Sleuthing with an International Flair

Posted on November 7, 2016

by Amy H

A great way to armchair travel and get lost in a great thriller is to pick up a mystery novel featuring detectives from other countries. In the past few years, many new series and new titles in established series have come out. Take a look and bon voyage!!

Established International Mystery Series

Murder on the Quai by Cara BlackMurder on the Quai by Cara Black (Aimee Leduc investigations, book 16)

Formats Available: Print | Audiobook | eBook | eAudiobook

An origin tale starring future investigator Aimée Leduc traces her first year of college at Paris’ preeminent medical school, where her life by the Seine with her detective father is thrown into chaos by the dismantling of the Berlin Wall and a saboteur who would orchestrate her academic dismissal. A prequel to the New York Times best-selling series.

The Aimee Leduc Investigations are categorized as International Crime & Mystery, Suspense and Thriller. The stories are character-driven, compelling, suspenseful and have a strong sense of place. The series includes Murder in the Marais (1999), Murder in Belleville (2000), Murder in the Sentier (2002), Murder in the Bastille (2003), Murder in Clichy (2005), Murder in Montmartre (2006), Murder on the Ile Saint-louis (2007), Murder in the Rue de Paradis (2008), Murder in the Latin Quarter (2009), Murder in the Palais Royal (2010), Murder in Passy (2011), Murder at the Lanterne Rouge (2012), Murder Below Montparnasse (2013), Murder in Pigalle (2014), Murder on the Champ de Mars (2015), and Murder on the Quai (2016).

The Circle : a novel by Bernard Minier ; translated by Alison AndersonThe Circle by Bernard Minier (Commandant Martin Servaz Thrillers, book 2)

Formats Available: Print

From the internationally acclaimed author of The Frozen Dead comes a chilling murder mystery set during the World Cup in the south of France.

The Commandant Martin Servaz Thrillers are categorized as International Crime & Mystery, Police Procedural, Suspense and Thriller. The stories are atmospheric, compelling, creepy, fast-paced and intricately plotted. The series includes The Frozen Dead (2014) and The Circle (2015).

The Killing Room : A Mystery in Florence by Christobel KentThe Killing Room: A Mystery in Florence by Christobel Kent (Sandro Cellini Mysteries, book 5)

Formats Available: Print

Attending a glamorous launch party for a luxury residence overlooking Florence, private investigator Sandro Cellini links two suspicious deaths to historical secrets and a brutal killer.

The Sandro Cellin Mysteries are categorized as International Crime & Mystery, Suspense and Thriller. The stories are atmospheric, lyrical and suspenseful. The series includes The Drowning River (2009), A Murder in Tuscany (2010), The Dead Season (2012), A Darkness Descending (2013) and The Killing Room (2014).

A Voice in the Night by Andrea Camilleri A Voice in the Night by Andrea Camilleri (Inspector Montalbano Mysteries, book 20)

Formats Available: Print

Investigating a seemingly open-and-shut case at the supermarket that is astonishingly complicated by the manager’s suspicious death, Inspector Montalbano investigates mysterious ties to the case and the brutal murder of a girl in the apartment of a man with powerful relatives in politics and the mafia. New York Times best-selling series.

The Inspector Montalbano Mysteries are categorized as International Crime & Mystery, Suspense and Thriller. The stories are character-driven, gritty and have a strong sense of place. The series includes The Shape of Water (2002), The Terra-Cotta Dog (2002), The Snack Thief (2003), Voice of the Violin (2003), The Excursion To Tindari (2005), The Smell of the Night – aka The Scent of the Night (2005), Rounding the Mark (2006), The Patience of the Spider (2007), The Paper Moon (2008), August Heat (2009), The Wings of the Sphinx (2009), The Track of Sand (2010), The Potter’s Field (2011), The Age of Doubt (2012), The Dance of the Seagull (2013), Treasure Hunt (2013), Angelica’s Smile (2014), Game of Mirrors (2015), A Beam of Light – aka Blade of Light (2015), A Voice in the Night (2016) and Montalbano’s first case and other stories (2016).

A Midsummer's equation / Keigo Higashino ; translation by Alexander O. SmithA Midsummer’s Equation by Keigo Higashino (Detective Galileo Mysteries, book 3)

Formats Available: Print

Speaking at a conference in a once-grand summer resort town, Detective Galileo investigates a murder that might have been spurred by an ongoing, local development dispute. By the Edgar Award-finalist author of The Devotion of Suspect X. A #1 international best-seller.

