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One Deserted Island, Two Authors, Lots of Series, Lots of Pseudonyms…

So, while on our trip up to Colorado Springs, my husband and I had a lot of time to talk while driving the 1,800 miles (including there and back again). Some of the time we talked about books, authors, series, those types of things, sort of like when our children were small and we would play “What am I?” types of games.

Let me say, before I pose the following question we talked about, that I am utterly spoiled by my Kindle. Taking all sorts of mysteries, a whole lot of authors, and even games in one tiny, little “book” is incredible. But, my husband posed this question to me:

You’re on a deserted island, you don’t have a Kindle (or Nook, ETC), you have only two authors’ books, who would those two authors be?

Of course, my first question was: Is each of the authors a single-name author, or can I lump all of that authors’ pseudonyms and series into that authors’ books? So, here is the revision of this question:

You’re on a deserted island, you don’t have a Kindle, Nook, or any other library-type of reader, you have only two authors (each author is allowed all of his/her pseudonyms and/or series), who would those two authors be?

***** ***** *****

I went through all of the authors who you all said you would want to take with you to a deserted island. Here is the list:

Susan Wittig Albert

Donna Andrews

Amanda Ashley (aka Madeline Baker)

Jane Austen

Donald Bain (aka Jessica Fletcher)

M.C. Beaton (aka Marion Chesney)

E.F. Benson

Lilian Jackson Braun

Emily Brightwell

Kathleen Brooks

John Dickson Carr

Laura Childs

Agatha Christie

Philip R. Craig

Clive Cussler

Mary Daheim

Charles Dickens

Michael Dibdin

Doris Miles Disney

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Joanne Fluke

Diana Gabaldon

Sue Grafton

Kerry Greenwood

John Grisham

Carolyn Hart

Peggy L. Henderson

Georgette Heyer

Reginald Hill (aka Patrick Ruell)

J.A. Jance

Harry Kemelman

Mercedes Lackey

Mary Lasswell

Joyce and Jim Lavene (aka J. J. Cook & Ellie Grant

Donna Leon

Barbara Mertz (aka Barbara Michaels & Elizabeth Peters)

Louise Penny

Ellis Peters

Terry Prachett

Nora Roberts (aka J.D. Robb)

J.K. Rowling

Dell Shannon (aka Lesley Egan & Elizabeth Linington)

Alexander McCall Smith

Rex Stout

Denise Swanson

Elaine Viets

Patricia Wentworth

P.G. Wodehouse

I hope I didn’t miss anyone!

Comments

  1. That’s a real toughie! I’d hate to be limited to 2, but I pick Barbara Mertz (Barbara Michaels, Elizabeth Peters, and nonfiction as herself). The Amelia Peabodys alone would make for a lot of great reading. My non-mystery choice is J.K. Rowling. There’s so much richness in the Harry Potter series!

  2. Only two!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That’s cruel! But under those circumstances………Definitely, Agatha Christie and then, most likely Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. By the way, about a month ago I succumbed to the siren song of Kindle. By gosh, how did I exist so long without one.
    I don’t know if you’re going to slap my face or cheer me but I now have 3! and about three hundred books, many are free classics but not all, one movie (Them!), I love old science fiction movies, the hokier the better and a handful of games. Would you say I overdid it a little?! I am beginning to settle down now!

    • Agree with authors & movie. I love my NOOK, and can now see why people would have more than one ereader. (It is slow for me to write this, as I am doing it on my NOOK.)

      • Penny, it sounds like your Nook is the equivalent to the Kindle Fire. Do you think ten years ago you ever would have imagined having a reading device with which you could type? It’s sort of a Brave, New World!

  3. For non-mystery author, it would have to be Charles Dickens, and for mystery author, Agatha Christie – because she wrote so many books.

  4. What a difficult choice. Emily Brightwell’s Mrs. Jeffries series and I agree with Deb above on J K Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

  5. Agatha Christie and Kerry Greenwood (both the Phryne Fisher and Corinna Chapman books) and if I could have a third author it would be Mary Janice Davidson

  6. Dell Shannon. She wrote the Luis Mendoza Series. She also wrote under the names: Lesley Egan, Elizabeth Linngton (not sure of spelling.) These are police series set in LA, Glendale and other I can not think of and Harry Kemmelman I think. Rabbi Small books. If you have not read about Small Rabbi, you are missing a delightful series. Not sure if it is a cozy. I know Dell Shannon series are not cozy but I love them. They were written in late 50’s to 70’s. Dell Shannon series.

  8. Danna, As soon as I read this topic I thought of John Grisham but until I read the authors that others had listed I was stumped as to a second. But I agree I would have to have the Harry Potter series, the whole series. I would also want the whole collection of John Grisham’s books. I am really surprised that I hadn’t thought of the Harry Potter series first!!!

