What are some good mystery writers with a splash of

[Blue_Roses]

romance intertwined in their books? I am reading Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series and love them, so when I finished with them, I want to look for an author who has a style that is entertaining, fun, yet great writing. What do you recommend?

[RebelOne]

1. James Patterson's books are entertaining.

I've only read a couple of them. A movie was made from "1st To Die."

[Blue_Roses]

10. I like him too. I on his 5th book

:)

[blondeatlast]

2. Carl Hiaasen (hysterically funny) and John Burdett's "Bangkok" series.

Not traditional "romancy" either one, more like Evanovich, who realizes the pursuit of romance is clumsy and mysterious.

[Gormy Cuss]

3. SInce you like Plum, try Kinsey Milhone

Kinsey's the protagonist in Sue Grafton's alphabet series. Start with "A is for Alibi" and if you like it,read them in order until you catch up with Grafton, who's working on "T" at the moment.

[graywarrior]

8. Kinsey is so not romantic...which is why I dig her.

[AllegroRondo]

9. My wife loves that series

that and the "Cat Who...." books.

[graywarrior]

12. I do too. Kinsey is a great character.

[Gormy Cuss]

16. Me too, but the OP thinks Stephanie Plum is, and frankly I don't see her that way either.

She gets laid and cares about men and her relationships only slightly more than Kinsey, at least in the Plum mysteries that I've read.

V.I Warshawski's probably closer to Plum, now that I think about it.

[Connonym]

4. JD Robb

There's a whole series with her character Eve Dallas

http://amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/104-1719433-0219150?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=jd+robb&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go

[China_cat]

5. Kathy Reichs

Her Temperance Brennan series includes a rather weird romance. Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series is about as romantic as you can get in a mystery.

I wish Evanovich would just go ahead and write the porn she's always hinting at between Stephanie and Ranger.

[Bjornsdotter]

6. Oh my god yes!

...Ranger all the way!

Cheers

[blondeatlast]

7. As to your second point--

:thumbsup:

[Blue_Roses]

11. I just finished the 8th book of her Plum series and started

with the 9th one. I wanted to push Stephanie Plum out of the book and jump in it myself when the Ranger *cough* "dues" came calling! WOW:P

[BOSSHOG]

13. James Lee Burke's

Dave Robichaeux's series. Dave is a Vietnam Vet alcoholic with a bad attitude and an insane sidekick Clete. They work in and around law enforcement and love to bust bad guys heads in South Louisiana (in and around New Orleans.) Dave's first wife got killed by an enemy. He is currently married to a former Nun. He has an adopted daughter he rescued from a sinking ship several books ago. His relationships with his wives are very intense with lots of love and emotion. His current boss is a lesbian chief of police of New Iberia Louisiana. More violence then romance but Dave is always looking out for wife and daughter. And Burke's writing style is pure poetry.

[Ptah]

14. Excellent recommendation, BOSSHOG

:thumbsup:

[BOSSHOG]

15. I can't get enough of Dave and Clete

and thanks for the thumbs up.

Pretty soon those two will be fighting crime in a nursing home, as residents.

I hope burke finds Dave's long lost love child son who's about 40ish now and just as ornery as his Dad to carry on the story line. Maybe a Gulf War One Vet with wires in his head and bourbon in his veins, at home on the Bayou fishing or busting heads in the Big Easy.

[Ptah]

18. James Lee Burk's description that part of the world make me feel like I've been there.

Dave and Clete are two very scary people.

I enjoyed his Montana references, having grown up there.

[mitchum]

17. James Ellroy

:)

[yellowdogintexas]

19. Carole Nelson Douglas: Midnight Louie Mysteries...

Midnight Louie is a 20 pound black cat, who is also a P.I. and he lives with a petite lady named Temple Barr, who is a Public Relations consultant in Las Vegas. Miss Temple is like Jessica Fletcher, to know her is to possibly die. There is a former priest now turned crisis line counselor, flamboyant landlady, horde of Italian look alike brothers, tough as nails female police Lieutenant, a magician and assorted other ancillary characters. Temple's romantic tug of war is a nice side story and the connections among the characters change and grow as the series progresses.

Start with "Catnap"

[AngryAmish]

20. Jim Thompson

[stanwyck]

21. Oh, yes

though the romance tends to be a little on the "hurts so good" side.