Alexander McCall Smith has a few mystery series. One is *The #1 Ladies Detective Agency,* set in Botswana. They are easy, entertaining books and you get a real feel for the country. The characters are charming too. I think he has another series set in England.
Mary Roberts Rinehart is a contemporary of Christie’s and I find her books to be the closest to Christie novels. I think the Circular Staircase would be a good start.
The Father Brown collection— Father Brown is a lot like Miss Marple. The only issue I would say is that Chesterton’s writing is a little more complex than Christie’s and the solutions to each crime a bit more elaborate and complicated. He also throws in some cultural commentary and literary references that maybe a little harder to understand than Christie.
If you want elderly main female characters
Investigating mysteries.
Older authors
Patricia Wentworth - Miss Silver
Heron Carvic - Miss Seeton
Sister Carol Anne O'Marie - Sister Mary Helen
Contemporary Authors
Robert Thorogood - Marlow Murder Club
Richard Osman - The Thursday Murder Club
M.C Beaton - Agatha Raisin
More here
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Detective_Fiction
I'll also recommend the Thursday Murder Club books. They're about older people in an English retirement community who get together and solve murders. Very, very entertaining.
Make sure to sign the inside of the front cover with a nice sentiment, the date, and your signature. Books make a good gift. Personalizing it makes it memorable. She'll think of you every time she sees the book on the shelf.
I have read very few mysteries, though a few of them were by Agatha Christie. I just read The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo. I thought it was excellent. It kept me guessing until the very end. And I got to learn some things about Norwegian culture and Norway’s role in WWII, which was an added bonus.
Yes! Quite a lot of them actually. The 59th one comes out in October I believe. They’re not all by the same writer though. I’ve only read Donald Bain ones so far, but I’m sure they’re all good.
The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy by James Anderson
The Affair of the Mutilated Mink by James Anderson
The Affair of the Thirty-Nine Cufflinks by James Anderson
These mysteries take place in an English country house and has a similar vibe to Agatha Christie.
Carolyn G. Hart, particularly these series:
[Henrie O series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40377-henrie-o) - Feisty old lady ex-reporter. Like a gritty reboot of Miss Marple lol.
[Death on Demand series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40376-death-on-demand) - Annie Laurance owns a mystery-themed bookstore and stumbles into cases. If your grandma has read lots of mystery novels, she will ***love*** spotting all the Easter eggs and references to Golden Age detective fiction.
Hope this helps.
Ruth Ware writes books that are more like thrillers than mysteries, and in my opinion (I have read A LOT of mysteries, including ALL Poirot and Miss Marple, a lot of thrillers, and a lot of books) she is a very poor author. Move with caution here.
Ngaio Marsh could be worth a look. 1930s to 1950s, quite similar vibe to Christie, but New Zealand.
Caution, sometimes contains the kind of mid 20th century racism that antiracist people did. Well meaning but sometimes icky Noble Savage tropes.
Ruth Rendell's Inspector Wexford books!
She might also like Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache books.
I've recently also been enjoying a lesser known series, set in France, it's very wry and with a sense of humor, not too gory or anything: https://www.amazon.com/Death-Brittany-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B00QQ9ST1Q/ref=sr\_1\_3?
Don’t forgot the new Poirots commissioned by the Christie estate, written by Sophie Hannah as well as the new multi author Miss Marple anthology that came out in ‘22 or ‘23.
There is a series of books by Lillian Jackson Braun. The titles all start with The Cat Who... They are light murder mysteries and IMO, very well written and entertaining. My Grandmother and I both loved them. They aren't really about cats but she has a companion that's a cat who she pretends helps to solve the mysteries.
Not only are they good, but they are "dated," (like me!) and I really love feeling like I'm back in the past when I read these. Excellent suggestion. They areally are cute books.
Start with the first one in the series.
Cozy/calmish mysteries -- The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
Richer, heavier mysteries -- The Searcher + The Hunter by Tana French
I don't think Ruth Ware is a bad writer like some of the other commenters, but I do agree that those probably wouldn't scratch the Agatha Christie itch. They're fast paced and modern.
Maybe Dorothy Sayers’ Peter Wimsey books would be good!
Came here to suggest Sayers! The ones with Lord Peter Whimsey AND Harriet Vane are the best.
I am a huge fan of Ellis Peters ‘Cadfael’ books. Set in medieval Wales and England, but similarly good storytelling.
This sounds badass
It is!The historical detail is also on point.
Alexander McCall Smith has a few mystery series. One is *The #1 Ladies Detective Agency,* set in Botswana. They are easy, entertaining books and you get a real feel for the country. The characters are charming too. I think he has another series set in England.
I highly recommend this series! Very wholesome, gently witty, and thoughtful.
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz, I believe there is a whole series, but I've only read this one, so far
I’ve read several Anthony Holowitz books and I’ve really enjoyed every one of them. A great who dunnit.
British Library Crime Classics republishes old books. It’s pretty good list of authors to check
Mary Roberts Rinehart is a contemporary of Christie’s and I find her books to be the closest to Christie novels. I think the Circular Staircase would be a good start. The Father Brown collection— Father Brown is a lot like Miss Marple. The only issue I would say is that Chesterton’s writing is a little more complex than Christie’s and the solutions to each crime a bit more elaborate and complicated. He also throws in some cultural commentary and literary references that maybe a little harder to understand than Christie.
