales)
• Box, C.J. (American) Joe Pickett series (set in Wyoming)
• Bradley, Alan. (Canadian) Flavia de Luce series (set in England)
• Braun, Lillian Jackson (American) The Cat who mystery series
• Brody, Frances. (British) Kate Shackleton series
• Burke, James Lee. (American) Dave Robicheaux series (set in Louisiana)
• Cambridge, Colleen. (American) Phyllida Bright Mysteries, An American in Paris Mysteries
• Cameron, Stella. (British) Alex Duggins series, Bayou series, and others
• Camilleri, Andrea. (Italian) Inspector Montalbano series (set in Sicily)
• Castillo, Linda. (American) Kate Burkholder series (set in Amish country, Eastern United States)
• Chapman, Brenda. (Canadian) Rouleau and Stonechild series, Jennifer Bannon mysteries
• Child, Lee. (British) Jack Reacher series (set in the United States)
• Christie, Agatha. (British) Hercule Poirot series, Miss Marple series
• Clark, Mary Higgins. (American) Alvirah and Willy series, Under Suspicion series
• Cleeves, Ann. (British) Vera series, Shetland series, Inspector Ramsay series, Two Rover/Matthew Venn series
• Clement, Blaize. (American) Dixie Hemingway series
• Coben, Harlan. (American) Myron Bolitar series, Mickey Bolitar series, Windsor Horne Lockwood III series, Wilde series
• Connelly, Michael. (American) Hieronymus Bosch series, Lincoln Lawyer series
• Connolly, John. (Irish) Charlie Parker series, Samuel Johnson series
• Costello, Matthew. (American) and Richards, Neil (British). Cherringham series (set in the Cotswolds), Mydworth Mysteries
• Cotterill, Colin. (British and Australian) Doctor Siri series, Jimm Juree series
• Coulter, Catherine. (American) FBI Suspense Thriller series, A Brit in the FBI series
• Craig, Philip R. (American) Martha’s Vineyard series
• Crais, Robert. (American) Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series
• Crombie, Deborah. (American) Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series (set in England)
• Culver, Chris. (American) Detective Joe Court series
• Dexter, Colin. (British) Inspector Morse series (set in Oxford, England)
• Doiron, Paul. (American) Mike Bowditch series. (set in the Maine woods)
• Donati, Sara. (American) Wilderness series, Waverly Place series (historical fiction set in the United States)
• Dorsey, Tim. (American) Serge A. Storms series (set in Florida)
• Doyle, Arthur Conan. (British) Sherlock Holmes mysteries
• Dugoni, Robert. (American) David Sloane series, Tracy Crosswhite series
• Eastland, Sam. (American) Inspector Pekkala series
• Ellis, Joy. (British) DI Nikki Galena series, DI Jackman and DS Marie Evans series, Detective Matt Ballard series
• Ferraris, Zoe. (American) Nayir ash-Sharqi and Katya Hijazi series (set in Saudi Arabia)
• Finch, Charles. (American) Charles Lennox series (set in Victorian England)
• Fradkin, Barbara. (Canadian) Inspector Green series. (set in Ottawa)
• French, Nicci. (British: pseudonym of husband-and-wife team Nicci Gerrard and Sean French) Frieda Klein series (set in London)
• French, Tana. (American-Irish) Irish murder squad series
• Galbraith, Robert (pseudonym of J.K. Rowling) (British). Cormoran Strike series
• Garcia-Roza, Luiz Alfredo. (Brazilian) Inspector Espinosa Mystery series
• Gardner, Lisa. (American) Frankie Elkin series, Detective D.D. Warren series, FBI Profiler series, Tessa Leoni series
• George, Elizabeth. (American) Inspector Lynley series (set in Great Britain)
• Gilman, Dorothy. (American) Mrs. Polliax series
• Giovanni, Maurizio de. (Italian) Commissario Ricciardi series (set in Naples)
• Goddin, Nell. (American) Maggie Sutton series
• Grafton, Sue. (American) Alphabet series
• Graham, Caroline. (British) Midsomer murders series (set in England)
• Granger, Ann. (British) Mitchell & Markby series, Fran Varady series, Lizzie Martin & Ben Ross series, Campbell & Carter series
• Greenwood, Kerry. (Australian) Phryne Fisher series (set in Melbourne, Australia)
• Griffiths, Elly. (British) Ruth Galloway series (set in Norfolk, England)
• Grimes, Martha. (American) Richard Jury series
• Haddam, Jane. (American) Gregor Demarkian series, Patience McKenna series
• Hallett, Janice. (British) Russ Thomas series
• Harper, Jane. (Australian) Aaron Falk series
