Try some Ellery Queen. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1780020406/ref=mp_s_a_1_58?ie=UTF8&qid=1497746042&sr=8-58&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=ellery+queen&dpPl=1&dpID=31jYo-6iztL&ref=plSrch

Not knocking the Name of the Rose, but wildly different styles, prose, atmosphere, textual 'density'. Not at all similar, except they both have a mystery.

More of legal drama around a murder mystery, I suggest Defending Jacob by William Landay.

Also, for the Hitchcock feel, try Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson.

--Amyrica

I know you said no series, but each of these can stand alone. Anything by C J Box.

My reading list still comes out once a month. I am a huge fan of anything by Josephine Tey. Very retro like Christie. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephine_Tey

Ruth Rendell also has some great mysteries. Her stand alones and her series https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Rendell#Standalone_novels

Elizabeth George ...hers are series, but can stand alone. http://www.elizabethgeorgeonline.com/books.htm

The only reason these are " series " is that the same detective is used in them and he ages and has changing relationships with staff and family etc. The mysteries for Rendell and George are top notch and you don't need all the nuances of the relationships to enjoy them and can read them in any order ...which I have done. I never read Rendell in order and only for the last few years do I read Elizabeth George in order, only because I caught up and now have to wait for her to write new ones. :-)

And

Minnette Walters. Hers are creepy psychological thriller types.

http://minettewalters.co.uk/

Amanda Atkebauer

My reading list still comes out once a month.

Is it in a blog? Or am I missing it? Please provide link . . . you are such a great source of interesting books!

Thank you everyone for their replies. I have been combing Amazon with the suggestions provided.

;o)

Yup, the blog is Amandafromseattle.com. And the reading list is usually the last day of the month, or first day of the following month. Every week on Monday, I have my postcard posts and then randomly thru the year I will post about a trip we take ( Cuba was the last one ). And of course, August and leading up to August is all about the WTA hike-a-thon.
Http://www.amandafromseattle.com

- Amanda

So, I just finished Murder on the Orient Express and have the murder mystery bug!. . So, I am asking for suggestions.

Not a book or author suggestion per se, but I suggest you explore the website Stop, You're Killing Me! http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/
They have all sorts of mystery books listed and are linked by many different categories. They have a twice a month newsletter that includes reviews and new additions to the website. Whenever I find a new author, I usually check out this website to see what other titles the author has. I am one who likes to read series, but I am a stickler for reading in order. Very good reference site.

If you ever find yourself in Ann Arbor, Michigan, head over to Aunt Agatha's New & Used Mystery, Detection & True Crime Books. I love to go there and can spend hours looking through the bookshelves. The staff is friendly and quick to make suggestions. They do have a website and sell some books online http://www.auntagathas.com/ Oh, and they do take books in for store credit, so if you go, take a few to trade in and save yourself a few bucks.

Good Luck and Happy Reading!
Ladywolf

You might try one of the Sherlock Holmes books if you enjoy older school murder mysteries. The Lovely Bones, while not a traditional murder mystery, is good too.

I've loved ANYTHING by Bill Bryson--but people, seriously, get them as audio books!! Mr. Bryson's droll humor and lovely accent makes his books ten times better!!

DoubleSaj

"The Nine Tailors" (pronounced "tellers") is one of the best of the Lord Peter books and it stands alone without much background knowledge from the other books needed.

Knit Wit

Anne Cleeves is my favorite at the moment. Her Shetland series is pretty good. I know you said you aren't into series but the first book "Raven Black" is a story that kept me guessing. Most mysteries don't. :-)

Knit Wit

Right now I am reading a series by C.J. Box that is about a Fish and Game warden in Wyoming. I love the character, Joe Pickett.

I am looking for Dean Koontz's recommendations, please. Nothing too adult related. I prefer suspense and horror. Thanks in advance.

csk

Loved his first one - Watchers, I think. Also loved Tick-Tock and liked Mr. Murder. IMHO, most of the time Koontz is just weird, not scary.

