topic Re: Do you read books in series? in Book Club

Do you read books in series?

rissajaneen — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 22:50:25 GMT

Hello everyone!

I'm sort of curious, does anyone else enjoy reading books as a complete series?

I know there are some fantasy series where the storyline extends though several books, but I'm talking more about a series in which each of the books could be a stand alone in terms of the story told within that novel, but the characters are the same throughout all books.

In 2019 I read the entire Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell. (At some point this series got really bad... I liked the earlier ones.) I've also read the Will Robie series by David Baldacci (highly recommend!) and the Cormoran Strike books by Robert Galbraith (except for the newest book Troubled Blood that I'm stil on hold for at the library). Currently I'm reading the Women's Murder club series by James Patterson and the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella. My mom says that she finds it odd since each book is really a stand alone, and she doesn't quite get why I want to read them all one after the other. I don't know either, besides feeling like when I reach the end it's a nice feeling of being done. Then I can just look forward to any new book the author comes out with in that series, but I like knowing that I finished everything else.

Is anyone else like me, and do you have any favorite "series" that you recommend?

Re: Do you read books in series?

Mz iMac — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 22:56:56 GMT

Ann Rice vampire series

Re: Do you read books in series?

QVCkitty1 — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 23:07:36 GMT

I like books that refer to characters from previous books.

Re: Do you read books in series?

Tinkrbl44 — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 23:14:34 GMT

@rissajaneen wrote:
Hello everyone!
I'm sort of curious, does anyone else enjoy reading books as a complete series?

I know there are some fantasy series where the storyline extends though several books, but I'm talking more about a series in which each of the books could be a stand alone in terms of the story told within that novel, but the characters are the same throughout all books.

In 2019 I read the entire Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell. (At some point this series got really bad... I liked the earlier ones.) I've also read the Will Robie series by David Baldacci (highly recommend!) and the Cormoran Strike books by Robert Galbraith (except for the newest book Troubled Blood that I'm stil on hold for at the library). Currently I'm reading the Women's Murder club series by James Patterson and the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella. My mom says that she finds it odd since each book is really a stand alone, and she doesn't quite get why I want to read them all one after the other. I don't know either, besides feeling like when I reach the end it's a nice feeling of being done. Then I can just look forward to any new book the author comes out with in that series, but I like knowing that I finished everything else.

Is anyone else like me, and do you have any favorite "series" that you recommend?

@rissajaneen

I do .... last year I read several of Stuart Woods five different series: Stone Barrington, Holly Barker, Ed Eagle, Teddy Fay and Will Lee. They are light reading and good for bedtime for an hour or two before lights out. He's written about 80 novels.

What I like about reading a series in order is the character development of the primary players; some events affect later books, and some don't. I read one book towards the end of a series, and one of the characters had a different wife and was in a much higher tax bracket! Jumping around doesn't work for me.

i'm currently shopping around for a couple new series, so thanks for mentioning what you've read. I'm going to check a few out.

BTW ... if you haven't already done so, check out the fantasticfiction.com site ... you can search by author, book or series.

Re: Do you read books in series?

I am still oxox — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 23:18:24 GMT

The Three Sister Island Series by Nora Roberts

Re: Do you read books in series?

I am appleblossom — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 23:27:29 GMT

Yes I try to when I can start from the first book in the series.

Re: Do you read books in series?

AuntG — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 23:30:50 GMT

Yes indeed. Especially those where the characters age over time. When I started reading Victoria Houston's "Loon Lake" murder series, one of the characters was a Korean War veteran. I noticed she removed that fact because he would be too old by now to solve crimes. She aged him, but not as fast as in real life.

Re: Do you read books in series?

on the bay — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 23:36:56 GMT

@rissajaneen -

I do especially if I love the writing and the characters.

I''ve read all of Louise Penny except her last one, from recommendations on here. (thanks!)

Hamish Macbeth

Kay Scarpetta (and I agree about the last ones which I think can happen with many authors).

Stephanie Plum

All of Fannie Flags

Ann Rice the Vampire series,

Martha Grimes (INspector Richard Jury)

My favorite of all-Lillian Jackson Braun, "The Cat Who books!"

And probably many more.

And if I like an author, I'll read every book I can find of theirs, like Agatha Christie, Mary higgins Clark, ****** Francis, John Grisham (who surprisingly wrote a very funny book that I read every year-"Skipping Christmas." And one totally different from anything else he wrote, Painted House which I didn't like at all.

I do miss the library!

Re: Do you read books in series?

JCath — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 23:37:48 GMT

I am reading again the Lumby books by Gail Fraser in preparation for a new book to be published soon. It's about the town of Lumby and its quirky inhabitants. Start with The Lumby Lines. I also like the Native American mysteries by Anne Hillerman who continues with the characters created by her father Tony.

Re: Do you read books in series?

icezeus — Sun, 03 Jan 2021 18:35:49 GMT

I read a lot of series books, and I must read them in order. However, lets say that the author has 50 books in one particular series. I will not start at book 1 and read straight through to book 50. I become bored with the characters and storyline if I attempt do that. I read them in order but I interject other books in between.

These are the series that I currently enjoy.

The Prey Series (Lucas Davenport) by John Sanford Currently 31 books in the series. I have read up to #17.

