r/suggestmeabook • u/squeakmouse • 1d ago
Dresden Files but different
I started but didn't finish Storm Front (Dresden Files #1) because there was too much vampire stuff and too many mentions of boobs. Is there another book or series that's a mystery where the character has their home base (like Dresden) where they try to solve things? It can have magic but it doesn't have to. I like different genres, like mystery, thriller and academia.
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u/Angry_Beta_Fish 1d ago
Rivers of London
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u/poopycakesforyou 1d ago
Eh. I think that this one suffers the same problems as Dresden when describing women. But definitely less vampires. I only read the first book though so I don't know if it changes.
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u/empeekay 1d ago
Peter is quite horny, but no more than most 20-somethings. There are a few sex scenes in later Rivers of London novels, but absolutely nothing explicit, and Peter does start to focus solely on a character he ends up in a relationship with.
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u/ShortVermicelli1719 1d ago
Try The Black Dagger Brotherhood. Same urban fantasy vibe but with a lot more steam. I started with Book One at a used bookstore for $2 and got sucked in immediately.
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u/OneWall9143 Bookworm 1d ago
agreed. love this series, but found some problems with the first two books. Peter and the author matures after that in the way women and LBGTQ+ people are represented. From book 3 onwards I had no issues and found a lot of strong women and diverse characters to like as well as loving the main character.
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u/ToomintheEllimist 1d ago
Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs - similar structure, far less casual misogyny
Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka - lists Butcher as a major inspiration, has a similar sense of humor, but a much nicer view of humans
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u/awh290 1d ago
100% Alex Verus. I thought it really improved from books 1-3 or 4, but it definitely doesn’t start as rough as Dresden.
Verus doesn’t have the noir/ misogynistic thing Dresden does.
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u/BecauseOfAir 1d ago
Where's the misogyny in Dresden? The Molly thing is uncomfortable early on, but virtually all the main female characters are extremely strong,tough,brave and smart and often save the day. I see no hatred for the woman in the books.
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u/Ydrahs 1d ago
It's not hatred of women, it's Harry's attitude towards them and to some extent Butcher's writing. Particularly in the early books Harry's got some very neckbeardy/white knight opinions. He frames this as being an 'old fashioned gentleman' kind of guy but it is grating and often robs female characters of agency. The ones who do have agency tend to be sexy femme fatales that Harry must resist.
The series definitely improved over time and I really enjoy it. Harry's sexism does bite him in the arse and he does get called on it and change, which is good character growth. But the early books can be a bit rough in that regard.
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u/awh290 1d ago
I like the series fine, but I’m just calling out that there is misogyny. It doesn’t seem to be Butcher, but more of the noir theme.
It doesn’t matter if the female characters are strong, competent and save the day. I don’t think anyone would say that female characters aren’t overly sexualized.
The Molly thing is uncomfortable all the time- even when she isn’t underage and not his apprentice, he continues talking about how she gets him going, but it’s not right because he knew her before she was wearing bras. I guess I became numb to it, buts it’s disgusting.
There’s benevolent sexism constantly which I think eventually Dresden even mentions in some way.
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u/DistractedByCookies 22h ago
ah my main reason for not like the Dresden books. I'm going to try these!
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u/awh290 19h ago
It’s they’re a good contrast, to Dresden. The MC has a lot of internal dialog of what he wants but not wanting to put a love interest in an awkward position. Just a lot more self aware.
Again, I did find them to be a bit slow starting out, but they really pick up steam once there are some friends. The second half of the series goes by quickly.
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u/BecauseOfAir 1d ago
If you are triggered.by sexual violence and vampires taking you, avoid Mercy Thompson series. If not then it's decent.
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u/YakSlothLemon 17h ago
Yes, I stopped reading those books after the first “rape but magic means she consents” scene.
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u/BecauseOfAir 15h ago
I took a break after that. I did go back only after reddit fans confirmed there was not anymore of this and I have enjoyed them since. Mercy does have some other bad stuff happen but not to that extent.
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u/YakSlothLemon 11h ago
That’s good to know! One thing I love about Reddit is that you can find answers to these questions.
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u/DBDG_C57D 1d ago edited 17h ago
The Nightside series by Simon R. Green might work. I thought Dresden was the better series but Nightside is a more pulp noir kind of take on supernatural detective story. It takes place in a kind of shadow version of London adjacent to the real city. The stories are fairly short and deal with things like trying to find the unholy grail before the forces of darkness or a criminal scheme involving a man that can influence probabilities in his favor.
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u/unlovelyladybartleby 1d ago
The Uninteresting and Completely Unadventurous Tales of Fred the Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes. It obviously has vampires but lacks the misogyny of Dresden. The MC solves mysteries and deals with conflict by talking to people but what he really wants to do is do their taxes. Not smutty vampires, he wears a sweater vest and is afraid of PDA.
