Friday 11 November 2011

Paranormal Mystery Reading List

It occurred to me a few months ago that there are a large number of mystery novels that have paranormal elements, enough so that they're almost urban fantasy (just with the emphasis on the mystery).  Here's a list I compiled for an endcap at the store.  It's not comprehensive, but it's a good starting place if you want something a little different from the traditional urban fantasy read.  I tried to get the first book in each series, but mistakes happen, so I apologize in advance for any errors.  Victoria Laurie and Sue Ann Jaffarian have 2 series that fit this criteria, hence why there are two books by their names.  And just for fun I added in a few general fiction novels that rely heavily on psychic phenomenon. (Note: I've added some new titles since first publishing this list)


A Charmed Death – Madelyn Alt 
Oscar Wilde and the Vampire Murders – Gyles Brandreth
Night of the Living Dead – E.J. Copperman
Charmed to Death – Shirley Damsgaard
The Chick and the Dead – Casey Daniels
Ghost of a Chance – Yasmine Galenorn
Work of the Angels – Kat Goldring
Ghost of a Chance - Simon Green
Mind Over Monster - Jennifer Harlow
Grave Sight – Charlaine Harris
The Cowboy and the Vampire – Clark Hays & Kathleen McFall
Touching Evil – Kay Hooper
Murder in Vein, Ghost A La Mode – Sue Ann Jaffarian
First Grave on the Right – Darynda Jones
Carpe Demon – Julie Kenner
The Ghost and the Dead Man's Library – Alice Kimberly
Addy Cooper: Psychic Eye, What's a Ghoul To Do? – Victoria Laurie
Desolate Angel – Chaz McGee
Crossfire – Miyuki Miyabe
Cosmic Clues – Manjiri Prabhu
Death in the Cards – Sharon Short
High Priestess – David Skibbins
Dracula's Heir: An Interactive Mystery – Sam Stall
Thru Violet Eyes – Stephen Woodworth


And from the comments:


Marilynn Byerly [I've found the first books in the series she mentions and listed them here along with my paraphrasing of her comments about series when needed]:

Phantom Evil, Ghost Shadow, The Death Dealer, etc. - Heather Graham (her books are marketed as paranormal romantic suspense, but are really paranormal mysteries)

18 Seconds - George Shuman
House on Tradd Street - Karen White 
Southern Ghost - Carolyn Hart
Defending Angels - Mary Stanton
Dating Can Be Deadly - Wendy Roberts
Haunt Me Still - Jennifer Lee Carrell
Hard Magic - Laura Anne Gilman (marketed as urban fantasy but really police procedural)


Sharon:
Along Came a Demon - Linda Welch

4 comments:

Marilynn Byerly said...

Heather Graham writes a number of paranormal series that are marketed as paranormal romantic suspense, but they are really paranormal mystery.

George Shuman writes psychic suspense in his "Sight" series.

Karen White has a psychic real estate agent cosy mystery series.

Carolyn Hart has the "Ghost at Work" cosy mystery series with a crime-solving ghost.

Mary Stanton has an excellent paranormal mystery series about a lawyer who is an advocate for the dead before the Angelic Court.

Wendy Roberts has a mystery series about a crime-cleanup heroine who sees ghosts.

Charlaine Harris has the "Grave" series about a psychic who experiences murder victims' last moments. It has much stronger mystery elements than the Sookie Stackhouse series.

HAUNT ME STILL, Jennifer Lee Carrell. Contemporary mystery with paranormal elements.

HARD MAGIC, Laura Anne Gilman. Marketed as urban fantasy, but it's really a police procedural. Psychic CSI team solves crimes using magic and science.

Sharon Stogner said...

I've read some of these. Will have to check out the rest. I would also add Linda Welch's The Whispering Series. First book is Along Came a Demon.

Jessica Strider said...

Thanks for the comments! I've added your book suggestions to the post. :)

Gary Val Tenuta said...

Paranormal Mystery? Check this out:

How an obscure 60-year-old mystery became a modern-day supernatural crime chiller (Ash: Return Of The Beast).

http://www.shelfari.com/groups/18260/discussions/492123/How-An-Obscure-60-Year-Old-Mystery-Became-a-Modern-Day-Supernatu