(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best mystery books

For (currently) free Kindle books, David Weber's On Basilisk Station is the first book in the space-opera Honor Harrington series. The second book The Honor of the Queen, is one of my favorites in the entire series. Eric Flint's 1632 turned into a massive and awesome alternate-history series. If you'd like to delve into Alaskan-based murder mysteries, give Dana Stabenow's A Cold Day For Murder a try as the first in the some eighteen book Kate Shugak series.

For paid Kindle books, there's Hugh Howey's Wool Omnibus is the beginning of the dystopian Silo series; the followup Shift Omnibus is actually a prequel trilogy that I haven't gotten yet but is very readable. Naomi Novik's first novel in the alt-history Temeraire series, His Majesty's Dragon, is currently $.99.

In print, Elizabeth Moon's military fantasy The Deed of Paksenarrion is available used for a very affordable price and is an epic series. The Cage was my introduction to a fantasy universe written by SM Stirling, Shirley Meier, and Karen Wehrstein. Diana Gabaldon's Outlander is a sort of alternate history/light romance series set in Scotland that I've thoroughly enjoyed. Brent Weeks' assassin-based (excuse me, wetboy) fantasy Night Angel Trilogy was recently released as an omnibus edition. Empire from the Ashes collects Weber's Dahak sci-fi trilogy into an omnibus edition. Weber and John Ringo co-wrote March Upcountry and the other three novels in the sci-fi Prince Roger quadrilogy. If you haven't tried Harry Turtledove's alt-history sci-fi WW2 'Worldwar' series, In the Balance starts off a little slow plot-wise but picks up good speed. EE Knight's sci-fi/futuristic fantasy Vampire Earth starts off with Way of the Wolf. Mercedes Lackey wrote the modern-fantasy Born to Run with Larry Dixon, and the rest of the SERRAted Edge books with various other authors. Neal Stephenson's cyberpunk and slightly dystopian Snow Crash is hilarious and awesome. Maggie Furey's Aurian is the first of a fantasy quadrilogy that I enjoyed many years ago.

If you're at all familiar with the Warhammer 40k universe, the Eisenhorn Omnibus is Dan Abnett's wonderful look into the life of an Imperial Inquisitor. He's also written a popular series about the Tanith First-and-Only Imperial Guard regiment starting with The Founding Omnibus. He also wrote the first book in the Horus Heresy series, Horus Rising (I highly recommend reading the first three novels together as a trilogy and then cherry-picking the rest).

... and if you've read all that already, I'll be impressed.

Edit: Why yes, I do read a lot. Why do you ask?

A Monstrous Regiment of Women. I recently listened to The Beekeeper's Apprentice as an audiobook on a road trip, which is the first book by Laurie King to feature Mary Russell. I thought it was so fantastic and I've been dying to read the others in the series since then. I'm on a huge Sherlock kick and the writing and style of the book are great. It puts a new twist on old characters and I really like it. Also, having a highly intelligent female protagonist is awesome. Reviews of the book have mentioned that the romance in the book is sparse - something which appeals to me. I don't want it to overwhelm the book, but sometimes it's nice to have a little bit in there. Additionally, the character development in the first book was astounding. I usually hate long pages about characters, but in the first book, it was interesting, well written, and never seemed to drag on or get very boring. Granted, this may be due in large part to the narrator of the book being amazing. But still. Reviews, again, state that the character development in this book is just as awesome - especially when relationships are thoroughly examined. I loved the entire plot of the first book and would love to read more in the series.

I'm currently reading Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. I just finished reading Divergent by Veronica Roth and next on my list is Insurgent, again by Veronica Roth and the second book in the Divergent series.

So it goes.

The Ex-Heroes series is a personal favorite. great character development and really clever power usage. When you figure one of the villains powers you have that "Oh shit it was there this whole time and I didn't notice it!" moments.

Later on in the Dresden Files Harry Dresden has his own Rouges Gallery, sidekick, and car named the blue Beetle. He has the luck and mid-battle banter of Spider-Man and as many allies as the X-Men but fewer true friends.

There's a lot of power crawl and he struggles with morality and fighting a never ending battle against evils that most of the world doesn't recognize while getting no respect.

Seriously, Dresden Files is my favorite thing maybe ever and I try to convert people to the light whenever I can. The books started out a little rough but started getting really good with book three but book four is also a great place to start. I'm not exaggerating when I say the series gets better and better with each book. The third acts always manage to leave me on the edge of my seat and then the next one comes along and blows it away. Sorry for going on fore awhile but I fucking love the Dresden Files.