  9. I’m right there with Deb on Barbara Mertz. I always have one of her books nearby … and on my kindle … just so I can grab a little bite of her whenever I need a fix. For my second I believe it would be Denise Swanson. She never fails to cheer me. And with her new series I’ll have even more of her to read while I forage for food.

  10. Definitely Elizabeth Peters (Mertz) as mentioned above. Nice collection of books that cover Gothic, humorous mysteries and cozy mysteries.

    I’m going to hold out on the second author. Must ponder it more and go through my list of favorites!

  11. I love Peggy L. Henderson and Kathleen Brooks. Their books make me laugh, cry and cringe in suspense, all the things I look for in a good book. I don’t think these are considered cozy mysteries though. These are just two of my favorites that I read on my nook.

  12. As much as I absolutely adore Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Pters (and I would hate to live the rest of my life without being able to re-read ‘Shattered Silk’ and ‘Ammie Come Home’), I think I would have to go with Patricia Wentworth and Donna Andrews.

    Maybe it’s from listening to them so many times in my mp3 player as I walk in the morning, but they are both really my ‘go-to’ mental comfort food. And I think if I was stuck on a deserted island I would need all the comfort I could find because I would miss my cats. And, you know, human contact.

  13. Voyager by Diana Gabaldon because it’s huge and I could read about Claire and Jamie forever. I can’t think of another book right now but I hope that I had a pair of reading glasses! That thought terrifies me!

  14. Oh, that’s tricky! I’ll have to second (third? forth?) Barbara Mertz – I do actually slip a novel of hers into my suitcase whenever I travel. It’s like having an old friend to visit with during stressful times. For the second, I think I too would have to choose a non-mystery writer. I’m torn between Terry Prachett and P.G. Wodehouse. If you’re stranded on an island, it would be good to have something to laugh about!

  15. I’m with all of you — very, very difficult question and even more difficult to answer! My very first thought was to have Clive Cussler (for his adventure/dilemma solving/etc.) and absolutely one of my fav cozy authors … but which one. This can’t be answered lightly! So, I’m going with the first one to pop into my head … Donald Bain/Jessica Fletcher —- for comfort! End result – one author for problem solving/adventure/etc and the other for comfort! And here I am second guessing my answer already!!!!

  16. An almost impossible task. But if I had to do answer as outlined, I think I would go with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Clive Cussler (with all of his Co-Authors) as my 2nd)

    • Thanks for mentioning Clive Cussler. I have just started reading his books, and I really enjoy them.

  17. Only two! I would definitely would have M.C. Beaton. I love Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth. My second choice is Agatha Christie.

    • Just to let you know, MC Beaton started another series a couple of years ago. They are also light but take place under the Regency era, I believe. They may be written under her name Marion Chesney which is the name under which she writes her humorous Regency romances. If not, I’m sure you can find the pseudonym on line. I have not read the Regency mysteries but I saw them at the library and if they are anything like her ‘straight’ Regencies(which I have read) you might find them delightful.

      • Marion, I’m not sure which books you are referring to. I have so many listed on Marion Chesney’s page (over 100 books, not to mention the 50+ she has written as M.C. Beaton!). I can’t imagine how she could actually have more than these! Are there more that I’m not aware of?

        Marion Chesney (aka M.C. Beaton)

  18. I have to dip in and mention Doris Miles Disney. Her 1950’s-60’s mystery/thrillers are wonderful. The old series, “The Snoop Sisters” featured one of her books, “Do Not Fold, Spindle, or Mutilate”. In the not a cozy category, I love that Texas girl, Mary Lasswell. She wrote about three women in San Diego during WWII.

  19. My two authors would have to be Mary Daheim (Alpine series and HIllside Bed and Breakfast) and Rex Stout (Nero Wolfe). Just because of the volume of books they have. But one of my favorite readers who always makes me laugh is Mark Schweizer – who main character Hajden Honig who ownes Raymond Chandler’s typewriter, but is nowhere near the same caliber of writer – but you love his stories about church music literagy.

  20. Ah, so many authors and books and so little time…….. However, my favorite two authors (and I’m surprised that neither are mentioned in the above comments) that I could read over and over if on a deserted island are Sue Grafton and Louise Penny.

  21. Oh, such a good question–and a tough one, too! After much agonizing (LOL), I would choose Joyce (and Jim) Lavene and Clive Cussler (especially love his Oregon Files). Between the two of them, I would have lots of well-written books to read.

  22. Two authors for me would have to be Beaton for Hamish – can’t go anywhere without him and Emily Brightwell for Mrs. Jeffries. I love British cozies so those two would give me the most comfort on a deserted island

  23. Look at all these reader’s picks…just more books and authors that I have to add to my list!

    • Me, too, Cathy K. I have to admit that some of the author choices were a little surprising to me. (But I’m guessing my E.F. Benson nomination has surprised some people, also.)

