Police Procedurals

On DorothyL, the email mystery discussion list, they were lately discussing private eye novels versus police procedurals. Someone proposed that Americans characteristically wrote/read more private eye novels and that the British mystery ran more to police procedurals. Several other list members disagreed, and came up with lists of good strong American mysteries about police investigations. Ed McBain, of course. Margaret Maron's Sigrid Harald series. Eleanor Taylor Bland. Steven Havill. Donald Harstad. Laurie King's Kate Martinelli series. Hillerman's Chee and Leaphorn. Lee Harris' Jane Bauer series. Michael Jahn. J. A. Jance, K. J. Erickson, William Kent Krueger, Archer Mayor, Charlene Weir, Elizabeth Gunn, Lee Martin, Robin Burcell, Leslie Glass. All focus on police investigations, usually with a recurring ensemble of colleagues teaming with the working cop protagonists, and often with regional flavor.

Speaking of mysteries, we have updated the list of recently ordered mysteries and the other What's New lists.