# Read any good Mysteries or Romantic Suspense Lately?



## Tess St John (Feb 1, 2011)

I used to read a lot of Dean Koontz in my younger years, and I loved his writing, but they were a bit on the thriller side and I think I've mellowed with the years and I'm not sure I would like the edgier stories anymore--although to be fair to him, I haven't read his work in years. I also loved Dan Brown's books (although I haven't read the last one, dh says it's the same as TDC and A&D). I've read Karen Robards and really liked her book Bait. 

So I'm looking for a mystery or suspense that has a romantic angle. Has anyone read one that really stuck with them? Any suggestions?


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## Carol (was Dara) (Feb 19, 2011)

The only mysteries I'm reading these days are historical.


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## Tess St John (Feb 1, 2011)

What are some good ones, Dara?


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

Have you tried any of Sandra Brown's more recent books? She writes romantic suspense books and they are always very good. Tami Hoag's "Deeper than the Dead" and "Secrets to the Grave" are both very good and contain mystery/suspense and some romance.


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## LaRita (Oct 28, 2008)

I'd like to be the first to suggest the _*In Death * _ series by J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts). They're sci fi/mystery/romance that are a lot of fun to read, with engaging characters and exciting plots. Many on this board would second the recommendation I think.


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## Daphne (May 27, 2010)

I read a few Agatha Christie Mysteries on my Kindle recently and these are two of my favourites.


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## Tess St John (Feb 1, 2011)

Wonderful suggestions.

Kindlegirl, I read a few by Sandra Brown a while back...but there wasn't any suspense in them, only romance...I will look at her more recent stuff.

LaRita...I didn't know the JD Robb books were suspense...thanks.

Thanks, Daphne, I didn't know AC books had romance in them.


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## Daphne (May 27, 2010)

Tess St John said:


> .Thanks, Daphne, I didn't know AC books had romance in them.


Oops, sorry, no romance, just the good mystery. For the mystery and romance (well, love) I would recommend the Peter Wimsey books with Harriet Vane in them - Strong Poison, Whose Body?, Gaudy Night and Busman's Honeymoon - on Kindle in the UK, but you may still need a DTB in the US.


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## Tom_HC99 (May 6, 2011)

I remember I used to be super into Theresa Medeiros' books... Once An Angel was one that I remember particularly.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

Karen Cantwell
Elizabeth Peters


Drawing a blank.  I had about 5 names...

Virginia Lanier (very  light on the romance)

Holly Lisle (Midnight Rain)

I'll think of more...


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## Tess St John (Feb 1, 2011)

Thanks, Daphne, I will look for them.

Tom...I love TM's historicals...I will look for her RS.

Maria, thanks so much...I'm writing all these down and going to go read the excerpts!


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## Alex Sinclair (May 5, 2011)

Hi Tess, I actually asked this the other day on goodreads. I felt like I was the only person writing romance suspense, lol. It doesn't seem to be the most popular genre right now or the romance suspense fans are just really good at hiding!


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## Carol (was Dara) (Feb 19, 2011)

Tess St John said:


> What are some good ones, Dara?


My favorite historical mysteries are by:

Deanna Rayburn
Tasha Alexander
C.S. Harris

Can't go wrong with any of those authors.


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

Ellis Peters was the master of the historical mystery. I'm afraid I've never found anyone I thought compared with her. I wish I could because I do enjoy them, but they all seem lacking either in the mystery or (even more) in the history part.

Seriously, no one can compare with her.  They are sadly not available for Kindle. Other than that I am very much a traditionalist. Dashiell Hammett and Chandler all the way.


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## bashfulreader (Jan 29, 2011)

I was going to suggest The Eight, by Katherine Neville, but it looks like it isn't available for Kindle. I thought it was similar to some of Dan Brown's books.

I'll second the suggestion for Sandra Brown.

