Mysteries set in foreign lands.

outlander78 · 02-17-2011, 03:57 PM

Okay, everyone's idea of foreign is different. I'm Canadian, and looking for mysteries set outside of the US and England, where most novels in my collection originated. Can you fine folks recommend your favourite mysteries set in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the artic circle ... anywhere by North America, please?

SeaBookGuy · 02-17-2011, 04:24 PM

Try Barbara Nadel's "Inspector Ikmen" series set in Turkey (mostly Istanbul), as well as Alicia Gimenez-Bartlett's series featuring policewoman Petra Delgado set in Barcelona (Spain).

Many years ago I enjoyed James Melville's series featuring Inspector Otani (Kobe, Japan).

outlander78 · 02-17-2011, 04:40 PM

Awesome - thanks!

Rumpelteazer · 02-17-2011, 06:22 PM

David Hewson has the Nic Costa series, set in Italy.

Michael Dibdin's Aurelio Zen series (Italy)

Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series, set in Egypt (at least the first two) but Amelia is British.

JeremyR · 02-17-2011, 07:07 PM

Paul Adam has written a couple of mysteries set in Italy that I really enjoyed. It was about a crime solving violin repairman. The Rinaldi Quartet and Paganini's Ghost (the latter is perhaps a bit too Davinci-codeish in places, but I liked it).

Also, Kristine Kathryn Rusch has a series of mysteries mostly set on the Moon. The Retrieval Artist series.

And if you like historical mysteries, there's a zillion of them set in Rome. Lindsey Davis in particular.

In a similar vein, there's an interesting series by Peter Tremayne set in Ancient Ireland.

weatherwax · 02-20-2011, 10:07 AM

Batya Gur's novels are set in Jerusalem.
Nury Vittachi's Feng Shui detective lives in Singapore.
Maybe you read Elliot Pattison's books which are set in Tibet?

HarryT · 02-20-2011, 10:09 AM

I would recommend Elizabeth Peters' "Amelia Peabody" mysteries, which are set in late 19th/early 20th century Egypt. They are among my very favourite books.

SensualPoet · 02-20-2011, 10:39 AM

Lyn Hamilton's series might be a "best of both worlds" for a Canadian reader.

Lara McLintoch is an antiques dealer based in Toronto with a passion for travel. In a series of 11 books with an archealogy spin, Lara visits many different lands uncovering and solving murders as she goes. The Chinese Alchemist and The Celtic Riddle are on Kobo; those two titles and The Orkney Scroll are available on Kindle. Other titles include The Thai Amulet, The Moai Murders (set in Easter Island), The Maltese Goddess, The Xibalba Murders (set in Peru) ... and four more. Published during the decade beginning 1997, these contemporary crime novels were originally published by Berkeley Prime Crime. Sadly, many are out of print but may still be found on the shelves or bargain tables at some bookstores, in second hand shops and, of course, at abebooks and on ebay.

SensualPoet · 02-20-2011, 10:58 AM

Another possibly overlooked choice is Tarquin Hall's funny and absorbing series about New Delhi-based Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator. The Case of the Missing Servant and The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing are both available from Kobo and Kindle.

One reviewer stated: "Vish Puri, a private investigator living in Delhi, is a very likeable character. He will remind some readers of Columbo or Hercule Poirot, whose nattily dressed appearance conceals an analytical mind. The majority of Puri’s cases are matrimonial investigations into prospective partners. With the changes of a new modern India, detailed to provide an in-depth look at Puri and the world he lives in, families no longer know each other prior to the arranged match. Puri’s investigations reveal the personal backgrounds of the proposed husband or wife: financial, social, moral and any involvement in criminal activity."

The Financial Times said: "Puri is an Indian Poirot: an opinionated Punjabi with an ego as great as his girth and a passion for British tailoring, malt whisky and fiery chillis … Hall combines an insider’s insight with the eclectic eye of a good foreign correspondent."

shootingMaNs · 02-20-2011, 11:14 AM

I like Henning Mankell's Wallander series, but it seems that only a few of them are available as ebooks. Most of them take place in Sweden.

