You can go to my "Reading" shelf and get most of the books on my immediate tbr (as opposed to my "I plan to read, which has hundreds). I always have multiple books going, especially the poetry and the essays/non-fiction which I read in spurts. But for the mystery/suspense, what I am reading or am lining up are:
-Julia Spencer-Fleming: All Mortal Flesh, 5th in the series, female Anglican priest and police chief investigating, excellent
-Stuart Woods: Choke, stand alone, all of his series are good, read them in order, listening to this
-Lyndon Stacey: Outside Chance, horse racing in Britain, somewhat like Dick Francis
-Charles Finch: A Beautiful Blue Death, received excellent reviews and won awards, now in pb
-Ariana Franklin: Mistress of the Art of Death, 1st of series, 12th c, female pathologist, recommended by another Shelfari member
If you have not read Steig Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, it is one of the best mysteries and books I have read. Complex, fascinating, superb characters, well-written. A "caveat", it is very!!! strong material, brutal violence, so if that is not your cup-of-tea you may want to avoid. He wrote all of the trilogy prior to his death, the second being available in U.S. in July.
Another mystery series, that is my favorite, is that by William Kent Krueger. These stories are complex and provocative with relevant issues (one recurring is racial, a second disturbing issue was the ethics/legality of the planned killing another, even if a criminal) that are to be considered long after you have finished the book. If you want hilarious, often slap-stick type, action as well as a terrific romance element, Evanovich's Stephanie Plum cannot be topped. These are light, fast reading. The audio versions, read by a perfect reader, are the best. I just finished one of the well-regarded series by Jan Burke with Irene Kelly as an investigative journalist, Bones. I highly recommend her books.
Thank God I do not have anyone in my life who would dare to mess with my books/piles, upright or not. Although I have well organized Shelfari shelves to which I could refer, it would a bloody pain to find them among my thousands.