Lightening and Watchers were my favorites—but I haven’t read any of his stuff in years.

I agree that the word WEIRD describes his books, and they seem to be getting more and more so. I liked his early books better than his more recent ones. I read one of his newer ones featuring the character Jane Hawk, and it held my interest, but it was too far out to make me want to read another about her. The ones with Odd Thomas as the main character weren't too bad. I am at the point where I put in a library request for all of his books as they come out, but I often return them without reading more than a chapter. I keep hoping for a winner.

I've only read one of his books--"Oddkins: a Fable for all Ages". Technically a childrens book (160 pages, with illustrations), but it's definitely too intense and creepy for most kids. It's about evil toys....

My favorite Koontz book was one of his earlier ones, The Bad Place. Don't remember much about the plot, just that I enjoyed it and it lead to many other Koontz books.

Watchers is one of my all-time favorite books. Definitely his best. I really enjoyed Odd Thomas too. But, I only read the first one in that series because I heard the others weren't as good.

Amyrica

I really enjoyed Odd Thomas too. But, I only read the first one in that series because I heard the others weren't as good.

They weren't.

Watchers was my favorite too. I read a smattering of his other stuff but it all started to blur together.....a boy, a girl, a dog, and some weird monster. That was his MO.

Amanda from Seattle

After seeing David Suchet's Murder on the Oriental Express, I continued watching the series that he made popular. Of the ones I have seen, Cat Among the Pigeons became a second favorite!

The slaying of a Prince.
A kidnapped Princess.
A hidden treasure.
A wicked and murdered PE teacher.
Jealousy
Blackmail
Secrets
Who is really who at Meadowbank School?

How could this go wrong?

So, instead of focusing on Murder in Sleepy Hollow and my board game, I ordered the book and started my "summer" reading early. Tsk, tsk!

The copy I received has 240 pages exactly and wow, what a disappointment!

To begin with, perhaps I loved the movie so much, that the book was a let down. But in my defense, Hercule Poirot does not come into the book until 2/3s of the book! Like, he's barely there. And when he does come, it's like he's got 20 pages of doing little things and making his international and national contacts but no actually sleuthing! Oh, sure a question or two here and there but by comparison to Murder on the Oriental Express where he is there in the guts of the murder and questioning everyone, it's a let down. Augh, I am so disappointed.

As shocked as I am for the words that I am about to type, facts are facts. (John Adams) The movie Cat Among the Pigeons was better.

I have been circling Death on The Nile, because that's another movie I truly enjoyed, but after this let down, I am hesitant.

csk

Have you seen the BBC 3 part version of And Then There Were None? More true to the book and made me rethink all the film versions i ever saw. Worth watching.

Ha! This was one of the first Agathas I read when I was young and remains a favorite. It isn’t one of the strongest by any stretch and your complaints about Hercule are spot on. But I was a teenaged girl and the fantasy of jewels and detection and all the familiarities of school life (even though I went to a rural school in northern Vt, not an elite boarding school in Britain) made this book very appealing to me. I didn’t know there was a movie, and I’ve seen very few Agatha movies. I’ll have to look for this one.

Don’t worry about Death on the Nile. Vintage Poirot!

Have you seen the BBC 3 part version of And Then There Were None?

Is that the one with Sam Neil? Yes. Very good. Both the book and the movie. I read the book first and it kept me guessing until the end.

The very first Agatha Christie I ever read was Easy to Kill (or Murder is Easy...depending on if you get the US or UK versions ). I reread it recently and enjoyed it just as much

I also highly recommend the Tommy and Tuppence books by Agatha Christie. They are some of my all time favorites. Although I have not enjoyed the film versions as much. (BBC)

Amanda from Seattle

All of Dame Agatha's books are pretty short, all things considered. Lovely reads, just about all of them!

American on Purpose - Craig Ferguson

Honest talk about addiction, and LOL funny.