These authors formed the roots of my lifelong reading of mystery and detective fiction. Most of them first appeared in my reading journals beginning in the late 1980s.
Parnell Hall
B: 1944 – D: 2020
Read From: 1991–2020
Reading span 29 years
Books Read: 26
Series: Stanley Hastings (19), Puzzle Lady (7)
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| First Read:Strangler | Last Read: Lights,Camera,Puzzles! (Puzzle Lady) |
William G. Tapply
Read From: 1990–2025
Reading Span – 35 Years
Books Read: 21
Series: Brady Coyne (18/28), Stoney Calhoun (3/3)
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| First Read: Dead Winter (Brady Coyne #8) | Last Read: Outwitting Trolls ( Brady Coyne #38) |
Stuart M. Kaminsky
B: 1934 – D: 2009
Read From: 1989 – 2010
Reading Span – 21 years
Books Read: 14
Series: Chief Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov
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| First Read: A Cold Red Sunrise (Rostnikov #5) | Last Read: A Whisper to the Living (Rostnikov #16) |
Bill Pronzini
Read From: 1991–2018
Reading Span 27 years
Books Read: 18
Series: “Nameless” Detective
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| First Read: Hoodwink (Nameless Detective #7) | Mourners (Nameless Detective #30) |
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George C. Chesbro
B: 1940 – D: 2008
Read From: 1989–1999
Reading Span 10 years
Books Read: 16
Series: Mongo Mysteries
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| First Read: Two Songs This Archangel Sings (Mongo #5) | Last Read: Bleeding in the Eye of a Brainstorm (Mongo #13) |
Tony Hillerman
B: 1925 – D: 2008
Read From: 1987–2000, 2018
Reading Span 31 years
Books Read: 14
Series: Joe Leaphorn & Jim Chee
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| The Blessing Way (Leaphorn & Chee #1) | Last Read: The Sinister Pig (Leaphorn & Chee #16) |
Loren D. Estleman
B: 1952
Read From: 1987–2000, 2025
Reading Span 38 years
Books Read: 12
Series: Amos Walker
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| First Read: Motor City Blue (Amos Walker #1) | Last Read: Black and White Ball (Amos Walker #27) |
Lawrence Block
B: 1938
Read From: 1988–1998, 2017, 2020
Reading Span 22 years
Books Read: 13
Series: Matthew Scudder; Bernie Rhodenbarr
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| First Read: When the Sacred Ginmill Closes (Scudder #6) | Last Read: The Devil Knows You’re Dead (Scudder #11) |
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Bill Granger
B: 1941 – D: 2012
Read From: (years not specified)
Books Read: 10
Series: November Man; Drover
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| First Read: Schism (November Man #2) | Last Read: Burning the Apostle (November Man #13) |
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