I have also read Dana Stabenow’s Kate Shugak series and they are a really fun read as well.

Based on what you and Michelle have said, I’ll definitely look into those other Nora Roberts titles that are suspense-based.

Michelle, I’m glad I had the “Yankee” thing right, ha, ha!

But I hope I haven’t given you a “meh” impression about Spencer-Fleming when I say none of her books quite came together for me like A Great Deliverance. She’s really good, well-worth reading. Terrific series.

It’s just that A Great Deliverance was almost perfect for me in characterization and plot. It set the bar about as high as it can get! :) I think you’d really enjoy the Spencer-Fleming books, and the Louise Penny books as well.

I think Southerners would say anybody from the north (aka north of the mason-dixon line) is a yankee while abroad any american is a yank. Southerners can correct me. :)

The six New England states are Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

I think you may like the Nora Robert’s single titles – the ones that debut in hardcover and are her longest. They almost always have a mystery or suspense subplot.

At the risk of being extremely obnoxious, this native New Englander feels the need to point out that New York is not part of New England – though it is similar.

Whoops! I did not know that, ha, ha! It’s not obnoxious at all – I’m glad you told me, Michelle. I had the idea that New York state and Maine and everything in between were all roughly the same region, and I’m calling them all Yankees. Shows what I know out here in western desert! :)

As far as the Inspector Lynley books go, I’ve only read the first one so far, A Great Deliverance, which I thought was a masterpiece. While well-developed and appealing real, I don’t think Spencer-Fleming’s characters are quite THAT good – the portrayals of Lynley and Havers were phenomenal.

In terms of the tone, there might be a similar level of angst and psychological underpinnings. Definitely the Spencer-Fleming books are character-driven like A Great Deliverance, while having a strong mystery plot.

Thanks for Pattillo and Pappano recommendations – especially that they’re in the romance genre rather than the mystery genre. As a reader, and partly due to the influence of this site, I’m trying to put my toe in the water with romance fiction these days but it’s a huge genre, way bigger than mystery or fantasy: it’s hard to know where to start!

How does this series compare to the Elizabeth George Inspector Linley books?

A romance series that takes place in an upstate New York town is Marilyn Pappano’s Bantam single-title contemporary series set in (made up) Bethlehem, New York. Some had an extremely light paranormal element. Some had a decent level of angst. You may enjoy them.

If you’d like to read an inspirational romance about a new, female minister, you may like Beth Pattillo’s Heavens to Betsy set in Nashville. (FYI – Beth is a friend of mine.) It won a Rita and had a chick lit feel.

At the risk of being extremely obnoxious, this native New Englander feels the need to point out that New York is not part of New England – though it is similar.

“Is he up or down?” Erlendur asked.

“No,” the manager said, casting an irritated look at Erlendur. “He’s down here in the basement …”

*strangled, joy-filled noises* … If you, my obviously misplaced-at-birth sister, recommend it in the same breath as Bruen, I am there.

Ha, ha, ha, Darlynne, that’s great! Jack is pretty unique. Sometimes I just have to shake my head at him and have to say: Jack, what are you thinking? I hope you’ll like the Indridason. It’s different (what could really be similar to the Jack Tayler series?), but definitely all about character.

You might also like this great new Irish author Tana French: In the Woods and especially The Likeness.

Have you tried Ken Bruen's Jack Taylor mystery series?

*strangled, joy-filled noises* Oh, man, I love me some Jack Taylor. Is there anyone more anguished, more troubled and, really, more heroic in a gut-wrenching way than Jack? When I first picked up the ARC of “The Guards,” I knew I’d hit on something–someone–extraordinary. Sheer poetry.

I am going to have to read Indridason's series now. If you, my obviously misplaced-at-birth sister, recommend it in the same breath as Bruen, I am there.

(Thanks also, Renee, for the Coel recommendation. I’d been kind of skimming past these books in the bookstore, thinking they were imitation-Hillerman, but you’ve got me interested now.)

Another series, this one brings to mind is Margaret Coel’s Fr. John and Vicky Holden series. Starting with The Eagle Catcher, the novels take place on the Arapaho Wind River Reservation. Vicky is an Arapaho lawyer, and Fr. John is the pastor of the St Francis mission. Like JS-F, Margaret Coel is able to vividly paint an interesting and unique location, people it with interesting and complex secondary characters, and develop an absorbing mystery. Also similar to Clare and Russ, Fr John and Vicky develop and increasingly complicated relationship over the series, and are very aware that their decisions on where they take their relationship has personal, professional, and spiritual repercussions.

Thanks for the great post. I was so happy to see this series an “If you like…” topic!

Jenreads and Handyhunter, that sounds like a great suggestion: the Stabenow books. I haven’t tried them, but if there’s anything I like reading about more than an unusual job, it’s an unusual setting. I’m going to go order the first book. And, Handyhunter, you said:

I also rec the movie of Gone Baby Gone. It's awesome in that it's more about the ambiguousness of right and wrong and people in general than it is about the murder/mystery case. I haven't read the book yet, but I think the movie is worth watching.

My situation is actually the reverse of yours: I haven’t seen the movie yet. But I plan to on your description. I’m so glad the film-makers kept that sense of moral ambiguousness. It’s a subtle thing, and I thought the film might have dropped it. I’m glad to hear it didn’t! Also, in regards to the UST in the Spencer-Fleming novels, I agree with you. The books can’t realistically keep this up forever (e.g., Evanovich’s love triangle with Stephanie Plum).

And, Darlynne, wow, terrific! Our reading tastes must be right together. Lehane in particular just amazes me: he’s a genius. Have you tried Ken Bruen’s Jack Taylor mystery series? Amazing first-person voice: a highly-literate, self-hating, manic Irish addict (you name it) who happens to (sort of ) solve crimes. Or Arnaldur Indridason’s Reykjavik series? Stoic, depressed but quirky detective solves mysteries steeped in the history of Iceland. Great stuff! I think you’d like these books.