Picked by The Liebermann Papers fans

Here are 18 books that The Liebermann Papers fans have personally recommended once you finish the The Liebermann Papers series. Book DNA is a community of authors and super-readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

Book cover of Death Below Stairs: A Below Stairs Mystery

G.P. Gottlieb Author Of Battered

From my list on mystery series with delicious descriptions of food.

Why am I passionate about this?

I adore being immersed in a riveting mystery series where the characters become as familiar as neighbors. And I’m a bit of a piggy when it comes to food – I love reading about it, browsing through cookbooks (or chef reels), and inventing my own recipes. These five authors are on my list of All-Time Favorite Authors (it’s on my website) first, because they write gripping mysteries, and second, because of the captivating way they describe the food the characters prepare or consume. In fact, I’ll have to stop here to get myself a snack. I wonder if I have any poppyseed cake in the fridge.

G.P.'s book list on mystery series with delicious descriptions of food

G.P. Gottlieb Why G.P. loves this book

Ashley is another author on my All-Time Favorite Mystery author list.

I remember meeting her protagonist in the first Below Stairs mystery when it launched in 2018. Kat Holloway is a young cook in Victorian London with a somewhat troubled past. For six days each week, she coordinates dinners, oversees the stores of food, and bakes her famous seedcake, but on her day off, she steps out with her beau, Daniel, a Scotland Yard detective. Or she visits her daughter.

I love reading about Kat’s meal plans and sinking into the rarified world of working for the very wealthy. 

By Jennifer Ashley ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Death Below Stairs as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Victorian class lines are crossed when cook Kat Holloway is drawn into a murder that reaches all the way to the throne.

Highly sought-after young cook Kat Holloway takes a position in a Mayfair mansion and soon finds herself immersed in the odd household of Lord Rankin. Kat is unbothered by the family’s eccentricities as long as they stay away from her kitchen, but trouble finds its way below stairs when her young Irish assistant is murdered. 

Intent on discovering who killed the helpless kitchen maid, Kat turns to the ever-capable Daniel McAdam, who is certainly much more than the…


Book cover of The Accidental Empress

Bárbara Mujica Author Of I Am Venus: A Novel

From my list on historical novels featuring strong, feisty women.

Why am I passionate about this?

A professor of 16th- and 17th-century Spanish literature and culture at Georgetown University with a focus on women’s writing and the mystics, I am also the author of four bio-novels, all of which feature indomitable female protagonists. Whether queens, saints, or not-so-ordinary housemaids, the protagonists of the books I have chosen (and my own) demonstrate the power and vulnerability of women in early modern Europe. Fiction and scholarship overlap in my work, as I am often able to bring my academic research into my fiction. Two of my latest scholarly books are Teresa de Ávila, Lettered Woman and Women Religious and Epistolary Exchange in the Carmelite Reform

Bárbara's book list on historical novels featuring strong, feisty women

Bárbara Mujica Why Bárbara loves this book

I have been fascinated with Sisi since I visited the Habsburg Castle in Vienna several years ago. In The Accidental Empress, Allison Pataki imbues Elisabeth of Bavaria—known as Sisi—with humanity and intelligence. Engaged to Sisi’s older sister, the emperor Franz Joseph falls in love with the younger girl instead, making Sisi an “accidental empress.” However, his choice unleashes a chain of intrigue and political maneuvering. Pataki’s novel is rich in psychological insight, and her detailed descriptions of court life and the Austrian landscape transport the reader to another time and place. Pataki captures beautifully the atmosphere of luxury and intrigue of the Habsburg court and having been in the Castle, I can well imagine Sisi gliding through its vast space or dining on its priceless china. 

By Allison Pataki ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Accidental Empress as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Discover the "captivating, absorbing, and beautifully told" (Kathleen Grissom) love story of Sisi, the Austro-Hungarian empress and wife of Emperor Franz Joseph-perfect for fans of the Netflix series The Empress!

The year is 1853, and the Habsburgs are Europe's most powerful ruling family. With his empire stretching from Austria to Russia, from Germany to Italy, Emperor Franz Joseph is young, rich, and ready to marry.

Fifteen-year-old Elisabeth, "Sisi," Duchess of Bavaria, travels to the Habsburg Court with her older sister, who is betrothed to the young emperor. But shortly after her arrival at court, Sisi…


Book cover of The Morning Gift

Rachel McMillan Author Of The Mozart Code

From my list on set in Vienna and will create a lifelong love for the city.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am the author of the Herringford and Watts mysteries, the Van Buren and DeLuca mysteries, and the Three Quarter Time series of contemporary Viennese-set romances. I am also the author of The London Restoration. My non-fiction includes Dream, Plan and Go: A Travel Guide to Inspire Independent Adventure and A Very Merry Holiday Movie Guide. I live in Toronto, Canada.