  24. Since you’re traveling to Colorado Springs, I hope you’ll take a look at two of my Claire Hanover gift basket designer mysteries that are set there and feature local attractions:
    A Real Basket Case (book 1)
    A Basket of Trouble (book 3, due out Nov 8)
    Enjoy your visit to Colorado Springs! I hope the Garden of the Gods park is on your list of must-see sights, and I recommend an excellent, reasonably priced French restaurant: Marigold Cafe and Bakery.

    • Thanks, Beth. My mother lives in the Garden of the Gods area, so it’s a definite place I’m visited many times. (Also, when I lived in the Springs, we used to cut through the Garden of the Gods quite a bit in order to get to one of our favorite restaurants in Old Colorado City. As for Marigold’s, when my mother was able to get out, it was one of her favorite places to take us for at least one meal each time we visited.)

  25. Wow- the first would have to be Donald Bain of the Jessica Fletcher mysteries. I have read these so many times and I never get tired of them. The next would be M C Beaton. I love her books.

  26. That is a tough question. I would have to say Joanne Fluke for mystery and Amanda Ashley/Madeline Baker. I love Joanne’s Hannah Swensen series only thing being on desert island looking at all the yummy recipes might drive me crazy. Lol. I Love Amanda Ashley’s vampires and her westerns and paranormal as Madeline Baker.

  28. John Dickson Carr would be the first. For the second, it would be hard to choose between Donna Leon and Michael Dibdin.

  29. My first thought was an How To Book such as How to Build a Boat, How to start Fire without a Flint, How to forage wild plants for food, etc. (smile)
    Then I thought I sure wouldn’t want any books with food themes such as delicious cupcakes, donuts, etc. This would just make one hungry for something you couldn’t have.
    I thought of Charlaine Harris because each of her series is like a different author wrote each series. So you wouldn’t get tired of the writing style and each book would be fresh. However, do not follow the Sookie Stackhouse so I ruled that thought out.
    Here are my choices:
    Susan Wittig Albert: I am a big fan of the Darling Dahlias and have only read the first 3 books in her China Bayles series. I don’t think herbs would make me hungry. I haven’t read any Beatrix Potter or books written as Robin Paige. Would like to read her Wilder Rose book too. She is a excellent writer so would be quite happy with her books.
    I haven’t read a J.A.Jance in ages and don’t remember which ones I read. So this would be a good time to start at the beginning of her several series and start reading. There would be a lot to read.

    • Lynn T, how clever of you to think of those foraging-for-food/building-a-boat/starting-a-fire types of books. I can honestly say I had never thought of those types of books, which had Gilligan’s gang had, would probably have been better than the Professor’s knowledge.

  30. wow tough question, my first thought was who has the most, need lots of books don’t know when I would be rescued. So I think. it would be Donald Bain and either Mary Daheim or the Cat who series.

  31. I would have to pick Nora Roberts (J.D. Robb) and Barbara Mertz. Enough books by both authors to last a long time!

  32. I like Sue Grafton a lot, though I sometimes listen to the abridged audiobooks so there is not so much background on places.

    Have always been a Poirot fan, but they are not books I go back to, so I’d have to pick M.C. Beaton for the second. I’m reading the Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin series at the moment. I especially enjoy the Macbeth books on audio (not abridged).

    Someone mentioned J.K. Rowling’s Potter books. I LOVE them and have read and listened to them. While not technically mysteries, there is a lot to discover.

  33. Thank you all for telling all of us about the two authors’ books which you would most prefer to have with you on a deserted island.

    One of the author who I know I would absolutely have to have with me is E. F. Benson. I can’t come up with my second author right now, although I know he/she would be a Cozy Mystery author. I’ll have to try to cut my favorite authors list down to one, which will not be easy!

  35. I would pick Ellis Peters for my first author. Not only would that give me the wonderful Brother Cadfael mysteries, but also her contemporary mysteries, both the Felse family books and the stand-alones. It would also give me the historical books she wrote under her own name, Edith Pargeter.

    For my second author, I would get my fantasy from Mercedes Lackey. She writes several series on her own and also co-writes several series with other authors.

  36. Coming in a bit late, I would probably have to go along with Marion: Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
    There’s some great modern authors out there, but you just can’t beat the classics.

  37. Georgette Heyer: mysteries, historical, & regency novels–such a variety.
    Jane Austen. I’ve read both of these authors over and over. So difficult to limit it to two.

  38. I would pick two authors with at least two series: Laura Childs and Elaine Viets. I also can’t believe that I didn’t see Sue Grafton or J.A. Jance on anyone’s lists.

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