Mystery Recommendations for TV Show Fans

Here are some suggestions for people who like mysteries on TV:

American mysteries:

If you liked HBO's The Wire, read George Pelecanos' gritty mysteries set in Washington, D.C. Pelecanos was a writer and producer for the show. This kind of mystery is sometimes called "noir" like the movies of the 1930 - 1950's or "police procedurals."

Robert B. Parker's detective Spenser had a TV series years ago which is available online. I'm still sad about Parker's death in 2010, but the series has been continued by author Ace Atkins. Atkin's wrote the Spenser mystery Lullaby which I liked very much and I plan to keep reading his Spenser mysteries to see what happens to the characters.



British mysteries:

If you like ITV's Midsomer Murders which are very popular DVD's here at BHPL, read Caroline Graham's mysteries which are the basis for the Masterpiece Mystery series.

If you like the BBC's Inspector Lynley series, read the series by Elizabeth George. Her latest in the series, Believing the Lie was a huge hit, the first of her books I read and the first book I read on an e-reader: an excellent book for readers who prefer novels to mysteries. It's un-put-downable in any format.

Kate Atkinson's detective Jackson Brodie got his own series in 2012 starring Jason Isaacs. Of course the actor cast for a book character is never what readers picture, but Isaacs did a great job. For fans of darkly humorous, intricately plotted mysteries, read everything by this author. At least half the library staff are addicted to Atkinson's work.