Book Series to Read During Quarantine / Self Isolation
Many of us are either stuck at home, or staying home during this trying time.
Luckily, there are many, many great book series out there for us to escape into. All these fictional worlds to distract ourselves or take a break from reality.
Last week I took to our Facebook page to ask people for recommendations for book series to read during this time. Absolutely incredible response. Thanks everyone.
I’ve compiled a list of those below with notes from the readers to help people in regard to picking a new series.
Feel free to suggest additional series in the comments.
Stay safe!
- Brilliance Trilogy by Marcus Sakey (Sci-fi, if you like Blake Crouch)
- Nick Heller series by Joseph Finder (If you like Jack Reacher)
- Matthew Shardlake series by C.J. Sansom (Medieval whodunit)
- Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith (Crime fiction)
- Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths (Archaeologist crime fiction)
- Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French (Psychological police procedural)
- Vera Stanhope series by Ann Cleeves (English mystery)
- Joe Pickett series by CJ Box (Wyoming game warden mystery)
- Shetland Island series by Ann Cleeves (Mystery/thriller)
- Captain Lacey series by Ashley Gardner (Regency era)
- In Death series (Eve Dallas) by J.D. Robb (Future police procedural romance)
- Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie R. King (Historical detective)
- Kitty Katt Martini series by Gini Koch (Science fiction romance)
- Bloodhound series by Virginia Lanier (If you like Sue Grafton)
- The Time Hunters series by Carl Ashmore (If you like Percy Jackson)
- Mitford series by Jan Karon (Christian fiction)
- Charlie Parker series by John Connolly (Thriller/mystery/supernatural)
- Detective P.T. Marsh series by John McMahon (Detective fiction)
- J.P. Beaumont series by J.A. Jance (Hard boiled mystery)
- A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell (English fiction)
- Gap series by Stephen R. Donaldson (Space opera)
- Dune series by Frank Herbert (All-time classic sci-fi)
- Miss Silver series by Patricia Wentworth (Victorian cozy mystery)
- Max Wolfe series by Tony Parsons (If you like British crime)
- Inspector Van Veeteren series by Hakan Nesser (Swedish crime novels)
- Inspector Erlendur series by Arnaldur Indridason (Icelandic crime fiction)
- Maeve Kerrigan series by Jane Casey (Irish crime thriller)
- Kurt Wallander series by Henning Mankell (Swedish mystery)
- The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon (Time travel romance historical fiction)
- Society of Gentlemen series by K.J. Charles (LGBT historical fiction)
- Repairman Jack by F. Paul Wilson (Weird stuff/horror)
- Haunting Danielle series by Bobbi Holmes (Ghost mystery)
- Shelby Nichols series by Colleen Helme (Psychic mystery)
- Oxford Tearoom series by H.Y. Hanna (Cozy mystery)
- Melissa Craig mystery series by Betty Rowlands (Cozy mystery)
- Cozy Corgi mysteries by Mildred Abbott (Good dogs)
- Cherringham by Matthew Costello and Neil Richards (Traditional detective)
- Lady Hardcastle series by T.E. Kinsey (Historical mystery)
- Pendergast series by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Supernatural thriller)
- The Lewis trilogy by Peter May (Murder thriller)
- Jack Daniels series by J.A. Konrath (Police procedural)
- No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (Women’s detective fiction)
- The Passage trilogy by Justin Cronin (Big, juicy books)
- Exit Unicorns series by Cindy Brandner (Epics)
- The Celtic Brooch series by Kathryn Logan Lowery (Time travel romance)
- The Century trilogy by Ken Follett (Military historical fiction)
- The Bronze Horsemen by Paulina Simmons (Family saga)
- The Tea Shop Mysteries by Laura Childs (Cozy mystery)
- Into the Wilderness series by Sara Donati (Historical romance)
- The Gilded Hour by Sara Donati (Victorian historical romance)
- Irish Century by Morgan Llywelyn (Irish epic)
- The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell
- Masters of Rome series by Colleen McCullough (Historical fiction)
- Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo (Crime thriller)
- Riley Page series by Blake Pierce (Dark psychological thriller)
- Leonid McGill series by Walter Mosley (Hard boiled crime)
- Sharon McCone series by Marcia Muller (Female PIs)
- Eva Rae Thomas by Willow Rose (Romantic suspense)
- Matthew Scudder series by Lawrence Block (Crime fiction)
- Syndey Rose Parnell series by Barbara Nickless (Murder thriller)
- Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt (Legal thrillers)
- Cotton Malone series by Steve Berry (Conspiracy thrillers)
- Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly (LAPD detective fiction)
- Prey/Lucas Davenport series by John Sandford (Thrillers)
- Virgil Flowers series by John Sandford (Detective novels)