Billi · 02-20-2011, 01:59 PM

You may want to try Donna Leon. Her mysteries are set in Venice. I like them very much.

Bookworm_Girl · 02-20-2011, 02:23 PM

I third the recommendation for Amelia Peabody. I also like the Ethan Gage series by William Dietrich set in Egypt. I am currently reading Book 2 of the Cassie Maddox series by Tana French, police detective mysteries set around Dublin. If you are looking for something classic, I like the Edgar Allan Poe short stories featuring C Auguste Dupin set in Paris (look up Murders in the Rue Morgue). Dupin's character was the precursor to other famous detectives like Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot.

This website has a very good list.
http://www.mysterylovers.com/books/b...bs/foreign.php

birdbrainbb · 02-20-2011, 02:43 PM

Liz Williams' Detective Inspector Chen books are set in Singapore! They're urban fantasy/sci-fi mysteries, with an interesting blending of magic and "real" life.

Also, I know a couple of Ngaio Marsh's mysteries are set in New Zealand, but her detectives are British so I don't know if that counts. (I also don't think any of her books are available as legal ebooks.)

poohbear_nc · 02-20-2011, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by birdbrainbb

Liz Williams' Detective Inspector Chen books are set in Singapore! They're urban fantasy/sci-fi mysteries, with an interesting blending of magic and "real" life.

Also, I know a couple of Ngaio Marsh's mysteries are set in New Zealand, but her detectives are British so I don't know if that counts. (I also don't think any of her books are available as legal ebooks.)

They are - but geo restrictions - not to USA.

HarryT · 02-20-2011, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

They are - but geo restrictions - not to USA.

True. There's a shed-load of them available in the Amazon UK Kindle Store.

EDIT: Counting them, it appears that 26 of her 32 novels are available in the UK Kindle store.

02-17-2011, 03:57 PM	#1
outlander78 Zealot Posts: 104 Karma: 263218 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Arc 7	Mysteries set in foreign lands. Okay, everyone's idea of foreign is different. I'm Canadian, and looking for mysteries set outside of the US and England, where most novels in my collection originated. Can you fine folks recommend your favourite mysteries set in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the artic circle ... anywhere by North America, please?

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02-17-2011, 04:24 PM	#2
SeaBookGuy Can one read too much? Posts: 2,015 Karma: 2487799 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Naples, FL Device: Kindle PW 3, Sony 350 and 650	Try Barbara Nadel's "Inspector Ikmen" series set in Turkey (mostly Istanbul), as well as Alicia Gimenez-Bartlett's series featuring policewoman Petra Delgado set in Barcelona (Spain). Many years ago I enjoyed James Melville's series featuring Inspector Otani (Kobe, Japan).

02-17-2011, 04:40 PM	#3
outlander78 Zealot Posts: 104 Karma: 263218 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Arc 7	Awesome - thanks!

02-17-2011, 06:22 PM	#4
Rumpelteazer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,100 Karma: 24047426 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Utrecht, the Netherlands Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition	David Hewson has the Nic Costa series, set in Italy. Michael Dibdin's Aurelio Zen series (Italy) Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody series, set in Egypt (at least the first two) but Amelia is British.

02-17-2011, 07:07 PM	#5
JeremyR Guru Posts: 973 Karma: 2458402 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: St. Louis Device: Kindle Keyboard, Nook HD+	Paul Adam has written a couple of mysteries set in Italy that I really enjoyed. It was about a crime solving violin repairman. The Rinaldi Quartet and Paganini's Ghost (the latter is perhaps a bit too Davinci-codeish in places, but I liked it). Also, Kristine Kathryn Rusch has a series of mysteries mostly set on the Moon. The Retrieval Artist series. And if you like historical mysteries, there's a zillion of them set in Rome. Lindsey Davis in particular. In a similar vein, there's an interesting series by Peter Tremayne set in Ancient Ireland.