Some of Nora Roberts stand-alone books would fit this description. I loved Birthright

Susanna Kearsley might fit the bill. I haven't read it yet, but I recently bought Winter Sea - it looks really good. I read something else by her a long time ago in paper, and remember that I enjoyed it.

(As for the J.D. Robb collection... I read the first three years ago in paper, and would like to start over again and do the whole series on the Kindle... but I'm afraid I'll go broke! The series is so long! )


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## theraven (Dec 30, 2009)

If you like Christian/inspirational romantic suspense, Anne Patrick is really good. (_Fire and Ash _ won Romance Reviews Best Inspirational Romance 2010)


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## Todd Young (May 2, 2011)

Final Settlement by Linda Davies has a great atmosphere. I'd recommend it.


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

I enjoy Jayne Ann Krentz's when I'm in the mood for a mystery/romance. Hers are sometimes a bit paranormal, but not all.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

Thought of another author:  Maureen Miller.


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## Tess St John (Feb 1, 2011)

I'm so glad you guys are suggesting all these...even if they aren't on kindle...I'm going to B&N tomorrow and will look these up!  

Thanks, Maria.

hsuthard...I've read a couple of JAK's historicals--and met her in person once (she very nice), so I will definitely look for her R/S books.

Thanks, Todd.

theraven, thanks, I like all genres!

bashfulreader, that's okay...I'm going to B&N tomorrow for Mother's Day and will look for Katherine Neville. And don't go broke! LOL

Oh, JR, I would love Historical mystery, I don't think I've ever read one!

Thanks, Dara!!!!  I will check them out!

Well, Alex, I hope you find them.


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## mistyd107 (May 22, 2009)

KindleGirl said:


> Have you tried any of Sandra Brown's more recent books? She writes romantic suspense books and they are always very good. Tami Hoag's "Deeper than the Dead" and "Secrets to the Grave" are both very good and contain mystery/suspense and some romance.


Love Sandra's Romantic suspense/ thrillers


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## Tess St John (Feb 1, 2011)

You know, TL, I've never read Lisa Gardner...I've heard great things...she's on my list. I've read a few of Linda Howard's. 

Well, kindlegirl, thanks. I just have to get me a Sandra Brown Suspense now!

Happy Mother's Day to all!


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## L.J. Sellers novelist (Feb 28, 2010)

One of my favorite thrillers from last year, The Lock Artist, has a very strong romantic element.

L.J.

_[Tsk, tsk, LJ. No self promotion outside the Book Bazaar. --Betsy]_


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## Tess St John (Feb 1, 2011)

Okay, off to get my books! Yay!


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## Neekeebee (Jan 10, 2009)

I'm a big fan of Deanna Raybourn's Lady Julia series as well. Another that I'd recommend that kind of reminds me of that series is Lucinda Brandt's _Deadly Engagement_ , which I think is labeled as a "crime-mance" or something like that.

N


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## Tess St John (Feb 1, 2011)

Thanks, Neekeebee!!


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## Cheryl Bradshaw Author (Apr 13, 2011)

Yes! I read Victorine Lieske's Not What She Seems. Great book and only .99

http://www.amazon.com/Not-What-She-Seems-ebook/dp/B003HS5LRO/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t

Also, Robert B. Parker's Sixkill just came out last week. So not .99 but one of the last books he wrote before he passed.

http://www.amazon.com/Sixkill-ebook/dp/B004XFYWSO/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t


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## Julia444 (Feb 24, 2011)

Mary Stewart is the all-time queen of romantic suspense, if you don't mind going back to stuff written in the 50s and 60s.  I'd start with NINE COACHES WAITING or THIS ROUGH MAGIC.

Others like her: Phyllis A. Whitney, who probably had about 70 titles; Victoria Holt; Phillip Carr; Jeanne Plaidy.  (Those last three were all the same woman--she was very prolific!).  My favorite Whitney was BLACK AMBER, and the best Holt book, in my opinion, was ON THE NIGHT OF THE SEVENTH MOON.

