mrv3000 | (no subject)

Would anyone have any book recs for mystery/detective series? More...polite Miss Marple-type mysteries rather than anything that uses the words "gritty," "real," "dark" or anything similar to describe it.

I love period mysteries (especially the 1930s) since there's just something so polite about murder back then. XD Of course, I did enjoy the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, as well as the Thursday Next series. (Those are far from "gritty" so it's probably no wonder.)

Bonus points if it's a female sleuth. Oh, Poirot is all right, I guess, but give me a Precious Ramotswe, a Harriet Vane or a Thursday Next any day. (I've decided that my old-spiration is Miss Marple. I'll take up knitting and solve crimes and drink tea. I might have to move to the English countryside though, since there seems to be a murder at an estate at least once a week, and I'm sure they'll all need solving.)

So does anyone know of anything I could try?

(P.S. You know what could be fairly awesome? A geared-for-adults series of Nancy Drew. One where she dumps Ned and hooks up with Frank Hardy, obviously.)

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Give Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody series a try. It follows the live of a rather formidable british lady and her family of Egyptologists from about 1890-1920s. Novels are written as though exerpted from the heroine's journals, and she has a somewhat... flamboyant style, but the overall effect is charming.

That could be interesting! Ta!

I can second the Amelia Peabody recommendation. They're definitely interesting books who are written by Barbara Mertz, who also writes as Elizabeth Peters and Barbara Michaels. Lots of books in the series, and while most are stand alone, there are themes that follow through from one to the next so are worth reading in order.

In many ways, Amelia Peabody reminds me of Evelyn in "The Mummy" - without the mummies and supernatural stuff.

OOOOH! I like the sound of that!

I second this suggestion, those are super fun.

Fourthed. Or thirded, or whatever. Amelia Peabody is definitely worth a read. Especially once Ramses grows up. I'm a liiiittle bit of a shipper in those books.

Grown up Ramses is indeed awesome, but I think I would have to give my vote to the Master Criminal for my most inappropriate thoughts. ^_^

This one was going to be my suggestion too. I think these novels are a great read, and I'm a big Marple fan like you :-)