We've discussed when we give up on series so now lets list the series that we stick with and why.  It could be that the series is just all around outstanding or it could be that you just love the characters and or settings of the books.

I know that I will continue to read the Joe Pickett series by C. J. Box.  I'm pretty sure I'll read anything by Lori G. Armstrong, Julia Spencer-Fleming, Deborah Crombie, Elizabeth George, Michael McGarrity, Steven Havill, Donna Leon, and Craig Johnson too.

I agree-Julia Spencer-Fleming and Deborah Crombie!

I wish there were more books by Barbara Michaels.

Other authors I stick with are Susan Hill, Fred Vargas, Tana French and Lorena Barrett.  The first three are great police procedurals.  The authors does NOT churn them out every ten months, which keeps me interested, if that makes sense.   I find that books that are published too close together are obviously rushed at all stages, and are not well written.   I really look forward to a new publication of these authors, as they come out every 18+ months.

Lorena Barrett is a local author for me (Rochester, NY) and she writes a great cozy series that both myself, my sister and mother all like to read.  Since we all live in different states, it gives the three of us  a connection that we can talk about over the phone or email.   

I wish there were more of the Susan Moody series featuring Cassandra Swann.  Same with the Dr. Gloria Lamerino mysteries by Camille Minichino (she actually made science interesting to me).  I'm really getting into the Fran Varady series by Ann Granger and hope it goes on for a few more years. 

Phil Rickman and Christopher Fowler.  Their characters are like old friends.

I could go on forever---Leslie Meier's Lucy Stone series; Susan Wittig Albert's China Bayles, Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter; Kate Collin's Flower Shop Mysteries; Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swenson; Joanna Carl's Chocoholic; Margaret Grace's Murder in Miniature; Catherine Coulter's FBI; Monica Ferris; Emily Brightwell; Cynthia Baxter's two series, just to name a few.  :-)   

Well, I'm in the minority here, but I am very attached to James Patterson's Alex Cross.  I typically refuse to read anything that is typically an "airport book" or that everyone reads because it's on the best seller list, but I stick with that series.  I've never cared for his Women's Murder Club books though.  John Sanford and Marcia Muller cannot write books fast enough for me.

And like everyone else here I could go on and on with the lists of series that I love to read and am thrilled when a new one comes out.

There are just so many to list...and the reasons for sticking with them are multi-dimensional. Usually I think it boils down to 3 things--most often a combination of them, but sometimes just one will do:

1) I love the characters so much that they are like old friends--so would stick with the series even through a book or two that maybe wasn't so great.

2) I love the author's whole writing style and attitude.

3) The series is quirky, unique in some way and holds my attention.

I would never say I've "stuck with a series" when the author has only got a few books out. They're just getting warmed up! Let's see if I'm still reading them after a dozen books or more! LOL A few of my long-term "stuck on yous" are:

Sue Grafton, Deborah Crombie, Donna Leon, Andrea Camilleri, Henning Mankell, Martha Grimes, Ian Rankin, Peter Tremayne, Susanna Gregory, Susan Wittig Albert, Rhys Bowen, Alan Gordon, Bernard Knight,

There are several "newer" authors that I would say I'm also sticking with, but with only a few books, who knows for sure...Craig Johnson, Chris Grabenstein, Louise Penny, Ariana Franklin, P.J. Tracy...lots and lots...hard to answer this one!

Cheryl

Well, I've stuck with the Stephanie Plum series simply because I love the characters.  And although I am definitely in the minority, in this particular series I love the "love triangle" between Stephanie, Joe and Ranger.  I guess maybe because I don't consider them serious relationships.  Stephanie is that little bit of true fluff that I indulge myself in.  (Having said all this, I will concede that it is probably time to end the series.      Others are the Kinsey Millhone series by Sue Grafton, the Lucas Davenport series by John Sandford, the Sarah Booth Delaney series by Carolyn Haines, Deborah Knott by Margaret Maron, Jane Rizzoli by Tess Gerritsen, Tempe Brennan by Kathy Reichs.  Most of these I love because I feel a connection with the characters.

As I read this thread I realize (and think it amazing) what a diverse group of Mystery/Thriller readers we are.

The series I keep up to date wtih are Steven Saylor, Rhys Bowen, Jacqueline Winspear, Alexander McCall Smith, Patricia Briggs, Carrie Vaughn, Kelley Armstrong, Charlaine Harris (they are not as good as they used to be). I have many series that I have read 2-3 and mean to get back to.

These series that I continue to  read I think of it as having a cup of tea with an old friend and catching up.

Alice

I am pretty sure that I need to stop reading any and all posts in this forum as each opening of a thread results in at least one new addition to my TBR list.  And the darn thing BALLOONS when I find a new series to read.  I really need a job where I get paid to read whatever the heck I want to read.

Sticking with C. J. Box, Craig Johnson, Susan Wittig Albert, Julia Spencer-Fleming, William Kent Krueger, Steve Hamilton, Diane Mott Davidson, Sarah Graves, Louise Penny, Karin Slaughter (although I am still seething about 2007's Beyond Reach), Rosemary Harris (relatively new series), Carolyn Hart (Death on Demand only), Carolyn Haines and Michael McGarrity.

I've stuck with a bunch of authors until their end - John D. MacDonald Travis McGee, Robert Parker (all), and William Tapply's (both Coyne and Calhoun). I keep up with Evanovich, Diane Mott Davidson, Grafton and Maron. I now have a backlog of authors new to me, cozies and others such as Lee Child and CJ Box that I hope will become new favorites - and are younger and will be around for a while as I much prefer series to individual books.    