And don't forget Daphne du Maurier!  REBECCA might be the greatest gothic romantic suspense novel--it certainly has a huge following.

Ah--my favorite authors right there.  

Julia


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## Tess St John (Feb 1, 2011)

Cool, Julia...thanks so much.

Thanks, Cheryl, I will definitely check them out!


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

I am so sad that the Ellis Peter's Brother Cadfael mysteries aren't on Kindle yet but they are really great books. This is the first one: 

I recommend them very highly.


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## Tamara Rose Blodgett (Apr 1, 2011)

Trapped by Konrath is all-suspense but it's terrific! And if you're looking for some romance ( a little) but with all the right ingredients piled in together, try, "Wish List," by John Locke. For the record...I didn't care for Saving Rachel...


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## Tess St John (Feb 1, 2011)

Thanks JR and Tamara Rose! I realized I have To Darkness and To Death...and A Time To Kill in my TBR pile, but I'm not sure either of them have romance in them.  

Anyone read these yet


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## RaynaVause (May 10, 2011)

It may be a little lighter then you're looking for in a mystery, but Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series is always fun. It has a little romance, a lot of comedy, and a fun mystery. 

I'll also second the J.D. Robb recommendation. It's a fabulous series.


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## Tess St John (Feb 1, 2011)

I have read a few of Janet E's books and I agree, Rayne...very funny and quick reads!


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## SarahForester (May 11, 2011)

I really like Death of a Stranger by Ann Perry and sort of like the Queen's Gambit by Diane A.S.
Both books were straight forward mystery with thriller but I like how each other gave so much personality to the female protagonist.

_[Edited: No self promotion outside the Book Bazaar. Please read our Forum Decorum. --Betsy]_


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## Beth Groundwater (Apr 6, 2011)

A great source of quality mystery authors are those who have been nominated for and received the Best Novel and Best First Novel Agatha Awards, named for Agatha Christie. You can find this year's list here, and there's a link to past year's winners:

http://www.malicedomestic.org/agathaawards.html

I really enjoy books written by Louise Penny and Nancy Pickard, who were both nominees this year. For outdoor-oriented mysteries (my forte), besides my own _Deadly Currents_ whitewater rafting mystery, I recommend:

William Kent Krueger
Dana Stabenow
CJ Box


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## Tess St John (Feb 1, 2011)

Great, Sarah...I've heard of Death of a Stranger!

Thanks so much, Beth! 

The last book I read bummed me out, so I'm looking for a good RS or RM...I'm going to get samples and see which really capture me!


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## ndrake (Apr 20, 2011)

I've always enjoyed books by James Blaylock especially Night Relics.


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## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

Don't miss T.L. Haddix's "Leroy's Sins" series

~Secrets in the Shadows
~Under the Moon's shadow
~Shadows from the Grave (coming soon)

















http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B003ES5S7U/ref=dp_image_z_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&n=133140011&s=digital-text


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## Mark Adair (Dec 4, 2010)

Daphne said:


> Oops, sorry, no romance, just the good mystery. For the mystery and romance (well, love) I would recommend the Peter Wimsey books with Harriet Vane in them - Strong Poison, Whose Body?, Gaudy Night and Busman's Honeymoon - on Kindle in the UK, but you may still need a DTB in the US.


Double these recommendations, Tess. Sayers' Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane characters are some of my all time favorites. Highly recommended!


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## Tess St John (Feb 1, 2011)

Night Relic...thanks, ndrake.

Thanks, NapCat.

Cool, Mark! I will check out Sayers.


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## kurzon (Feb 26, 2011)

I can thoroughly recommend Margaret Maron's mysteries.

The Sigrid Harald series is quite old now (just re-released on Kindle) and the first couple on re-read have some definite 'eighties moments', but have a powerful (and at times painful) romance which stretches across the relatively short series. It's about a female police detective who becomes involved in the art world. Starts with "One Coffee With".

