Looking for darker police procedurals and books set in remote locales

[Nicky نیکی]

Hello! I’m a fan of darker mysteries and thrillers. I really enjoy a good police procedural. I’d love some recommendations. I’m not interested in serial killers so no Harry Bosch type stuff. I especially enjoy remote locales or places not often featured in books.

[David]

I've read all the Harry Bosch books (except for the last two) and only recall 1 (or 2 at most) being about a serial killer.

Let me look over my Books Read list for some that might fit your criteria.

[Faith]

These are dark, but not a remote locale. Sirens by Joseph Knox

The Line That Held Us by David Joy

The Wolf and the Watchman by Niklas Natt och Dag

[Thomas]

Craig Johnson writes the Longmire series set in rural Wyoming.
Dana Stabenow writes the Kate Shugak series set in Alaska.
Both are best read in order.

[David]

Here are some I thought might fit what you're looking for. Almost every series has at least 1 serial killer book (must be a requirement of every series-writing author) so some on this list may have one or two.

Lori Armstrong – Mercy Gundersen series (not police procedural)
David Baldacci – Will Robie series (not police procedural); John Puller series (not police procedural)
Lawrence Block – Scudder series (ex-cop/PI series)
Stephen Booth – Fry & Cooper (English police procedural)
C. J. Box – Joe Pickett series (Wyoming game warden); some non-series books
James Lee Burke – Hack Holland series; Dave Robicheaux series
Steven J. Cannell – Shane Scully series
Jeff Carson – Dave Wolf series
Raymond Chandler – Phillip Marlowe series (1930s LA)
Lee Child – Jack Reacher series (not police procedural)
Michael Connelly – Renee Ballard series; Harry Bosch series
Deborah Crombie – Kincaid & James series (English police prodecurals)
Nelson DeMille – John Corey series
James Ellroy – 40s police procedurals
Earl Emerson – some non-series books are very dark
Linda Fairstein – Alex Cooper series (NYC sex crimes prosecutor)
Tess Gerritsen – Rizzoli & Isles series (first two are serial killer novels)
Sarah Graves – Lizzie Snow series
W. E. B. Griffin - Badge Of Honor series
J. A. Jance – J. P. Beaumont series; Joanna Brady series (some in both can be dark)
Craig Johnson – Walt Longmire series
Jonathon King – Max Freeman series
Jon Land – Caitlin Strong series (only read 1 book but it was dark)
Dennis Lehane – Kenzie & Gennaro series
John D. MacDonald – Travis McGee series (not police procedural)
Archer Mayor – Joe Gunther series
Ed McBain – 87th Precinct series (the master of the police procedural)
Marcia Muller – Sharon McCone series
M. Ruth Myers – Maggie Sullivan series (Dayton, OH in the 1930s)
Toby Neal – Lei Texiera series; Sophie Ang series; some stand-alones (all set in Hawaii)
Robert B. Parker – Cole & Hitch series (set in the Old West); Jesse Stone series
Ridley Pearson – Lou Boldt series; Walt Fleming series
Kathy Reichs – Temperance Brennan series (not police procedural)
John Sandford – Lucas Davenport series; Virgil Flowers series
Karin Slaughter – Grant County series; Will Trent series
Martin Cruz Smith – Arkady Renko series
Wayne Stinnett – Jesse McDermott series (not police procedural)
Will Thomas – Barker and Llewellyn series
John Verdon – Dave Gurney series
Joseph Wambaugh – police procedurals (some can be dark)
Stephen White – Alan Gregory series (not police procedural)
Frank Zafiro – River City series

[CBRetriever]

Stuart MacBride's Logan McRae series is set in Aberdeen and very dark
Henning Mankell's Kurt Wallander series is set in Ystad, Sweden
Viveca Sten has a series set in Sandhamn, Sweden
Leena Lehtolainen's Maria Kallio series set in Espoo, Finland
Yrsa Sigurðardóttir's Thora Gudmundsdottir series is set in Iceland
Stuart Neville has a series set in Northern Ireland that's very dark
Torquil MacLeod has a series set in Malmö, Sweden

I enjoyed all of those

[Tone]

I think the three books written by Jane Harper have what you're looking for. They are set in rural Queensland, Australia, they are well written, dark and free of serial killers. The two first, i.e. The Dry and Force of Nature, feature the policeman Aaron Falk. The third, The Lost Man, is a stand-alone and my favourite.

[Judy]

Nicole wrote: "Hello! I’m a fan of darker mysteries and thrillers. I really enjoy a good police procedural. I’d love some recommendations. I’m not interested in serial killers so no Harry Bosch type stuff. I espe..."

Just for the record the vast majority of Harry Bosch books do not involve serial killers. I don't care much for serial killer books either but I love Harry Bosch. They are excellent police procedurals. Connelly was a crime reporter for years so he really understands investigations. Anyway, in addition to Connelly, I like James Lee Burke and Ruth Rendell. She is more of a psychological writer. She explores the evil ways of the human heart. She was extremely prolific. She wrote a detective series and stand alones. I prefer the stand alones. Her book, The Tree of Hands, is a great read.

[Judy]

Quillracer wrote: "I've read all the Harry Bosch books (except for the last two) and only recall 1 (or 2 at most) being about a serial killer.

Let me look over my Books Read list for some that might fit your criteria.". I agree. The vast majority of Bosch books are about more run of the mill crimes. I forget which book of his was about just tracing the history of a gun. I loved that book because it was such an excellent procedural.

[Nicky نیکی]

I misspoke regarding the Bosch book. I’ve only read one of his books to my knowledge, Echo Park, which was about a serial killer. I didn’t realize that that’s not the norm for the series. Other than that though,
I didn’t care much for the book in general, serial killer aside. Just a personal preference, I know that many people love the series.

[CBRetriever]

another remote locations (most of the time anyway) is Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon mysteries that are set in various US National Parks. One or two of them might have a serial murderer, but most of them are a one time murder/crime

[Shantanu]

You can try Harry huler series bye jo nesbo. Most of the books are set in Oslo, Norway. It’s police procedure/detective and one of my favourite series.

[Aditya]

Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad set in her native Ireland is perfect for you. Detailed police procedurals with a huge focus on the psychology behind the crime (the why rather than who) and every book has a new protagonist and they never deal with serial killers.

New Australian author Jane Harper is pretty similar too and both have won an Edgar or Dagger award with their debuts.

[Chelsie]

My recommendations would be Chelsea Cain books, or Stephen King’s Mr. Mercedes series.

[Chelsie]

I also forgot to add Candice Fox is good too. She had a few she’s written with James Patterson. I’d look up Crimson Lake and Redemption Point!