• Harris, C.S. (American) Sebastian St. Cyr series (set in 19th century England)
• Hart, Elsa. (Italian) Li Du series (set in 18th century China)
• Hill, Reginald. (British) Inspectors Dalziel and Pascoe series (set in Yorkshire, England)
• Hill, Susan. (British) Chief Inspector Simon Serrailler series (set in Lafferton, England)
• Hillerman, Anne. (American) Joe Leaphorn-Jim Chee series continued
• Hillerman, Tony. (American) Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee Navajo series
• Horowitz, Anthony. (British) Moonflower Murders series
• Hughes, Declan. (Irish) Ed Loy series
• Iles, Greg. (German and American) Penn Cage series (set in Mississippi)
• Indriðason, Arnaldur. (Icelandic) Detective Erlendur series (set in Iceland)
• Jackson, Lisa. (American) New Orleans series, To Die series, Wicked series, Savannah series, San Francisco Series, Northwest series, and others
• James, P.D. (British) Commander Dalgliesh series (set in England); Cordelia Gray series (set in England)
• James, Peter. (British) Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series (set in Brighton, England)
• Jance, J.A. (American) J. P. Beaumont series (set in Seattle) ; Ali Reynolds series (set in Arizona) ; Joanna Brady series (set in Arizona) ; Walker family mysteries (set in Tucson. AZ)
• Jansson, Anna. (Swedish) Maria Wern series (set in Gotland, Sweden)
• Johnson, Craig. (American) Walt Longmire series (set in Wyoming)
• Jónasson, Ragnar. (Icelandic) Dark Iceland series, Hidden Iceland series
• Karon, Jan. (American) Mitford series
• Keane, Zara. (Irish) Movie Mystery Club series (set in Ireland)
• Keller, Julia. (American) Bell Elkins series (set in Appalachia. Eastern United States)
• Kellerman, Faye. (American) Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus series (set in New York State)
• Kellerman, Jonathan. (American) Alex Delaware series (set in Los Angeles)
• Kepler, Lars.  (Swedish: pseudonym of husband and wife team Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril and Alexander Ahndoril) Joona Linna series
• Kerr, Philip. (British) Bernie Gunther series (set in 1930s Berlin)
• Khan, Vaseem. (British) Baby Ganesh Detective Agency series (set in India)
• King, Laurie R.  (American) Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series (set mostly in Great Britain) ; Kate Martinelli series (set in San Francisco)
• Krueger, William Kent. (American) Cork O’Connor series (set mostly in Minnesota)
• Kutscher, Volker. (German) Detective Inspector Gereon Rath (set in Berlin)
• Leon, Donna. (American) Commissario Guido Brunetti series (set in Venice)
• Lippman, Laura. (American) Tess Monaghan series
• Longworth, M.L. (Canadian) Verlaque and Bonnet series (set in Aix-en-Provence, France)
• Lovesey, Peter. (British) Sergeant Cribb series (Victorian era), Peter Diamond series,
• Lutz, Lisa. (American) Spellman series
• MacNeal, Susan Elia. (American) Maggie Hope series (set in WWII, mostly in London)
• Malliet, G. M. (American) Max Tudor series, St. Just series, Augusta Hawke series
• Mankell, Henning. (Swedish) Kurt Wallander series (set in Ystad, Sweden)
• Maron, Margaret. (American) Judge Deborah Knott series, Sigrid Harald series
• Martin, Mike. (Canadian) Windflower series (set in Newfoundland)
• Massey, Sujata. (American) Perveen Mistry Investigations series, Rei Shimura series
• Mayor, Archer. (American) Joe Gunther series (set in Vermont)
• Mays, Peter. (Scottish) China Thrillers series, Enzo files, The Lewis Trilogy
• McDermid, Val. (Scottish) Lindsay Gordon series, Kate Brannigan series, Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series, Inspector Karen Pirie series, Allie Burns series
• McGown, Jill. (British) Lloyd & Hill series
• McInerny, Ralph. (American) Father Dowling mysteries, Andrew Broom series, Notre Dame series, Sister Mary Teresa series (all written under the name Monica Quill)
• Michaels, Barbara. (American: pseudonym of Barbara Mertz, aka Elizabeth Peters) Georgetown trilogy, Someone in the House series
• Mina, Denise. (Scottish) Garnethill trilogy, Patricia “Paddy” Meehan series, Anna & Fin series, Alex Morrow series (set in Glasgow)
• Mortimer, John. (British) Rumpole of the Bailey series
