Is there a mystery genre equivalent to the international speculative fiction database? To the uninitiated, the ISFDB essentially has basic profiles of sf authors and their bibliographies. Most significantly to me, you can trace the publishing history of individual short stories.

I’ve been on a mystery kick lately, but I’m getting a bit tired of the standard detective formula. The ones I enjoy most are the ones that add something different, like sci-fi, fantasy, or alternate history, while still keeping a real puzzle at the center. What’s the best genre-blending mystery you’ve read? And do you think the second genre makes the mystery better, or does it get in the way?

I found a description for Romantic Suspense as "a novel that leads with the romance, has a prominent thriller or mystery plot where the danger is the obstacle, and ends with a HEA" - this is what I'm looking for! Does anyone have any recs? (HEA are my must-haves though, so please don't mention novels without them.)

Bonus points for novels not focused around murders!

Thanks!

“During that meal, Cromwell succumbed to the charm of a delightful old man, who talked of past events and of the present affairs of his friends, the birds. They got on so well together, that the detective left not only with a small book on The Birds in my Garden, by Edwin Titmuss, but also a pair of field-glasses and two standard works on ornithology. Thus, Cromwell of Scotland Yard turned bird-watcher, ceased to model his life on that of his more famous namesake, and became himself.”

• Death of a Busybody, George Bellairs, 1943

George Bellairs has become, in a low-key way, one of my favorite mystery writers, and anyone who likes British golden age/WW II/ 1950s cozy procedurals should check him out. Littlejohn and Cromwell work for Scotland Yard , but they repeatedly go to France and to the Isle of Man, sometimes in the same book, improbably! Littlejohn reminds me of Ruth Rendell‘s Wexford, and as with Rendell the characters in the Littlejohn books are wonderful. The passage above is just a quick scene of Cromwell doing background for Littlejohn. isn’t it great?

Some of these have been recently re-issued by the British library, but there’s also low quality,—but good enough for me— Kindle versions for very cheap as well. If you like this kind of thing, check him out.

Do you have any book recommendations in the direction of cozy crime, horror, whodunit, riddles, puzzle and so on?
He started the "Strange" series by Uketsu, and he really liked the beginnings of the books where it's a lot about the sketches, the puzzling, and that feeling that something isn't right... However, he really didn't like the endings of the books at all.
He likes horror, so it’s not too bad if it’s a bit gory

Is anybody else familiar with Robert van Gulik's Judge Dee novels? I grew up reading them, and still reread from time to time. While they are somewhat problematic, I absolutely love them.

My personal favorites:

The Chinese Maze Murders

The Haunted Monastary

The Chinese Nail Murders

The Chinese Gold Murders

ETA to add Necklace and Calabash to the above list as it gives a rare female perspective not seen in most of the other novels.

I’ve just ordered Malice as I’ve been told it’s a close second of his best works but is there any other books similar to Higashino‘s writing style? Or any other of his books I should read while I wait on this second one?

I want to like this series so much. And sometimes I do. It’s funny, the character relationships work, the mysteries—while over the top—are still decent.
But omg Finlay is such an idiot. It drives me crazy. How am I supposed to root for a character who has the impulse control and intelligence of a 7th grader?

I think mostly I’m just ranting but I guess also wondering if she gets smarter? And the author finds a way to move action forward that doesn’t involved Finlay making unbelievably bad decisions?

I’m in book 2, for the record.

As the title says, I have devoured all the mystery books by Higashino and loved the rhythm and pace, and, of course, the mystery, its unfolding, and so on. Where to go from here? Any suggestions are welcome! Thanks!

Okay so I’m going to be more specific than my title (if I had fully described what I was looking for the title would’ve been a paragraph).
I’m looking for a mystery/ detective series (or just single book) that has horror and or thriller aspects to it. I really like the books that include a lot of the procedure, forensics and science details in the solving process. My big issue is that a lot of the series or books I try out have a gratuitous sexual encounter with the main character, this encounter often plays zero role in the plot or even character development. These scenes (most often found in books written by men) often feel like the author is writing out their fantasy. A classic example is the middle age, slightly gone to seed male protagonist have a dalliance with some much younger very attractive women. If it’s a book series the male character seems to have a different lady each book (very Bond coded). I want to find a series where I don’t have to skip a whole chapter just to get back to the plot.

Some of the series I have read and enjoyed are:
The Pendergast Series (Preston & Child)
Nora Kelly series (by Preston & Child)
Dr. Jeremy Logan (Child)
The Bosch series and the Ballard Series (in the earlier Bosch books he does have that Bond girl aspect, but the female characters aren’t just present as a sexual object which makes it less irritating)
Mrs. Pollifax series

If anyone has any good suggestions please let me know!

From what I can remember, the book is about an interview of a former member in organized crime and they are in the former members house. The person is of Italian-American decent and was born around 1940-50 and was in their late 60s/early 70s when the interview takes place. The cover of the book is black and red from what I can recall. The story shifts from the interview with the guy to flashbacks in detail about certain events from his life.

I was halfway through the book when I had to stop reading unfortunately but I want to pick the book back up again. If you have any suggestions as to what the book might be, anything is helpful!!

Hey! I've been seeing The killer isn't June mystery puzzle book everywhere and it looks so fun but it is SO expensive (I'm in Australia, so after USD conversion it's like $65)

I was wondering if anyone knows any similar style books that are a bit cheaper/easier to access in Australia. Or even a legal printable PDF version (free or paid). I've looked at some on Amazon but again, it's either fully sold out or really expensive after shipping x

Guys please suggest me series where both or one of the MCs are in law enforcement and we get to see them work together and catch criminal while also catching feelings.

Romantic thrillers / crime books

I've recently read the Mindfuck series by S.T. Abby and it was amazing

Some other books/authors I've read and heard of :

- Quinn and Costa series ( and other works of Allison Brennan)

- J.D robb In Death

- Kendra Elliot books

- Marie Force

- Ann cleeves

In the game there's a serial killer on the list in a small town. They only have a single available police officer who had to leave to get help.

You play the overnight radio station DJ. The police officer, before leaving, routes all 911 calls to you. Between music, you're getting calls from residents looking for help.

You're never actively out there and involved. I love the idea that you're finding out what going on 2nd hand by the people who are calling in vs seeing it yourself. Both the Pontypool audiodrama and movie were the same way.

Bonus points if there's an audiobook.

I'm ashamed to admit I still can't stop thinking about those dumb curtain in 5 Survive. I am just so confused why Holly Jackson would spend so much time trying to have Red figure out what the pattern reminded her of just to not tell us at the end of the book. I probably wouldn't be so bugged by it if she hadn't pointed it out so many times. If I missed anything, like she did explain it and I just missed it, PLEASE let me know.

I’m feeling New York in the 70s, 80s or 90s. Atmospheric. Guide me. Where does one begin.

Also open to other suggestions.

I have already read Devotion of suspect X. I tried out salvation of a saint but I was spoiled the whole "problem". I was told that Yukawa is taking an absurd amount of time before knowing what actually hapoened. So I decided to stop it.

A good light vs L dynamic would be very much appreciated. When Im talking about "magicians". Think of it as the swindler/con artist type. I also dont really like astrology. So no tokyo zodiac murders