Virgil Flowers Series Spinoff from The Prey series. (Virgil Flowers) by John Sanford Currently 13 books in the series, I have read up to #8.

Under Suspicion Series by Mary Higgins Clark & Alfair Burke 6 books in the series and I have read up to #4. Mary Higgins Clark died earlier this year so I am not sure what will happen going forward.

Edge of Evil (Ali Reynolds) by J.A. Jance, 15 books in the series, I have read up to #5

New York Dead (Stone Barrington) by Stuart woods. 57 books in the series. I have read up to #16. This is just an ok, series. I can take it or leave it. Stone barrington, is a world class male whore, and it's exhausting after a while reading about his shenanigans (smile)

I see that you mentioned the Patricia Cornwell series (Kate Scarpetta) I have read up to #12.

I also read the Woman's Murder Club series by James Patterson that you have mentioned I have read up to #11. Check out his NYPD Red Series, I am caught up on this one. I am currently waiting on book #6 to be available for me to pickup from the library.

In Death Books featuring (Eve Dallas) 50+ books in this series, I have read up to #10.

Sworn to Silence (Kate Burkholder) I have finished 7 of the 15 books available in this series.

I started a new series last night. Deeper than the Dead by Tami Hoag. I am enjoying this book.

Then throw in all of my standalone books, and I am a busy reader. (smile) I hope that I have provided you with some ideas.

Re: Do you read books in series?

Must Love Dogs — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 23:48:33 GMT

Good evening:

I have read all of the Miss Julia novels by Ann B. Ross. Though an older author, Ross cranks out a new Miss Julia book each April. I also so enjoyed the Mitford series by Jan Karon. That series finally came to an end, and I miss the characters. Frederick Backman is my new favorite author but not a series guy that I can tell.

Re: Do you read books in series?

bluebellePA — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 23:56:26 GMT

Yes, I have to read them in order too because of the character development. The settings are so wonderful that I want to go back and see what happens in the town or their shops and the characters lives. I'll read other books in between a series though. If you like cozy mysteries, here are some great ones: Lucy Meier (Lucy Stone Mysteries), Diane Mott-Davidson; Joanne Fluke (Hannah Swensen Mysteries); Mary Dahiem (Emma Lord Mysteries); JoAnna Carl (A Chocoholic Mysteries); Lorna Barrett (Booktown Mysteries) to name a few. They all have GREAT locations and a lot have recipes. And of course the Sue Grafton (Kinsey Millhone Mysteries) which are wonderful. Any of these books in any of these series could be read as stand alonesbut each book builds upon what has happened to the characters in the previous books.

Happy reading!

Re: Do you read books in series?

stevieb — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 23:57:55 GMT

I've read more series than I can possibly remember, mostly mystery but not all of them.

I've recently read all of the Fairacre and Thrush Green village books by Miss Read and they're utterly charming, as are the Darling Dahlia mysteries when looking for lighter reading material.

@Must Love Dogs, Though don't know that it's a fact I've been given to understand the next Miss Julia will be the last. I too have enjoyed this series for the most part.

Re: Do you read books in series?

Must Love Dogs — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 00:03:17 GMT

@stevieb Oh, no! BUT not surprised either. I'd rather the series end while the characters are alive and well.

Re: Do you read books in series?

stevieb — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 00:07:47 GMT

@Must Love Dogs I know. I'll really miss them. That said, it must become challenging after so many and truth be told, the last few I've read didn't seem to me to be quite up to some of the earlier ones. I consider myself lucky as I came upon the series after many had been written and was able to binge read them there for a while.

Re: Do you read books in series?

Must Love Dogs — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 00:15:30 GMT

@stevieb

The delightful final installment of the beloved and New York Times bestselling Miss Julia series.

The above sentence was taken from Amazon, confirming your suspicion of this being the last book in the series. All good things must come to an end.

Re: Do you read books in series?

stevieb — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 00:34:10 GMT

@Must Love Dogs Though really a good bit different, and these are mysteries, if looking for a fun series to perhaps help take the place of MIss Julia, you might want to consider Patricia Sprinkle's Thoroughly Southern Mysteries. I have to say, I've read all of her series, of which there are three, and very much enjoyed them all. I've always wished she'd written more in the other two series as well.

Re: Do you read books in series?

teganslaw — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 00:49:35 GMT

Ann Rice "Vampire Chronicles" series.

John Sandford "Virgil Flowers" novels.

Daniel Silva "Gabriel Allon" series.

Re: Do you read books in series?

ECBG — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 00:50:48 GMT

@Mz iMac wrote:
Ann Rice vampire series

@Mz iMac

Right along with ya! I also read Christine Feehan. Very interesting characters! You may want to try her "Dark" series. Do try to stay in order!

Re: Do you read books in series?

sandy53 — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 02:10:16 GMT

I am a total sucker for a good series. The lastest one I read is the Matt Royal mystery series by H. Terrel Griffin. Sadly, the author died recently. I would have loved more of that series.

Some series I read that I haven't seen mentioned yet are:

Anna Pigeon series by Nevada Barr

Joanna Brady series by JA Jance

Ali Reynolds series by JA Jance

Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus series by Faye Kellerman

Cork O'Connor series by William Kent Krueger

Monkeewrench series by PJ Tracy

Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series by Julia Spencer-Fleming