Fiction_L Archives George-like Mysteries Dates: 12/14/00,10:49 AM  through  12/21/00,11:28 AM  (15 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2011-current     2009-2010     2004-2008    1995-2003    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to December 2000 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: "Chapple Langemack" <[removed]@kcls.org>
REC'D: 12/14/00, 10:49 AM

Greetings all,

I'm searching for suggestions for a patron who prefers mysteries that slowly
reveal themselves in an Elizabeth George manner. She does not care for
Patricia Cornwell and is adverse to 'gore'.

I appreciate your help.

Chapple Langemack
Reader's Services Coordinator
King County Library System
960 Newport Way NW
Issaquah, WA 98027
425.369.3318
[removed]@kcls.org
www.kcls.org

FROM: "Mary Rindfleisch" <[removed]@biblio.org>
REC'D: 12/14/00, 12:48 PM

The first thing that comes to mind is, of course, the P.D. James books. The
Inspector Morse mysteries by Colin Dexter as well, and perhaps Frances
Fyfield, Charles Todd, Peter Dickinson, Reginald Hill, maybe some of Martha
Grimes and Julian Symons. Ruth Rendell can get a little twisted, but has
the right psychological feel I think -- the same with Barbara Vine (R.R.
pseudonym), Minette Walters, Margaret Yorke. For something a little bit
different, John Le Carre is good. Although these last are not traditional
mysteries, the approach is similar to what you describe. I will be looking
forward to seeing the complete list, as I like this type of thing myself.
Will you be posting?

Mary Rindfleisch
Adult Services/Readers' Advisory Librarian
Ridgefield Library
472 Main St.
Ridgefield, CT 06877
Phone: 203-438-2282
e-mail: [removed]@biblio.org

-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@maillist.webrary.org
[[removed]@maillist.webrary.org]On Behalf Of Chapple Langemack
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2000 11:39 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: George-like Mysteries


Greetings all,

I'm searching for suggestions for a patron who prefers mysteries that slowly
reveal themselves in an Elizabeth George manner. She does not care for
Patricia Cornwell and is adverse to 'gore'.

I appreciate your help.

Chapple Langemack
Reader's Services Coordinator
King County Library System
960 Newport Way NW
Issaquah, WA 98027
425.369.3318
[removed]@kcls.org
www.kcls.org

FROM: Viccy Kemp <[removed]@ci.carrollton.tx.us>
REC'D: 12/14/00, 12:55 PM

I would recommend Charles Todd's books. They revolve around a Scotland Yard
DI who is gassed in WWI and is responsible for the execution of a deserter.
Ian Rutledge is a tortured man, who lives with the persona of Hamish in his
head now that the war is over. All of the books have a leisurely pace and
the mystery is revealed in steps. There are three:
A test of wills
Wings of fire
Search the dark.
It has recently been revealed that this is a mother and son writing team.
That may have something to do with the sensitive way in which they are
written. I cannot recommend these books highly enough.
HTH
Viccy Kemp

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chapple Langemack [[removed]@kcls.org]
> Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2000 10:39 AM
> To: Fiction_L
> Subject: George-like Mysteries
>
> Greetings all,
>
> I'm searching for suggestions for a patron who prefers mysteries that
> slowly
> reveal themselves in an Elizabeth George manner. She does not care for
> Patricia Cornwell and is adverse to 'gore'.
>
> I appreciate your help.
>
> Chapple Langemack
> Reader's Services Coordinator
> King County Library System
> 960 Newport Way NW
> Issaquah, WA 98027
> 425.369.3318
> [removed]@kcls.org
> www.kcls.org
>
>
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html

FROM: [removed]@juno.com
REC'D: 12/14/00, 1:32 PM

Hi Chapple!
I like Frances Fyfield, both her series and non-series books, and have
satisfied a lot of George fans with them. Mystery unfolds slowly, not a
lot of gore, strong characters, psychological underpinnings, bleak/dark
tone, elegant style. Lovely mysteries.

Joyce
Joyce Saricks

"Anyone who tries to make a distinction between education and
entertainment doesn't know the first thing about either."
Marshall McLuhan

FROM: Cheryl Cammenga <[removed]@kentlibrary.lib.mi.us>
REC'D: 12/14/00, 1:50 PM

Hello Fiction Readers - Could we get a final list of both the Elizabeth
George and the Ya Ya Sisterhood readalikes? The suggestions so far look
good!

