Five Happy Things

My Favorite Detectives

Last week we went to Malice Domestic - an annual murder mystery convention that happens in Bethesda. Think of it as our family’s version of a Disney vacation. 😂

As always, I came back with a stack of new books to read - and also a lot of thoughts about some of my favorite detectives and what I love about them. There’s such a broad range!

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1. The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman - This year’s Malice Remembers author was Dorothy Gilman, and I do remember her so fondly! She wrote a lot of books, but is most famous for creating Mrs. Pollifax, an elderly woman who feels like she has lost her purpose and walks into a CIA office to see if she can do some work for them. That sounds so silly, and in the hands of another author Emily Pollifax might be silly, but Dorothy Gilman plays her totally straight. The result is wonderful. I’ve mentioned her before in this post about Books with Awesome Older Main Characters, but she’s worth recommending again and again. I just love her. (Bookshop link, Amazon link)

2. The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths - Elly was a guest at least year’s Malice, and I love her Ruth Galloway mysteries. Ruth is a forensic archaeologist in Norfolk, England who works with the police to solve murders, so we get a bit of British history and archaeology in every book. I love that she’s super confident in her work and (mostly) comfortable in her own skin. (Bookshop link, Amazon link)

3. Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout - I’ve mentioned the Nero Wolfe mysteries in this post about Novels for People Who Love to Eat, but I’m mentioning them again here because I love the personalities of Nero Wolfe and his assistant Archie Goodwin. They’d each be fine detectives on their own, but paired up? They’re magic! (Bookshop link, Amazon link)

4. The Godwulf Manuscript by Robert B. Parker - I’ve mentioned these books before too, but that was almost half a year ago in a sort of gift guide designed to get your friends hooked on wonderful series. Spenser is a big guy, a boxer, and not shy about using his fists when needed. Not usually my favorite kind of character. But he’s also a terrific cook, a feminist, an avid and thoughtful reader, and an all-around good guy who’s doing his bit to make the world a better place. He’s also very observant about seventies fashion. 😁 (Bookshop link, Amazon link)

5. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie - I can’t mention favorite detectives without mentioning Hercule Poirot! He’s the detective who really got me started reading mysteries! As a kid I worked my way through the children’s section of the local library, and then the librarian steered me towards Agatha Christie. I promptly read straight through every book on the shelf, fascinated by how Poirot’s “little gray cells” worked. 😁 (Bookshop link, Amazon link)

What about you? Who are your favorite detectives? There are so many good ones!

You can find past newsletters with book recommendations here.

Enjoy!

Best,
Wendi
❤️

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A note about links. . .

Both the Bookshop and Amazon links are affiliate links. That means I earn a small commission if you purchase from those links, at no extra cost to you. Bookshop’s profits are shared among a large group of independent bookstores. If you have an indie bookstore in your area, please shop from them. They’re awesome!

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