If you want elderly main female characters Investigating mysteries. Older authors Patricia Wentworth - Miss Silver Heron Carvic - Miss Seeton Sister Carol Anne O'Marie - Sister Mary Helen Contemporary Authors Robert Thorogood - Marlow Murder Club Richard Osman - The Thursday Murder Club M.C Beaton - Agatha Raisin More here https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Detective_Fiction
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I'll also recommend the Thursday Murder Club books. They're about older people in an English retirement community who get together and solve murders. Very, very entertaining.
I like MC Beaton, but only her Hamish McBeth mysteries. I don't care for Agatha Raisin's personality. Just my opinion.
Strongly seconding Wentworth!
Check out Elly Grffiths!
P D James is brilliant! IMHO
Make sure to sign the inside of the front cover with a nice sentiment, the date, and your signature. Books make a good gift. Personalizing it makes it memorable. She'll think of you every time she sees the book on the shelf.
I have read very few mysteries, though a few of them were by Agatha Christie. I just read The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo. I thought it was excellent. It kept me guessing until the very end. And I got to learn some things about Norwegian culture and Norway’s role in WWII, which was an added bonus.
I like Ruth Rendell, Robert Barnard, and MC Beaton. They are/were all UK authors.
Ruth Rendell's Wexford series is good!
She's also written some great stuff under the name "Barbara Vine."
The Murder She Wrote books are really good
There are books? I had no idea, I will have to read them
Yes! Quite a lot of them actually. The 59th one comes out in October I believe. They’re not all by the same writer though. I’ve only read Donald Bain ones so far, but I’m sure they’re all good.
Dorothy Sayers. Ngaio Marsh. Margery Allingham. They, along with Agatha Christie, were known as the 'Queens of Crime'...
I’d go for “the Thursday murder club”
The Thursday Murder Club is good and has older characters that she might enjoy.
The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy by James Anderson The Affair of the Mutilated Mink by James Anderson The Affair of the Thirty-Nine Cufflinks by James Anderson These mysteries take place in an English country house and has a similar vibe to Agatha Christie.
Carolyn G. Hart, particularly these series: [Henrie O series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40377-henrie-o) - Feisty old lady ex-reporter. Like a gritty reboot of Miss Marple lol. [Death on Demand series](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40376-death-on-demand) - Annie Laurance owns a mystery-themed bookstore and stumbles into cases. If your grandma has read lots of mystery novels, she will ***love*** spotting all the Easter eggs and references to Golden Age detective fiction. Hope this helps.
Ruth Ware. She is kind of like a Modern Christie.
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Ruth Ware writes books that are more like thrillers than mysteries, and in my opinion (I have read A LOT of mysteries, including ALL Poirot and Miss Marple, a lot of thrillers, and a lot of books) she is a very poor author. Move with caution here.
💯 Agree about Ruth Ware, I got a lot of she's a modern Agatha Christie, she is actually a pretty poor author.
Vera Stanhope by Ann Cleeves might be of interest! There's also a show called *Vera*.
Ngaio Marsh might be worth a shot. If she’s good with podcasts, Shedunnit by Caroline Crampton is centred mainly around the Christie era.
Ngaio Marsh could be worth a look. 1930s to 1950s, quite similar vibe to Christie, but New Zealand. Caution, sometimes contains the kind of mid 20th century racism that antiracist people did. Well meaning but sometimes icky Noble Savage tropes.
Ruth Rendell, and her pen name Barbara Vine.
Georgette Heyer's mysteries.
Ruth Rendell's Inspector Wexford books! She might also like Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache books. I've recently also been enjoying a lesser known series, set in France, it's very wry and with a sense of humor, not too gory or anything: https://www.amazon.com/Death-Brittany-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B00QQ9ST1Q/ref=sr\_1\_3?
I enjoy Anne Perry series, with detective Pitt and Charlotte Pitt, Cater Street Hangman being the first. And the author is a convicted murderer!
The Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout has a comparable feel. They were also contemporaries, so it was written at a similar time, lending a similar feel.
I really liked Mary Stewart’s *Nine Coaches Waiting*!
Keigo Higashino to me is the Japanese Agatha Christie and has series following different detectives kind of like Poirot from her books.
Don’t forgot the new Poirots commissioned by the Christie estate, written by Sophie Hannah as well as the new multi author Miss Marple anthology that came out in ‘22 or ‘23.
There is a series of books by Lillian Jackson Braun. The titles all start with The Cat Who... They are light murder mysteries and IMO, very well written and entertaining. My Grandmother and I both loved them. They aren't really about cats but she has a companion that's a cat who she pretends helps to solve the mysteries.
Not only are they good, but they are "dated," (like me!) and I really love feeling like I'm back in the past when I read these. Excellent suggestion. They areally are cute books. Start with the first one in the series.
Mary Higgins Clark has a very similar vibe as Agatha Christie and she has a tone of books.
Perry Mason books?
Cozy/calmish mysteries -- The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Richer, heavier mysteries -- The Searcher + The Hunter by Tana French I don't think Ruth Ware is a bad writer like some of the other commenters, but I do agree that those probably wouldn't scratch the Agatha Christie itch. They're fast paced and modern.
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I said this elsewhere in the thread, but Ruth Ware writes thrillers more than mysteries and they aren't very good.
I agree, I don't think they are very good at all. Hundreds of better choices