- Department Q series by Jussi Adler-Olsen (If you like John Sandford)
- Penn Cage series by Greg Iles (Southern attorney)
- Kinsey Millhone/Alphabet series by Sue Grafton (PI mystery)
- Joe Pitt Casebooks series by Charlie Huston (Vampire noir)
- Jackson Brodie series by Kate Atkinson (Edinburgh mystery)
- Nurse Annie Collins by Helen Starbuck (OR Nurse mystery)
- Dave Robicheaux series by James Lee Burke (Louisiana detective)
- Lucy Kincaid series by Allison Brennan (Romantic thriller)
- Home Repair is Homicide series by Sara Graves (Cozy mysteries)
- Coffee House mysteries by Cleo Coyle (Cozy culinary)
- Barbara Holloway series by Kate Wilhelm (Legal thriller)
- Pink Carnation series by Lauren Willig (Historical romance)
- Charley Davidson/Grave series by Darynda Jones (Paranormal romance)
- Harper Connelly series by Charlaine Harris (I see dead people)
- Callahan Garrity series by Mary Kay Andrews (Cozy culinary)
- The Century trilogy by Ken Follett (Military historical)
- Jonathan Grave series by John Gilstrap (If you like C.J. Box)
- Norman Genesis series by Griff Hosker (Vikings)
- Nikki Galena series by Joy Ellis (Crime thrillers)
- Texas Ranger Sam Burrack by Ralph Cotton (Westerns)
- Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben (Sports agent investigator – full of humour as well as mystery and thriller)
- The Guardians trilogy by Nora Roberts (Werewolf and shifter romance)
- Nick Stefanos series by George Pelacanos (Hard boiled mystery)
- Kate Shugak series by Dana Stubenow (Alaska mysteries)
- Dragon Riders of Penn series by Anne McCaffrey (Fantasy)
- Peter Ash series by Nick Petrie (If you like Jack Reacher)
- Chronicles of Saint Mary’s by Jodi Taylor (Contemporary science fiction)
- Peter Grant series by Ben Aaronovitch (Urban crime fantasy)
- Sarah Booth Delaney series by Carolyn Haines (Cozy mystery)
- Tracy Crosswhite series by Robert Dugoni (Seattle detective)
- Department Q series by Jussi Adler-Olsen (Crime thriller)
- The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher (Wizard PI)
- Tradd Street series by Karen White (Paranormal romance)
- Detective Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons (Serial killer)
- Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas (Fans of Sherlock Holmes)
- DC Smith Investigation series by Peter Grainger (Detective mystery)
- Sigma Force series by James Rollins (Action-adventure)
- Inspector Lynley series by Elizabeth George (Scotland Yard suspense)
- The Clifton Chronicles series by Jeffrey Archer (Historical fiction)
- Chief Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny (Canadian whodunit)
- Advocate series by Teresa Burrell (Legal suspense)
- The Pelbar Cycle series by Paul O. Williams (Post apocalypse)
- The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (Epic fantasy)
- Frostborn series by Jonathan Moeller (High adventure fantasy)
- The Atlantis Grail series by Vera Nazarian (YA dystopian)
- Kent Family Chronicles series by John Jakes (Historical fiction)
- Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell (Historical military)
- The Grave Kingdom series by Jeff Wheeler (Dragons and myths)
- Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters (Historical mystery/hilarity)
- Crazy Rich Asians trilogy by Kevin Kwan (Family stories)
- Fjalbacka/Erica Falck series by Camilla Lackberg (Mystery and suspense)
- Edie Kilgatuk Mysteries by M.J. McGrath (Arctic thriller)
- Baer Creighton series by Clayton Lindemuth (Conspiracy)
- Women’s Murder Club series by James Patterson (Serial killer thriller)
- Triple Threat by series Lis Wiehl (If you like Women’s Murder Club)
- Jack Taylor series by Ken Bruen (If you love noir)
- Cecil Younger series by John Straley (Humorous)
- Josie Quinn series by Lisa Regan (Crime thriller)
- Sebastian St. Cyr series by C.S. Harris (Historical mystery)
- Revenger series by Alastair Reynolds (Westerns)
- The Bregdan Chronicles by Ginny Dye (Historical fiction)
- Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths (Archaeological themed crime mystery)
- Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout (Traditional detective)
- Jaine Austen series by Laurie Levine (Cozy historical mystery)
- Any series by Karen MacInerney (great cozy mysteries)
- Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery series by Bethany Blake (Animal cozy mystery)
- The Irish Doctor series by Patrick Taylor (Small town doctor)
- Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley (Historical romance)
- Chronicles of St Mary’s by Jodi Taylor (Contemporary science fiction)
- Sisterhood series by Fern Michaels (Action & Romance)
- Lincoln Rhyme series by Jeffery Deaver (Quadripelegic detective)
- Cork O’Connor series by William Kent Krueger (Minnesota mysteries)
- Big Stone Gap series by Adriana Trigiani (Women’s fiction)
