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Eight Thrilling and Addictive Series Readers Love
If you’re a fan of mystery, thriller, and suspense series and are searching for reading ideas then look no further.
We’ve sorted through scores of titles to bring you a sampling of the crime world heroes and heroines that readers on Goodreads can’t get enough of, whether it’s a hardened Marine battling to defend America or the forensics experts hoping a murder victim’s gruesome remains will lead them to the killer.
Here are eight series guaranteed to keep you gripped.
We’ve sorted through scores of titles to bring you a sampling of the crime world heroes and heroines that readers on Goodreads can’t get enough of, whether it’s a hardened Marine battling to defend America or the forensics experts hoping a murder victim’s gruesome remains will lead them to the killer.
Here are eight series guaranteed to keep you gripped.
British author Child has so far produced 24 books (plus numerous additional works) in his hit crime series about Reacher, an ex-military cop who drifts around the U.S. encountering complex and perilous injustices that he must crack or work his way out of. In book one, Killing Floor, Reacher is arrested for murder while passing through Georgia. In subsequent installments he is kidnapped, pursued by a psychopath, suspected of sexual assault, and on the trail of smugglers and assassins.
Ryan is a former stockbroker and U.S. Marine who becomes a CIA analyst and eventually U.S. president. During the series he battles terrorism, espionage, and assassination attempts, including anti-U.S. plots by the likes of the Soviet Union and Colombian drug lords. There are 12 books in this series, plus many others in the larger Jack Ryan universe. Best known include the first book to be published, The Hunt for Red October, which was released in 1984 but is actually number three in the Jack Ryan series, and Patriot Games (1987), number one in the series.
Forensic science takes center stage in this series about Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Virginia’s chief medical examiner and one of the nation’s leading forensic pathologists. Scarpetta’s job entails high-tech scrutiny of the grisly aftermath of serial killers, violent psychopaths, snipers, and murderers as she searches for evidence and justice. Cornwell, a former crime reporter and analyst at a chief medical examiner’s office, introduced Scarpetta in 1990’s Postmortem, the first mystery in the 24-book series and considered something of a trailblazer in the then emerging genre of medical thrillers.
Author and former physician Tess Gerritsen draws on her medical expertise for these crime thrillers centered on Jane Rizzoli, a homicide detective with the Boston Police Department, and Maura Isles, a medical examiner. The pair investigate all manner of gruesome crimes in the 12-book series, facing all from the horrific surgical-style murders of a serial killer to the grotesquely staged killing of a horror film producer, who is arranged dead on her bed, her eyeballs in her hand.
This 19-book series kicks off with Relic, the 1995 debut collaboration between Preston and Child. At the New York Museum of Natural History visitors are being savagely killed and a murderous beast is suspected. FBI special agent Aloysius Xingu Leng Pendergast investigates with his trademark eccentricity and skill. Although not the central character until the third book, Pendergast soon became a fan favorite thanks to his aloof nature and intriguing traits such as a PhD in classics, a 1959 silver Rolls Royce, and his appearance—tall, pale, and always wearing black.
Set in mid-21st century New York, this futuristic 50-book series (book 50 comes out in February) centers on police lieutenant and homicide detective Eve Dallas, the vast array of grim and imaginative murders she tackles, and her relationship with her husband Roarke. The series is actually written by Nora Roberts, known for her more than 200 romance novels, under a pseudonym. Dallas first encounters Roarke in book one Naked in Death, which was published in 1995, where he is the chief suspect in the killing of a senator’s daughter.
Along Came A Spider is the title of the first book in this popular 27-book mystery series focused on homicide investigator and forensic psychologist Dr. Alex Cross. The series follows Cross as he investigates murders, kidnappings, and other crimes in Washington D.C. as well as threats against himself and his family—his is a widower and father and one of the recurring themes in the first books is the unsolved murder of his wife, Maria.