Oh-Anna--

I am planning to start the Karin Slaughter series soon.  What can you tell me about them?

Deb

I agree with Anna regarding Karin Slaughter's Beyond Reach, but I'm going to stay with her series.  Others I'll stay with are: Julia Spencer-Fleming, Vince Flynn, Lee Child, & James Lee Burke.  I just discovered G.M. Ford and am slowly trying to gather his books. 

I forgot to add:  Karen Rose (although I though the last book was slow).

Oh mercy!  This is too difficult to answer.  All of the above fer sur.  I absolutely with Cheryl as to why I stick with a series.

Some I like just because they are light, easy read cozies.  Others because they're more involved and keep me going for a while. 

So I range from Stephanie to Alex with a touch of Kate Kennedy and Jack Reacher in there too.

Basically, I love series!

Absolutely loyal to....Sue Grafton, Sarah Graves, Jonathan Kellerman (in audio, because it's one of the few authors my husband and I agree upon), Laurie King (though I'm struggling with this last book), Laura Lippmann.

Keeping up with for one or more of Cheryl's reasons...Stephanie Plum, Laura Childs, Robert Patterson's Jesse Stone series (another I listen to with DH), Monica Ferris, Alpine Series by Daheim.

New to me, but really enjoying so far......Victoria Thompson's historical series, Hyzy's White House Chef series, Leslie Meier's Lucy Stone series.

Deborah, I'm keeping my mouth shut about Beyond Reach, but I can guarantee that when you come to THAT page, you will just sit there dumbfounded, speechless and gasping for air. Then, even if you are the non-violent type, you will begin throwing things and screaming.

OK, I've said enough. Nothing more.  Nada. Zip. Zero. Zilch.                         

Melani,

I am with you...I do enjoy Alex Cross.  I am just about to read Mary, Mary so I have many more to read.  I like the characters. 

I HAVE to read Kinsey Milhone and Stephanie Plum books.  They are like old shoes.  Maybe I should throw them away but, they are just too comfortable.

On my second Smoky Barrett book - seems like a keeper series to me.  I am sure I have others but, can't think of them.  A lot of series I am just starting - Jack Reacher & Harry Bosch.

Susan

Like so many have posted, I HAVE to like the characters and care about what happens to them. The author has to continue to develop them in reasonabl ways or to involve them in situations that are interesting. If the characters continue to interest me, I can forgive the occasional plot that isn't as fresh ... or one that doesn't interest me as much ... and will continue with the series.

Series that have ended that I continued as long as they were being written and still have on my personal bookshelf to re-read: Dell Shannon's Luis Mendoza/ LAPD series; John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee series; Heron Carvic's Miss Seeton (the ones actually written by HC not the later ones), Virginia Lanier's Bloodhound series and now Robert Parker's Spenser series.

Current series I keep to re-read: 

John Sandford's Lucas Davenport series (almost gave up well into the Prey series but he seem to have gained a "new outlook" after his marriage);  I have his new series featuring Virgil Flowers also and so far, so good.

Craig Johnson and Peter Bowen (I lived most of my life with the people and in the area these two write about and they get it absolutely right) I'm still hoping for more DuPre books from Bowen and already have Johnson's newest pre-ordered (May publication). I've never quite been able to get into the C.J. Box series, I think because somehow he just doesn't get the authentic "flavor" of the people as Johnson and Bowen do.

Thomas Perry, the Jane Whitefield series (though I have to admit I've lost interest since she's married) and the series he had with the "outlaw gang" that started with Metzger's Dog.

J. D. Robb's Eve Dallas series is a fairly recent "discovery" for me but I love the characters, I think partly because I have so much in common with ve Dallas ... I hate shopping, I hate parties, I don't understand why you have to wear heels and makeup!

Margaret Maron is another, much more interesting after I moved to Kentucky. When I lived in Montana and had never had personal contact with "the south" I thought the books were highly exaggerated. (They aren't! I've now MET a lot of the people in her books.)

Then, of course, I have "some" of a lot of other series as well ... mostly series that have started off very well for me but for some reason or other have gone in directions that simply made me lose interest. I've never quite figured out, for instance,  why the main character in one series can get married and it "freshens" the series ... but in another it seems to dilute the character and take them in uninteresting directions.

Dick Francis does "horse mysteries" better than anyone and is almost the only one that never gets it wrong. As a lifetime horse person, errors with horses really can ruin a good story for me.

Rita Mae Brown's "Hunt Club" series. Again, does the horses right and she's the only one, with this series, that has been able to manage "talking animals" in a way that flows well with the storyline. Again, I don't care for her other series or books.

Dorothy Gilman, her Mrs. Pollifax series plus the two featuring Madame Karitska.

Charlaine Harris's "Grave" series but not her others.

Stuart Woods "Holly Barker" series ... I don't care for most of the Stone Barrington series.

Wow--My TBR list is growing exponentially thanks to this thread!

Some of my favorites are--

Michael Connelly--Harry Bosch series

John Lescroart--Dismas Hardy series

Jeffrey Deaver--Lincoln Ryme series

Kathy Reichs--Tempe Brennan series

CJ Box--Joe Picket series

Tess Gerritsen--Jane Rizolli and Maura Isles series

JD Robb--Eve Dallas series (I haven't read the last four or five but have all but the newest on my TBR shelf)

Sue Grafton--Kinsey Milhone series--I usually listen to these in audio format.

Faye Kellerman--Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus

Anne Perry--William Monk series--haven't read any of the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt books

And I've just discovered Marcia Muller and Robert B. