Series you used to like ...

[Donald]

The first names that comes to mind is Jill Churchill; MAN, I used to enjoy her Jane Jeffry mysteries - and with the last several, down the toilet. A lot of us former fans don't think she even writes them herself, anymore (well, there hasn't been a Jane Jeffry novel in awhile now, thank goodness). In one, you waded through an entire novel to find out there wasn't even a murder involved! They got really, REALLY bad; almost unreadable.

[Leigh]

Donald wrote: "The first names that comes to mind is Jill Churchill; MAN, I used to enjoy her Jane Jeffry mysteries - and with the last several, down the toilet. A lot of us former fans don't think she even writ..."

Yep. I think she finally just stopped. It was clear that she no longer cared anyway.

[Donald]

Leigh wrote: "Donald wrote: "The first names that comes to mind is Jill Churchill; MAN, I used to enjoy her Jane Jeffry mysteries - and with the last several, down the toilet. A lot of us former fans don't thin..."

Kind of sad, I really like Jane Jeffry in the earlier days. Couldn't get into her other series, which I think she was more into, hence ignoring Jane ... BADLY.

[Donna]

I can understand how a writer could eventually need to write about new characters. We all need change sometimes. With the Rebus series, I often think it would be interesting to explore some of the support characters who do the foot detail. Bring them into the forefront and see how they are thinking and dealing with the investigations.
I wonder if at this point of writing if authors are ever tempted to bring in ghost writers or to employ a staff (as discussed in other threads) to write for them.

[Donna]

Eyehavenofilter wrote: "I gave up on P.Cornwell as well....it just got toooooo gruesome for me, and yet I'm really into the Scandinavian, Nordic, Russian, writers that have burst onto the scene lately.
I started reading D..."

I agree. I liked Kay Scarpetta, but the details in the stories did get too gruesome for me. I have to care about the main characters and root for them. Cornwell's characters at times seem to blend in with the bad guys and I stopped caring.
For me though the definitive moment I stopped reading Cornwell was when I dreamt that my son had been murdered. I woke up asking myself, "where did that come from?" I remembered what I'd been reading and said, "no more."

[Donna]

Jenni wrote: "I'm still into Grisham, though I have other better writers like Michael Connelly, Ian Rankin, Dennis Lehane etc. at the top of the list above him."

I too like Grisham, but agree that many of his novels sound the same. Jenni is right. There are far more better writers. That said there is a warm spirit around his characters that keeps me reading.

[Melissa]

Leigh wrote: "I was close to bailing on the Joan Hess Claire Malloy books for a while, but the last one was decent. Her other series set in Maggody is better but not as popular for some reason.


I mentioned th..."
I tried reading one of the Claire Malloy books, but I couldn't get into it.

[Pat]

Donna wrote: "Eyehavenofilter wrote: "I gave up on P.Cornwell as well....it just got toooooo gruesome for me, and yet I'm really into the Scandinavian, Nordic, Russian, writers that have burst onto the scene la..."
I stopped reading Cornwall when her writing became formulaic. This, for me, happened with Grisham too.

[Leigh]

Melissa wrote: "Leigh wrote: "I was close to bailing on the Joan Hess Claire Malloy books for a while, but the last one was decent. Her other series set in Maggody is better but not as popular for some reason.


..."

The series has gotten a bit tedious. I was glad to see that Claire and Peter finally got married, but said to see that Joan Hess didn't actually write it into the books. It could have been hilarious. I really like the character of Claire Malloy though so I will read a so-so book.

[Kathy]

I LOVED the Dennis Lehane Patrick and Angie series. I was glad he did a "closure" book, but i read those books several times over and loved them!

[David]

Kathy wrote: "I LOVED the Dennis Lehane Patrick and Angie series. I was glad he did a "closure" book, but i read those books several times over and loved them!"
I loved them, too, and have reread them several times but thought Moonlight Mile was weak. I wish he'd write more books set between Prayers For Rain and that one.

[Curlyhair]

I gave up on Patricia Cornwell who i used to love, about 6 or 7 books back. Why she turned Marino so weird, why why? If she did explain I'd given up and wasn't interested in reading why. Then again never say never again!

Also Elizabeth George, her books just got sooo long and a tad boring and I lost hope of getting to the end!!!!!!

[Pam]

Dave wrote: "I've bailed on a couple series.
Pat Cornwell because her characters seemed more intent on exercising their egos than solving crimes.
Elizabeth George because her books just became too long-winded a..."
I agree ocmpletely about Marino. Her last book The Bone Bed wasn't as compelling as older books.
I gave up on Elizabeth George after stumbling through two of her books. Too wordy & had to get used to English slang.

[Lydia]

Melissa wrote: "Just like many of you, I have become disenchanted with the Kay Scarpetta series. However, I am a loyal reader to a fault and can't seem to stop reading the series. I still love the main character..."

They are starting to get depressing, the earlier books were more fun...

[Jenny]

elizabeth george-longwinded/boring
Alphabet murders(sue grafton)-timeline/written as if happening today but technology and ages of characters make it 1979.
agatha raisin/hamish mcbeath-stale stories

[Greg]

I haven't yet started the Scarpetta series or the Lynley series, even though I purchased multiple books in each series. I seem unable to pick up the first book whenever I'm between reads. Same goes for the Martha Grimes Richard Jury series, although in that instance I've read the first two and they've been enjoyable.

With Rankin, I've read the first and found it a decent read, but now I hope I forget what is coming, lol.

As for actually quitting a series, I think the Alex Cross books, which were at first good, fast reads, is my personal example. I did read the first 9 or 10 before it hit me just how much his original premise was now a complete cookie-cutter outline for each succeeding book.

[Pam]

I can't get enough of Myron Bolitar from Harlan Coben. The last 2 Alex Cross books were so predictable but hopefully will like a future book from Patterson.

[Carmen]

I have read a couple of the Wallander books by Henning Mankell but while the plots and locations are good, the characterization s are sooo stilted. Not sure how many more I will grind through.

[Leigh]

Jenny wrote: "elizabeth george-longwinded/boring
Alphabet murders(sue grafton)-timeline/written as if happening today but technology and ages of characters make it 1979.
agatha raisin/hamish mcbeath-stale stories"

I stopped reading Agatha Raisin too. I sometimes wonder if an aging author can make the story and the characters stagnant and repetitive. I still like the older stories I still have but the new stuff isn't as good.

[maria1836]

I have read many Julie Smith books and really loved the series with New Orleans cop, Skip Langdon. However her later series of books were just not as good. but just my humble opinion..

[[deleted user]]

I loved most of Peter Robinson's Detective Banks series. I have gotten tired of them. He kept referring back to old cases in the last one I read. His books no longer hold my interest. But if you read his earlier books I think you'll like them.

[Pat]

Jeweliej wrote: "I loved most of Peter Robinson's Detective Banks series. I have gotten tired of them. He kept referring back to old cases in the last one I read. His books no longer hold my interest. But if you re..."

If you liked Peter Robinson's early books, you'll probably enjoy Stuart Macbride (but not "halfhead" his first book).

[James]

For me it is James Patterson's Alex Cross stories. He seems to have lost his sense of reality at times. Still like his other books though.

[Elaine]

Even tho I like nora Roberts as a author I would n't recommend Sign of Seven as she hasalot of mystery but sex and foul talk as well.

[[deleted user]]

Pat wrote: "Jeweliej wrote: "I loved most of Peter Robinson's Detective Banks series. I have gotten tired of them. He kept referring back to old cases in the last one I read. His books no longer hold my intere..."

Thank you Pat.

[☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎]

I use to like reading Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta series and then I just stopped reading them. I don't know but I think I'll try again to find out why I stopped to begin with. Maybe it could have been because I started reading something else or just got bored with it. Don't know but I'll find out.

[James]

If you find sex and foul talk a problem do not read any of the books she writes under the pseudonym J D Robb.
Elaine wrote: "Even tho I like nora Roberts as a author I would n't recommend Sign of Seven as she hasalot of mystery but sex and foul talk as well."

[Catherine]

Carmen wrote: "I use to like reading Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta series and then I just stopped reading them. I don't know but I think I'll try again to find out why I stopped to begin with. Maybe it could have..."

I stopped reading her books because they became too much the same, one after another. They also were getting darker and darker, and Scarpetta was becoming too obsessed, too whiny and too strange.

[Terry]

Breaks my heart to say it, but Michael Connelly's The Black Box seemed like a half-hearted effort and I stopped reading halfway through.

[Kirsten]

James wrote: "If you find sex and foul talk a problem do not read any of the books she writes under the pseudonym J D Robb.
Elaine wrote: "Even tho I like nora Roberts as a author I would n't recommend Sign of S..."

I love J.D. Robb. But you are right, if you don't want sex or foul talk, don't pick 'em up. However, Lt. Eve Dallas is a hardened NYPSD officer.

[Alex]

I gave up on Patricia Cornwell some time ago. I used to love the Scarpetta series but for some reason PC changed all the main characters and made them boring, whiney, paranoid and thoroughly unlikeable. Also I have stopped reading James Patterson mainly because all his books now seem like they come off a conveyer belt and no real thought or depth is put into any of them and that includes the once much loves Alex Cross series

[James]

I dolove Eve Dallas,and the supporting cast.
Kirsten wrote: "James wrote: "If you find sex and foul talk a problem do not read any of the books she writes under the pseudonym J D Robb.
Elaine wrote: "Even tho I like nora Roberts as a author I would n't recom..."

[Kirsten]

James wrote: "I dolove Eve Dallas,and the supporting cast.
Kirsten wrote: "James wrote: "If you find sex and foul talk a problem do not read any of the books she writes under the pseudonym J D Robb.
Elaine wrote..."

Yes!! The supporting cast are incredible! Some times it's hard to keep up!!

[Ron]

Dave wrote: "I've bailed on a couple series.
Pat Cornwell because her characters seemed more intent on exercising their egos than solving crimes.
Elizabeth George because her books just became too long-winded a..."

Had the same feelings about Evanovich's Plum series. Except that I stayed around for a few more than you did. But, same thing. Plum still the same as in book #1.

[Kirsten]

Kim wrote: "I used to read Kay Scarpetta series (Patricia Cornwell) and the Kinsey Millhone series (Sue Grafton). I got tired of both series and the lead characters. They just didn't seem likeable anymore.
T..."

I stopped reading Patricia Cornwell several years back. I just couldn't get into the idea of a chief medical examiner (for an entire state, no less!) chasing down serial killers with her own gun! I mean, sure, Special Agent Scully chased down serial killers (and mutants and aliens) but she was an FBI agent.

[Heather]

I'm with most of you on Cornwell's Scarpetta series. I didn't make it very far before I got tired of her, and I used to want to be a medical examiner when I was a kid! Another I used to enjoy but just haven't kept up with at all is the Joanna Brady series by J.A. Jance.

[Andrea]

I have never read one of hers but I'd like to!

I am really enjoying the Iris Johansen series about Eve Duncan!

[Brian]

I gave up on Stuart Woods' Stone Barrington series. The stories for to be pretty meh to me.

[Wendy]

John wrote: "Marcia Muller's Sharon McCone books were great, but then she became a corporate cog in the (expanded) firm, with stories focusing more on her personal drama.

Sara Partesky's V. I. Washawski books ..."

Muller IS getting pretty depressing.

[Kayla]

Hm, I got tired of Stephanie Plum about 15% into the book, but I'll give her another chance!
I never properly read the last books of the Harry Potter series. I think it's much too twisted for little kids, and too childish for grown-ups. My interest for Harry Potter peaked at about 10 years old...

[Wendy]

I posted this on another Group. I have been VERY disappointed with the last 3-4 Nevada Barr books. They have become boring, depressing and badly written.