02-20-2011, 10:07 AM	#6
weatherwax Guru Posts: 904 Karma: 5921577 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: South of Germany Device: PRS650 (red), Kindle PW2, Galaxy Note 8	Batya Gur's novels are set in Jerusalem. Nury Vittachi's Feng Shui detective lives in Singapore. Maybe you read Elliot Pattison's books which are set in Tibet?

02-20-2011, 10:09 AM	#7
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I would recommend Elizabeth Peters' "Amelia Peabody" mysteries, which are set in late 19th/early 20th century Egypt. They are among my very favourite books.

02-20-2011, 10:39 AM	#8
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	Lyn Hamilton's series might be a "best of both worlds" for a Canadian reader. Lara McLintoch is an antiques dealer based in Toronto with a passion for travel. In a series of 11 books with an archealogy spin, Lara visits many different lands uncovering and solving murders as she goes. The Chinese Alchemist and The Celtic Riddle are on Kobo; those two titles and The Orkney Scroll are available on Kindle. Other titles include The Thai Amulet, The Moai Murders (set in Easter Island), The Maltese Goddess, The Xibalba Murders (set in Peru) ... and four more. Published during the decade beginning 1997, these contemporary crime novels were originally published by Berkeley Prime Crime. Sadly, many are out of print but may still be found on the shelves or bargain tables at some bookstores, in second hand shops and, of course, at abebooks and on ebay.

02-20-2011, 10:58 AM	#9
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	Another possibly overlooked choice is Tarquin Hall's funny and absorbing series about New Delhi-based Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator. The Case of the Missing Servant and The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing are both available from Kobo and Kindle. One reviewer stated: "Vish Puri, a private investigator living in Delhi, is a very likeable character. He will remind some readers of Columbo or Hercule Poirot, whose nattily dressed appearance conceals an analytical mind. The majority of Puri’s cases are matrimonial investigations into prospective partners. With the changes of a new modern India, detailed to provide an in-depth look at Puri and the world he lives in, families no longer know each other prior to the arranged match. Puri’s investigations reveal the personal backgrounds of the proposed husband or wife: financial, social, moral and any involvement in criminal activity." The Financial Times said: "Puri is an Indian Poirot: an opinionated Punjabi with an ego as great as his girth and a passion for British tailoring, malt whisky and fiery chillis … Hall combines an insider’s insight with the eclectic eye of a good foreign correspondent."

02-20-2011, 11:14 AM	#10
shootingMaNs later... Posts: 199 Karma: 2832520 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Endicott, NY Device: Sony PRS-600, iRiver Story HD, Nook Color Kobo Libra H2O	I like Henning Mankell's Wallander series, but it seems that only a few of them are available as ebooks. Most of them take place in Sweden.

02-20-2011, 01:59 PM	#11
Billi Wizard Posts: 3,388 Karma: 14190103 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Berlin Device: Cybook, iRex, PB, Onyx	You may want to try Donna Leon. Her mysteries are set in Venice. I like them very much.

02-20-2011, 02:23 PM	#12
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	I third the recommendation for Amelia Peabody. I also like the Ethan Gage series by William Dietrich set in Egypt. I am currently reading Book 2 of the Cassie Maddox series by Tana French, police detective mysteries set around Dublin. If you are looking for something classic, I like the Edgar Allan Poe short stories featuring C Auguste Dupin set in Paris (look up Murders in the Rue Morgue). Dupin's character was the precursor to other famous detectives like Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. This website has a very good list. http://www.mysterylovers.com/books/b...bs/foreign.php

02-20-2011, 02:43 PM	#13
birdbrainbb Addict Posts: 287 Karma: 2191035 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Anaheim, CA Device: Kindle Oasis, Kindle Paperwhite 5	Liz Williams' Detective Inspector Chen books are set in Singapore! They're urban fantasy/sci-fi mysteries, with an interesting blending of magic and "real" life. Also, I know a couple of Ngaio Marsh's mysteries are set in New Zealand, but her detectives are British so I don't know if that counts. (I also don't think any of her books are available as legal ebooks.)