If you liked
Books like River Of Darkness
by Rennie Airth
Rennie Airth's River of Darkness was the 1999 debut that put a former Reuters journalist into the front rank of contemporary historical mystery. John Madden, the Surrey detective haunted by the trenches, is one of the best slow-burn protagonists in modern crime fiction. These five next.
The shortlist
What to read next
The Winter Queenby Boris Akunin
“The first Erast Fandorin novel. A young clerk in 1876 Moscow investigates an apparent suicide and falls down a labyrinth.”
Malice at the Palaceby Rhys Bowen
“Malice at the Palace by Rhys Bowen 2015 review. The ninth Royal Spyness mystery sends Lady Georgiana Rannoch to Kensington Palace to chaperone Princess Marina before her royal wedding.”
Murder on a Midsummer Nightby Kerry Greenwood
“Murder on a Midsummer Night by Kerry Greenwood 2008 review. The seventeenth Phryne Fisher Mystery sends the Honourable Miss Fisher chasing two cases at once in summer 1929 Melbourne.”
The Keeper of Lost Causesby Jussi Adler-Olsen
“The first Department Q novel. Detective Carl Morck goes down to the basement and finds a five-year-old missing-politician case. The series begins here.”
The Rainaldi Quartetby Paul Adam
“Paul Adam's classical music mystery at its best. Four amateur musicians, a stolen Stradivarius, and a story that takes its setting fully seriously.”
FAQ
Common questions about River Of Darkness read-alikes
- Are these all post-war or interwar mysteries?
- Several. The Winter Queen is 1876 Russia, Malice at the Palace is 1930s London, Murder on a Midsummer Night is 1928 Melbourne. The Adler-Olsen and Adam picks are contemporary. The connective tissue is the patient psychological procedural patience River of Darkness made its signature.
- Should I read more John Madden books?
- Yes. The Dead of Winter, The Reckoning, and The Death of Kings continue the series in chronological order. Airth writes about one Madden every three to five years, which is part of why the series feels considered rather than rushed.
- I want more post-WWI British mysteries. What else?
- Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs is the natural cousin. Charles Todd's Inspector Rutledge series shares the haunted-by-the-trenches setup.
The original