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u/whyamibirdperson 1d ago
Magical detectives: Rivers of London; Dead Djinn Universe
Non magical detectives/mysteries: Dublin Murder Squad and anything else by Tana French
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u/cant-find-user-name 1d ago
Alex verus is great, it is so consistently good across its entire run as well. I don't remember any misogyny in it too
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u/BecauseOfAir 1d ago
Kate Daniel’s . The magic mechanics are not as good I feel as Dresden, but the main characters are fun and they have a lot of couples banter in between fighting monsters .
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u/IndigoTrailsToo 1d ago
Came here to say this. The Kate Daniels series is quite good, they are usually set up like a detective story but later on in the series the author starts to branch out a bit more. They are quite fun. There is a graphic audiobook rendition of these that are an absolute treat, super magical, I have listened to them at least 10 times.
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u/Warlord_of_Pellucida 1d ago
John Constantine comics.
October day series about a changeling investigator having urban fantasy adventures.
The duc de richleau, an occultist and investigator who was portrayed by Christopher Lee in the devil rides out.
Jules de Grandin, an occult detective and ceremonial magic user
Really look into the tradition of occult detectives like carnacki.
Most of the fiction I recommended either lack vampires or use them occasionally.
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u/Apprehensive_Use3641 7h ago
October Daye series by Seanan McGuire is a fun series, working my way through it again at the moment.
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u/Raelien 1d ago edited 1d ago
I really like the Sandman Slim Series by Richard Kadrey. It’s not Dresden, for sure, but it has magic, Hell, angels, almost in a non-secular way. It’s grittier than Dresden but it does lose steam towards the end of the series much like Dresden did for me.
I’m not sure the female characters stand up well on their own. I imagine they are written like most male authors write female characters, they aren’t main characters but they are friends, co-workers, bosses, manic-pixie “monster”.
I can second the Felix Castor series by Mike Carey, I struggled a bit with the first book, it felt too mean or something, but it really grew on me after that.
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u/maybemaybenot2023 1d ago
Seanan McGuire's October Daye series. First book is Rosemary and Rue. October (called Toby) is a private detective who is half faerie, and gets hired by other Fae to investigate things.
Cold Iron and Sister to the Rain by Melisa Michaels- MC is a private detective in a version of our world with elves and magic. She, though human, isn't afraid of the Fae, so she gets hired to investigate stuff by them. Sadly, the series was before its time, so there were only the two books.
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u/HumanistDork 1d ago
Hearth Witch’s Guide to Magic & Murder by Kiri Callaghan?
Fey Sherlock Holmes, and Watson is a med school dropout from a family of witches.
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u/FionaOlwen 1d ago
I started reading the Mercy Thompson series recently and am really enjoying them!
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u/QueenInYellowLace 1d ago
You might skip to Dresden book 3. The writing, characterization, and plots only get better and better. The first book is definitely the weakest.
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u/AutumnalSunshine 1d ago
I personally felt like the "men writing women" got worse as the series went on.
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u/DistractedByCookies 22h ago
Honestly, I felt the casual misogyny stayed the same (or maybe got worse). I lasted like 6 books because I like the premise but I got super tired of the way the female characters were handled.
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u/Apprehensive_Use3641 7h ago
I tend to recommend the same thing, if someone can't get past Storm Front, try Grave Peril, but you do realize, they complained about one very quick minor vampire scene and your recommendation is an entire book about vampires? ;)
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u/Raineythereader 1d ago
Night Watch (Sergei Lukyanenko), although I'm told the later books get weird about the female characters.
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u/sandy_coyote 19h ago
Garrett PI - less but not no boobage
Low Town trilogy by Daniel Polansky is good, but not an ongoing series
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u/Apprehensive_Use3641 7h ago
Garrett, P. I. series by Glen Cook is fun, I wish they'd put it out on audiobook though.
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u/mzglitter 1d ago
The Verity Fassbinder trilogy by Angela Slatter. Its basically the Dresden files but set in Australia with a female protagonist
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u/OmegaLiquidX 1d ago
Hellblazer might work for you. It primarily takes place in London, England, and focuses on Alan Moore's iconic "blue collar warlock" John Constantine who was introduced during his legendary reinvention of Swamp Thing. Constantine isn't the most powerful warlock/occult detective, but he is a right bastard and conman who tends to succeed thanks to street smarts, cunning, and trickery. He'll also screw over anyone to get his desired results, even his own allies and friends. It's usually for the greater good, but he doesn't use that to excuse his actions (and has some powerful self-loathing because of it). Really, the only one who hates Constantine more than his "friends" and enemies is Constantine himself.
