Detective Novels!

**theonefirestorm** · April 7th, 2012, 08:33 PM

If you want a flawed protagonist not a little but obviously flawed Elvis Cole.The Elvis Cole series by Robert Crais.

THe Monkeys Raincoat, Free Fall, The Forgotten Man, etc.

**Carlyle Clark** · April 7th, 2012, 11:02 PM

Originally Posted by theonefirestorm

If you want a flawed protagonist not a little but obviously flawed Elvis Cole.The Elvis Cole series by Robert Crais.

THe Monkeys Raincoat, Free Fall, The Forgotten Man, etc.

One of my all time favorites.

**theonefirestorm** · April 8th, 2012, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by Carlyle Clark

One of my all time favorites.

Elvis Cole is one of your all time favorite fictional detective?

**Carlyle Clark** · April 8th, 2012, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by theonefirestorm

Elvis Cole is one of your all time favorite fictional detective?

Yes, he is, along with the regular suspects: Spenser, Travis McGee, Dave Robiceaux

**theonefirestorm** · April 16th, 2012, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by Carlyle Clark

Yes, he is, along with the regular suspects: Spenser, Travis McGee, Dave Robiceaux

It's Not a Series but has a flawed Cop. City Blood by Clark Howard
Chicago Cop Joe Kiley has made a career of bending the rules, but it's going to backfire.

**steve12553** · June 17th, 2012, 07:56 AM

I've had a lot of fun with Ellery Queen and Perry Mason. They're both rather formulaic but very entertaining. They're also both period pieces but if you like Holmes' Victoian England you can probably adapt to Queen's New York and Mason's LA.

**cgw** · June 17th, 2012, 08:03 AM

I've read several of the Perry Mason books also. Just thinking about it makes me want steak and potatos for dinner.

**DurzoBlint** · December 22nd, 2012, 11:03 PM

If you want a change of scenery, Laura Joh Rowland's Inspector Ichiro is a great series. Feudal Japan the first book is Shinju. I think I read the first 6 or 8 novels as quick as I could and then there weren't any new ones to read and moved on and now there are about 12-15 novels in the series. I loved what I read and would like to get back to it but have enough books on my plate currently.

**ralfy** · January 24th, 2013, 02:39 PM

Check out these lists:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...eur_detectives

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...ice_detectives

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor..._investigators

**jhawker** · January 24th, 2013, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by Ajax12

Hello All,,
I have read the usual (holmes,poirot ) but now i am looking for something else

Could you please tell me a few great SERIES that I can start with! I am thinking of picking up Jack Reacher!
I want books with great but a little flawed protagonist!
Who uses his brains more than his muscle! A protagonist and antagonist with whom i can spend a long time with !!
One more thing is that if you could recommend a few series along the lines of the TV show , The Mentalist !
I think the main character in the show is great! Would like a protagonist along the same lines!

I am looking for something with a 'detective' character! one who thinks and deduces, along the lines of poirot etc
not where the protagonist is a a serious badass who can kick and punch away any trouble that he comes across!

Thank you!

I know that this is well after the fact, however you might enjoy the Mary Russell mysteries. Laurie King is the author; very Holmesian. Start with The Beekeeper's Apprentice. I have only read the first few myself, but they came highly recommended and have not disappointed thus far.

**jhawker** · January 27th, 2013, 11:03 AM

I want books with great but a little flawed protagonist!
Who uses his brains more than his muscle! A protagonist and antagonist with whom i can spend a long time with !!

You might try the Mary Russell series by Laurie King. First book in the series is The Beekeeper's Apprentice. This series came highly recommended to me and I quite enjoyed the first 3 books so far.

**Rosy Red Sun** · May 16th, 2013, 04:30 PM

I know you asked for series, but this is a stand alone. However, if you enjoyed Sherlock Holmes stories and you like that style of deduction, try out the book "The Sherlockean" if you haven't already.

It is a book of two stories (Think- The Void Trilogy) that are both equally engrossing. I read it a while back and was very pleased. It was almost a way for a surrogate Holmes mystery without reviving the character (Sacrelege!)

**jackdaw** · June 15th, 2013, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by cgw

Inspector Morse books by Colin Dexter fit your criteria (and are good).
Wexford books by Ruth Rendell are good.

Some others:
Lovesey, Peter - British Police procedural - Peter Diamond

Peter Lovesey wrote another good couple of series about detectives: Sgt Cribb (set in Victorian London) and a series about Prince Albert acting as a detective. Both good, and the Prince Albert series darn funny.

I'd argue that Reginald Hill's Dalziel and Pascoe series is possibly the best modern British police procedural.

Going back a bit if you fancy a police procedural written by a guy who actually pounded the beat and knew what it was all about I'd strongly recommend John Wainwright's "All on a summers day". (24 hours in "life" of a British cop. Really well written, grips from first page to last.)