Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So can someone point to a site that talks about “literary mystery” as a genre? OP never came back and Google isn’t helping.

I think she means well written mysteries (as opposed to more beach read thriller type books.)

OP—yes, this!

Anonymous wrote:Possession by AS Byatt

Julian Kestrel series by Kate Ross

Lord Peter Wimsey series by Dorothy L Sayers

Arcadia by Tom Stoppard

This is OP! Thanks for all the ideas! The suggestions in the post I quoted above probably come closest to what I have in mind! I haven’t read them yet, but Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem and Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk are other books that I think probably come close to what I’m looking for. I love books like The Woman in White and My Cousin Rachel (which maybe are gothic?). When it comes to authors folks typically think of when they think of mystery writers, Dorothy Sayers, Josephine Tey, and Tana French probably conf closest, or Dashiell Hammet and Raymond Chandler for noir. I also really liked the Martin Beck series and the Last Policeman trilogy. I’ve read all or most of Agatha Christie, Sayers, Tey, French, Maisie Dobbs, Inspector Gamache, Ruth Rendell, PD James, Guido Brunetti, Bruno Chief of Police, Ann Cleves, and some other similar series

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.

Heather Terrell's novel might fit the bill. They move between present day and history as the modern character tries to unravel ancient mysteries that at mixed up with modern ones.

The Map Thief
The Chrysalis

Razorblade Tears is excellent but it is NOT an escape mystery. I think of SA Cosby as more noir/heist.

And Widows of Malabar Hill is a great suggestion!

Anonymous wrote:So can someone point to a site that talks about “literary mystery” as a genre? OP never came back and Google isn’t helping.

I mean, it feels obvious to me? A literary novel but with a mystery theme

Anonymous wrote:So can someone point to a site that talks about “literary mystery” as a genre? OP never came back and Google isn’t helping.

I think she means well written mysteries (as opposed to more beach read thriller type books.)

So can someone point to a site that talks about “literary mystery” as a genre? OP never came back and Google isn’t helping.

I also find Daniel Silva soothing. While not literary mystery, the characters are generally intellectual and I find the character Gabriel Allon soothing.

When I think of literary mysteries I think of:
The Secret History
The Rule of Four

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!!!

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.

These books are so great! I even named my dog Wimsey.
You should definitely read them in order, though, because there’s an arc that unfolds across the books.

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,

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.

I love these too! Margery allingham is similar. I also absolutely love Ngaio Marsh’s inspector Allyn series.

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