Here are a couple I can think of - C.J. Box (Joe Picket series). He also has some stand-alones that are good. A little older, William Tapply (Brady Coyne series). He also wrote the Stoney Calhoun series although I think there are only four in that. Let us know what you find - always curious.

P. D. James's Adam Dalgliesh novels.

Walter Mosely's Easy Rawlins novels.

Dick Francis's novels, all set in horse racing, many with the character of Sid Halley.

Skibby - thank you - those are all new to me so great info for me. I don't care if they are older or not so all sounds like I should look at them.

Jeffery Deaver

Harlan Coben one of my favorites.

THOMAS FINCHAM the Lee Callaway series.

Philip R. Craig is another mystery author that wrote at the same time as William Tapply and they sometimes mentioned each other's characters in their novels, a little wink to their fans. Rick Boyer's "Doc" Adams series is also older, but one of my favorites. J.A. Jance has three series, I think, and all are enjoyable. I like Laurie R. King's Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series, too.

I thought of one more - author Paul Doiron who writes the Mike Bowditch series. I must have a game warden thing going on. :) I'm also a fan of Philip Craig's JW Jackson series as fun2behere mentioned. Loved that interaction with Brady - fun!

Robert Crais - Elvis Cole and Joe Pike characters, and some stand-alone books

John Lutz - Frank Quinn. Grisly and after a couple, they are all the same, but i read them anyway

Daniel Silva - Gabriel Allon

Kinsey Millhone in Sue Grafton's alphabet mysteries.

eta: V. I. Warshawski in Sara Paretsky books

The first one that came to mind for me was CJ Box(mentioned above), an older series I really enjoyed, is Dr Kay Scarpetta - by Patricia Cornwall. I also like Dick Francis.

Peri O’Shaughnessy - Nine Reilly series

Catherine Coulter - FBI series with Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock, husband and wife

David Baldacci - Camel Club series (should be read in order)

David Baldacci - King and Maxwell series

Check out Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie mysteries. She's more recently known for Life After Life and A God in Ruins. She's such a good writer and keep hoping she'll release another in the Jackson Brodie series.

You may enjoy Nelson Demille’s John Corey books. Thrillers with smart-aleck characters and lots of action as well as politics, history and a decent back story. He’s a great writer.

Thank you each and every one of you. Some new ones to me in there for sure and some good ones I'd totally forgotten that I've read that may help someone else as well. Keep them coming. I love to read and really appreciate these.

Tana French's Murder squad series is excellent. She is a wonderful, descriptive writer.

Elizabeth George Inspector Linley series. I think she is on book 18 now. Also second Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon series.

I have read all the Tana French books up until the most recent release (this month). I enjoyed them quite a bit. Each is very different and centers on a different member of the murder squad. You might see some of the same characters carry through the next book but they won't be the same in the lead spot.

I am currently reading Dan Silva's Gabriel Allon series-- recommended here in this thread and in the "what are you reading" monthly threads by Running, I believe? I really like it and again, each one is very different despite having Gabriel Allon and a cast of repeat characters in each book. That's the downfall of so many series for me-- if they start all sounding like the same story, I give them up. The Gabriel Allon series is more spy novel than mystery/police procedural (Tana French Murder Squad).

John sandford, détective Davenport series

Lesser known, Patricia Moyes, Inspector Henry Tibbet

Georges Simenon, Inspector Maigret

and known, but I don't think mentioned yet:

Ruth Rendell, Inspector Wexford

PD James, Adam Dalgliesh

Anne Perry, Thomas Pitt and Willam Monk/ Hester Latterly

Some of these are old, and most of them are more psychological, and some more dystopian than American, fast paced, big explosion books.

I really liked Lee Child/Jack Reacher until Tom Cruise played this 6'4" guy with a 7 foot reach who could kill with his bare hands. Such ridiculous casting that it sorta turned me off to the character. Plus it seemed like he started to kill with impugnity rather than necessity at some point.

James Lee Burke the Dave Robicheaux series. All his books are good. Hid Daughter Alifare is now a good writer too.

I also recommend Elizabeth George with Inspector Lynley and Barbara Hager’s characters

I dug around a bit at goodreads.com, and found this list of Best suspense/thriller series. A lot of them have already been suggested, but you might find some new ones.

Goodreads suspense/thriller series list

Margaret Yorke is another lesson known writer of mysteries

I'll also recommend the Reginald Hill books, English mysteries. And I re-read all the Inspector Morse books a couple of years ago, and they were wonderful.

I've enjoyed reading some of the older books lately. I seem to separate the time periods into "pre-cellphone", "early cellphone", and "smartphone". Life has certainly changed for all of us.

Another wonderful writer is John Lescroart. Dismas Hardy and Abe Glitsky, characters. Very well-written.

J.A. Jance has three series, I think, and all are enjoyable.

This will give you lots of good reading. All series are very good.

Have read all the Dick Francis, P.D. James, Ruth Rendell, Elizabeth George, Agatha Christie and Colin Dexter's Morse series. Love them all. Ngaio Marsh is another I always enjoyed. Someone suggested Josephine Tey to me, but I haven't picked any of hers up yet. Winter is my mystery-reading time! Have fun!

