10.4. Elementary, my dear Watson

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

10.4. Elementary, my dear Watson: March 18-20 is Sherlock Holmes Weekend. Read a mystery book. Mysteries have a detective protagonist (amateur or professional) who investigates and solves a crime.

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Books approved:
Grave Surprise
The Constant Gardener
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Size 14 Is Not Fat Either
Déjà Dead
Body Double
Twelve Sharp
A Study in Scarlet
Harry Dresden books
The Monster of Florence

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

reserved

[Christina]

What about Grave Surprise? She is a psychic who is trying to solve a murder.

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Christina wrote: "What about Grave Surprise? She is a psychic who is trying to solve a murder."

That works.

[★Meghan★]

I was thinking Undaunted. I got it as a Goodreads giveaway. Would that work? On the book it says that it is a Stan Turner Mystery.

[Fran]

Just checking- The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

thanks!

[Amanda]

Would The Constant Gardener work? It's about a man trying to solve his wife's murder.

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Amanda wrote: "Would The Constant Gardener work? It's about a man trying to solve his wife's murder."

it certainly seems to be about an amateur trying to solve a crime, so I'd say it works.

[Fran]

Fran wrote: "Just checking- The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

thanks!"

Hi Sandy-

Wondering if The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and/or Size 14 Is Not Fat Either will work- thanks!

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Fran wrote: "Fran wrote: "Just checking- The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

thanks!"

Hi Sandy-

Wondering if The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and/or [book:Size 14 Is Not Fat Ei..."

I'm sorry I didn't respond to your first post - it must have slipped by me. Either of these books would be fine.

[Joy Marie]

Would any of these three work?

Déjà Dead
Body Double
Twelve Sharp

[[deleted user]]

I have been meaning to read A Study in Scarlet for forever now. Would that work? It is Sherlock Holmes after all. :P

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Marie wrote: "I have been meaning to read A Study in Scarlet for forever now. Would that work? It is Sherlock Holmes after all. :P"

Joy Marie wrote: "Would any of these three work?

Déjà Dead
Body Double
Twelve Sharp"

All fine!

[★Meghan★]

Hi Sandy...I never got a response either...does Undaunted work? If not I can find something else.

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

★Meghan★ wrote: "Hi Sandy...I never got a response either...does Undaunted work? If not I can find something else."

Sorry - I was looking at it, trying to figure it out, and didn't get back to answer. It probably works - from the description, all we know is that he winds up being on trial for something. If he goes out and solves the crime (which the series title sort of suggests) then it works.

[Lori]

What about Harry Dresden? He is a wizard that helps the police solve preternatural crimes. Jim Butcher is the author.

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Lori (BNPL) wrote: "What about Harry Dresden? He is a wizard that helps the police solve preternatural crimes. Jim Butcher is the author."

That works

[Terri FL]

Would The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie work?

[Terri FL]

Does it have to be fiction or would a book like The Monster of Florence work?

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Terri Fl wrote: "Does it have to be fiction or would a book like The Monster of Florence work?"

yes

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Terri Fl wrote: "Would The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie work?"

I haven't read it yet, but I understand that the girl in the book is solving a crime? So that would work.

[Melanie]

Would thrillers work? I Can See You by Karen Rose would fit, I believe: the story revolves around a psych grad student helping a cop find a serial killer: it was scary, well written, and had me guessing till the very end.. I hope I can fit it in here:-)

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Melanie wrote: "Would thrillers work? I Can See You by Karen Rose would fit, I believe: the story revolves around a psych grad student helping a cop find a serial killer: it was scary, well written,..."

If it revolves around professional or amateurs trying to solve a crime, which it sounds as if it does, it works.

[Melanie]

Sandy wrote: "Melanie wrote: "Would thrillers work? I Can See You by Karen Rose would fit, I believe: the story revolves around a psych grad student helping a cop find a serial killer: it was scar..."

Great thank you!

[Inez]

would The Christopher Killer work?

[Kristina Simon]

Inez wrote: "would The Christopher Killer work?"

Yes.

[Inez]

Kristi (Passion for the Page) wrote: "Inez wrote: "would The Christopher Killer work?"

Yes."

thank you

[Amanda]

Can someone trying to solve a disappearance work? I want to use Paper Towns which is about a boy trying to find a girl who has disappeared. He's not sure if she has run away or is dead. She left him some clues to follow.

If not could I read The Body Finder which is about a girl who can sense dead bodies and is trying to find a serial killer.

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Amanda Pearl wrote: "Can someone trying to solve a disappearance work? I want to use Paper Towns which is about a boy trying to find a girl who has disappeared. He's not sure if she has run away or is ..."

Paper Towns doesn't really appear to fit, because it's not about an amateur detective trying to solve a crime.

From the description of The Body Finder, on the other hand, it appears to fit the task.

[Amanda]

Sandy wrote: "Amanda Pearl wrote: "Can someone trying to solve a disappearance work? I want to use Paper Towns which is about a boy trying to find a girl who has disappeared. He's not sure if sh..."

Ok cool, I wasn't sure if running away would count as a "crime" or not.

[MsOPP]

Does The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo count for this task?

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

MsOPP (Julie) wrote: "Does The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo count for this task?"

Yes - he (they) are certainly acting as amateur detectives trying to solve a crime, so it fits.

[MsOPP]

I changed my mind, again. What about Somebody Killed His Editor? It's about a mystery writer and an ex detective trying to solve a murder, replete with the "drawing room" confrontation!

[Sandra]

Would Zapped (Regan Reilly Mysteries #14) by Carol Higgins Clark work?

[Fran]

Would A Lot Like Love work for this task? It is shelved as mystery several times and from the blurb seems to be about an FBI agent involved in solving a crime.

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Sandra wrote: "Would Zapped (Regan Reilly Mysteries #14) by Carol Higgins Clark work?"

Yes

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Fran wrote: "Would A Lot Like Love work for this task? It is shelved as mystery several times and from the blurb seems to be about an FBI agent involved in solving a crime."

Is this really about solving a crime? Several of the blurbs suggest that it's just a romance novel - that they got together because there was an FBI agent trying to get info about a crime, but that the book is just about their romance. If the plot is really about solving a crime, then it works. If it's just about their romance, then no.

[Fran]

Sandy wrote: "Fran wrote: "Would A Lot Like Love work for this task? It is shelved as mystery several times and from the blurb seems to be about an FBI agent involved in solving a crime."

Is th..."

I'm not sure, I just started it. I saw that a few people shelved it as mystery so I thought I would ask. I will read it and let you know, but I'm guessing the romance will be the primary focus and the mystery the secondary.

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

Rusty wrote: "Would Missing Judy work? It's about a girl who is trying to find out why her sister went missing."

From the descriptions I could find, it doesn't sound as if the protagonist is trying to solve a mystery, but that the book is focused on how an event like this affects the whole family. On the other hand, those descriptions may not tell the full story - so you'll have to make the call when you read it as to whether the focus of the book is on a protagonist "trying to solve a crime." Does the girl actively follow up clues, question people who were involved, find the bad guy?