Blue Moon Mystery Saloon

More Mysteries of History (up to 1800)

As we saw last week, a lot of excellent mystery series are set in the 1800's. But a good crime story can be placed in any era. All it needs is a murder, a few suspects and someone to solve the crime, right? So for all you history mystery lovers, here's a list of enticing tomes to peruse up to, but not through, 1800:

 

1st Century BC: Rome

SPQR Mysteries by John Maddox Roberts

 

1st Century AD: Rome

Marcus Didius Falco Mysteries by Lindsey Davis

 

2nd Century AD: Roman Britain

 Libertus Mysteries of Roman Britain by Rosemary Rowe

 

7th Century AD: Ireland

Mysteries of Ancient Ireland by Peter Tremayne

 

11th Century AD: Japan

Sugawara Akitada Mysteries by I. J. Parker

 

Medieval, Spanning Several Centuries: England

Historical Mysteries by The Medieval Murderers (Michael Jecks, Susanna Gregory, Bernard Knight, Ian Morson, Philip Gooden and Simon Beaufort)

 

12th Century AD: England

Brother Cadfael Mysteries by Ellis Peters

Crowner John Mysteries by Simon Beaufort

 

13th Century AD: England

Templar Knight Mysteries by Maureen Ash

Medieval Mysteries by Priscilla Royal

Hawkenlye Mysteries by Alys Clare

 

14th Century AD: England

Matthew Bartholomew Chronicles by Susanna Gregory

Knights Templar Series by Michael Jecks

Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon, Chronicles by Mel Starr

Crispin Guest Medieval Noir Mysteries by Jeri Westerson

Mathilde of Westminster Mysteries by Paul Doherty

Hugh Corbett Mysteries by Paul Doherty

 

15th Century AD: England

Sister Frevisse Medieval Mysteries by Margaret Frazer

Bishop Pecock Tales by Margaret Frazer

Joliffe Mysteries by Margaret Frazer

Roger the Chapman Mysteries by Kate Sedley

 

15th Century AD: Scotland

Gil Cunningham Murder Mysteries by Pat McIntosh

 

16th Century AD: England

Matthew Shardlake Tudor Mysteries by C. J. Sansom

 

16th Century AD: Ireland

Burren Mysteries by Cora Harrison (new)

 

17th Century AD: England

Thomas Chaloner Mysteries by Susanna Gregory

The Chronicles of Harry Lytle by Paul Lawrence

 

18th Century AD: England

John Rawlings Mysteries by Deryn Lake

Blue Satan Mysteries by Patricia Wynn

Westerman Crowther Mysteries by Imogen Robertson

Georgian Historical Mysteries by Lucinda Brant (e-book)

 

18th Century AD: Italy

Baroque Mysteries by Beverle Graves Myers

 

18th Century AD: Japan

Sano Ichiro Novels by Laura Joh Rowland

 

Did I miss your favorite set-before-1800 mystery series? If so, please let us know. Leave a comment with the series' titles and tell us why you like them.

 

NEXT FRIDAY:      EARLY-MID 20TH CENTURY MYSTERIES

Mysteries Set in History

I prefer series set in the present. One of my friends only reads Regency period books (mysteries, romance and paranormal). Another bud is a Medieval fan. Still another loves early- to mid-20th century stories. 

I was certain that I'd never lanquish in a reading void. But what about my friends? Would they have to wait for weeks and weeks until a Regency- or Medieval- or a take-your-pick-era mystery was released? Would they wither away in a desert of despair? I decided friends don't let friends be without a good read. Thus began my search for history mystery series to keep my BFFs happy and sane. Too many to list in one post, I'll start in the 1800s:

 

Regency Period

Sebastian St. Cyr Mysteries by C.S. Harris

Lady Arianna Regency Mysteries by Andrea Penrose

Being a Jane Austen Mysteries by Stephanie Barron

Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries by Ashley Gardner (ebook)

Gilded Age

Gilded Age Mysteries by P.B. Ryan

Victorian Era

Lady Emily Mysteries by Tasha Alexander

Lady Julia Grey Novels by Deanna Raybourn

Charles Lenox Mysteries by Charles Finch

Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Novels by Anne Perry

Victorian Mysteries by Emily Brightwell

William Monk Novels by Anne Perry

Amelia Peabody Mysteries (Books 1-7) by Elizabeth Peters

 

Have I missed a favorite series of yours? Please comment with your series suggestions.

