As a mystery writer, some might think my enjoyment of that genre is confined strictly to books. That’s not at all the case. I love mysteries in ANY format, particularly if they’re done well. So, I offer some recommendations from time to time. This week, it’s about TV shows. Some of these you may be into, some you may have only heard about, some may be new to you. Just take this as a friend offering a few suggestions.

ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING (Hulu or whatever Hulu is now)

PREMISE: An unlikely trio of friends, bonded by their love of true crime podcasts, wind up solving a murder that takes place in their upscale New York apartment building. It becomes a cottage industry when more murders take place in and around the building.

STARS: Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez, as well as a bevy of guest stars.

MY TAKE: The characters and their relationships are terrific and fun. Not only do the mysteries unfold in an intriguing way, but the personal stories are surprisingly emotional. Martin and Short have been friends and occasional collaborators for years, so their chemistry is not surprising. But it’s delightful to see how easily Gomez fits into the trio. It’s a testament to all three actors. The setting, the Arconia, is terrific, almost becoming a character itself. As a funny, intriguing, and occasionally emotional show, you can’t do better than Only Murders. Now, let’s sit down and enjoy some dips.

THE RESIDENCE (Netflix)

PREMISE: An offbeat private detective tries to solve the murder of the White House Chief Usher. The investigation is complicated by layers of politics and bureaucracy.

STARS: Uzo Aduba, Giancarlo Esposito, Randall Park, Isaiah Whitlock Jr, Jane Curtain, Al Franken, among others. 

MY TAKE: A classic mystery in every sense. A compelling and quirky detective, well-meaning befuddled sidekicks, a great setting, plenty of suspects and a cracking good mystery on top of it. It also pokes some nonpartisan fun at the political process, featuring no less than former Minnesota senator Al Franken in the cast. Cordelia Cupp should have taken her place among the great TV detectives. Alas, Netflix chose to cancel the series after just one season. But what a season it was. Highly recommended. 

SHAKESPEARE & HATHAWAY: PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS (Britbox)

PREMISE: After a down-on-his-luck private investigator takes a former hairdresser as his new partner, the two solve various mysteries in and around Stratford-on-Avon, England.

STARS: Jo Joyner, Mark Benton, Patrick Walshe McBride

A long-running (by British standards) series in which many of the stories adapt Shakespeare’s plays and characters. Some of the material in the later seasons get a little silly, but there’s an undeniable chemistry between the leads. A ton of fun and well worth the time.

DEATH IN PARADISE (Britbox)

PREMISE: A British Detective Inspector is assigned to the fictional island of St. Marie (jointly held by the French and the British) and must navigate the local customs and his quirky staff in order to solve various murders

STARS: (Currently) Don Gilet, Elizabeth Bourgine, Don Warrington, Shontol Jackson, Shaquille Ali-Yebuah, Catherine Garton

Definitely a long-running series, by any standards. The setting is gorgeous and the characters are always enjoyable. The cast generally features a fish-out-of-water British detective, a loyal and efficient assistant (generally, native to the island) and two beat cops, also island natives. The show has had a Theseus’s ship of revolving castmembers. To date, there have been five lead detectives, four assistants, and multiple beat cops. The only constants have been Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington) and bar owner, later mayor, Catherine (Elizabeth Bourgine). Still, the show constantly provides interesting mysteries, featuring a classic everyone-gathers-in-the-same-room-for-the-reveal climax (something that’s become a running gag on the show). How much longer can the show go on? I’d love to find out.

MAN ON THE INSIDE (NETFLIX)

PREMISE: A retired college professor is hired by a private investigator to infiltrate a senior living facility with the idea of catching a thief. Along the way, he begins to rediscover his own joy of life, damaged by the death of his wife some months earlier.

STARS: Ted Danson, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Lilah Richcreek Estrada, Stephanie Beatriz, Mary Steenburgen

MY TAKE: This one is and isn’t in the mystery genre. The series is more a meditation on aging and discovering what’s important in life. It’s both funny and moving. The ensemble is terrific. This sort of fish-out-of-water role suits Danson perfectly. I binged the entire first season in one night (given it’s eight episodes at about 30 minutes apiece, it wasn’t a giant commitment), and the second season in two nights. It’s a compulsively watchable, fun, and heartwarming series. Here’s hoping they bring it back for another season.