Favorite settings for mystery novels?

[Jim Thomsen]

I realize this is totally subjective, and no opinion is more valid than another, but here goes:

— I'm sick of Florida.
— I'm sick of New Orleans.
— I'm sick of New York City.
— I'm sick of England.
— I'm sick of Scandinavia, much sooner than I expected.
— I'm not quite burned out on L.A., but I see the day coming.
— I'm sick of quaint villages populated by white people only.

— I like the Pacific Northwest.
— I like the West.
— I like small cities with realistic ethnic diversity and realistic problems.
— I like underused locations. How often do you read about mysteries set in Kansas City? Or Dallas? Or Cleveland? Or the Carolinas?

Sub-questions: Where are you from? What informs your taste in settings? Will you ignore an otherwise recommended book if you don't care for the setting?
 

[I. J. Parker]

How nice! I'm published, have a web site, and won a short story award.

[Mary McFarland]

I.J., I'm just searching for you. Found your Web site and perusing it now. You're definitely an inspiration, and I can't wait to read your work. Back to your site now!

[I. J. Parker]

By God, sometimes posting here actually works. :) Thanks, Mary.

[Caroline Trippe]

You won't be disappointed! I. J. is really good! You would think she had lived in Japan.

[I. J. Parker]

Thank you, Caroline. You guys are too much!

[Caroline Trippe]

On the whole, I would much rather praise than criticize!
It definitely takes considerable imagination (as well as some hard work, inn terms of meticulous research) to re-create a "vanished" world.
And good writers---even established ones---need encouragement. :)

[Dennis Leppanen]

Hi Mary,

It is virtually impossible to go everywhere. My first two novels were set in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, a place I am very familiar with. We had a summer home built in Tennessee, so that helps. I chose Alaska as the backdrop to a sequel of my first novel, deciding the Alaskan Gold Rush could create interest.

There is almost too much to work in. The Tennessee work involves moon shining in the Tennessee hills.

[Benedict J Jones]

a few that i enjoyed:

phillip kerr's 'berlin noir' (3 short novels) set in 1930's berlin (the first two) and post war vienna (the third)

ken bruen's 'the gaurds' set in dublin. (his 'Brandt' novels set in south east London, where I'm from, are also well worth looking at - although you said you were done england...)

john wilson's 'javier falcon' series ('blindman of seville' 'the hidden assassins') set in Seville (Spain) and he also wrote some set in west africa (i only have one of these and prefered the falcon series)

john burdett's 'bangkok' series ('bangkok 8', 'bangkok tattoo' 'bangkok haunts') are brilliant, a bhuddist detective with a very different viewpoint on things to your 'typical' western detective

[Avery Daniels]

I am a native of Colorado and I have to admit my first criteria is the location of the book.  I am completely burned out on Southern mysteries and just will not read anything set in the South except for very rare exceptions.  I am enjoying San Francisco a lot which is very diverse.

[Z. LaPorte Airey]

I really like using the suburbs as a setting for mystery/crime related stories.