Book Recommendations
I get asked all the time for book recommendations. I completely understand the fascination; I’m always looking for something good to read as well. In fact, if I don’t already have a few titles lined up to read, I get nervous about finishing my current favorite. This post will be constantly evolving as I discover new great books, so please check here once a month or so. I do tend to favor a few genres, notably mysteries about forensic anthropologists, British police procedurals, paranormal/fantasy, and cozy mysteries. I tend to prefer series instead of stand alone books, because it really allows the reader to get to know the characters. This list is definitely incomplete-I will have to sit down and add the hundred or so titles that I love!
All individual links for books in a series will take you to the 1st book in the series*.
PARANORMAL BOOKS (this includes books involving time travel, witches, vampires, and other interesting creatures):
- The Outlander Series-Diana Gabaldon
- Favorite series of all time. Time-travel, historic Scotland, romance, it has it all!
- The Rook-Daniel O’Malley
- All Souls Trilogy-Deborah Harkness
- Riley Jensen series-Keri Arthur
- Beaufort & Company mystery series-Mary Stanton
- While this is a mystery series, the majority of the main characters are not human.
- Argeneau Vampire series-Lynsay Sands
- The Hollows series-Kim Harrison
- Nathaniel Cade/President’s Vampire series-Christopher Farnsworth
- If you want a different take on conspiracy theories with a paranormal explanation, this is the series for you!
- Mercy Thompson series-Patricia Briggs
- Women of the Otherworld-Kelley Armstrong
- Cainsville Series-Kelley Armstrong
- A woman in the suburbs of Chicago finds out she’s not who she thinks she is, and takes refuge in a town that isn’t what it seems
- Strange Practice-VIvian Shaw
- The main character is a physician to all the paranormal creatures that live in London.
“COZY” MYSTERIES (typically set in small towns, featuring a female lead, and downplays sex/violence):
- Aunt Dimity series-Nancy Atherton
- This one can also fall under paranormal, as the 2nd female lead is played by a ghost!
- Mrs. Murphy series-Rita Mae Brown
- Jane Arnold series-Rita Mae Brown
- Mags & Baxter series-Rita Mae Brown
- Goldy Bear Culinary mysteries-Diane Mott Davidson
- Knitting Mystery series-Maggie Sefton
- Home Repair is Homicide series-Sarah Graves
- Raine Stockton Dog Mystery series-Donna Ball
- A dog kennel/dog trainer also does Search & Rescue in the Smoky Mountains with her Golden Retriever
GENERAL MYSTERIES (mostly police procedurals):
- Deborah Knott series-Margaret Maron
- Set in rural North Carolina, it also gives a nice insight into living in the South
- Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James Series-Deborah Crombie
- Set in and around London, the relationship between the two main characters is so well done
- Chief Inspector Gamache series-Louise Penny
- Set in Montreal and in a small village in rural Quebec, this started my fascination with French
- Casey Duncan series-Kelley Armstrong
- Set in a Northern Canadian town in the Yukon that technically doesn’t exist
- Come Sundown-Nora Roberts
- Set on a ranch in Montana, a serial killer is on the loose
FORENSIC MYSTERIES:
- Diane Fallon Forensic Investigations-Beverly Connor
- Gideon Oliver series-Aaron Elkins
- This series can also double as a travel series, as each novel is set in a different country.
- Body Farm series-Jefferson Bass
- Temperance Brennan series-Kathy Reichs
ROMANCE/GENERAL FICTION
- The Bride Quartet series-Nora Roberts
- 4 book series, each book’s main character is a different partner in a wedding planning business/venue
*Links used are affiliate links. For an explanation as to what affiliate links are and why I use them, click here: Affiliate Link FAQ’s
Thanks for all the great suggestions! Looking forward to reading for pleasure!
Hello from Ireland.
Thanks a million for this list. I read The Rook last month based on your rave review and I loved it.I have downloaded the first book in the Chief Inspector Gamache series
so I'm looking forward to getting stuck into it.
I picked up outlander, started reading 2 days ago. A little slow at 1st, but after about 50 pages it sucked me in. Yesterday I went out and bought up to an echo in the bone. Thanks for recommending it. Thanks for this reading list, definitely going to check out more of your recommendations. I recently read Bill Bryson into the woods, it was good. It's a book about backpacking, not sure non-hikers/campers would enjoy it. A series I read over the semester was from Darynda Jones the Charley Davidson series first grave on the right, it was cute, not a brain twster but not bad for an easy read. You may like it; fiction, romance, paranormal, sex, and violence. I'd check a library versus purchasing it. I am a huge fan of the a game of thrones series by George R. R. Martin. I try to get everyone to read it, the writing and editing are superb. Highly recommend! It takes a little while to get into it, because of all the characters, some people find it confusing and hard to follow at first, but give it maybe 200 p., and it sucks you in. It is classified as sci-fi, but it is good sci-fi which I find very rare. I like easy during the school semester, but once on break I prefer a little more of a challenge.
Nice list…..I'm going to give the highlander a go. Have it reserved at the library! I thought I would recomend you a book….Im sure you will like it…mystery, light reading but good, set in England. About the gypsy s ….the book is called The invisible One by Stefani Penney , it gets you from the first sentence……thank you
Maybe I missed it, but Crossbones Yard by Kate Rhodes was an excellence recommendation from you!
Keep up the great work, Marnie. We appreciate you!
Of course you can bet it's the first thing I read on your blog, dah! Hello bookaholics! 😀
Please check out the vampire novels by Michael Romkey. You will not be disappointed.
You should also check out Jodi Picoults books very cool.
I made a bit of a faux pas. You raved so much about the 'Outlander' series that I thought I would download it. I managed to download something called the 'Highlander' series… Oh dear. It's hilariously bad. All the Scottish men sound like horses – 'Nay, lassie.' I suppose if you are going to be kidnapped, it's best if your captor is handsome, has a fit bod and a sensitive side which he inherited from his well educated French mother…
Thank you for the Deborah Knott series recommendation. I have to pace myself because I get the books through the library and usually have to wait for them to come in. Also, The Rook? What a great book. I laughed out loud during some of the book (because I have a dark sense of humor) especially when the newly hatched dragon, well, you know. Thank you.
One addition comment….have you tried any of Jasper Fforde's books, particularly the Thursday Next series? Weird, but interesting. Also, his nursery crimes series is also interesting. They are something you either like immediately or don't.
Check out Devon Monk ordinary magic series. Theodora Goss has a series that is like Vivian Shaws.Angie Fox has two the accidental demon slayer and the ghost hunter series both are great.