Oh, I wish I were in your shoes and could read the books all again for the first time!

Enjoy!

Oh, and did anyone recommend John Lescroart's books? Also terrific.

Wait a minute - isn't The Poet about serial killers? And didn't you post a few weeks ago that you can't watch scary, suspenseful movies? I have trouble watching those films too - but reading can be just as bad. I find myself caught up in the atmosphere of horror and it fills me with dread. It's the kind of thing that can bring on nasty nightmares.

Here is a link that might be useful: suspense movies

I was going to start a similar thread because I want to thank whoever suggested Louise Penny and the Three Pines mystery series. I'm really enjoying it and she writes so descriptively that you can actually see the village in your mind and all the characters. Thanks.

Good murder mystery books are far better than scary movies, IMHO. It's not horror, not by any means.

You should read the Harry Bosch series. They're really good....really good.

I also love Michael Connelly. The Harry Bosch series is a fav but also the Lincoln Lawyer is great too and he started a series about that character as well. Another great series is the Pendergast series by Lincoln-Child starting with "The Cabinet of Curiosities" and the historical detail is wonderful.. Pendergast is a kind of a Sherlock Holmes type of character.
Joann

Most of the ones mentioned are favorites of mine, too. I also like Faye Kellerman's books about Detective Pete Decker and his family.

Susan, Michael Connelly is my favorite mystery author. When I retired a couple of years ago I started reading all his early books. What a treat. His characters are wonderful and I loved hearing about the cities (Los Angeles and West LA). I knew where everything was and the stories would just come alive to me. Enjoy Harry Bosch and all the other characters that you'll be meeting. :-))

Susan

DH and I have read all the Connelly books. Unlike some 'series' that started out well, his characters have not become silly. (Daniel Silva's character Gabriel Alon comes to mind.)

I just read/skimmed a ridiculously formulaic mystery that has been -- wait for it -- optioned for a movie. It's "The 500". The last chapter had me laughing out loud as one cruel injury sustained by our hero was followed by five more -- any of which would have rendered a real man unconscious. I suspect this was written by a committee.

I just cracked "Bringing Up the Bodies" by Mantel. I loved "Wolf Hall". (These are historicl novels about Cromwell.)

It's always a treat to pick up a book by someone you have not read before and discover within a few sentences that he or she Can Write. It's even better when a series by that author stretches out before you!

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I couldn't post yesterday (GardenWeb rejected all my attempts), but Tamara fixed this and I'm back. I've been taking notes!