Rachel's book list on set in Vienna and will create a lifelong love for the city

Rachel McMillan Why Rachel loves this book

Recalling Ibbotson’s personal experience of leaving Austria for England before Hitler’s Anschluss, The Morning Gift is a witty and warm marriage of convenience story between a witty and intrepid archaeologist, Quinton Somerville, and a brilliant professor’s daughter Ruth Berger. When Ruth is accidentally left behind in Vienna after her family has emigrated to England, Quin marries Jewish Ruth and protects her from oncoming Nazi occupation: under the condition that they will part ways when both are safely back in London. But Quin and Ruth continue to run into each other again and again and again. A deliciously Austrian-flavoured book. Ibbotson’s Viennese set-sequences and memories are a love letter to her city.

By Eva Ibbotson ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Morning Gift as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

The Morning Gift is a beautiful, classic romance from much loved author, Eva Ibbotson.

Eighteen-year-old Ruth lives in the sparkling city of Vienna with her family, where she delights in its music, energy and natural beauty. She is wildly in love with the brilliant young pianist Heini Radik and can't wait until they are married.

But Ruth's world is turned upside down when the Nazis invade Austria and her family are forced to flee to England, and through a devastating misunderstanding she is left behind. Her only hope to escape Vienna comes from Quin, a young English professor, who unexpectedly…


Book cover of The Third Man

Terry Morgan Author Of Whistleblower

From my list on international crime exotic locations nasty politics.

Why am I passionate about this?

What I look for in a book is something that triggers my serious side. So be it if that removes a whole range of fantasy books or those that merely titillate. Because I’ve traveled a lot, ‘feasible fiction’ is what I write and what I look for in other books. A story might be entirely fictitious, but as long as it’s not far-fetched, has a cast of realistic characters, an international or historic location, and keeps me on my toes to the very end, that’s great. If it’s got some politics and science thrown in, that’s even better. I hope my list lives up to expectations. 

Terry's book list on international crime exotic locations nasty politics

Terry Morgan Why Terry loves this book

I like books from guys who’ve traveled and been around a while before sitting down to write them. I suppose I’m one, but Graham Greene remains a hero of mine even though he died over twenty years ago. In this book, Greene masterfully creates the atmosphere of dark, damp, smoky post-war side streets in post-war Vienna.   

That the criminal element involves a crime syndicate selling diluted penicillin also appeals to me, as I’ve written three novels about fraud and corruption in the pharmaceutical industry.  

Green’s book led to a series of films, and this book's signature tune still resonates with me. 

By Graham Greene ,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Third Man as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Rollo Martins' usual line is the writing of cheap paperback Westerns under the name of Buck Dexter. But when his old friend Harry Lime invites him to Vienna, he jumps at the chance. With exactly five pounds in his pocket, he arrives only just in time to make it to his friend's funeral. The victim of an apparently banal street accident, the late Mr. Lime, it seems, had been the focus of a criminal investigation, suspected of nothing less than being "the worst racketeer who ever made a dirty living in this city." Martins is determined to clear his friend's…


Book cover of The Shape of Water

G.P. Gottlieb Author Of Battered

From my list on mystery series with delicious descriptions of food.

Why am I passionate about this?

I adore being immersed in a riveting mystery series where the characters become as familiar as neighbors. And I’m a bit of a piggy when it comes to food – I love reading about it, browsing through cookbooks (or chef reels), and inventing my own recipes. These five authors are on my list of All-Time Favorite Authors (it’s on my website) first, because they write gripping mysteries, and second, because of the captivating way they describe the food the characters prepare or consume. In fact, I’ll have to stop here to get myself a snack. I wonder if I have any poppyseed cake in the fridge.

G.P.'s book list on mystery series with delicious descriptions of food

G.P. Gottlieb Why G.P. loves this book

Inspector Montalbano Mysteries features Sicilian detective Salvo Montalbano, who solves crimes involving social issues, immigration, and the Mafia, while enjoying the best that Sicilian cuisine has to offer.

After reading five or six (it was before I started keeping track) of his mysteries, I already added Camilleri to my list of All-Time Favorite Mystery Authors, but I’d still like to read more of the 28 novels in the series.

I will admit that I don’t eat the meats and sea creatures that Inspector Montalbano enjoys, but I love the descriptions of pastas and pastries, and I’ve dreamt of visiting Sicily because of this series.

By Andrea Camilleri , Stephen Sartarelli (translator) ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Shape of Water as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Shape of Water is the first in Andrea Camilleri's wry, brilliantly compelling Sicilian crime series, featuring Inspector Montalbano. This edition with a stunning redesigned cover.