Cheryl Cammenga, Manager "Opinions given above are
Kentwood Branch personal and do not reflect
Kent District Library official library policy or
Grand Rapids, MI statements."

"There is a time in the life of every problem when it is big enough to see
yet small enough to solve." Mike Leavitt

FROM: "Deb Warner" <[removed]@co.durham.nc.us>
REC'D: 12/14/00, 1:54 PM

Some Ruth Rendell would fit the bill, such as KISSING THE GUNNER'S DAUGHTER.
S.T. Haymon has some mysteries that reminded me greatly of P.D. James at the
time they came out: DEATH OF A HERO and A BEAUTIFUL DEATH
Finally, if the reader will tolerate some historical elements, Kate Ross's
mysteries such as CUT TO THE QUICK and THE DEVIL IN MUSIC are excellent
If he/she will accept any American works, Sharon McCrumb's "Appalachian
Novels" (she bristles if you call them mysteries) such as IF EVER I RETURN
PRETTY PEGGY-O and THE HANGMAN"S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER have a similar deeply
texured, rather dark nature

FROM: "Lisa Richland" <[removed]@suffolk.lib.ny.us>
REC'D: 12/14/00, 3:26 PM

I'd suggest Anne Perry. She writes two series, they are often complex and
surprising and are set in Victorian/Edwardian London..

..and that's MY opinion.

Lisa Richland, Director
Floyd Memorial Library (The last library before Portugal)
Greenport, NY

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 12/14/00, 3:38 PM

I would suggest anything by Peter Robinson or Black Dog by Stephen Booth

FROM: Jennifer Loeffel <[removed]@mcfls.org>
REC'D: 12/14/00, 3:53 PM

I would second the recommendation of Charles Todd's mysteries. He has a
new one out in 2000 called Legacy of the Dead. I am reading it right now.
Very good stuff.

Jennifer Loeffel
Adult Services Librarian

Greendale Public Library
5647 Broad Street
Greendale, WI 53129

-----Original Message-----
From: Viccy Kemp [[removed]@ci.carrollton.tx.us]
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2000 11:59 AM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: RE: George-like Mysteries

I would recommend Charles Todd's books. They revolve around a Scotland Yard
DI who is gassed in WWI and is responsible for the execution of a deserter.
Ian Rutledge is a tortured man, who lives with the persona of Hamish in his
head now that the war is over. All of the books have a leisurely pace and
the mystery is revealed in steps. There are three:
A test of wills
Wings of fire
Search the dark.
It has recently been revealed that this is a mother and son writing team.
That may have something to do with the sensitive way in which they are
written. I cannot recommend these books highly enough.
HTH
Viccy Kemp

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chapple Langemack [[removed]@kcls.org]
> Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2000 10:39 AM
> To: Fiction_L
> Subject: George-like Mysteries
>
> Greetings all,
>
> I'm searching for suggestions for a patron who prefers mysteries that
> slowly
> reveal themselves in an Elizabeth George manner. She does not care for
> Patricia Cornwell and is adverse to 'gore'.
>
> I appreciate your help.
>
> Chapple Langemack
> Reader's Services Coordinator
> King County Library System
> 960 Newport Way NW
> Issaquah, WA 98027
> 425.369.3318
> [removed]@kcls.org
> www.kcls.org
>
>
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://www.webrary.org/rs/flmenu.html

FROM: Thelma Stone <[removed]@fortworthlibrary.org>
REC'D: 12/15/00, 1:58 PM

Barry Maitland's Kathy and Brock series. Only two have been published in
the US - The Marx Sisters and The Malcontenta.

FROM: "Waznis, Betty" <[removed]@sdcl.org>
REC'D: 12/15/00, 2:30 PM

John Wainwright writes British police procedurals that fit your description.


Betty Waznis
San Diego County Library

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 12/15/00, 2:54 PM

I think P.D. James' Adam Dalgliesh mysteries are similar to George's in that respect. Although she does not have as many recurring characters as George, Adam Dalgliesh certainly develops as a character over the course of the books, and the level of complexity and depth, and lack of graphic gore, is similar

FROM: "christine jeffords" <[removed]@hotmail.com>
REC'D: 12/16/00, 8:59 AM

I find that Rita Mae Brown's "Mrs. Murphy" mysteries reveal the murderer
slowly. And they're not notable for heavy gore.
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

FROM: "Chapple Langemack" <[removed]@kcls.org>
REC'D: 12/19/00, 10:50 AM

Greetings,

Here's the annotated list I pulled together from your suggestions. I will
send a straight author/title list that is more inclusive within the next
couple of days.

