Booklovers - Need suggestions

[WDW&MK]

I am hoping you will have some good suggestions for me. I love to read. I enjoy Janet Evanovich (Plum series), James Patterson, Michael Crichton. I don't care for romances. I am going through a tough time right now caring for a parent. I am looking for suggestions for authors who will be a good read but aren't too violent or too sad (no dogs dying at the end of the book please :blush:). I picked up a book the other day that was one of Patterson's older books and it was too dark and violent - I need something a little lighter.....
Thrillers are great if they aren't too violent or dark.

Thanks for your suggestions!!
Kari

[Claudielou]

Try the Mrs. Pollifax books by Dorothy Gilman. They are fun spy/mystery thrillers about an older woman who winds up working for the CIA. My husband and I both really love them. They get pretty intense but always have a good ending, or I wouldn't read them.

[TheDuckRocks]

I am also a Stephanie Plum series fan and have found 2 other mystery series that I enjoy.
1) The Hannah Swensen Mysteries by Joanne Fluke about a baker who keeps finding dead bodies.
2) The White House Chef Mysteries by Julie Hyzy.
Both authors have websites with lists of their books in order. I also usually go to Amazon and use the look inside feature to see if I like the fell of a book before making a purchase.

[Mickey'sGirl]

I would also recommend the Joanna Fluke books for you.

Dick Francis is a mystery writer. I enjoy his books and they aren't gorey.

[BriarRose0708]

Books, my favorite topic!

Recent reads that may fit the bill have been:
The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
A Discovery of Witches and it's sequel Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
Enchantment by Orson Scott Card
The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen
and while it may be a touch violent (but in a satirical way) Jane Slayer by Sherri Browning Erwin. If you like anything Bronte you'll really like this.

I also like the author Kate Morton a lot. Her books always have a touch of mystery, family secrets and the like, but most of the time her plots revolve around a dying loved one and may not be what you want to read right now.

I really like to use goodreads.com to get book recommendations, read reviews, and keep tracks of books I want to read and what I've just read.

Edited: How could I even forget The Cat Who... series by Lillian Jackson Braun! They are a little old school but very fun mysteries with two cute cat detectives and their human owner getting into all kinds of scrapes. Kind of like Murder, She Wrote but a male protagonist.

[SBETigg]

I really enjoyed The Taker by Alma Katsu (first in a series). Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas series. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

I know you don't like romances, but if you enjoy Janet Evanovich, then you might like Molly Harper's Nice Girls Don't series. Janet Evanovich started in romance and still considers her work romance though technically mystery. The two genres are often similar. Molly is laugh-out-loud funny.

(And thanks, Nikki :)).

[Janmac]

Patterson's older books are very dark. I had quit reading him. Maybe I'll try again.

Two books by Connie Willis: Blackout and All Clear. These books are bad :blush:; I really really tried to spread them out, but wound up reading most of All Clear in a day, the story was that compelling. And then I had nothing else to read. Blackout is first, followed by All Clear. The author had originally had one book but her editor/publisher(?) wanted to split the manuscript into two books. The story is set during the backdrop of the London Blitz. Those Londoners were amazing.

Four books (another series) by Martha Grimes. Hotel Paradise, Cold Flat Junction, Belle Ruin, and Fadeaway Girl. Following a 12 year old during one summer while she attempts to solve some local mysteries. The books are dreamier than Grimes' Richard Jury series.

I thought originally that any of the four Grimes books above were my all time favorites until I read the two by Connie Willis. Now I don't know . . .

Also, if you like the mystery detective genre, Robert Crais has a series based on a real crack up person: Elvis Cole. Sometimes the stories deal with some not very nice stuff (based on the genre), but Elvis is usually wacky and off base enough to keep most of the story light. I just finished the very first one, after reading most of the others, and like Stephanie Plum, Elvis took a bit of evolving.

To add to Sherri's suggestion of other "romance" series, Marion Chesney (who apparently never sleeps - she has nearly a dozen series and maybe 8 aliases) has some romances, mostly humorous and light reading. Ms Chesney has many series: The Six Sisters, The School for Manners, and the Travelling Matchmaker are three that are funny - mostly set in the 1700s I think. They're predictable but diverting.