• Nadel, Barbara. (British) Çetin İkmen series (set in Istanbul), Francis Hancock series (set in London during the blitz), Hakim & Arnold series
• Nesbø, Jo. (Norwegian) Harry Hole series
• Neville, Stuart. (Northern Irish) The Ghosts of Belfast and other standalone mysteries
• Osman, Richard. (British) Thursday Murder Club (set in Kent, England)
• Oswald, James. (Scottish) Inspector McLean series, Constance Fairchild series, The Ballad of Sir Benfro series
• Paretsky, Sara. (American) V.I. Warshawski series
• Parker, Robert B. (American) Spenser series, Sunny Randall series, Jesse Stone series
• Patterson, James. (American) Women’s Murder Club series
• Penny, Louise. (Canadian) Inspector Gamache/Three Pines series (set mostly in Quebec, Canada)
• Perry, Anne. (British) Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series (set in England), Hester Latterly and William Monk series (set in London), Daniel Pitt series (set in London)
• Perry, Thomas. (American) Jane Whitefield series
• Peters, Elizabeth. (American: pseudonym of Barbara Mertz, aka Barbara Michaels) Amelia Peabody series, Vicky Bliss series, Jacqueline Kirby series
• Peters, Ellis. (British: pseudonym of Edith Pargeter) Brother Cadfael series (set in Shrewsbury, England in the 12th century)
• Petrie, Nick. (American) Peter Ash series
• Preston, Douglas and Lincoln Child. (American) Aloysius Pendergast series
• Queen, Ellery. (American: pseudonym for Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee) Ellery Queen series
• Rankin, Ian. (Scottish) Inspector Rebus series (set mostly in Edinburgh)
• Raybourn, Deanna. (American) Lady Julia Grey mysteries, Veronica Speedwell series
• Rendell, Ruth. (British) Chief Inspector Wexford series (set in Sussex, England)
• Rendon, Marcie. (Native American) Cash Blackbear series (Set in North Dakota)
• Robb, Candace. (American) Kate Clifford series, Owen Archer series, Margaret Kerr series
• Robb, J.D. (American: pseudonym of Nora Roberts) In Death/Eve Dallas series
• Robertson, Imogen. (British) Mrs. Harriet Westerman series (set in 18th century Sussex)
• Robinson, Peter. (British/Canadian) Inspector Banks series (set in Yorkshire, England)
• Rowling, J.K. (British) writing as Robert Galbraith. Cormoran Strike series (set in England)
• Royal, Priscilla. (American) Prioress Eleanor series (set in medieval Tyndal)
• Ryan, Estelle. Genevieve Lenard series. (Set in France)
• Sandford, John. (American) Virgil Flowers series, Kidd and Luellen series, Prey series
• Sansom, C.J. (British)  Matthew Shardlake series
• Sayers, Dorothy. (British) Lord Peter Wimsey series (set in England)
• Silva, Daniel. (American) Gabriel Allon series
• Simenon, Georges. (Belgian) Inspector Maigret series (set in Paris)
• Simpson, Dorothy. (Welsh) Inspector Thanet series
• Slaughter, Karin. (American) Will Trent series (set in Atlanta, Georgia)
• Smith, Alexander McCall. (Scottish) 44 Scotland Street series, Isabel Dalhousie series, #1 Ladies Detective Agency series
• Spencer-Fleming, Julia. (American) Rev. Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne series
• Stabenow, Dana. (American) Kate Shugak series (set in Alaska)
• Stout, Rex. (American) Nero Wolfe series (set mostly in New York City)
• Sullivan, Tim. (British) DS George Cross series
• Taylor, Patrick. (Irish and Canadian) An Irish Country series
• Tector, Amy. (Canadian) Dominion Archives mysteries
• Tey, Josephine. (Scottish) Inspector Alan Grant series
• Thomas, Sherry. (American) The Lady Sherlock/Charlotte Holmes series
• Thompson, Victoria. (American) Gaslight mysteries (set in early 20th-century New York City)
• Todd, Charles. (American) (pen name for Caroline and Charles Todd) Ian Rutledge series, Bess Crawford series
• Tope, Rebecca. (British) The Cotswold Mysteries, West Country Mysteries, Lake District Mysteries
• Vargas, Fred. (pseudonym of Frédérique Audoin-Rouzeau) (French) Chief Inspector Adamsberg series (set in Paris)
• Vargas, L. T. and McBain, Tim. (American) Violet Darger series
• Walker, Martin. (British) Chief of Police Bruno series (set in the Périgord region of France)
• Walters, Minnette. (British) Black Death series and others
• Whishaw, Iona. (Canadian) Lane Winslow Mystery series
• Winspear, Jacqueline. (British) Maisie Dobbs series (set in England)