ETA: I go to our library and just browse the mysteries. Some that are very light, quick reading are by M.C. Beaton, set in Scotland and the detective is Hamish Macbeth. Amusing and good for an easy read over a couple nights.

Cara Black – Aimee Leduc series, set in Paris in the 1990’s

Janet Evanovich – Stephanie Plum series, set in Trenton NJ. The
cast of characters, especially her grandmother, is hilarious.

Dorothy Gilman – Mrs. Pollifax, a bored senior citizen
manages to join the CIA and see the world as a spy. To paraphrase, Mrs. Pollifax, older women are invisible and she uses it to
advantage.

Kerry Greenwood – Miss Phryne Fisher series, set in the 1920’s. Much as I love Essie Davis in the tv series, I
prefer the books.

Kerry Greenwood – Corinna Chapman series

Tony Hillerman – Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee are the
protagonists. Set on the Navajo Reservation (New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado,
Utah). More about the characters and
their culture than the detecting or the crime.
I miss Hillerman.

Elizabeth Peters – Amelia Peabody series. Start with Crocodile on the Sandbank. I forced myself to keep reading because I
trusted the person who recommended it.
About halfway through Amelia tickled my funnybone.

James Patterson – Women’s Murder Club. Well-written, but a bit more gore that I like. I’m a wuss.

It’s hard to beat John Le Carre for spy novels.

So many good series to read! Here are some I've enjoyed:

Longmire series by Craig Johnson - made into an eponymous tv series, the books feature Walt Longmire who is a Wyoming sheriff and Vietnam Vet along with as always a colorful cast of characters.

Joanna Brady series by JA Jance - Jance has been mentioned and I'm specifying this series mostly because I just found it, am inhaling the books and love them.

Kenzie/Gennaro series by Dennis Lehane - a wonderful series by a great author; set in Boston about a pair of detectives, Patrick Kenzie and Angela (Angie) Gennaro. One of their books became the movie 'Gone Baby Gone'.

Jane Whitefield series by Thomas Perry-an Indian tracker living in upstate NY who finds people in hiding, or helps them hide from danger. Wonderfully suspenseful and well written.

Alexandra Cooper series by Linda Fairstein-Alex is a NYC sex crimes prosecutor and intrepid investigator. Some of the writing is formulaic and Alex can be a little too Wonder Woman-like but the cast of characters and plots are always interesting.

Amos Decker series by David Baldacci-only a few so far in this series, and sometimes the plots strain credulity but Baldacci makes them work.

Jason Stafford series by Michael Sears-very interesting books featuring a former Wall Street trader who was busted for financial crimes, and who now investigates others doing the same thing.

Key West capers series by Laurence Shames-funny suspense books with different protagonists, but all set in Key West and all featuring some variation of NY/NJ fish out of water hijinks. Hilarious, all.

Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt-another funny mystery series, about a lawyer in NJ who loves dogs, is independently wealthy and takes on seemingly hopeless cases when people are being framed for crimes they didn't commit.

Bill Hodges trilogy and The Outsider by Stephen King - while not a series in the classic sense, the trilogy is quintessential King with a lot of great character development and a dash of the supernatural. The Outsider brings back one of the main characters and it's a doozy on its own anyway.

Adelia series by Ariana Franklin - set in Medieval England, she is a healer who solves mysteries as a proto-doctor and forensic investigator. Lots of good period details; the author died a few years ago and I'm still sad.

Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters - another mystery series from Medieval England (who'd a thunk it?), about a monk, retired from the Crusades, during the first half of the 12th century. Again, many great historical details about everything from a decades long battle for the throne to the quotidian daily routines of the period.

Matthew Shardlake series by CJ Sansom - at last, a series not set in Medieval England...it's set in Tudor England! Matthew is a hunchbacked lawyer during the reign of Henry VIII who solves mysteries, many of which are set in or among the royal court. Books are long, involved and always fascinating.

Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson (love these)

Sean Drummond series by Brian Haig (love these)

I've only read one but the Alex Cross series by James Patterson made the great American read list.

I also only read one and it was pretty standard fare...Nora Roberts of romance novel fame wrote a "death" series of books under the name JD Robb with Lt. Eve Dallas.

Tony Hillerman – Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee are the protagonists. Set on the Navajo Reservation (New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah). More about the characters and their culture than the detecting or the crime. I miss Hillerman.

Yes, Hillerman is one I too highly recommend. If you're interested in Native American culture and the American southwest, or just have a desire to learn more, his work is enthralling.

I tried to read a JD Robb book, and never made it thru the first chapter. The Alex Cross books are all the same after a point.

And the Ali Reynolds stories from JA Jance are relatively silly, and seem to repeat, too, but I read most of them. (How many times can the heroine (or other characters) get drugged, kidnapped, and locked in a car truck? Really?)