The Deborah Knott series is about a female Southern judge and are an incredibly vivid and loving portrait of a medium-sized Southern community (and incredibly extended family). The series as a whole has one of my favourite romances in it, but it's a slow burn which takes something like 7 or 8 books to come to fruition. Starts with "Bootlegger's Daughter".

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&field-author=Margaret%20Maron


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## Tess St John (Feb 1, 2011)

Thanks, Kurzon, I will look them up!


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## jherrick (Apr 1, 2011)

This is an oldie, but The Guardian was Nicholas Sparks's effort to mix a love story with suspense.


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## Sienna_98 (Jan 26, 2009)

Marcia Muller has a wonderful series that began in the 80's.  If you can stand to start in the middle, I highly recommend A Wolf in the Shadows.  

For a more modern series, Craig Johnson's books are set in Wyoming.  The protagonist is the local sheriff who is coming to grips with death of his wife in the first book, The Cold Dish.  Currently A&E is turning his books into a series.  Casting looks great, with Lou Diamond Philips playing Henry Standing Bear.


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## Sienna_98 (Jan 26, 2009)

And of course, as soon as I hit "post" I thought of another series...

Charlaine Harris (currently better known for her Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) books) also wrote a lovely Southern mystery series, featuring Aurora Teagarden.  Definitely a romantic element (but the mystery is the focus).  The first book in the series is Real Murders.  She also wrote another mystery series featuring Lily Bard (first book:  Shakespeare's Landlord), but they are a much darker series.

Earlene Fowler has a cozy mystery series with romantic elements, featuring Benni Harper, a folk art museum curator.  First book is Fool's Puzzle.  If I remember correctly, the title of each of her books is also the name of a quilting pattern.  Back when I browsed in bookstores  , her books were always easy to spot as they featured a quilt across the front cover of each one.


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

I agree with many of these suggestions, and have found some new books to try. In the meantime, I'd suggest Elizabeth Lowell's Donovan series (Amber Beach, Jade Island, Pearl Cove, Midnight in Ruby Bayou). EXCELLENT.


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## Beth Groundwater (Apr 6, 2011)

Neekeebee said:


> I'm a big fan of Deanna Raybourn's Lady Julia series as well.


I am, too! She and I were nominated for the Best First Novel Agatha Award the same year (2007). I'm happy to see her series doing so well, because I really enjoyed reading her first book, Silent in the Grave, that year.


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## Beth Groundwater (Apr 6, 2011)

Sienna_98 said:


> For a more modern series, Craig Johnson's books are set in Wyoming. The protagonist is the local sheriff who is coming to grips with death of his wife in the first book, The Cold Dish. Currently A&E is turning his books into a series. Casting looks great, with Lou Diamond Philips playing Henry Standing Bear.


I'm a fan of Craig himself as well as of the series. We're both members of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of MWA and have talked at a few events and mystery cons. Great guy and great series. Those who enjoy CJ Box and William Kent Krueger should enjoy Craig Johnson's Walt Longmire series, too.


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## par2323 (Nov 22, 2010)

Just finished Louise Wise's "A Proper Charlie" which is definitely romantic suspense.  I really like all the contemporary British slang the characters use.  

Patricia Rockwell


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## Gone 9/21/18 (Dec 11, 2008)

I just finished C. J. Box's Cold Wind. I've enjoyed all his books, and while this may not be the mostest bestest, it was still good. I also enjoy Craig Johnson's Walt Longmire books and like Lou Diamond Phillips. Too bad that series is going to be on A&E as all I have is network tv.


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## HeidiHall (Sep 5, 2010)

I agree with the Elizabeth Lowell Donovan series rocommendation - great books! Also, Mariah Stewart has a few great series (I especially like the Mercy Street novels). There really aren't a whole lot out there that are new if you're a voracious reader (like me). I do think the genre is a little slow right now.


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