Because of the Willis series (above) I picked up again with Agatha Christie, starting with her earliest novels, trying to read in order. Good writing is timeless.

Which makes me think of Jane Austen . . .

Jan

[SBETigg]

Annette Blair is also very good. I realized you're looking for lighter. Night Circus and the Molly Harper books might be the only real fit for you from my suggestions. But Annette Blair writes some fun mysteries, not too dark. Her Vintage Magic series might be for you.

[disney obsessed]

First Ladies Detective Agency. Alexander McCall Smith. There are about 8 or 10 in the series. They have a wonderful sense of goodness and charm, as well as, a mystery to solve.

[PlutoToo]

Nancy Atherton writes the Aunt Dimity cozy mysteries. John Lamb writes the Teddy Bear cozy mysteries, and Clive Cussler and Steve Berry write action/adventure. All the above series are good. I also like Ellis Peters, Peter Treymane, and Magaret Frazer who writes mysteries set in historical England.

A good thread. Thanks, as I am always looking for new authors.

[WDW&MK]

Thanks for all of the great suggestions!! I am excited to check them out! I will have to print out the thread so I have the list:D
This really helps me out! I'll have to check out that website too. I had not heard of that.

[Janmac]

First Ladies Detective Agency. Alexander McCall Smith. There are about 8 or 10 in the series. They have a wonderful sense of goodness and charm, as well as, a mystery to solve.

Wanted to add some info about this series: the No. 1 Ladies Detective series is set in Botswana, which makes for interesting reading, learning about the cultural differences. The titles are fun. Also, the author's last name is McCall Smith, if you are looking alphabetically.

Jan

[c&d]

I enjoyed Nancy Martin, the Blackbird Sisters mysteries. I also enjoyed MC Beaton's series, Agatha Raisin and Hamish McBeth, all easy reads.

[TheDuckRocks]

One I didn't list before is anything by Mary Kay Andrews. They are not mysteries, actually more romance, but always good for a laugh. Crazy Southern ladies, great locations and the sleazy ex always gets a swift kick in the pants.

[NJGIRL]

Catherine Coulter's FBI series is excellent. I would consider them thrillers that are not too dark. Not as light as Stephanie Plum but still enjoyable. There is a married FBI couple that is likable and the stories are good. I'm with you, I don't like romance. BTW make sure you start in order. They sell the first 6 (I think) books as combination books so that should save you a little bit of money.

[roses]

I love the Plum series! I hope there's another coming out soon!

Let's see - I love reading, and my taste is everywhere! Gone Girl was fantastic - I saw someone else had suggested that as well. I'll have to look at my kindle when I get home to suggest more. I like Mary Kay Andrews, Kristen Hannah - I've found that any of those are pretty good. Nicholas Sparks has gotten a little redundent for me (sorry if I spelled that wrong!) - so I've stayed away from his books for awhile.

[PlutoToo]

I forgot about Julie Hyzy, cozy mysteries, set in the White House. Her sleuth is the executive chef there. Donna Andrews, cozy mysteries, has a set that's about a female blacksmith with an odd family. Lots of snickers and laughs in these. I'm reading a series now by Catherine Aird, cozy mysteries, writes about an English inspector. and Monica Ferris, cozy mysteries are set in a cross-stitch shop. I've enjoyed all these authors.:thumbsup:

[SBETigg]

I recently read some of Janet Evanovich's Wicked series, her newer series with Lizzy and Diesel- really enjoyed it. The same humor and page-turning action with new characters, so it's not the same old jokes.

I'm currently reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (Henry VIII drama).

[IwannabeinNarnia]

how about the Kingdom Keepers series? I just finished all 5 and am now not so patiently awaiting the release of 6 in April. Great reads for Disney fans!

[kakn7294]

I love to read! These are some that I've really liked:

I enjoyed the Hidden Mickey series - there's a little romance but mostly it's mysteries revolving around Disneyland. I also liked the Kingdom Keepers series but they're intended more for kids.

My favorite author is Nora Roberts but a lot of hers are romances - you'd have to weed through them to find the ones that are not. I love her JD Robb In Death series - it's a futuristic cop series set in 2060ish.

