Undoubtedly the most famous detective in the world, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes is also one of the most influential literary figures of all time. Having been in the public domain for some time now, Holmes and his ever-loyal companion, Dr. John Watson, have been reimagined by countless authors. Their adventures have taken them…
Historical mystery series written by Robert R. McCammon, the Matthew Corbett book series is set in colonial America and centers on the exploits of a youthful clerk–and professional problem solver–who works for the magistrate in the Carolinas during the 17th and 18th centuries. Throughout the series, Matthew Corbett is lured into a number of fascinating…
New York Times bestselling author from Texas, Deanna Raybourn used to teach high school English and history before becoming a full-time writer, starting in 2006 with her first novel, Silent in the Grave. It was the launch of the successful Lady Julia Grey Series, a Victorian-era mystery series. Deanna Raybourn established herself in the historical…
Rhys Bowen is the pseudonym used by Janet Quin-Harkin, as a writer of mystery novels for adults. Born in Bath, Somerset, she worked as a drama teacher, a dance teacher, in the drama department of the BBC in London and, later, for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Sydney, Australia. She moved to the United States…
Born in 1951, Kate Atkinson’s path to becoming a writer took a unique turn. Her journey into writing gained momentum after winning the Women’s Own short story competition in 1986, but her literary career truly took flight when she published her debut novel, “Behind the Scenes at the Museum,” at the age of 43. Beyond…
Barbara Erskine is a British writer born in 1944 who’s passionate about history and even studied Scottish history at Edinburgh University. Since her best-selling first novel Lady of Hay published in 1986, Barbara Erskine has written almost twenty more books–and short stories–dealing with both history and the supernatural. How to read Barbara Erskine’s Books in…
Written by British author Rhys Bowen (a pseudonym used by Janet Quin-Harkin to write mystery novels), the Molly Murphy series is about a detective in early 20th-century New York. A spirited redhead who grew up a peasant on the coast of Ireland, Molly Murphy has crossed the Atlantic and, after being accused of a crime…
Like John Grisham, Steve Berry was a Southerner lawyer before becoming a writer. Though he wrote his first manuscript in 1990, his first one, the standalone novel The Amber Room, was published 12 years later. Now, Steve Berry’s books have been translated into 41 languages and they appear in multiple bestseller lists. He wrote thriller…
Born on January 9, 1954, in Nairobi, Philippa Gregory is an English historical novelist who has been publishing since 1987. She attended the University of Edinburgh where she earned her doctorate in 18th-century literature. Her first novel, Wideacre, was written as she completed her Ph.D. and became an instant worldwide bestseller. On its publication, she…
Coming from British-based Australian author Ellie Dean (a pseudonym used by Tamara McKinley), Cliffehaven is a wartime saga set in Beach View Boarding House on the South coast of England. Presented as a heart-warming Second World War saga, Cliffhaven explores the lives of the women and the hardships suffered by families in the close-knit community…
Written by American author Martin Cruz Smith, this series is about Arkady Renko, a chief homicide inspector for the prosecutor’s office, in Moscow, Russia, fighting against corruption and for the truth. Taking place before, during, and after the fall of the Soviet Union, the series follows Arkady Renko as he investigates murders that take him…
Written by murder mystery writer Tim Kinsey, the Lady Hardcastle series takes us back to the start of the 20th century for some sleuthing. Born Emily Charlotte Ariadne Featherstonhaugh, Lady Emily Hardcastle is now an eccentric widow but mostly a retired spy turned amateur sleuth. With the help of Florence Armstrong, her maid and confidante…
