It’s time for summer vacation and everyone is looking for a good beach read. But, beaches are not the only vacation destinations . . . here are some recommendations for exploring new cities.
One of my favorite things about crime novel series is that, so often, the city in which the series takes place is a central character in the books. And, the more books there are, the more neighborhoods you get to explore.
Here are the first books in some of my favorite crime series that have vacation destinations as their setting.
New York City: A Bitter Feast by S.J. Rozan (Lydia Chin/Bill Smith series)
Washington, D.C.: The Camel Club by David Baldacci (The Camel Club series)
Chicago: Indemnity Only by Sara Paretsky (V.I. Warshawski series)
New Orleans: The Neon Rain by James Lee Burke (Dave Robicheaux series)
Atlanta: Triptych by Karin Slaughter (Will Trent series)
Paris: Murder in the Marais by Cara Black (Aimee Leduc series)
London: A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie (Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series)
Venice: Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon (Guido Brunetti series)
Want more? From 2007 to 2013, NPR ran a weekly summer book feature called Crime in the City which highlighted a different mystery author and the city she writes about. The discussions highlight the ways place becomes a character in their writing and is a fabulous place to learn about new cities and new crime series. All the episodes are available for listening online at: http://www.npr.org/series/13795507/crime-in-the-city
Safe Travels!!
Well-Read Neck 