Police Procedural Books

The best police procedural book reviews. A subgenre of crime fiction, police procedurals focus on the methods and tactics used by law enforcement to solve cases and catch criminals.

Family Curse, a Fast-Paced Crime Thriller by Bruce Lewis

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The Bottom Line: A fast-paced and relentlessly ominous crime thriller that readers can devour on a long flight.  Bruce Lewis, author of the terrific thriller Human Strays, returns with his second Kim Jansen novel. Like its predecessor, Bloody Pages is largely set in Oregon and is centered around one of society’s most troubling social ills. Here Lewis explores the theme of intergenerational violence, and he […]

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When You Leave Me, an Irresistible Small Town Murder Mystery by Susan Wingate

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The Bottom Line: An intense, irresistible small town murder mystery that crackles with twists.  When You Leave Me dangles its delicious first clue in the opening sentence: a shoe containing a human foot, one of several that have washed ashore on the San Juan Islands over the past year. Does it belong to Larry Michaels, whose footless body was found months earlier?  Susan Wingate’s fifth Friday Harbor novel – which

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Gag Me, a Must-Read Whodunnit by Susan Wingate

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The Bottom Line: A must-read whodunnit that is fresh, funny and truly innovative. Gag Me transports readers into the fragile psyche of a small-town waitress whose best friend, Winsey, is murdered. She works at a diner in tiny Friday Harbor, Washington, and had the misfortune of being the last person seen with Winsey. As such, she’s called in for questioning, and soon after, taken to

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Threads, a Mesmerizing Crime Thriller by Bryan Cassiday

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The Bottom Line: A fast-paced, mesmerizing blend of classic LA noir and contemporary whodunnit. Bryan Cassiday’s fourth Scott Brody thriller finds the private investigator framed for the the murder of a controversial LA fashion designer. It doesn’t look good for Brody. The explosion that killed designer Max Reed happens not long after Brody delivers a package from local mobster Sal Andrasi, and he knows the

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Vice & Virtue, a Smart Police Procedural by Justin M. Kiska

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The Bottom Line: This smooth-as-whiskey police procedural proves Kiska’s already smart series is only getting better. Recommended. The trouble with skeletons is that they never stay buried for too long. And novelist Justin Kiska unearths them literally and figuratively in his sophomore novel and continuation of the Parker City Mystery series. Detective Ben Winters and his partner Tommy Mason are back. When we first met

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FREEZE BEFORE BURNING, a riveting whodunnit by Nikki Stern

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The Bottom Line:  A riveting whodunnit featuring a truly creative killer and one of the most compelling new sleuths in the genre. A serial killer is at work in New York City. The three seemingly unrelated victims – a priest, a librarian and a bartender – have been forced to swallow dry ice. And we’re not talking about a trace amount. Somehow, investigators believe, the

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Tokyo Zangyo, the Year’s Best Mystery Novel

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The Bottom Line: Pronko’s best Hiroshi series book yet. Hiroshi is now as synonymous with Tokyo crime fiction as Harry Bosch is to LA noir. Voted the Best Mystery of 2021. Detective Hiroshi’s latest case revolves around the likely suicide of a Japanese media executive who appears to have jumped from the roof of a 20-story building. He died in the exact same spot as

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Strangers’ Kingdom, a Big-Hearted Police Procedural by Brandon Barrows

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The Bottom Line: A small town police procedural with a big heart and a shocking finale. Set in the early 1990s, Strangers’ Kingdom tells the story of police detective Luke Campbell’s quest for a fresh start. The former Albany cop had the city’s second-highest closure rate in the major crimes division before he shot a politician’s son in self-defense, leading to a career-threatening internal affairs

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Send Me No Flowers, a Fast-Paced Police Procedural Filled with Sex, Romance and Longing

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The Bottom Line: A fast-paced Lori Daniels novel filled with steamy sex, romance and longing. In keeping with the style author Tom Preschutti established with Lover Come Back, the third series book Send Me No Flowers is a seamless continuation of its predecessor. Hardboiled police detective Lori Daniels is once again convinced that someone from her past – in this case, a high-ranking police officer

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Brushed Off, a Darkly Comic Whodunnit by Lee Musgrave

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The Bottom Line: A darkly comic and original whodunnit featuring a truly memorable amateur sleuth. Is there a serial killer at work in Los Angeles, or just someone particularly motivated by greed, jealousy or love? Whichever the case, why has the killer chosen the LA art scene as his hunting ground? LA homicide detective Cisco Rivas, and his unlikely partner, public TV host James Terra,

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