Canadian author and former journalist Penny sets her mystery series in the picturesque Quebec village of Three Pines where, in book one Still Life, the community wakes to find a local woman lying dead in the woods. Veteran investigator Chief Inspector Armand Gamache digs beneath the village’s idyllic surface to find the dark secrets and threats that haunt it throughout this 15-book character-driven series.
What's your favorite serial thriller? Let's talk books in the comments!
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I agree with all the Tana French, Dublin Murder squad comments. And my recent favorite is Lisa Gardner’s D. D. Warren series! Twisty and unputdownable!
I love CJ Box, Louise Penny, and the Pendergast series. I would also add William Kent Krueger's Cork O'Connor series.
What about Jonathan Kellerman and the Alex Delaware series? Or James Lee Burke and the Dave Robicheaux series?
Didn't see some of my favorites. Inspector Brunetti of Donna Leon,Policeman Bruno of Martin Walker or DC Smith by Peter Grainger. What about Inspector Morse by Colin Dexter? Even Montalbano of Camilleri. Of course Holmes and Christie.
Fred vargas, french woman author. Camilla lackberg,swedish author
Maisie Dob series-Jacqueline WinspearInspector Linley series-Elizabeth George
Duncan KIncaid/Jemma James series-Debor@ah Crombie
Louise Penny's Armand Gamache series are some of my favorite books of all time. I read a good number of books a year, many of them mysteries or thrillers. IMHO few books compare to the Inspector Gamache series, which is why I reread them (all 15 or so) every year!
I am reading Peter Swanson right now - he is great ! I have 2 more of his that I bought - I really like his writing and unsuspecting endings.
Dublin Murder by Tana FrenchAnd how could you omit C.J. Box Highway series with Cassie Dewey & the Lizard King!
If you're into historical fiction, David Downing's "Station" (John Russell) series novels are all page turners.
Frédéric wrote: "Brother Cadfael series by Peters EllisMatthew Bartholomew Chronicles series by Susanna Gregory
Yes, I love medieval thrillers!!"
Check out the Matthew Shardlake series by C. J. Sansom---mysteries during the era of Henry VIII
Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon seriesSteve Berry's Cotton Malone series
The Repairman Jack series by F Paul Wilson belongs on this list.
Louise Penny’s series starring Armand Gamache and a great cast of characters is the best of the best. It’s not only a great mystery, but lessons on life. Not to be missed.
Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, Arnaldur Indriðason both write series with Icelandic settings. Andrea Camilleri (Inspector Montalbano) set in Sicily. The original list was very North America centred. Glad to see all the additions from round the world in the replies.
Adam Lapid - Jonathan Dunsky. PI in Tel Aviv in 1940s-50sBill Slider - Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. Police Procedural set in London
Bruno, Chief of Police-Martin Walker. Italy
Gabriel Allon=Daniel Silva. Art restorer and in intelligence in Israel
Also agreed:
Chief Inspector Armand Gamach-Louise Penny
David B aldacci’s series. Amos Decker
Duncan Kincaid & Gemma James-Deborah Crombie
I also like Camilla Lackberg's series. She's another Swedish author like Stieg Larsson (some say even better!). The first book in the series is The Ice Princess: A Novel (Fjällbacka Book 1).
Galbraith's Strike series, Lars Kepler Joona Linnaeus series
Some excellent series here, but missing some as well. I am a big fan of the Lee Child Jack Reacher books, and I read the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan series when I was a teenager (more than 40 years ago!!) Missing from this list would also be Donna Leon's Commissario Guido Brunetti series, Dana Stabenow's Kate Shugak series, Karin Slaughter's Sara Linton series, Craig Johnson's Walt Longmire series, Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series, any John Sandford book, and any Robert B Parker book - even the posthumous ones. There are more, but these come quickly to mind.
Giles Blunt's Cardinal series
Barbara Fradkin's Mike Green series
Don Easton's Jack Taggert series
The late Howard Engel's Benny Cooperman series
R. J. McMillen's Dan Conner series
Jeffrey Round's Dan Sharp series
And Many Many More!!!
