A call for book recs

[stillsostrange]

I would like suggestions for good books (or shorter works) set in Boston. Particularly ones that give good place-porn. I'm partial to spec fic and mysteries, but any genre is up for grabs if it's readable.

Comments

[readingthedark.livejournal.com]

Michael Marano's Dawn Song and Paul Tremblay's two Mark Genevich novels come to mind quickly. I don't really know Matthew Pearl's The Dante Club, but it comes to mind slowly.

[readingthedark.livejournal.com]

Oh, should've noted that these are all ones that work the locale hard and Pearl's is Civil War era or so. (Robert B. Parker was the big Boston mystery writer, but I wouldn't recommend him to you because his work lacked texture, coming across as Chandler's stale leftovers.)

[desayunoencama.livejournal.com]

I'm quite enjoying the Parkers, which're set mostly in Cambridge. But the books are mostly about Spenser adhering to his moral code than the places they're set. (I've been surprised at how well and non-facilely he handles queer issues often, such as in LOOKING FOR RACHEL WALLACE. Not that he can't otherwise simplify these or other issues on occasion.)

But Linda Barnes may give better Boston place-porn with her Carlotta Carlyle series.

[readingthedark.livejournal.com]

Barnes never worked for me, but I enjoyed most of the Parkers. He was also a literary lion in the Boston scene, very supportive and lots of blurbs. His witty banter, Chandlery metaphors, and some really subtle literary alusions were all my kind of thing.

[stillsostrange.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I should have read Paul's books by now anyway.

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

The Carlotta Carlyle mysteries by Linda Barnes: great mysteries, and from what I can see, a good portrait of Boston.

[stillsostrange.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[labradors.livejournal.com]

It's been a while since I've read it so it may not be as good or Bostony as I remember, but Neal Stephenson's book Zodiac comes to mind.

[sovay]

It's been a while since I've read it so it may not be as good or Bostony as I remember, but Neal Stephenson's book Zodiac comes to mind.

It's very Bostony. Also I get to say that I'm the real-life original of one of the characters, but since said character is five years old and spends most of their screentime drinking cranberry juice, this is substantially less badass than it sounds.

(Stephenson is a college friend of my father's.)

[labradors.livejournal.com]

That's still pretty awesome!
College buddy, huh? I've always wondered which university Big U is based on, it always reminded me way too much of the Towers dorms at Iowa State in Ames. :)

[sovay]

I've always wondered which university Big U is based on, it always reminded me way too much of the Towers dorms at Iowa State in Ames.

They went to BU. Casimir is not a version of my father, but you'd recognize the character if I showed you a photograph from the right era.

[txanne.livejournal.com]

Thirding Carlotta Carlyle, though I often skim the parts with her boyfriend.

[sovay]

I'm partial to spec fic and mysteries, but any genre is up for grabs if it's readable.

Margaret Ronald's Spiral Hunt (2009) and sequels may be what you're looking for.

[stillsostrange.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Conveniently enough, I know I have those at work.

[blackaire.livejournal.com]

Dennis Lehane's novels are very Boston and very good mysteries if you haven't read them yet.

[ktsparrow.livejournal.com]

Zodiac, Neal Stephenson's gonzo eco-thriller.

[anna-wing.livejournal.com]

Charlotte Macleod's Sarah Kelling/Max and Sarah Bittersohn mysteries, set mostly in 1970s and 1980s Boston. Cosies, so depends on your taste.