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u/catgirl320 1d ago
For straight mysteries you might try The Richard Jury series by Martha Grimes. Each book is named after a pub that features in the story and there is a core group of characters that appear throughout the series. There's at least 25 books in the series now.
For a cozy fantasy-mystery series you might try the Beatrix Potter Cottage Tales by Susan Wittig Albert. It's set in the Lake district where BP lived. The fantasy element comes from the sentient creatures that live there alongside the humans and both populations are impacted by the mystery. I'd read them in order if possible.
The Joe Leaphorn series by Tony Hillerman is set around the Navaho reservation in northwestern New Mexico. He really brought that landscape to life and it drives how the characters behave.
The Beaufort Scales mysteries by Kim Watt. Dragons, a small English village, very fun.
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u/Plane-Ad-2395 22h ago edited 21h ago
The House of Graves series by M. M. Crumley. It starts with Three Little Graves & The Big Bad Wolf.
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u/BadBorzoi 22h ago
Tanya Huff Blood series. There’s a vampire for sure but also werewolves and mummies and such. Retired Toronto cop turned PI and discovers hinky supernatural things. I really liked the werewolves book as she did a good job showing that they’re actually different than people beyond just turning into wolves. Older female mc dealing with a disability, nicely done.
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u/hordeumvulgare 19h ago
David Mogo Godhunter is a standalone urban fantasy set in Lagos! I enjoyed it okay (I’m not the biggest urban fantasy fan but gave it a shot with this book and was pleasantly surprised) and I definitely thought it was better than the Dresden Files, which I am not a fan of.
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u/SamSpayedPI 18h ago
- The PsyCop series (#1 Among the Living) by Jordan Castillo Price (Chicago)
- The Offbeat Crimes series (#1 Lime Gelatin and Other Monsters) by Angel Martinez (caveat the third book in the series, Skim Blood and Savage Verse, is about a vampire, and he appears in earlier books as a coworker of the MCs) (Philadelphia)
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u/FiWriterSFF 16h ago
I don't know if you want to check out Martin Shannon's Tales of Weird Florida series. Similar humor, imo.
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u/roborabbit_mama 16h ago
Check out Moon Called by Patricia Briggs, its not a male lead but I enjoyed the first 4 books I read.
Have you tried Dungeon Crawler Carl or looked up anything a kin to these as a genre?
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u/Practical-Cost2198 11h ago
Frost Arcana series by Clara Coulson-dystopian world with Fae
Debt Collector series by Andrew Givler-modern day California with angels, demons and all manner of creatures.
The Blade Mage series by Philip Drayer Duncan-modern day mages and monsters.
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u/Leximancer 10h ago
Hmmm.
I'm a big fan of Steven Brust's Dragaeran Cycle. Start with Jhereg, or the anthology which contains it. Big picture: he's an assassin for hire in an organization full of assassins, muscle and other thuggery. He's a second class citizen by virtue of birthright, and takes joy in being paid by those who treat him like scum to kill others of those who treat him like scum.
It's got what you picked out: he has a base he operates out of, though he may range far and wide and that base does change homes a few times. It has got no overt objectification that I can recall, though character descriptions do occasionally note significant features, as with a certain demon goddess.
I would say that it reads like an adventure series with forays into mystery and comedy and epic fantasy. It's a lot of fun, and one of my favorite recommendations to offer. Hope you find what you're looking for!
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u/MinervaAbsolute 5h ago
I didn’t like the Dresden Files much either.
Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series might work for you. Fewer boobs, dead pan jokes.
Benedict Jacka’s Alex Verus novels are in a similar vein to the Dresden Files, but a bit less blokey.
I enjoyed Craig Schaeffer’s Daniel Faust series. He’s a bit obscure, and a bit under-estimated, but worth a try.
RL King’s Alistair Stone series is fun. The series gets stronger as it goes along, a bit more bonkers maybe, but she’s an engaging writer.
You could try Laurell K Hamilton’s Anita Blake series to about book 5. After that she abandons plot for sex, but the early books are good fun.
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u/BecauseOfAir 1d ago
I would try to get thru the first couple of books. There are always vampires but there is not much sex. It’s mostly him just reacting as a typical guy. Not all the vampires are bad., but most of the bad ones get what’s coming to them. As the series progresses it gets so much better.
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u/ToomintheEllimist 1d ago
Ehhh, the super-sexualized minor female characters never go away, and the other annoyingly bro-ey noir tropes never fully do either. YMMV.
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u/-digitalin- 18h ago
Dresden definitely gets better.
He still overly sexualizes most female characters.
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u/agathaseahag 1d ago
check out the Felix Castor series by MIke Carey! the vibe is kind of similar, lots of fun. paranormal mysteries to solve and great action.