- Marcus Ryker series by Joel C. Rosenberg (Christian suspense)
- The Last Gunfigher series by William W. Johnstone (Western fans)
- John Milton series by Mark Dawson (Assassin thriller)
- The Secret, Book, and Scone Society series by Ellery Adams (Cozy sleuths)
- Jonathan Quinn series by Brett Battles (Spy thrillers)
- Jane Whitefield series by Thomas Perry (Psychological thriller)
- Mitch Rapp series by Vince Flynn (Counter terrorism)
- Guido Brunetti series by Donna Leon (Fans of Arnaldur Indridason’s Inspector Erlunder)
- IQ series by Joe Ide (LA PI)
- Master and Commander series by Patrick O’Brian (BFF sailors)
- Fazbear Frights series by Scott Cawthon (YA horror)
- Dirk Pitt series by Clive Cussler (Adventurer)
- Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series by Robert Crais (PI suspense)
- The Gray Man series by Mark Greaney (Action thriller)
- Michael Forsythe series by Adrian McKinty (Suspense thriller)
- Noah Wolf series by David Archer (Political thriller)
- Sam Prichard series by David Archer (PI action)
- Phryne Fisher series by Kerry Greenwood (1920s Australia cozy)
- Her Royal Spyness series by Rhys Bowen (Historical British cozy series)
- Lord and Lady Hetheridge series by Emma Jameson (Lord and Lady detective)
- Miss Fortune series by Jana DeLeon (Louisiana mystery)
- Mainely Needlepoint Mystery series by Lea Wait (Cozy needlepoint)
- Charlie Moon/Daisy Perika mysteries by James D. Doss (Native American mysteries, humorous)
- Savannah Reid mysteries by G. A. McKevitt (Female cop/PI)
- Marti MacAllister mysteries by Eleanor Taylor Bland (black female cop in Illinois)
- Mattie Cobb series by Margaret Mizushima (Female cop/k9)
- Chet and Bernie series by Spencer Quinn (PI and dog)
- Rain Chronicles by Robin Hobb (Dragons, etc)
- The Hugh Corbett series by Paul Doherty (Historical mystery)
- Rancour series by Peter Brasset (crime set in Scotland)
- DCI Ryan Mysteries by LJ Ross (crime in Scotland)
- Malmö/Anita Sundstrom series by Torquil MacLeod (Murder thriller)
- Fabian Risk killers series by Stefan Ahnhem (International mystery)
- Spenser series by Robert B. Parker (Hard boiled)
- Jesse Stone series by Robert B. Parker (Police procedurals)
- Chee and Leaphorn series by Tony HIllerman (Navajo mysteries)
- Dismas Hardy/Abe Glitsky series by John Lescroart (Hard boiled crime)
- Sid Halley series by Dick Francis (Jockey turned sleuth)
- Inspector Banks series by Peter Robinson (BBC adaptations)
- Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley (11-year-old sleuth)
- The Spellmans series by Lisa Lutz (Hilarious mystery)
- Back Room Bookstore mysteries by Susan Harper
- Florida Panhandle Mystery series by Michaela Thompson
- The Fairmile series by Philippa Gregory (Family life)
- Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis series by Jeffery Siger (Greece police)
- Bernie Gunther series by Phillip Kerr (Nazi Germany)
- Bob Skinner series by Quintin Jardine (Scotland crime)
- DCI Alan Banks series by Peter Robinson (UK mystery)
- Doc Ford series by Randy Wayne White (Florida mystery)
- Hap Collins and Leonard Pine series by Joe Lansdale (Crime fiction)
- Jana Matinova series by Michael Genelin (Slovakian police)
- Joanna Brady series by J.A. Jance (Thriller)
- Joe Gunther series by Archer Mayor (Every man mystery)
- Karen Pirie series by Val McDermid (Suspense thriller)
- Kevin Kerney series by Michael McGarrity (Crime suspense)
- Mortimer Angel series by Rob Leininger (Gumshoe)
- Posadas Country Mysteries by Steven Havill (Western mystery)
- Mac McKenzie series by David Housewright (Hard boiled cop)
- Sean Stranahan series by Keith McCafferty (Clever mystery)
- Sheriff Dan Rhodes series by Bill Crider (Small town sheriff)
- Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich (Humorous sleuth)
- Enzo Files series by Peter May (Scottish crime fiction)
- V.I. Warshawski series by Sata Paretsky (Tough female investigator)
- Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson (Modern western)
I would like to recommend the following too: The Rain Chronicles by Robin Hobb (and a lot more series : dragons, etc), The Hugh Corbett series by Paul Doherty and his many more series (medieval thrillers, etc), Rancour, etc, by Peter Brasset (crime set in Scotland) or the DCI Ryan Mysteries by LJ Ross (crime in Scotland too) and finally two Scandinavian series, one by Torquil McLeod (the Malmö séries) and the other, the Fabian Risk killers by Stefan Ahnhem.
Oh, and also try Mattie Cobb series by Margaret Mizushima! (Female cop/k9) and PLEASE read the Chet and Bernie series by Spencer Quinn! (PI and dog!)
Also, Charlie Moon/Daisy Perika mysteries by James D Doss (Native American mysteries, humorous) and Savannah Reid mysteries by G. A. McKevitt (female cop/pi) and Marti MacAllister mysteries by Eleanor Taylor Bland (black female cop in Illinois. All of these are WONDERFUL series!!!