One of my all-time favorite mystery series is Dorothy Cannell's
Thin Woman series. Ellie Haskell is a detective after my own heart. It's a shame that some of the early books are out of print (at least in the U.S.). It is worth your time to rummage the used book bins in your town looking for the first few in the series (and, for safe measure, use our
Notify Me service).
Here's a complete list of the series.
I was at the Oregon Coast this past weekend, staying at the reader's paradise that is the Sylvia Beach Hotel. When I wasn't curled up in the library with a cup of tea, I was poking around the wonderful local bookstores looking for early Dorothy Cannell mysteries!
I am loath to read a series out of order (the Thin Woman series is no exception) and, yet, I love these books so much that I'd rather you read the latest addition to the series, Withering Heights, and then work backwards. As Withering Heights opens you'll find Ellie in domestic bliss, which is not what you'd ever expect when reading the first book The Thin Woman. When you finally get to read the early books in the series, it will be like discovering the secret past of a close friend.
Dorothy Cannell creates excellent puzzle mysteries, as well as rich memorable characters. Ellie Haskell and (okay, spoiler ahead) her husband Ben are joined by an eccentric but lovable cast of supporting characters. Put a tea kettle on the stove and curl up with a wonderful series.