If she loved Harry Potter, some urban fantasy might be worth trying. Dresden Files is one of the archetypal examples that everyone brings up, though it does have a first-person Guy Perspective complete with a bit of a staring problem and some unconscious condescension/patronization (early-series in particular, he does get better on that one). I still love the books and I know a bunch of wimminfolks do as well, but it's worth noting in case that'd be a big turn-off. Skip straight to the third book if you try Dresden tho - first two are skippable and not the best intro. Some people say skip to fourth, but those people are wrong. Third-book intro place ftw.

To run through a couple other urban fantasies:

Twenty Palaces: Very very good IMHO, but a bit (kinda) (sometimes a lot) bleak and sad. YMMV.

Magic Ex Libris: Books are magic. A bit cheesy but a fun premise. I read the first two and I might keep going if I ever diminish the size of Mt Readmore.

Eric Carter: Pitch-black supernatural LA noir. If she doesn't like GoT b/c it's too dark this is a definite no-no, but I thought I'd mention just because I like these books and you never know.

Aaand there's a bunch more UF out there but I'm kinda worn out on typing right now. Hope some of this helped!

I would recommend Indrek Hargla Apothecary Melchior saga. It is about medieval apothecary who solves crimes in medieval Tallinn. He likes to drink some nice herbal snapps and he has also his own demons. Books are good because Hargla is very experienced author who has written a lot of sci-fi and now crime novels, too. These novels are written nowadays so it's more easier to understand them for foreign (than maybe some old time authors) and descriptions of medieval town is rather visual and include nice knowledge about medieval culture and everyday life. And crime stories are quite strong.

First novel of the saga is below:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Apothecary-Melchior-Mystery-St-Olafs/dp/0720618444

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N63A1OL

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01N63A1OL

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01N63A1OL

If you enjoy the eBook, I'd be thrilled if you left a short review! Thanks, Jack :)

• Christopher Rowley's Bazil Broketail series
  
  
• David Gemmell's Drenai series
  
  
• Katherine Kerr's Deverry series
  
  
• Christopher Stasheff's Wizard in Rhyme and Warlock of Gramarye series
  
  
• Joel Shephard's Trial of Blood and Steel series
  
  
• Anthony Ryan's Raven's Shadow series
  
  
• Michael A. Stackpole's DragonCrown series
  
  
• Glen Cook's Garrett P.I. series
  
  
• Tim Akers' Horns of Ruin book but hopefully a series
  
  Just trying to get some of the lesser known series in there.
  
  EDIT: woops some of these may not be Epic...hmm...I honestly don't know how to distinguish...I think Most of them are Epic, and the only really out of place one in Cook's Garrett series, but to be honest it does get pretty epic, I mean...it builds slowly but...ok, make of the list as you will.

Indie books, eh?

Well, I'll recommend To Munro's series that begins with Lady of the Helm - a royal family in peril, wizards, an orc with bloodlust, and a medusa as a main protaganist.

I also enjoyed the Phoenix Conspiracy by Richard Sanders. Star Trekesque ensemble thriller in space, where the Captain is a mightily flawed leader.

[The Heresy within](http://www.amazon.com/Heresy-Within-Ties-That-Bind-ebook/dp/B00OFD76D2/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1417986305&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=heresey+within0 now from Ragnarok Press but was self-published originally) is also a good read - needs an 18+ certificate for the blood and language :)

I have my own reviews of these books here

If you like detective novels, my first is free on Amazon and gets pretty decent reviews:
https://www.amazon.com/Quinn-Checks-Liam-Mysteries-Book-ebook/dp/B007U7WMI4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1469759334&sr=1-1&keywords=LH+Thomson#navbar

Morthy demands:

Item which would most make you seem like an old posh Englishman:

Most "oh god, I would never be seen with this in public" looking item:

Most phallic looking item:

Akeleie demands:

Most geeky item: Read by Alex Kingston ;_;

Item which would most help you achieve a goal: This is actually for a class next semester

Best item to bring to a deserted island: So I can see? I have no idea

Here are all the local Amazon links I could find:


amazon.com

amazon.co.uk

amazon.ca

amazon.com.au

amazon.in

amazon.com.mx

amazon.de

amazon.it

amazon.es

amazon.com.br

amazon.nl

amazon.co.jp

amazon.fr

Beep bloop. I'm a bot to convert Amazon ebook links to local Amazon sites.
I currently look here: amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.com.au, amazon.in, amazon.com.mx, amazon.de, amazon.it, amazon.es, amazon.com.br, amazon.nl, amazon.co.jp, amazon.fr, if you would like your local version of Amazon adding please contact my creator.