The Detective Galileo Mysteries are categorized as International Crime & Mystery, Police Procedural, Psychological Suspense and Thriller. The stories are character-driven, disturbing and intricately plotted. The series includes The Devotion of Suspect X (2011), Salvation of a Saint (2012) and A Midsummer’s Equation (2016).

Fatal Pursuit : a Bruno, chief of police novel / by Martin WalkerFatal Pursuit by Martin Walker (Bruno Courreges Mysteries, book 9)

Formats Available: Print

When a local scholar turns up dead at St. Denis’ annual rally and classic car parade, Bruno, chief of police, suspects foul play, especially when a family squabble and international crime are factored in, making the investigation even more challenging.

The Bruno Courreges Mysteries are categorized as International Crime & Mystery, Suspense and Thriller. The stories include likeable characters, are richly detailed and have a strong sense of place. The series includes Bruno, Chief of Police – aka Death in the Dordogne (2008), The Dark Vineyard (2009), Black Diamond (2010), The Crowded Grave (2011), The Devil’s Cave (2012), The Resistance Man (2013), The Children Return – aka Children of War (2014), The Patriarch – aka The Dying Season (2015), and Fatal Pursuit (2016).

So Say the Fallen by Stuart Neville (Belfast novels, book 6)

Formats Available: Print

Investigating her own suspicions about an injured car dealership owner’s suicide, Belfast detective Serena Flanagan seeks the advice of a rector associated with the case, only to discover that he is struggling with his own loss of faith and difficult personal challenges.

The Belfast novels (aka: Jack Lennon Investigation and Serena Flanagan novels) are categorized as International Crime and Mystery, Noir Fiction, Suspense and Thriller. The stories are action-packed, atmospheric, gruesome and suspenseful. The series includes The Ghosts of Belfast (2009), Collusion (2010), Stolen Souls (2011), The Final Silence (2014), Those We Left Behind (2015) and So Say the Fallen (2016).

The Waters of Eternal Youth by Donna Leon (Guido Brunetti Mysteries, book 25)

Formats Available: Print | Large Print | eBook

Hired to investigate a suspicious near-drowning that left a girl permanently brain damaged years earlier, Brunetti struggles to determine if a crime was actually committed in a case set against a backdrop of dynamic transitions in contemporary Venice. By the New York Times best-selling author of Falling in Love.

The Guido Brunetti Mysteries are categorized as International Crime and Mystery, Police Procedural, Suspense and Thriller. The stories include likeable characters, are gritty, intricately plotted and have a strong sense of place. The series includes Death at La Fenice (1992), Death in a Strange Country (1993), Dressed for Death – aka The Anonymous Venetian (1994), Death and Judgment – aka A Venetian Reckoning (1995), Acqua Alta – aka Death in High Water (1996), The Death of Faith – aka Quietly in Their Sleep (1997), A Noble Radiance (1997), Fatal Remedies (1998), Friends in High Places (1999), A Sea of Troubles (2001), Wilful Behavior (2002), Uniform Justice (2003), Doctored Evidence (2004), Blood from a Stone (2005), Through a Glass Darkly (2006), Suffer the Little Children (2007), The Girl of His Dreams (2008), About Face (2009), A Question of Belief (2010), Drawing Conclusions (2011), Beastly Things (2012), The Golden Egg (2013), By Its Cover (2014), Falling in Love (2015) and The Waters of Eternal Youth (2016).

The White Mirror by Elsa Hart (Li Du novels, book 2)

Formats Available: Print

A follow-up to Jade Dragon Mountain finds 18th-century imperial librarian and former exile Li Du journeying with a Llasa-bound trade caravan and seeking refuge from a lord before being swept up by the suspicious suicide of a demon-obsessed monk.

The Li Du novels are set in China during the early 1700s and are categorized as Historical Mystery, International Crime & Mystery, Suspense and Thriller. The stories are atmospheric, intricately plotted, suspenseful and richly detailed. The series includes Jade Dragon Mountain (2015) and The White Mirror (2016).

New International Mystery Series

Death in Brittany by Jean-Luc Bannalec I'm Traveling Alone by Samuel Bjørk ; translated from the Norwegian by Charlotte Barslund Murder at the house of rooster happiness / David Casarett Sun, Sand, Murder by John Keyse-Walker
Murder under the Bridge : a Palestine mystery by Kate Jessica Raphael Her Nightly Embrace by Adi Tantimedh The Silent Dead [eAudiobook] : Reiko Himekawa Series, Book 1 / Tetsuya Honda The Crow Girl by Erik Axl Sund

Featured Image Credit: Cover Collage (created using PicMonkey).

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