The goats of Vigata once grazed on the trash-strewn site still known as the Pasture. Now local enterprise of a different sort flourishes: drug dealers and prostitutes of every flavour. But their discreet trade is upset when two employees of the Splendour Refuse Collection Company discover the body of engineer Silvio Luparello, one of the local movers and shakers, apparently deceased in flagrante at the Pasture. The coroner's verdict is death from natural causes…


Book cover of Death at La Fenice

G.P. Gottlieb Author Of Battered

From my list on mystery series with delicious descriptions of food.

Why am I passionate about this?

I adore being immersed in a riveting mystery series where the characters become as familiar as neighbors. And I’m a bit of a piggy when it comes to food – I love reading about it, browsing through cookbooks (or chef reels), and inventing my own recipes. These five authors are on my list of All-Time Favorite Authors (it’s on my website) first, because they write gripping mysteries, and second, because of the captivating way they describe the food the characters prepare or consume. In fact, I’ll have to stop here to get myself a snack. I wonder if I have any poppyseed cake in the fridge.

G.P.'s book list on mystery series with delicious descriptions of food

G.P. Gottlieb Why G.P. loves this book

Although I’ve read well over half of the 33 novels in Leon’s Mystery series, I have yet to add her to my ongoing list of All-Time Favorite Mystery Authors.

I never tire of Brunetti’s quest to solve crimes involving a myriad of social problems, or his fantastic 3-course lunches, prepared by his university-employed wife, always with the perennially teenage son and daughter in attendance. Sometimes Comisario Brunetti will stop to pick up one of the courses, but his brilliant wife manages most of the time despite her course load.

And the coffee – Brunetti enjoys a quick shot of espresso in the morning, but there are often pastries, and nobody ever complains about gaining weight. Aside from the food, the mysteries are always riveting and fun to read.

By Donna Leon ,

Why should I read it?

9 authors picked Death at La Fenice as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'A splendid series . . . with a backdrop of the city so vivid you can almost smell it.' The Sunday Telegraph

Winner of the Suntory Mystery Fiction Grand Prize
__________________________________

The twisted maze of Venice's canals has always been shrouded in mystery. Even the celebrated opera house, La Fenice, has seen its share of death ... but none so horrific and violent as that of world-famous conductor, Maestro Helmut Wellauer, who was poisoned during a performance of La Traviata. Even Commissario of Police, Guido Brunetti, used to the labyrinthine corruptions of the city, is shocked at the number of…


Book cover of The Huntress

Bruce Stachenfeld Author Of Faythe of North Hinkapee: The Saga of a Young Woman’s Quest for Justice and Love in Colonial America

From my list on irrepressible, exciting and heroic female lead characters that you will never forget.

Why am I passionate about this?

I made up Faythe of North Hinkapee by being a jerk! I was ranting about how bad a "best seller" book I had read was. My wife looked at me and said, "So, could you write a bestseller?" I was challenged, and then, somehow, this book just tumbled out. It was about a girl in Colonial Timesher family burned as witchesvowing vengeance and how she gets it. My wife looked at me and said: “My God, that could be a bestseller!’ My kids also loved the story. For about twenty years, I planned to write it, and after a ton of work, I finally finished.

Bruce's book list on irrepressible, exciting and heroic female lead characters that you will never forget

Bruce Stachenfeld Why Bruce loves this book

Any time Kate Quinn writes a book, I grab it immediately. Her characters are always amazing women doing amazing things. This one is, I think, her best.

The character of Nina is possibly the most interesting single character I have ever read about. I can’t describe Nina as words just fail me. I will never forget her. Nor will I forget the evil huntress either. 

This is World War II historical fiction at its absolute best, as Ms. Quinn does super solid research.

By Kate Quinn ,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Huntress as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling novel, THE ALICE NETWORK, comes another fascinating historical novel about a battle-haunted English journalist and a Russian female bomber pilot who join forces to track the Huntress, a Nazi war criminal gone to ground in America.

In the aftermath of war, the hunter becomes the hunted...

Bold and fearless, Nina Markova always dreamed of flying. When the Nazis attack the Soviet Union, she risks everything to join the legendary Night Witches, an all-female night bomber regiment wreaking havoc on the invading Germans. When she is stranded behind enemy…


Book cover of Bruno, Chief of Police

G.P. Gottlieb Author Of Battered

From my list on mystery series with delicious descriptions of food.

Why am I passionate about this?

I adore being immersed in a riveting mystery series where the characters become as familiar as neighbors. And I’m a bit of a piggy when it comes to food – I love reading about it, browsing through cookbooks (or chef reels), and inventing my own recipes. These five authors are on my list of All-Time Favorite Authors (it’s on my website) first, because they write gripping mysteries, and second, because of the captivating way they describe the food the characters prepare or consume. In fact, I’ll have to stop here to get myself a snack. I wonder if I have any poppyseed cake in the fridge.

