45 books like The Man with a Load of Mischief

This is another historical mystery but it's set in a different time period than Huber's mysteries.

The main character of this book has been hired as an assistant to a detective in Victorian England and through the course of the book, I learned a great deal about the history of law enforcement. I think we take so much for granted in our high-tech, always-connected world.

It's surprising and sometimes amazing to realize how the world functioned before telephones, automobiles, and a unified law enforcement department. 

The year is 1837 and Liberty is a fiercely independent young woman. The story begins with her crossing the Channel to find her father, only to discover that he had recently been killed in a duel. In the course of investigating what had happened, she comes upon a plot that involves treason, with the potential to spark another civil war.

What I love about Peacock’s work is her use of imagery in echoing a character’s psyche or situation. Horse lovers will enjoy Liberty’s relationship with her horse and her growing friendship with her good-hearted stable hand. I have not yet put my finger on it, but for some reason, I feel a hint of Edgar Allen Poe when I read her books.

I admit it: I underestimated Flavia de Luce.

She is 11 years old, self-schooled, and lives outside a small English town in the 1950s. She is overlooked and underestimated by everyone. Deep inside, I’m still 11 years old, underestimated, and overlooked. I had an insatiable desire to learn about my environment, and I often saw things others didn’t. Flavia also reminds me of my childhood living in the country in the 1980s. I ran unchecked, safe, and constantly delighted in discovering new things about my corner of the world. I wince at the de Luce family politics. I cheer Flavia’s investigations and her fearlessness. I want nothing more than to stay in Flavia’s 11-year-old world forever. She is the kick-ass kid I wanted to be. 

Anne Perry is too well known for me to add anything about her or her many books.

This particular one, though, the first in the William Monk series, intrigues me particularly because of the startling idea of a detective who doesn’t know who he is, knows nothing about his past. What a challenge to the writer!

Monk is understandably ill-tempered and extremely touchy, but this, oddly enough, makes him, for me, a sympathetic character.

As always, the brooding descriptions of Victorian London set the scene perfectly, and I was desperately hoping for Monk to resolve not only the crime but his personal problems. And, as with all books that I love, it’s beautifully written. 

I’m already envisioning this mystery as a TV series, which isn’t a stretch since Richard Osman’s had a long career in television. The idea of folks in a retirement community getting together to solve crimes isn’t new, but it’s always a hoot (reminds me of an episode of NCIS where Ducky was involved in “The Sherlocks”).

Osman doesn’t disappoint with his crew of senior sleuths in Coopers Chase, notably Elizabeth, the group’s leader, who isn’t intimidated by anything or anyone, and Joyce, her sidekick, a former nurse.

Short chapters and a shifting point of view made for a very fast read and, more importantly, made my daily wait in the carpool line seem like seconds instead of 45 minutes.

I've always been fascinated by stories that show what happens to a couple after the wedding.

As wonderful as it is to watch Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane fall in love and finally marry in the previous books in the series, I find it even more interesting to see them adjust to marriage and the challenges it brings. The final scene in particular has been a huge influence on my own writing.

Louise Penny has become a Canadian icon. I often believed that Louise Penny belongs in a category of her own because her writing, plot lines, and characters are all so unique. That said, her Armand Gamache Series is a must-read for all mystery lovers. Filled with humorous and layered characters that each contribute to the unfolding of the plot. Everyone has a part to play in Louise Penny novels. Set in an idyllic town in Quebec, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is soon investigating a crime as the village prepares for a Christmas celebration. A woman is electrocuted in the middle of a frozen lake in front of the entire village, and there seem to be no witnesses. A Fatal Grace is a perfectly layered whodunnit with a contemporary twist, and as always, the compassionate and brave Gamache is never far from danger himself as he searches for truth among the… show more.

To begin with, I was immediately drawn to this novel because (bless the author) it is located in my own hometown. For those in New York or Paris, this may not be a big deal; but if you live in a relatively small Canadian city, that’s quite exciting. The main character, Joanne Kilbourn, was also named for me. And yes, I have thanked Gail Bowen for this gift. 

All right, that’s not actually true, but one can dream. Joanne is a strong but gentle cozy detective with intense motherly instincts and an extremely sharp mind. I adore her.

It is hard to resist a detective who is also a poet. Such wordy pursuits, mingled with crime detection, loudly declare sensitivity and left-brain-right-brain involvement, a perfect combination in the elegant, exceedingly attractive Adam Dalgliesh. (My own detective is named, in part, after him.)

All the Dalgliesh mysteries are marvelous. However, in The Murder Room, the detective’s new relationship with Emma Lavenham comes to a critical point. As the description says, “as he moves closer and closer to a solution to the puzzle, he finds himself driven further and further from commitment to the woman he loves.” The poor dear.

Though this is Penny’s first in the “Three Pines” series featuring CI Armand Gamache, I’ll confess that I initially read it out of order. I picked up a later Penny book and liked it well enough to go back and start from the beginning.

This book feels like a debut. The writing is good, but not quite as sure-handed as more recent books (which makes sense). It introduces us to Armand Gamache, a seasoned detective if ever there was one, and to the cast of characters in Three Pines.

By the time I finished it the first time around, I’d become a legit Gamache fan-girl. This series is one of the few that I’m so enamored with that I pre-order forthcoming titles. ‘Nuff said.