I like Heather Graham but much of hers involves the paranormal. I also like Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner, and Erica Spindler - a lot of suspense and murder. Nancy Bush had 3 books that were along the lines of the Plum series - they had colors in their titles (Electric Blue was one I think). I read much of Catherine Coulter's FBI series - not bad. I recently finished Darynda Jones' Grave series - really quirky but fun. And of course, there's our own Sherri Browning Erwin - she has a couple that you might like.

[Janmac]

Here's another author with two series of light mystery solving: Joan Hess. She has the Arly Hanks series set in Maggody, Arkansas, small town with oddly named citizens. The other series is also set in Arkansas, with Claire Malloy, but I've not read any of them yet.

Jan

[DisneyDog]

I just read a book that had the most unbelievable plot twist EVER. It's called The Devil's Madonna by Sharon Potts. It just came out in September.

I'm a librarian in a public library and I see pretty much everything that comes out. This book was unlike anything else I've ever read. It kept me riveted for the first 1/2 and then BAM the plot twist hit me. I was reading it in my son's kung fu class and everyone looked at me because I gasped so loud and my eyes were huge and I had my hand over my open mouth. I must have looked crazed. LOL. But, I promise you, you won't see it coming.

[NJGIRL]

I just read a book that had the most unbelievable plot twist EVER. It's called The Devil's Madonna by Sharon Potts. It just came out in September.

I'm a librarian in a public library and I see pretty much everything that comes out. This book was unlike anything else I've ever read. It kept me riveted for the first 1/2 and then BAM the plot twist hit me. I was reading it in my son's kung fu class and everyone looked at me because I gasped so loud and my eyes were huge and I had my hand over my open mouth. I must have looked crazed. LOL. But, I promise you, you won't see it coming.

What is it about.....in general.

[Tink1]

I just read a book that had the most unbelievable plot twist EVER. It's called The Devil's Madonna by Sharon Potts. It just came out in September.

I'm a librarian in a public library and I see pretty much everything that comes out. This book was unlike anything else I've ever read. It kept me riveted for the first 1/2 and then BAM the plot twist hit me. I was reading it in my son's kung fu class and everyone looked at me because I gasped so loud and my eyes were huge and I had my hand over my open mouth. I must have looked crazed. LOL. But, I promise you, you won't see it coming.


OK, just ordered it for my nook. Hope I like it as much as you did!

Nanc

[BriarRose0708]

Here's another author with two series of light mystery solving: Joan Hess. She has the Arly Hanks series set in Maggody, Arkansas, small town with oddly named citizens. The other series is also set in Arkansas, with Claire Malloy, but I've not read any of them yet.

Jan
I love the Claire Malloy mysteries! My favorite was Malice in Maggody.



OK, just ordered it for my nook. Hope I like it as much as you did!

Nanc

Me too, Nanc! My sister is also a librarian and has never steered me wrong with a book recommendation, so I trust DisneyDog on this one!

[DisneyDog]

NJ Girl, it's about a young married woman whose grandmother grew up during WW2, but now lives in FL. The grandmother is hiding some very interesting secrets from her past and is becoming increasingly paranoid that someone is out to get her. Won't go more into it than that because I don't want to ruin anything, but there are a lot of great flashback sections that makes this book 1/2 historical fiction and 1/2 suspense.

[IamaDisneyFan]

I like the Joanne Fluke books, too. Easy to read, but always makes me hungry!

Also, Elaine Viets writes the Josie Marcus Mystery Shoppers and the Helen Hawthorne Dead End Job series and they are both cute.


I just read a book that had the most unbelievable plot twist EVER. It's called The Devil's Madonna by Sharon Potts. It just came out in September.

I just picked this up from the library! Can't wait to start!

[Tink#64]

I see the you like James Patterson but don't want dark & scary at this time. I still must recommend, my favorite, his "Women's Murder Club" series, not super heavy - but great mysteries!

I'm also a huge fan of Charlaine Harris' "Sookie Stackhouse" series, not as deep or as well written as Twilight but after 11 books, I'm invested!

I'm a huge Nora Roberts fan, and although she writes primarilary romance novels, she also writes under a Psudeo, J.D. Robb, and thse books are mysteries! Set in the future, & I just love them!