Thanks for your help.

Chapple Langemack
Reader's Services Coordinator
King County Library System
960 Newport Way NW
Issaquah, WA 98027
425.369.3318
[removed]@kcls.org
www.kcls.org


Mysteries in the Manner of Elizabeth George

Booth, Stephen Black Dog
Stephen Booth's smart, spare suspense story introduces Detective Constable
Ben Cooper, an up-and-coming English policeman who fears he'll never be able
to fill the shoes of his father, a police sergeant who died a hero's death
on the job in Ben's own precinct. Diane Fry, Ben's new partner, is an
ambitious woman who's just been transferred to the Edendale force. The pair
is teamed up to investigate the brutal murder of a 15-year-old girl.

Butler, Gwendolyn Coffin on Murder Street
American actress Nell Casey, in London appearing in a theatre festival--run
by Inspector Coffin's lover--appeals to the police when she feels her son is
in danger. His teddy bear was stolen and buried in their yard under a marker
with her son's name on it. Then the boy disappears. Was he kidnapped? Did
his mother arrange it as a publicity stunt? Did a just-released-from-prison
pederast have anything to do with it?

Crais, Robert Demolition Angel
Carol Starkey is a member of the Los Angeles police force who is still
shaken three years after her partner and lover David Boudreaux was killed by
a bomb. When another member of the force is blown up, Carol investigates and
thinks she has discovered the culprit--a mysterious madman known as Mr. Red.
When she encounters Mr. Red over the Internet, he denies any connection to
the crimes and vows to find the real culprit himself to clear his name.
This author is a great friend of Elizabeth George’s and one of her favorites
to read.

Crombie, Deborah A Share in Death
Superintendent Duncan Kincaid is on vacation in Yorkshire at an elegant
estate when he gets embroiled in murder. First one death and then others
cause him to forget about relaxation and try to solve the crimes. He is
singularly unimpressed with the local police so he gets his Sergeant back in
London, single mother Gemma James, involved as well.

Dexter, Colin The Dead of Jericho
At a party, Inspector Morse meets Anne Scott, an attractive woman with whom
he is immediately smitten. While in her hometown of Jericho, Morse decides
to look her up, but he is too late. Anne is dead, the victim of an apparent
suicide. Morse refuses to believe this and launches his own investigation to
find the killer.

Fyfield, Frances A Question of Guilt
Crown Prosecution lawyer Helen West and police detective Geoffrey Bailey
must work together to try to tie Eileen Cartwright to the murder of her
lawyer's wife.

Hill, Reginald Ruling Passion
At a party, Inspector Morse meets Anne Scott, an attractive woman with whom
he is immediately smitten. While in her hometown of Jericho, Morse decides
to look her up, but he is too late. Anne is dead, the victim of an apparent
suicide. Morse refuses to believe this and launches his own investigation to
find the killer.

James, P.D. A Taste for Death
Adam Dalgiesh and his assistant are confounded with the murder of a minister
of the Crown in the vestry of St. Matthew's Church.

Parker, T. Jefferson The Blue Hour
Tim Hess, retired police detective, is down but not out. Hess, stricken with
cancer, returns to the force to help solve a series of murders. He is paired
with the young, beautiful, pretentious Merci Rayborn. They are on the trail
of a serial killer called the Purse Snatcher, thus named becaused his
calling card is the bloody purse of his victim. Through the investigation
and his relationship with Rayborn, Hess is renewed and he reevaluates his
outlook on life. This author is one of Elizabeth George’s favorites.

Robinson, Peter The Hanging Valley
The recent murder of a young man visiting from Canada takes Inspector Banks
back five years to the murder of a private detective investigating yet an
earlier murder of a young girl and a woman's disappearance at the same time.
Before finding the truth about the young man's murder, Banks must travel to
Canada to try and find the woman gone missing earlier.

Todd, Charles A Test of Wills
This novel and its sequels revolve around a DI who is gassed in WWI and is
responsible for the execution of a deserter. Ian Rutledge is a tortured
man, who lives with the persona of Hamish in his head now that the war is
over.