Le Carré's The Spy Who Came In From The Cold was actually a better film than a book, I feel.

There's a wonderful BBC radio audiobook series of the Le Carré Smiley series, available at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-George-Smiley-Dramas-Dramatisations/dp/1408427745

One of the best books on this.

John D. MacDonald -- best known for his Travis McGee series -- gets blasted by many for being misogynistic. He's not, he's simply a product of his time.

If you like vintage Heinlein, the old Rockford Files TV series, Carl Hiaasen, and the clothes in Mad Men, I cannot recommend MacDonald enough.

The George Smiley Dramas are a fantastic set based on books by John Le Carre. I can't recommend them highly enough:
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-George-Productions-starring-Russell/dp/1408427745

Though you might see if you can get them from your library or maybe directly from the BBC:
http://www.bbcshop.com/drama+arts/lecarre-complete-george-smiley-radio-dramas/invt/9781408427743

Also the individual stories are available on Amazon for a much more reasonable price.

Hi, I’m sorry your having problems. For some reason the amazon.com link seems to be having issues and I’m looking into it.

However the .co.uk work is active and (more importantly) free!

Hopefully, this will work www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07L8MLLWC

From Healthy to Athletic: How to Master the 4 Ingredients to Superior Fitness

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MLLDNWW

FREE until February 19th

> Everybody wants to be healthy and happy!

> This book describes how to not only become healthy but to achieve superior fitness and become athletic. It is based on a holistic health and lifestyle concept called 4 Legs Fitness, which combines the four essential areas of fitness:

> * Resistance training

• Cardio
  
• Nutrition
  
• Recovery
  
  > The mission of this book is to provide practical, actionable advice for people with busy lives. The 4 Legs Fitness concept integrates scientific insights and experiences from all four areas into one holistic fitness and health concept that is easy to execute.
  
  ---
  
  CLEAN KILL (A Trask Brothers Murder Mystery)
  
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DOE9MV6
  
  FREE until February 19th
  
  > It was the chance of a lifetime for the band, touring with Prince, and a friend of a friend had a decked out tour bus they could use. Things couldn't be better - except for the body in the bus. A very clean body.
  
  > Don Trask, Lead Agent for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, finds it odd that someone would go to the trouble to bleach a body. It was strange. And things were about to become even more strange when additional bodies in Minneapolis and along the north shore of Lake Superior begin to appear. All very clean.
  
  > Don and his twin brother Dave, Sheriff of Lake County Minnesota, must now quickly stop the murderer before word gets out that a serial killer may be roaming the state - and another body is bleached.
  

1. [Cause bowties are cool!] (http://www.amazon.com/Tuxedo-Dog-Collar-Perfect-Weddings/dp/B004C2L9ZM/ref=lp_2975313011_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1367447385&sr=1-5)
   A [Dr Who] (http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Who-Official-Annual-2013/dp/1405908440/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367448340&sr=1-4&keywords=dr+who) book. Or books from [Dr Who] (http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Who-Angels-Melody-Mystery/dp/1471324052/ref=sr_1_24?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367448398&sr=1-24&keywords=dr+who)
   
   
2. Maybe a new [book] (http://www.amazon.com/Masterpieces-Best-Science-Fiction-Century/dp/0441011330/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1RHWLHIKYII7B&coliid=ILTS2YKXS5WUU) for me too!
   
   
3. [I hope you actually laugh!] (http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view8/4585288/liar-liar-jim-carrey-o.gif)

Next best guesses:

https://www.amazon.com/Death-Whitewater-Church-Inishowen-Mystery-ebook/dp/B07DZ1WHP3/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

***


https://www.amazon.com/Apothecary-Melchior-Mystery-Olafs-Church/dp/0720618444/ref=sr_1_48?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1536006365&sr=1-48&keywords=church

Centaur of the Crime is CSI meets Narnia, and every bit as ridiculous as that sounds.

The Palace Job is arguably even more "Ocean's Eleven meets Fantasy" than Gentleman Bastards, and definitely worth a read if you like that kind of thing.

Sweet Silver Blues is film noir in a standard fantasy setting, played almost completely straight- while Death Warmed Over is a somewhat more tongue-in-cheek take on the concept, in an urban fantasy setting.

Helen and Troy's Epic Road Quest is a sort of Douglas Adams-style take on an American road trip crossed with high fantasy swords and sorcery.

Chasing the Moon, by the same author, is sort of Lovecraft reimagined as a light-hearted sitcom- about a woman who has to be roommates with a world-consuming elder god, and the hijinks that ensue.

The Phoenix Conspiracy is free on Kindle on Amazon. Not the audio book, though.