Mysterious Mercury & Professional Marriages

Marriage between a man and a woman, same-sex marriage, liaisons, menage-a-trois. Amongst humans the myriad of relations intimate seem creative & endless.

The same can be said for a certain set of British mystery series [re-read the first paragraph], at the very center of which is some kind of coupling [or tripling, whatever]. Here I've listed some of the better of what I call the Professional Marriages genre of mystery, each with a selected title, beginning with the best writer and craftsman/predominantly woman of the field.

Author: Reginald Hill: Peter Pascoe and "Fat Andy" Dalziel [actually not a couple per se, both of CID] and the third, Sarge Edgar Wield of the "fragmented face," initially in, then out of the closet. (Dialogues of the Dead) Mercury Rating: Very good

Author Ruth Rendell: Inspector Wexford with prissy, but very straight Michael Burden [Wexford supported by his wife, Dora, and periodically thrilled and annoyed by his daughters]. (A Sleeping Life) By the way, Rendell also writes under the name Barbara Vine. (The Blood Doctor) Mercury Rating: Very Good.

Author Elizabeth George: Thomas Lynley, Barbara Havers & Winston Nkata [of Scotland Yard] and a confusing cast of other characters all of whom sleep with each other at various points [in time and space] throughout her large oeuvre. (Payment in Blood) Mercury Rating: Good

Author Jill McGown: Dectective Chief Inspector Lloyd and Detective Judy Hill [first illicit non-lovers, later boyfriend and girlfriend. (Murder at the Old Vicarage) Mercury Rating: Not Bad

NOTE: McGown and Crombie styles are similar enough that one can become confused about whose in a couple with whom, for example, is Lloyd breaking up his marriage of Jemma or what combination of overlapping illicit relationship. But no matter; these humans.

Author Deborah Crombie: Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and Sergeant Jemma James [on-again, off-again]. (Mourn Not Your Dead) Mercury Rating: Not Bad

Author Ann Granger: Meredith and Markby [girlfriend and boyfriend]; Meredith of the FO [Foreign Office], Markby [law enforcement]. (Murder Among Us) Mercury Rating: OK

All the above are good-spend-the-day-in-bed books. Today, the sky is gray, rain soaks the world,thunder is imminent. Nothing more satisfying than spending my time in bed, surrounded by favorite toys, waiting for food and drink to appear, and a very good [good, not bad, or even OK] mystery.

Mama agrees. She suggests that my next two entries review the Grande Dames of British mystery [such as Tey, Sayres, Christie & Marsh] and the Lone Inspector type [no tiresome emphasis on human coupling--just a good mystery] of which Mama is especially fond.

So please stop by again soon for the lists, descriptions & awards of the prestigious Mercury Rating evalution.