Author Topic: LGBTQ Mysteries & Thrillers  (Read 14165 times)

TeriD

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LGBTQ Mysteries & Thrillers
« on: June 20, 2019, 12:55:27 pm »
It's Pride month, and contributor Oline Cogdill posted a great little piece on LGBTQ novels that includes John Copenhaver, George Baxt,  Robert W. Fieseler, Katherine V. Forrest, Ellen Hart, Greg Herren, Val McDermid, Michael Nava, Abigail Padgett, Neil Plakcy, Christopher Rice, John Morgan Wilson, and R.D. Zimmerman.

https://mysteryscenemag.com/blog-article/6502-mysteries-for-pride-month

But I know there are a whole lot more: Patricia Highsmith, Rita Mae Brown, Joe R. Lansdale, Laurie R. King, Sarah Waters, Gore Vidal, Renee James, Chris Bollen, Catherine Maiorisi...

Please share your recommendations here!

JRob

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Re: LGBTQ Mysteries & Thrillers
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2019, 01:13:08 pm »
You can't go wrong with Ellen Hart's Jane Lawless series. So Oline already has that covered. I love that series a lot from the mysteries to the outrageousness of Cordelia and all things in between. And it has one of the restaurants that I wish was something more than a work of fiction. I really want to try the huge roast beef sandwiches at The Lyme House.

Laurie R. King's Kate Martinelli series is another winner for me. I still keep hoping she will bring it back for another book someday.

Stephanie Gayle's Thomas Lynch series is pretty good. I reviewed the 2nd book in the series and I've got the third book waiting to be read.

Beyond that, I don't really have all that much experience related to this particular subgenre.
« Last Edit: June 20, 2019, 01:14:46 pm by JRob »

KiwiCraig

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Re: LGBTQ Mysteries & Thrillers
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2019, 11:07:03 am »
I've enjoyed Val McDermid and Neil Plakcy from Oline's list.

Other LGBTQ crime novels I've read and would recommend:

THE HIDDEN ROOM by Stella Duffy: after more than a decade of writing terrific literary and historical novels, Duffy (a bit of an LGBTQ icon) returned to the mystery field with this psychological thriller about a lesbian couple whose past comes back to haunt them, and the lengths you'd go to protect family.

NB: Duffy was among the authors at the forefront of expanding the inclusion of LGBTQ heroes in crime fiction 20+ years ago, alongside the likes of McDermid and others. Check out her edgy Saz Martin series, starring a lesbian private eye. Duffy won two CWA Daggers in the UK back in the day, and her recent return to crime fiction has seen her shortlisted for major prizes in multiple countries.

THE NANCYS by RWR McDonald: an adolescent girl in small-town New Zealand joins up with her visiting uncle from Sydney and his new boyfriend to form a mystery-solving club inspired by their love of Nancy Drew, and solve the case of her murdered schoolteacher. Charming, delightful tale that combines small-town mystery with great characters, riotous events, humour and LGBTQ and other social issues. (note: not out in USA yet)

THE QUAKER by Liam McIlvanney: an atmospheric tale set in late 1960s Glasgow, inspired by the real-life, unsolved 'Bible John' killings. A detective who's an outsider in more ways than one (and dangerously so for the times) must try to find a killer terrorising the city.

Kristen Lepionka's series starring bisexual private eye Roxanne Weary

Norwegian author Anne Holt's series starring lesbian detective Hanne Wilhelmsen




JRob

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Re: LGBTQ Mysteries & Thrillers
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2019, 05:51:48 am »


Kristen Lepionka's series starring bisexual private eye Roxanne Weary

Craig, thanks for reminding me about Kristen Lepionka's series. I've read the first two books in the series and just freaking loved them to pieces!

Kate Stine, Editor

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Re: LGBTQ Mysteries & Thrillers
« Reply #4 on: July 09, 2019, 03:31:42 pm »
Thanks for all the great recommendations on LGBTQ mysteries and thrillers. We've got an article on lesbian mysteries coming up in the magazine at some point this year, probably November.


JRob

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Re: LGBTQ Mysteries & Thrillers
« Reply #5 on: September 25, 2019, 04:30:48 pm »
Kristopher Zgorski's Bolo Books blog had their Fall APB article go up this week, spotlighting 10 mystery/thriller novels to watch out for.

One of the books he spotlighted was the new book in J.M. Redmann's Micky Knight series which features a lesbian detective. Since I hadn't heard of the series before I asked him to give me a little more information because I was intrigued by the premise of the book he spotlighted.

After he gave me the brief overview of the series, I really want to start at the beginning and check this series out in full.

Denise

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Re: LGBTQ Mysteries & Thrillers
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2019, 02:01:49 am »
Nicola Upson's Josephine Tey series has Tey in an ongoing lesbian relationship (I believe from the second novel in the series) with an actress. The one that I read recently, Sorry for the Dead, also involves a period in Tey's past during which she was working for a lesbian couple, with The Children's Hour-type developments (the play is mentioned in the novel), and got involved with another young woman. I'm not sure that Tey's sexuality in the novels is based on real life, but it puts an interesting spin on things. The actress seems to be based on a friend of Tey's who was a lesbian and had a crush on Tey.
"Poirot," I said. "I have been thinking."  "An admirable exercise, my friend. Continue it." - Agatha Christie, Peril at End House

Becke Davis

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Re: LGBTQ Mysteries & Thrillers
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2019, 01:22:17 am »
Lawrence Block's BURGLAR series stars Bernie Rhodenbarr and his best friend and sort-of partner Carolyn, who is lesbian. I like the wittiness of these novels, and the way Block is straight-forward about Carolyn's sexual preferences without making a big issue of them.