[Philip Marlowe series](https://thrillingdetective.com/2018/07/23/philip-marlowe/) by Raymond Chandler. The godfather of private eye series. The character and writing style have been imitated a million times, but the original still has an elegance and punch that can’t be touched.
Reading the Philip Marlowe books, you see where Spenser came from. Especially in the early Spenser books.
The Spenser series was so influential there are a bunch of “Sons of Spenser” series with similar characters.
[Elvis Cole series](https://thrillingdetective.com/2018/10/13/elvis-cole/) by Robert Crais. The early books are very Spenser-esque, just set in Los Angeles. However, I prefer Crais’ depiction of women better than Parker’s.
[Myron Bolitar series](https://thrillingdetective.com/2019/07/20/myron-bolitar/) by Harlan Coben. Sports agent in New York City who acts like a private eye when his clients get in trouble. The sports setting gives the series a different twist from other series.
The Cole and Bolitar series both start out more comedic, then get darker and more serious with each book.
[Ben Perkins series](https://thrillingdetective.com/2018/08/29/ben-perkins/) by Rob Kantner. Good counterprogramming, lol. What I love about this series is how it breaks a bunch of private eye clichés and Spenser influence.
Ben isn’t a former (fired) cop, soldier or special forces badass. He even has a normal 9-to-5 day job!
He’s tough, but doesn’t have black belts in a dozen martial arts.
He doesn’t have a deadly sidekick who’s tougher and more ruthless than he is. See Joe Pike, Win, Bubba and Hawk (from Spenser series).
He doesn’t agonize over moral dilemmas.
He doesn’t have a musty office with a bottle of cheap liquor in his desk drawer.
He doesn’t name-drop gourmet food, writers, literature and jazz songs to show how sophisticated he is under his tough veneer. He’s a proudly blue-collar Joe Sixpack guy.
You get the idea. While the Patrick Kenzie series has the best writing (aside from Philip Marlowe), I think the Ben Perkins series is the most fun to read.
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He has another series with a cop as protagonist.
[Philip Marlowe series](https://thrillingdetective.com/2018/07/23/philip-marlowe/) by Raymond Chandler. The godfather of private eye series. The character and writing style have been imitated a million times, but the original still has an elegance and punch that can’t be touched.
Reading the Philip Marlowe books, you see where Spenser came from. Especially in the early Spenser books.
The Spenser series was so influential there are a bunch of “Sons of Spenser” series with similar characters.
[Elvis Cole series](https://thrillingdetective.com/2018/10/13/elvis-cole/) by Robert Crais. The early books are very Spenser-esque, just set in Los Angeles. However, I prefer Crais’ depiction of women better than Parker’s.
[Myron Bolitar series](https://thrillingdetective.com/2019/07/20/myron-bolitar/) by Harlan Coben. Sports agent in New York City who acts like a private eye when his clients get in trouble. The sports setting gives the series a different twist from other series.
The Cole and Bolitar series both start out more comedic, then get darker and more serious with each book.
[Patrick Kenzie and Angela Genarro series](https://thrillingdetective.com/2021/03/23/patrick-kenzie-angie-gennaro/) by Dennis Lehane. Also based in Boston like Spenser. In my opinion the writing is superior to Parker’s.
[Ben Perkins series](https://thrillingdetective.com/2018/08/29/ben-perkins/) by Rob Kantner. Good counterprogramming, lol. What I love about this series is how it breaks a bunch of private eye clichés and Spenser influence.
Ben isn’t a former (fired) cop, soldier or special forces badass. He even has a normal 9-to-5 day job!
He’s tough, but doesn’t have black belts in a dozen martial arts.
He doesn’t have a deadly sidekick who’s tougher and more ruthless than he is. See Joe Pike, Win, Bubba and Hawk (from Spenser series).
He doesn’t agonize over moral dilemmas.
He doesn’t have a musty office with a bottle of cheap liquor in his desk drawer.
He doesn’t name-drop gourmet food, writers, literature and jazz songs to show how sophisticated he is under his tough veneer. He’s a proudly blue-collar Joe Sixpack guy.
You get the idea. While the Patrick Kenzie series has the best writing (aside from Philip Marlowe), I think the Ben Perkins series is the most fun to read.
[Thrilling Detective Hall of Fame](https://thrillingdetective.com/2019/09/03/the-thrilling-detective-hall-of-fame/) is a great place to look for detective series. I discovered most of the series I read through that list.
Hope this helps and your mother finds a series she enjoys!
She might enjoy the [Jesse Stone](https://www.goodreads.com/series/40545-jesse-stone) series also by Robert Parker. A few more to consider…
David Baldacci – [Amos Decker](https://www.goodreads.com/series/150209-amos-decker) series
Margaret Maron – [Judge Deborah Knott](https://www.goodreads.com/series/41159-deborah-knott-mysteries) series
John D MacDonald – [Travis McGee](https://www.goodreads.com/series/52264-travis-mcgee) series
Stuart Woods – [Stone Barrington](https://www.goodreads.com/series/41374-stone-barrington) series or the [Holly Barker](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/410741.Orchid_Beach) series (I prefer Holly Barker)
Thanks everyone!