FROM: "Chapple Langemack" <[removed]@kcls.org>
REC'D: 12/21/00, 11:28 AM

Well, I just can't sneak anything by you folks. Here is a new posting of
the Elizabeth George readalikes. With luck all the annotations are now in
their proper places. What can I say? I evidently had an attack of the
distressing cut and paste disease.

Chapple

Chapple Langemack
Reader's Services Coordinator
King County Library System
960 Newport Way NW
Issaquah, WA 98027
425.369.3318
[removed]@kcls.org
www.kcls.org

Mysteries in the Manner of Elizabeth George

Booth, Stephen Black Dog
Stephen Booth's smart, spare suspense story introduces Detective Constable
Ben Cooper, an up-and-coming English policeman who fears he'll never be able
to fill the shoes of his father, a police sergeant who died a hero's death
on the job in Ben's own precinct. Diane Fry, Ben's new partner, is an
ambitious woman who's just been transferred to the Edendale force. The pair
is teamed up to investigate the brutal murder of a 15-year-old girl.

Butler, Gwendolyn Coffin on Murder Street
American actress Nell Casey, in London appearing in a theatre festival--run
by Inspector Coffin's lover--appeals to the police when she feels her son is
in danger. His teddy bear was stolen and buried in their yard under a marker
with her son's name on it. Then the boy disappears. Was he kidnapped? Did
his mother arrange it as a publicity stunt? Did a just-released-from-prison
pederast have anything to do with it?

Crais, Robert Demolition Angel
Carol Starkey is a member of the Los Angeles police force who is still
shaken three years after her partner and lover David Boudreaux was killed by
a bomb. When another member of the force is blown up, Carol investigates and
thinks she has discovered the culprit--a mysterious madman known as Mr. Red.
When she encounters Mr. Red over the Internet, he denies any connection to
the crimes and vows to find the real culprit himself to clear his name.
This author is a great friend of Elizabeth George’s and one of her favorites
to read.

Crombie, Deborah A Share in Death
Superintendent Duncan Kincaid is on vacation in Yorkshire at an elegant
estate when he gets embroiled in murder. First one death and then others
cause him to forget about relaxation and try to solve the crimes. He is
singularly unimpressed with the local police so he gets his Sergeant back in
London, single mother Gemma James, involved as well.

Dexter, Colin The Dead of Jericho
At a party, Inspector Morse meets Anne Scott, an attractive woman with whom
he is immediately smitten. While in her hometown of Jericho, Morse decides
to look her up, but he is too late. Anne is dead, the victim of an apparent
suicide. Morse refuses to believe this and launches his own investigation to
find the killer.

Fyfield, Frances A Question of Guilt
Crown Prosecution lawyer Helen West and police detective Geoffrey Bailey
must work together to try to tie Eileen Cartwright to the murder of her
lawyer's wife.

Hill, Reginald Ruling Passion
Four friends, three gruesomely murdered and one missing. That's what
Sergeant Peter Pascoe and girlfriend Ellie Soper stumble upon when they
arrive at Brookside Cottage, and their plans for a reunion with old friends
are horribly changed.

James, P.D. A Taste for Death
Adam Dalgiesh and his assistant are confounded with the murder of a minister
of the Crown in the vestry of St. Matthew's Church.

Parker, T. Jefferson The Blue Hour
Tim Hess, retired police detective, is down but not out. Hess, stricken with
cancer, returns to the force to help solve a series of murders. He is paired
with the young, beautiful, pretentious Merci Rayborn. They are on the trail
of a serial killer called the Purse Snatcher, thus named becaused his
calling card is the bloody purse of his victim. Through the investigation
and his relationship with Rayborn, Hess is renewed and he reevaluates his
outlook on life. This author is one of Elizabeth George’s favorites.

Robinson, Peter The Hanging Valley
The recent murder of a young man visiting from Canada takes Inspector Banks
back five years to the murder of a private detective investigating yet an
earlier murder of a young girl and a woman's disappearance at the same time.
Before finding the truth about the young man's murder, Banks must travel to
Canada to try and find the woman gone missing earlier.

Todd, Charles A Test of Wills
This novel and its sequels revolve around a DI who is gassed in WWI and is
responsible for the execution of a deserter. Ian Rutledge is a tortured
man, who lives with the persona of Hamish in his head now that the war is
over.

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