Other miscellaneous lists of mystery writers and books

Spanish and Hispanic writers or mysteries set in the Spanish-speaking world

• A SPANISH AUTHOR’S GUIDE TO SPANISH CRIME FICTION / Crime Reads
• Spanish Crime Fiction Writers / Wikipedia
• Must-Read Mysteries & Thrillers by Hispanic Authors / Novel Suspects
• 6 top crime novels set in Spain / Dead Good Books
• Detectives in Spanish literature / Enforex
• Latinx Mysteries and Crime Fiction by Writers of Color / Marla Bradeen Books
• Mystery and Thriller Books by Latine Authors / Penguin House
• Latin American crime fiction: 10 authors to try / Crime Fiction Lover
• Latin American Mystery Writers: An A-To-Z Guide / Amazon

French writers of mysteries/romans policiers or mysteries set in the French-speaking world

• Romans Policiers: French True Crime & Mystery / Library of Congress
• French crime fiction writers / Wikipedia
• French Crime Fiction Books / Goodreads
• Best Mystery Fiction Set in France / Goodreads
• Mysteries Set in France / Mystery Readers International
• Great Quebec Thrillers / 49th shelf

German writers of mysteries or mysteries set in the German-speaking world

• German crime fiction writers / Wikipedia
• Six of the best German crime authors / Crime Fiction Lovers
• Crime Fiction from Germany
• The best German crime novels / deustchland.de
• Mysteries Set in Germany / Stop You’re Killing Me
• Berlin, a City of Crime Fiction / Crime Reads

Italian writers of mysteries or mysteries set in the Italian-speaking world

• The best books for discovering Italian mystery novels / Shepherd.com
• Italian crime fiction writers / Wikipedia
• 7 Italian Mystery and Thriller Novels to Broaden Your Horizons / Murder & Mayhem
• Italian Crime Fiction / Crime Fiction Lover
• Nine Great Mysteries Set In Italy / Sleuths & Sidekicks
• 17 top crime novels set in Italy
• List of 27 Italian Detective Mystery Series Books

Last updated April 1, 2024