Literary mystery novels

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ooh I have the perfect rec for you. An Instance of the Finger Post by Ian Fleming.

It’s the best use of unreliable narrator and multiple perspectives that I’ve ever read. It’s quite long and intricate (> 600 pages) and the topic sounds obscure (it’s set at Oxford during the English Restoration) but don’t let that out you off. It’s soooo good. Very literary,

OP here, oh this sounds up my alley, thank you! Love an unreliable narrator

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if these fit your definition of “literary”, but some of my favorites include:

- The earlier books in the series by Batya Gur. She does deep dives into the worlds of somewhat closed cultures, including
a psychoanalytic institute, a university, a kibbutz, and an orchestra / musical family.

- The earlier books in the series by Elizabeth George are good.

- Some of the Donna Leon books are great, and I love that there’s a cookbook that she co-wrote after multiple requests.

- I also like the earlier books in the series by Louise Penney.

I’m happy to make more recommendations if I can get a clearer idea re: what you’re looking for. As in: Would Jack Finney count?

OP—thanks for the Batya Gur rec! I haven’t read her but I’ll check her out!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sujata Massey’s series about the first female layer in Bombay is awesome. It’s called the Perveen Mistry series. First book is The Widows of Malabar Hill. So good!!!

OP here—thank you, this sounds very intriguing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Name of the Rose

The Alienist

The Lovely Bones

Alias Grace

And I haven't read it, but "Calamity Physics" is on my list.

OP—thank you, these are great recs! I have read Alias Grace and that’s exactly the kind of thing I’m looking for. Somehow haven’t read The Lovely Bones yet, thank you for the reminder!

[Anonymous]

Emperor of Ocean Park

New England White

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Strongly second the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries by Dorothy L. Sayers! Gaudy Night is my favorite, but don’t start with that one.

This!

[Anonymous]

OP, I think we have similar taste (I love Christie, Tey, and Sayers!) and I highly recommend Anthony Horowitz for clever, well-written mysteries.

Magpie Murders (plus sequel) and I'm reading the Hawthorne/Horowitz series now and really like it.

[Anonymous]

Sarah Caudwell’s books are light and well written.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I think we have similar taste (I love Christie, Tey, and Sayers!) and I highly recommend Anthony Horowitz for clever, well-written mysteries.

Magpie Murders (plus sequel) and I'm reading the Hawthorne/Horowitz series now and really like it.

Magpie Murders is literally the only mystery I’ve ever read where the ending was obvious to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m excited to read A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley when my family travels over the holiday and I would love recs of other literary mystery novels I could add to my reading list. I read a ton of mysteries, including novels I have read before, because I find them to be good at helping me manage anxiety and insomnia. But with a break from work over the holidays I think I might have enough mental bandwidth to tackle some more challenging mysteries!

Wait. She has a new book out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m excited to read A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley when my family travels over the holiday and I would love recs of other literary mystery novels I could add to my reading list. I read a ton of mysteries, including novels I have read before, because I find them to be good at helping me manage anxiety and insomnia. But with a break from work over the holidays I think I might have enough mental bandwidth to tackle some more challenging mysteries!

Did you read Duplicate Keys? It’s kind of a psychological mystery. One of my favorite Jane Smiley novels.

[Anonymous]

I love literary fiction and recently discovered the William Kent Kreuger series featuring Cork O'Connor. I'm kind of a book snob and I absolutely love this series.

[Anonymous]

There is a “new” Peter whimsy book, the Attenbury emeralds, that I just started-seems good! (Obv not new but an approved by the estate continuation of the series.) I second the magpie murders rec!

[Anonymous]

Tana French and Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie books.

[Anonymous]

One author I haven’t seen recommended yet is Steve Hamilton.