Actually this is "more mysteries" and a science fiction novel. All but the book on the bottom of the pile were recommendations. The middle four I saw mentioned in the comment area of this interesting post. I love mysteries, but I tend towards either international crime novels or British cozies and police procedurals or historical mysteries. Glaringly absent from my reading piles are mysteries by American authors (with the exception of a few and some of those set their books outside the US). I'm not entirely sure why that is other than I have a strong interest in British literature and I guess books set here in the US are just too familiar. I suspect I am missing out on some very good books, however, so I am going to try and broaden my (mystery) reading horizons.
Doomsday Book, Connie Willis - After I mentioned wanting to read To Say Nothing of the Dog, someone (perhaps a few people even) that this was an excellent book by Willis as well. It's another time travel book set both in the future and in Medieval England.
I'll admit to not knowing a lot about the following books other than they are mysteries by American authors and set here in the US, but as they seem to have come highly recommended I thought they were worth a try:
Deal Breaker, Harlan Coban - The first Myron Bolitar novel.
The Monkey's Raincoat, Robert Crais - This features Elvis Cole, an L.A. private eye, "who's a literate, wisecracking Vietnam vet determined not to grow up."
The Black Echo, Michael Connelly - The first Harry Bosch novel, a LAPD homicide detective.
Tell No One, Harlan Coban - I believe this is a standalone novel, that's a "suspense thriller".
Any my last book is a "Golden Age Classic" by Anthony Berkeley, The Poisoned Chocolates Case (...English cozy, thank you). I came across it on the Felony & Mayhem online catalog and it sounded to good to pass up. The crime? Death by chocolate (literally!). A society of intellectuals determines who is the culprit but each member gives a different solution. It sounds like fun.
So out of curiosity, has anyone read the middle four books? And if you happen to read American crime/mystery novels do you have any authors or books in particular you can recommend (there should definitely be some women authors in that list)? I'm sure there are probably some classic novels out there that I should have read. Perhaps it's time once again that I turn to my handy little reference guide, The Rough Guide to Crime Fiction, which will offer a few suggestions as well.
Coming soon, part three--the last of my new books.