Detective books recommendations please

Denzil Meyrick
Set in Campbelltown, Argyll. They are who dunnits, and good ones too, but the same supporting characters underpin each one and give depth as they all develop, including the detective and his sidekick.

No 1 detective agency are lovely - Alexander McAll Smith
I like the Charlie Parker (American) series mentioned earlier, and Donna Leon, and of course Rebus.
Also Kate Atkinson, who has a short series featuring Jackson Brodie, and Robert Galbraith (JKR) Strike series is brilliant as it's not just seperate stories, the series forms its own story too.

J R Ellis - The Yorkshire Murders
Damien Boyd set in Somerset
David Blake set on the Norfolk Broads

I'm currently reading my way through the entire works of Agatha Christie.
The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency novels are a good read too. I've read most of them.

If you like a gentle read with thoughtful and fun characterisation try Louise Penny's three Pines (a village in Canada) series.

I've read many of the above and for example you cant beat the Shardlake series for superb history and complex/intelectually demanding plotting, but it depends what you are after and I wanted an easy read where one finds kindness and enjoyment on the way.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Inspector_Armand_Gamache

I got the first 5 novels for £18.99.

I'm a bit of a wimp, so don't like gory or too 'in your face' descriptions of bodies, so steer clear of US books and go for British, Cosy Crime or Cosy Mystery books.

In this category, Frances Brody's Kate Shackleton series is ideal. Kate is a WW1 widow, hoping her MIA husband will one day come home.

Meanwhile, with her housekeeper and an ex-cop, she solves crimes or mysteries.

Set in Yorkshire between the wars and beautifully written.

Nicky Pellegrino is also a good writer - but not a crime writer.
Mainly about people and Italy with a love of food. Don't read while hungry

I've enjoyed many of the suggestions above,

I also enjoy a quirky 'who-dun-it' series by Howard of Warwick about a monk called Brother Hermitage. A light read and can have me giggling aloud.

Robert Goddard.
Some historical and some modern.
Peter May as said before.
If you like one author you will probably like the other.

Steven Saylor's Roma sub Rosa series about Gordianus The Finder is excellent.

Peter Lovesey’s Peter Diamond detective series set in Bath.
Louise Penny’s Canadian detective Armand Gamache.

Sara Paretsky
Sophie Hannah
Nicci French
Deborah Crombie
Tana French
Louise Penney

Joanne Harris’s Gentlemen and Olayers, Different Class, and Blueyed Boy

Stuart Turton’s Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Thank you everyone. I have read a great many of the suggestions but there are several I’ve not heard of. Wonderful.

That’s me set up for 2023!

Martin Walker... Inspector Bruno a delightful series set in the Dordogne

I also am a fan of Michael Connolly who writes the Bosch series. It is better to read them in rotation.

Ellie Griffiths, light and very entertaining, well written. Cara Hunter, modern police procedural. Val McDermid, Ian rankin. Stuart McBride - all ace Scottish noir. Karen Slaughter for American tough writing. Michael Connolly - great us writer

Angela Marsons detective Kim Stone series set in the Black country.

Recently I very much enjoyed Peter May's The Blackhouse, the first of a trilogy set on the Isle of Lewis. Not for the squeamish though – it centres on the annual guga hunt, the expedition to a remote rock to catch fledgling gannets as a delicacy, but that may not be the worst of it.

I love Lesley Thomson‘s “The Detective’s Daughter” series

Ian Rankin, Quintin Jardine, Val McDermid, JD Robb, James Oswald, Stuart MacBride, Karin Slaughter...
Oh, and Doug Johnstone's Skelf series is excellent - set in Edinburgh, about a family of women who run a funeral director's but also do private investigation on the side.

My OH loves Ian Rankin, Anne Cleeves, Jack Reacher books

I have read all Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta series. Scarpetta is a medical examiner and the crimes are set in Richmond, Virginia. Gripping page turners.

If you have not read C J Sansom - Shardlake series you are in for a real treat.

Set in Tudor times Shardlake is a lawyer and there is always intrigue and who dunnits.

Have you tried Donna Leon's books, set in Venice, and featuring Commissario Brunetti?
They are wonderful, and not only centred at the police station (or Questura) but they also feature members of his family and his home life, all whilst set in the most wonderful surroundings.

Peter May - a series set in the Western Isles and another series set in France, both excellent. There’s another Hong King based but I’ve not read them.
And if you’ve not read them already, The Tudor period Shardlake books, outstandingly good.

Martin Edwards. He writes his own books & also edits an excellent series of books of short stories, written by a range of "detective" writers, many from the "golden age" of detective fiction. E.g: "Murder at the Manor; Country House Mysteries". I've borrowed these from my local library and have enjoyed them.