The best first books in a suspense/mystery series

I first met Wren's character, Conan Flagg when I was a teenager. I'd picked up this book in a secondhand bookshop and decided to give it a try. Even at that time, the book had been out for over ten years, so it was already a bit dated, but Wren's writing and plotting drew me. Set in a small seaside town in Oregon, this book contains a cast of quirky, unique characters that outshine any of the archaic references that make this book seem a bit out of date. You tend to forget that smoking in public is no longer as acceptable as it was when this book was written. Curiosity Didn't Kill the Cat is a great start to this eight-book series. Although these books were out of print for many years, they've recently been reprinted, and I've enjoyed getting reacquainted with the series.

I've been a huge fan of the Marx Brothers for many years. So, when I found a book that featured Groucho Marx as an amateur detective, I jumped on it. This, the first in a six-book series, is a treat to anyone who is a fan of the golden age of Hollywood. It is a cavalcade of famous names from the era of black and white films. Goulart does a tremendous job balancing a mysterious plotline with the lighthearted fun that you'd expect from a novel featuring Groucho Marx. And I'm happy to report that Goulart captures the essence of Groucho perfectly. The book, as well as the series, is a terrific tribute to one of Hollywood comedy geniuses. And it's a damn good mystery as well.

This was my first foray into suspense from down under. I met Candice Fox a few years back when we shared the table on a panel discussion at ThrillerFest. However, it took me another five years to pick up her book. The big mystery should be, why did I wait so long? Crimson Lake is a dark read that is suspenseful and mysterious. The two main characters, Ted and Amanda, apart are damaged individuals, but when together make for a quirky, if not unusual team.

These characters are the book's biggest strength. They are compelling, and you can't help but feel sympathetic for Ted who has been convicted in the court of public opinion despite never having been convicted in a court of law. Amanda, as well, is a character that I found more and more interesting with every page turn. And Fox is an incredible wordsmith when it comes to creating visual imagery that drops the reader right in the middle of the action. This is the first book in a three-book series that I hope will soon have a fourth book.

This book, in this day and age, might actually hit a little too close to home, but it is worthy of a read anyway. Delozier writes a thrilling tale about a mad scientist that has created a deadly virus that could wipe out half the population. It's up to psychologist and empath Dr. Persephone Smith to track him down and stop him. Type and Cross, Delozier's debut novel, is a medical thriller that intermixes just enough medical terminology to make the premise sound plausible without losing the reader. Delozier's writing isn't overburdened by over-embellished description or unwieldy dialog which makes the book a pleasure to read.

Unlike your traditional trilogy, the second book in the series acts as an origin story of sorts, while the third wraps up the storyline from this book.

If you have not heard of J. D. Barker, you are missing out on a lot of great stories. The Fourth Monkey is the first book in his 4MK series and is like riding a roller coaster without the safety strap on. You end up clinging to the handrail in a white-knuckled grip, hoping that you don't fall off. This book tells two stories that, at first, seem completely unconnected. Both stories were fascinating to watch unfold as I turned the page. As the threads of each story begin to wind together into one, I found myself unable to put the book aside. This is a book, as well as a series that is all about the plot twists, and they come at you in abundance. The Fourth Monkey was a "finish it in one weekend" book because I simply couldn't put it down.