LitQueuelitqueue

After

I shall not want

Julia Spencer-Fleming2008

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

Same earnest register, still police procedural

1 more ↓

  • Out of the deep I cry

    Julia Spencer-Fleming2004

    An Episcopal priest and a police chief investigate the disappearance of a woman and her child that mirrors a cold case from the 1930s.

    pace0·prose0·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • Amberes

    Roberto Bolaño2002

    A fragmented series of fifty-six short sections follows a police officer, a redhead, and a hunchback through a series of loosely linked crimes.

    earnest → cold

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak+1

  • The Doves Necklace

    Raja Alem2014

    A detective investigates an unidentified woman's body found in a Mecca alleyway. The city itself narrates parts of the story.

    earnest → dreamlike

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak+1

  • American Psycho

    Bret Easton Ellis1991

    A wealthy investment banker details his daily routines, consumer habits, and graphic murders. The narrative is cold and repetitive.

    earnest → cold

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak+2

To recover

3 more ↓

  • Glazed Murder

    Jessica Beck2010

    A donut shop owner finds her rival dead in his shop. She investigates the local community to clear her own name.

    earnest → playful, still small town

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

  • Knit One, Kill Two

    Maggie Sefton2005

    An accountant returns to Colorado to investigate her aunt's suspicious death. She spends her time at a local knitting shop gathering clues.

    earnest → warm, still small town

    pace-1·prose-1·bleak-1

  • Death on Demand

    Carolyn G. Hart1987

    A mystery bookstore owner becomes the lead suspect when a local author is killed. She must find the real murderer to save her business.

    earnest → playful

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

Faster

earnest → propulsive, still police procedural

3 more ↓

  • Angels & Demons

    Dan Brown2000

    A symbologist and a scientist race through Rome to stop an ancient secret society from destroying the Vatican. It takes place over 24 hours.

    earnest → propulsive, still mystery

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak0

  • Tell No One

    Harlan Coben2000

    A widower receives an email from his wife eight years after her murder. He flees the FBI to discover if she is still alive.

    earnest → propulsive, still mystery

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak0

  • The Crucifix Killer

    Chris Carter2010

    An LA detective finds a signature mark on a victim that suggests a previously executed serial killer is still active or has a copycat.

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak+1

Slower

3 more ↓

  • Bury Your Dead

    Louise Penny2010

    Chief Inspector Armand Gamache investigates a murder at a Quebec library while recovering from a traumatic police raid.

    earnest → elegiac, still police procedural

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak0

  • Gödel, Escher, Bach

    Douglas R. Hofstadter1979

    An exploration of how cognition emerges from hidden neurological patterns. It uses math, art, and music to explain self-referential systems.

    earnest → playful

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

  • Ulysses

    James Joyce1914

    Three characters wander through Dublin on a single day in 1904. Each chapter uses a different literary style to mimic thoughts and sensations.

    earnest → playful

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

Heavier

earnest → bleak, still police procedural

3 more ↓

  • Broken Harbor

    Tana French2012

    A detective investigates a family murdered in a failed housing development. The story focuses on the investigator's mental unraveling.

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak+2

  • Shadow Man

    Cody McFadyen2006

    An FBI agent with a traumatic past tracks a serial killer who targets families. The narrative details extreme physical and psychological torture.

    earnest → tense, still police procedural

    pace0·prose0·bleak+2

  • Phantom

    Jo Nesbø

    Harry Hole returns to Oslo to clear his stepson of a murder charge. He descends into the city's drug scene to find the real killer.

    pace0·prose0·bleak+2