Help, I’ve run out of Strike, Elly Griffiths *and* Ann Cleeves

[MixedTocopherols]

For me these have all been the right level of well-executed, absorbing escapism. Casting about for something similar, any suggestions would be great 🙏

Bryant and May series by Christopher Fowler.

In that case avoid Karin Slaughter, she's more graphic.

YY to the Kate Atkinson Jackson Brodie books.

Also Peter May's Blackhouse trilogy. More Scottish islands if you enjoyed Shetland.

Slightly different - Ambrose Parry's Victorian detective novels set in Edinburgh. I love Christopher Brookmyre writing under his own name too .. darker though with a lot of black humour so maybe not quite the vibe you're after OP.

Yet another vote for Jane Casey.

Simon Serrailler is an annoying twat.

The Louise penny books are amazingly good reading. She is a beautiful writer.

also John Connolly’s Charlie Parker books and Michael Connolly’s Bosch books.

Jane Harper - The Dry
Helen Fields - The Perfect Crime

Mark Billingham - Tom Thorne series
Michael Robotham - Cyrus Haven series
I also loved the Jackson Brodie and Simon Serailler books!

There is a new Ann Cleeves book out at the end of August, #3 in the Two Rivers series, and a new Elly Griffiths, #7 in her series set in 1960s Brighton due out soon.

Otherwise, many good suggestions above, so I'm trying to add to those.

Ann Cleeves has done events for many years with a group of other crime writers under the name Murder Squad, including Cath Staincliffe, Margaret Murphy, Martin Edwards and Kate Ellis, also Stuart Pawson who died a few years ago.

Denise Mina - there are 5 books in her police detective series featuring Alex Morrow, two trilogies and a number of other books in different crime fiction sub-genres
Danuta Reah aka Danuta Kot
Ian Rankin's John Rebus books
John Harvey's Charlie Resnick series

Isn't the new Strike out next week or so? So not long to wait for that! (I'm undecided whether to buy the hardback or wait...). Or keep it as a christmas holiday treat/gift idea.

I've been enjoying Nicola Upson's books lately, and there are quite a few to get through - I think a new one of those is also due soon, though again just the hardback (I do wish publishers would release the paperback at the same time - I don't even mind paying the hardback price, but just want the smaller version to carry/store/match)

Agree with Antony Horowitz. Would also suggest Cara Hunter, her books are all great.

Also the new strike is out in 2 weeks!

This thread is brilliant, thank you all so much.

Happily reading Jane Casey now. I will also try lots of these others.

To the person who mentioned Denise Mina, thanks for reminding me — I used to read all of hers years ago. I can still remember where I was when I reached the denouement of Garnethill! Somehow she dropped off my radar, not sure why, and there must be some I have missed.

(The forthcoming new Strike — I can’t decide whether to dive right in with no restraint, or save it for the inevitable time of feeling a desperate need to escape from real life in the run up to Christmas)

I like the Horowitz ones with Hawthorn and himself.
Also Tana French .

Susan Hills Simon Serrailler books are good, but I found myself over invested in the characters- Cat etc. and find it annoying when they don't behave in a way I feel they should. I've still got a few to read though and probably will.

Agree about previous posters comment about Adam Dalglish and PD James - Simon Serrailler is similar !

Val McDiermid?

Try John Harvey, his DI Resnick books. Best crime writer ever.

Australian writer Catherine Jinks
http://catherinejinks.com/
has published 4 crime novels – I’ve only read (listened to, as an audiobook) one, “Traced” and it’s a brilliant (chilling) depiction of coercive control from the pov of the mother of a victim. Will hopefully help people understand how ineffective the criminal justice system is at tackling DV. I’ve just borrowed her earlier book “Shelter” which also deals with DV.

Private Prosecution by Another Australian, Lisa Ellery was also available on my (UK-based) library’s audiobook catalogue
https://fremantlepress.com.au/contributor/lisa-ellery/

Claire Gradige’s Josephine Fox series
https://www.waterstones.com/author/claire-gradidge/4176281

Caroline Graham’s Midsomer Murders books are great – totally different from the TV series, much more thoughtful and with great characterisation.

Dorothy L Sayers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Peter_Wimsey
and the subsequent additions by Jill Paton Walsh are great classic crime, as is Margery Allingham.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margery_Allingham

Phil Rickman’s Merrily Watkins series
https://www.goodreads.com/series/42006-merrily-watkins
have a well drawn and evolving mother-daughter relationship with interesting detail about Herefordshire and the church (the titular character is an exorcist). I’m not a fan of horror or detailed violence and these aren’t too gruesome.

Lynda LaPlante has published 9 books about Prime Suspect’s Jane Tennison (though I don’t recommend the Anna Travis series, which feature lurid VAW and petulant shouty man-baby DCI James Langton).

Chester Himes’ hardboiled Harlem Detective series
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlem_Detective_series
In particular, Cotton Comes to Harlem was (to this white English woman) a fascinating depiction of black politics in mid-century New York.

I like the Jackman and Evans crime series by Joy Ellis. Richard Armitage reads them on Audible and apparently might play Jackman on TV if it gets the green light for TV. Set in the Fens, quite dark in places.

I love Dorothy Sayers. I particularly enjoyed Busman’s Honeymoon, which shows that you can write a gripping crime book with a couple at the centre even after they finally get together (hope Rowling has taken notes!)

I’ve got the afternoon off and have just finished listening to ch. 19 of Jane Casey no. 2 (The Reckoning). It’s so good. Extra thanks to everyone who recommended her.

Really a troubling bit of the story in various ways but also so well judged — and I got quite physically tense without realising. 🫣👏 (It doesn’t normally occur to me to comment on an individual chapter!)

Usually I read books rather than listen to them but this time I’m doing both so I can carry on with the story while out and about. I was walking through a Victorian cemetery, of all places.

Heading home for a cup of tea and a little cheerful chat with the dc 😅

Ah I love Sayers. V good point (I’d bet JKR has read it, and all the rest)

There are some GREAT books on this thread!! Louise Penny is my favourite, I buy her books for everyone.

I am currently burning through the DC Smith series by Peter Grainger which are very fun. And I also have dabbled with the Bruno Chief of Poloce series by Martin Walker.

I'm off to get a Jane Casey book though now!

Stephanie Austin's Juno Browne series. "Death in Dartmoor" etc.

I’m enjoying the Karen pirie series by val mcdairmid. They’re not nearly as violent as some of her others.

Definitely up there with Strike. Jane Casey is an excellent writer.

What about the Icelandic novelist Ragnar Jónasson's "Snowblind" ?

They get great reviews.

I've just started it.