 

Next Friday:   MORE MYSTERIES OF HISTORY (up to 1800s)

Thanksgiving Mysteries

Thanksgiving is just two weeks away, and just like the colorful leaves flying around in my yard today, thoughts of turkey, dressing and loads of yummy butter and cream cheese-filled mashed potatoes are swirling in my mind.

That's because I'm cooking this year.   ;-(  

To begin focusing on my upcoming fantastic and festive feast, I decided to read mysteries set around Thanksgiving. Here's a cornucopia of books I discovered in my quest to escape the madness of NaNoWriMo and tap my inner Julia Child:

 

A Catered Thanksgiving  - A Mystery with Recipes by Isis Crawford (new)

Turkey Day Murder - A Lucy Stone Mystery by Leslie Meier

 A Fatal Feast - A Murder, She Wrote Mystery by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain

Death in a Turkey Town  - A Chloe Boston Mystery by Melanie Jackson (ebook)

Death at Bandit Creek - A Bandit Creek Mystery - by Amy Jo Fleming (ebook)

The Great Turkey Heist  - Boxcar Children Mystery by Gertrude Warner & Robert Papp (Children's)

Thanksgiving Thief - Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew by Carolyn Keene and Macky Pamintuan (Children's)

Swampmonsters Don't Chase Wild Turkeys - The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids by Debbie Dadey and Marcia T. Jones (Children's)

Who Stole Grandma's Million-Dollar Pumpkin Pie? - A Chickadee Court Mystery by Martha Freeman (Children's)

The Killer Wore Cranberry - edited by J. Alan Hartman (Anthology)

 

Have I missed your favorite Thanksgiving-themed mystery? If so, please add a comment, share the title(s) and tell us why you enjoyed the story.

 

Join me next Friday for:  HISTORY MYSTERIES

 

NaNoWriMo

November is National Novel Writing Month (http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/dashboard), and participants are typing their fingers to the bone to reach 50,000 words by the end of the month. I know at least ten people besides me who are crazy enough to spend beautiful autumn days in the dark recesses of their offices or burrowed inside their favorite cafe charting the course of a new novel. My writing place of choice is my local Barnes & Noble bookstore. The cafe is huge, the lights are bright and wonderful double chocolate cookies and savory soups are here for the buying.

NaNoWriMo is more than just a supportive community for writers. It's 501 (c) (3) organization, The Office of Letters and Light, accepts donations that "help us bring free creative writing programs for kids and adults in over 500 cities and towns, 3,000 classrooms, and 200 libraries every year."  http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/wheredonationsgo 

The organization encourages children and teenagers to participate in its NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program, offering pep talks by Young Adult authors, creative writing workbooks, reward badges and certificates for those who achieve their writing goals. Once November is over, The Office of Letters and Light follows-up with post-event revision advice and information on creative writing events and contests.

Teachers can use the eight-week NaNoWriMo study curriculum for creative writing developed to the Common Core Language Arts standards, interact with other teachers in educators-only forums and access the Virtual Classroom on the NaNoWriMo website to enhance their writing classes. This year more than 3000 kits with buttons, stickers, posters and progress charts will be mailed to participating schools and up to 100 word processors will be loaned free of charge to schools in need.

Being a part of NaNoWriMo is not just a fun, focused and frantic way to jump-start that story percolating in your head. It's also about joining a diverse group of fantastic authors from around the globe who love writing and want to bring the joy of creativity to kids of all ages.

If you've signed up to participate in NaNoWriMo this year, please take a little break from your brilliant work-in-progress and consider donating to this great writing outreach program. Here's the link:  https://store.lettersandlight.org/donations

Now get back to work!!    ;-D