Barbara Fradkin's Mike Green series
Don Easton's Jack Taggert series
The late Howard Engel's Benny Cooperman series
R. J. McMillen's Dan Conner series
Jeffrey Round's Dan Sharp series
And Many Many More!!!
Jean wrote: "Love Louise Penny series. Have read them all and anxiously await the next. Armond is a great character in all the books."I so agree - have loved every single one. Recently was fortunate enough to attend a book event with Louise Penny and Shelagh Rogers - was wonderful!
James wrote: "Philip Kerr’s Bernie Gunther series are a MasterClass in historical crime fiction."James wrote: "Philip Kerr’s Bernie Gunther series are a MasterClass in historical crime fiction."
Philip Kerr's early death means the end of Bernie Gunther. I don't think I've ever enjoyed any book as much as I did following this unique character.
Elliot Pattison's Inspector Shan series; a disgraced police inspector of the People's Republic of China, arrested on trumped up charges which land him in a PRC prison in Tiber. The writing is demanding, the cultural background and texture rich, accurate, looking into the Tibet of the modern world as it is rarely seen, and the narratives full of heart-stopping turns.I'd also commend Colin Cotteril's "The Coroner's Lunch" and all that follow after, regarding the reluctant National Coroner of Laos after it has fallen to the communists; Dr. Siri Paboun is a character! Of course, in this exotic series you WILL have to go along with the premise that the good doctor shares his carcass with a thousand or so year old Hmong shaman ... I LOVE Dr. Siri!
I like Elizabeth George, who writes the Inspector Lynley series.
Oh, yes, I do, too. There are so many good authors, it's hard to grasp all of them.
Kstansel wrote: "Luca Davenport series & Virgil Flowers series by John Sandford. Love the mystery with a sense of humor."I agree, like Sandford books too.
Some excellent series both in the list and included in the comments. Also recommend Dr. Alan Gregory series by Stephen White.
I think the list also needs:Inspector Guido Brunetti series by Donna Leone
Inspector Linley series by Elizabeth George
Inspector Adam Dagleish by P.D. James
INSPECTOR REBUS by Ian Rankin, "one of the most enduring characters in crime fiction" and still going strong!I also enjoy the Joanna Brady series by J.A. Jance, which I chose to read when we bought a house in Arizona (Canadian snowbirds).
I wanted to read a series set locally. I think Jance does a fine job of moving the characters forward, portraying crimes that represent local issues, and I've learned a great deal about southern Arizona.
I visited Bisbee and learned there is a Joanna Brady tour. I missed it then, but hopefully, it is in my future!
No one seems to have mentioned Harlan Cobens Marlon Bolitar.Personal favourites though are Logan McCrae by Stuart Macbride and Will Trent by Karin Slaughter.
William Monk series by Anne Perry andThomas and Charlotte Pitt series by Anne Perry
Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
Zena wrote: "Kaye wrote: "I agree! I read all of the Scarpetta books up to the last few, and I just lost interest. I loved them at first. Same with Alex Cross. I have hundreds of other books I want to read--and..."I would add: Patricia Gibney and her “Lottie Parker” series
The Archie and Gretchen Series by Chelsea Cain. Female serial killer. The detective she tortured. What more do you need? ;) A bit grisly but definitely captivating! First book is "Heartsick".
Bernie Rhodenbarr, Tanner and Keller by Lawrence Block. He's penned others but those are my favorites.
I cant believe there's only been 1 mention of robert b parkers spenser series, excellent books about a Boston based PI, and credit to ace atkins for keeping up the standard after RBP passed away.Also the John Lawton series about Inspector Troy set in wartime and 50's London.
I enjoy Bernie Gunther also, he's world weary, yet still harbors a sense of caring under his noirish outlook.
Honest replies, with explanations, are appreciated.
-Jim"
I believe it depends the choices the author do. If the series is a procedural one and the author is creative in build new enigmas, better chances that the series would be not stale so easy (Hercule Poirot's series is a good example). But the tendency in this days are books that works like episodes in a bigger plot with characters developments and multiples secondary plots. This kind of series must be an end at some point. However, it depends the author's judgment.