Known for his work as the official author of Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne series, Brian Freeman launched his career with a psychological thriller introducing Jonathan Stride. Jonathan Stride is a widower–his wife, Cindy, died of cancer years ago–and a police lieutenant in Duluth, Minnesota, on the shore of Lake Superior. He works with fellow detectives…
Andrew Taylor is a British author best known for his crime and historical novels, and the Marwood and Lovett series is combining the two genres. The story is taking us to 17th-century England as the first book began the with Great Fire of London in 1666. In the heart of the tragedy, we met James…
Tom Ripley–or Thomas Ripley–is a fictional character created by American novelist Patricia Highsmith for a series of novels–and several film adaptations. Introduced in 1955, Ripley is a con artist/serial killer. An orphan raised by a cold aunt who’s mostly devoid of conscience. He is “suave, agreeable, and utterly amoral” which is a deadly combination for…
Written by Dianne Freeman, the Countess of Harleigh Mysteries is a historical cozy mystery series set during the Victorian era in England. The story focuses on Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, a widow and mother of a young daughter who comes to London to start a new life. But soon, she finds herself…
Written by Erica Ruth Neubauer, this historical cozy mystery series revolves around Jane Wunderly, a thoroughly modern young American widow. Set in post-World War I, the story follows the self-reliant Jane as she becomes a private investigator in the 1920s, traveling Europe and solving crimes. How to Read the Jane Wunderly Series in Order? Every…
Certainly the most popular detective in the world, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes is also the most influential. Being a public domain character for some time now, Holmes and his partner, John Watson, have been revisited by numerous authors, plunged into extraordinary mysteries, sometimes supernatural ones, and moved into all sorts of different settings,…
Written by Andrew Lane, the Young Sherlock Holmes series tells the adventures of a teenage Sherlock Holmes before he became the renowned detective of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories. Set in Victorian England during the 1860s, the series follows a young Sherlock Holmes as he navigates through his adolescence and hones his investigative skills, learning…
Written by Mel Starr, the Hugh de Singleton series is a historical mystery series set in medieval England during the 14th century. Hugh de Singleton is a surgeon and bailiff living in the village of Bampton. As a surgeon, Hugh possesses knowledge and skills that are uncommon for his time, allowing him to serve both…
Written by Aileen G. Baron under the pen name Alys Clare, the Hawkenlye series is a historical mystery series set in medieval England during the 12th century that primarily revolves around the character of Abbess Helewise, who is the head of the Benedictine abbey at Hawkenlye. With her trusted friend, Josse d’Acquin, a knight turned…
Crime novels written by Norwegian author Anne Holt, this series follows the investigations of Hanne Wilhelmsen, a police detective in Oslo, Norway. She’s a deeply introspective and highly skilled investigator who’s struggling with personal demons and inner turmoil. Throughout the series, Hanne Wilhelmsen confronts a wide range of criminal activities, including murder, kidnapping, political corruption,…
Crime novels written by Norwegian author Gunnar Staalesen, the series follows the investigations of a private investigator based in the city of Bergen, Norway. Varg Veum is a former social worker turned private detective, known for his dogged determination and uncompromising principles. Set against the backdrop of Bergen’s picturesque yet gritty streets, the series delves…
Written by Australian author Colleen McCullough (1937–2015), author of “The Thorn Birds” and the Masters of Rome series, the Carmine Delmonico series is a set of mystery novels set in the fictional town of Holloman, Connecticut, during the 1960s. The story primarily revolves around the investigations of police detective Carmine Delmonico as he tackles various…