G.P.'s book list on mystery series with delicious descriptions of food

G.P. Gottlieb Why G.P. loves this book

Bruno (Benoît Courrèges) is a policeman who enjoys the slow pace of country life in the South of France.

He was formerly a soldier and relishes his peaceful daily routines of patrolling the lovely village of St. Denis, shopping for groceries, and cooking magnificent meals. Occasionally, bad guys show up, crimes of one kind or another disturb Bruno’s peace, and he must use his detective skills.

I especially love the care he puts into his wine pairings, no matter how many villains are on the loose.

By Martin Walker ,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Bruno, Chief of Police as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The first Dordogne Mystery starring Bruno, Chief of Police, France's favourite cop. EU inspectors are causing havoc in the little town of St Denis and local tempers are running high, but is it really cause for murder?

Market day in the ancient town of St Denis in south-west France. EU hygiene inspectors have been swooping on France's markets, while the locals hide contraband cheese in their houses and call the Brussels bureaucrats 'Gestapo'. Local police chief Bruno supports their resistance. Although, here in what was once Vichy France, words like 'Gestapo' and 'resistance' still carry a profound resonance.

When an…


Book cover of The Incurable Romantic: and Other Unsettling Revelations

Rui Diogo Author Of Meaning of Life, Human Nature, and Delusions: How Tales about Love, Sex, Races, Gods and Progress Affect Our Lives and Earth's Splendor

From my list on understand human nature and sexuality.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an unusual scientist in the sense that I have doctorates in both biology and anthropology, so I am very interested in the dichotomy between what our bodies truly want (biology) and how we are supposed to behave, or tell others to behave, in our cultural settings (cultural anthropology). Amazingly, studies show that we spend more time and attention in our lives living for others for what they think of us, than doing what we truly want, and that we often regret that, when we are close to dying. These books make us reconsider that way of living, so we can change this before it is too late. 

Rui's book list on understand human nature and sexuality

Rui Diogo Why Rui loves this book

The book is surprising because it is written by a clinical psychologist who, based on his own studies and a wide review of the literature, shows that many aspects of the romantic love notion we construct in movies, songs, and society, in general, are actually biologically and psychologically pathological.

I think this is probably the only book written by a clinical psychologist that truly delivers a deep analysis of romantic love, including its history.  

By Frank Tallis ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Incurable Romantic as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Frank Tallis brings a lifetime's clinical experience and wise reflection to a condition that, by its own strange routes, leads us into the very heart of love itself. This is a brilliant, compelling book' Ian McEwan

Love is a great leveller. Everyone wants love, everyone falls in love, everyone loses love, and everyone knows something of love's madness. But the experience of obsessive love is no trivial matter. In the course of his career psychologist Dr Frank Tallis has treated many unusual patients, whose stories have lessons for all of us.

A barristers' clerk becomes convinced that her dentist has…


Book cover of The Better Half: On the Genetic Superiority of Women

Rui Diogo Author Of Meaning of Life, Human Nature, and Delusions: How Tales about Love, Sex, Races, Gods and Progress Affect Our Lives and Earth's Splendor

From my list on understand human nature and sexuality.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an unusual scientist in the sense that I have doctorates in both biology and anthropology, so I am very interested in the dichotomy between what our bodies truly want (biology) and how we are supposed to behave, or tell others to behave, in our cultural settings (cultural anthropology). Amazingly, studies show that we spend more time and attention in our lives living for others for what they think of us, than doing what we truly want, and that we often regret that, when we are close to dying. These books make us reconsider that way of living, so we can change this before it is too late. 

Rui's book list on understand human nature and sexuality

Rui Diogo Why Rui loves this book

The book is surprising not only because of the very strong amount of scientific data compiled showing that in terms of health and also various other traits, women do indeed often outperform men but also because it shows that many of the discoveries related to those scientific data were actually done by women, contrary to the false or at least biased stories we often read about, in the literature.

One of the strengths of the book is precisely how it talks about these untold stories in science and how it connects them to the main topic being discussed. I have this book assigned to my undergraduate biology course at Howard University.

By Sharon Moalem ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Better Half as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From an award-winning medic and scientist, the game-changing case that genetic females have greater resilience, immunity, endurance and more, compared with males

'A powerful antidote to the myth of a "weaker sex"' Gina Rippon, author of The Gendered Brain

From birth, genetic females are better at fighting viruses, infections and cancer. They do better at surviving epidemics and famines. They live longer, and even see the world in a wider variety of colours. These are the facts; they are simply stronger than men at every stage of life. Why? And why are we taught the opposite?

Drawing on his wide-ranging…