I admit, I have not read much in this genre but 2 series I have enjoyed:

The Red Sparrow Trilogy by Jason Matthews. Matthews is a retired CIA agent himself and I thoroughly enjoyed the series. The protagonist was a Russian ballerina who had to switch careers due to injury. Well done. They made a movie of the first book but hearing the plot changes made me decide against seeing it.

The Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith (nom de plum of J.K. Rowling). Far different series of books than Harry Potter, of course. Definitely for adults. I have definitely enjoyed the ones I have read so far.

I've enjoyed:

Deborah Crombie's Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James books - British - Scotland Yard

Elizabeth George - Inspector Lynley - also British and Scotland Yard but much different from Kincaid books.

Kerry Greenwood - Phryne Fisher

Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters--medieval history as well as mystery.

Awesome! Definitely some new ones to me and a few I've read one book from it and not realized it was a series and of course some I've already read.

I do tend to like the more suspenseful ones and those who noted on everything start sounding too much alike after a few is a good note too as I do have an issue with that at times.

I really appreciate the wide variety too as I like to read all kinds. I've read all the ones that are by Swedish authors except Kepler's newest that just came out since my mom helps keep me up to speed on that side.

I should note a couple for others who may be interested too.

This one is fairly new so not many books yet, but I enjoy it and the setting is different than most books.

Kelley Armstrong - Casey Duncan series

This is a set in Britain and I really liked these.

Simon Kernick - Tina Boyd series

A Danish series

Jussi-Adler Olsen - Department Q

A couple of others that I enjoyed as they have a different twist with the characters.

TR Ragan - Faith McMann trilogy and her other series that has has ended with Lizzy Gardner

Dot Hutchinson - Victor Hanivarian, Brandon Edison, and Mercedes Ramirez

I have another to add - Michael Koryta. He has two series - Lincoln Perry and another with Mark Novak. It's his stand-alones that I like the best. These usually have a common denominator of a natural element as the protagonist (storm, caves, wild cats, electricity). Very suspenseful and well done. Edge of your seat reading.

Ian Rankin (Scottish), Inspector Rebus

Peter Robinson (English-Canadian), Inspector Alan Banks

Louise Penny (Canadian), Chief Inspector Armand Gamache

L.R. Wright (Canadian), Alberg/Cassandra novels, Edwina Henderson novels

and some of my favorites from long-ago,

Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series

Ross Thomas, my all-time favorite, who had a number of recurring characters through his novels; Thomas also wrote under the pseudonym of Oliver Bleeck with main character Philip St. Ives, professional go-between.

Lawrence Sanders has a series of books featuring his gad-fly detective Archie McNally, they are dated now, Sanders died in 1998, but they are funny and easy reading, def fall into the "pre-cell phones" genre. Bonus: many are available at thrift shops and other cheap places to get good reads.

J.A. Jance, her series is set in Arizona and pretty good as well (definitely not as funny as Sanders tho). Some are pre-cell, some newer. Ditto on the thrift shop option.

Carl Hiaasen, his novels aren't a series per se, but contain some recurring characters, as a bonus, he skewers South Florida and its denizens, capturing it perfectly (I traveled there quite often in the day, and know it well). TBH his earlier book are the funniest, but I read everything he writes, I appreciate his wit and humor. Some pre-cell, some newer.

Joseph Wambaugh, a retired cop, who has written some really good, and funny, crime books (yeah, humor is very important to me), all pre-cell, I think.

David Simon and Ed Burns, the creative duo who brought us the Earth's best TV show, The Wire, are both authors of true crime books, tho not necessarily whodunits, more like sprawling, sad, true-to-life stories, just like their TV shows.

My sister highly recommended to me a series (15?20?books) by Donna Leon about a detective in Venice. She says to read in chronological order -- first is "Death at La Fenice" (Venice's opera house). I plan to hunt these down for the winter.

John Sanford has 3 different series-the Davenport series. They're all listed as _____ Prey. Both pre and post smart phone. The Virgil Flowers series and the Kidd Series. All 3 make some reference back to Davenport, Flowers especially, but they're all very good independent series. Davenport and Flowers are detectives, Kidd is a computer programmer/artist/thief.

This is DH's genre not mine but the Mrs. Pollifax books are something I might give a shot. A female senior citizen CIA agent during the Cold War (the first book was published in 1966)? Worth checking out, perhaps.

Mr. Mercedes trilogy by Stephen King is pretty good, if you like King.

This is a really great list...I'm bookmarking it for future reference.

Steve Martini is author of legal thrillers, Paul Madriani is the protagonist. There are also a couple of good stand-alone books, one of which is a prequel to later Madriani stories. Exceptionally well-written.

Brad Meltzer books are okay. There are three in a series, plus mostly stand-alone books. They usually have a history connection. I find the writing is good, but there are always the "Hurry, we have to get out in two minutes" and then the characters have a three page conversation.

Steve Berry's hero is Cotton Malone. Very good books with stories based on historical mysteries.

I'm not really a fan of Jeffrey Deaver, but I do enjoy his series about Katherine Dance, set on the Monterey Peninsula.