What is your favourite detective series

[Haahoooo]

I have just finished the wonderful Chief Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny... I loved it and am distraught at the thought of having to read something else tonight

Can you recommend a cosy mystery / detective series to me please?

I also loved Ann Cleeves, Elly Griffiths, Andrea Camilleri, Donna Leon and some of the Scandi detectives eg Karin Fossum and Henning Mankell. Bit nothing too violent / action packed - don't particularly like Jo Nesbo for example.

Thank you so much for any tips!

I would add Deborah Crombie and Peter Lovesey to this list.

I love the Falco series by Lyndsey Davis, I love how Falco and the other characters develop throughout the series.

Also, Cadfael, Lord Peter Whimsey, and Agatha Christie for me.

I've read most of the books mentioned blimey, I'm reading too much, obviously but I've just made another lucky discovery and am at the 'telling everyone I know' stage. Christobel Kent's Sandro Cellini novels: set in Florence, beautifully-written and with great descriptions of the city, nothing bloody or gory, but satisfyingly character-driven. I inhaled the first one and downloaded all the rest immediately.

They're slightly similar in feel to Donna Leon's Brunetti series (also recommended) but actually I think I prefer Christobel Kent atm.

Also, for vintage crime, Gladys Mitchell. Can't remember if anyone's mentioned her upthread.

I also like the Merrily Watkins series by Phil Rickman - if you like a dash of paranormal in your detectives.

The Bob Skinner series by Quintin Jardine is excellent.

vi Warshawski series by Sara Paretsky

Margaret Yorke - similar to Ruth Rendell, most of her books are standalone crime stories featuring psychos and other misfits. There is a series with a detective figure as well.

I really hated Simon Serraillier! I picked up the first three books in a charity shop so read them all to see if they got better, but they seemed to be more about him and his family than police work. I think we are supposed to like Simon, but I found him a selfish obnoxious twat. I found it difficult to believe that he would be promoted to a special detective unit, because he never seemed to to do any detecting at all.

I agree with you FatWalda, simon does n't seem to be particualrly likeable, but actually that does not seem to bother me. He is smug, judgemental and seems to be in love with his sister, the dr. There are also lots of deaths in his own family, that kept me interested for a while.
Does anyone know simon booth, set in derbyshire?

Another vote for PD James, Ian Rankin, Ruth Rendell, and Susan Hill. There is also a series I like by American writer Margaret Maron set in North Carolina and featuring a young woman who is a judge as the sleuth. The first one is Bootlegger's Daughter.

Peter May is my addition to this list, his Enzo series are coming out in PB but at one stage you could only find them as ebooks. And there are three set in the Hebrides which are also good.

I'd second the Quintin Jardine books: he's very readable. Also Sara Paretsky, Michael Connelly, Val McDermaid and Peter Robinson, but not sure that any of those could be described as cosy. Charles Cumming is good if you like politics and espionage, as is David Downing. Philip Kerr's Bernie Gunther series is superb, but the first three are best, sadly AFAIK all out of print. He also wrote a couple of sci-fi type thrillers, which I liked. Michael Crichton??

Minette Walters wrote some very good stuff in the 90s and early 2000s, but not sure what has become of her as there has been nothing new for several years.

Minette Walters. Brilliant

John Connolly's Charlie Parker series
Nicci French
Susan Hill's Simon Serrailler
Sarah Hilary's Marnie Rome

I prefer Barbara Vine to Ruth Rendell.

Edith Pargeter writing as Ellis Peters - Cadfael series and George Felse series
Inspector Morse - Colin Dexter

Father Brown by GK Chesterton. And all PD James and Inspector Wexford. And Val McDermid's many series.

I love crime fiction, but have to admit to one who is slightly more eccentric.. The brilliant Agatha Raisin as created by M.C. Beaton.. My Mum was interested in finding other novels which have a similar charm and following a series format. Can anyone advise any please?

I like Ian Rankins Rebus novels and John Connolly Charlie Parker novels.

I second that Agatha Raisin is to be avoided. I don't know how they pass as detective novels, they're abysmal figure it out in five seconds old busy body nonsense that makes you want to claw your eyes out to reach that one remaining brain cell- the only requirement for reading them

Oh, I also like Kathy Reichs Temp Brennan novels too, not strictly detective but pretty much!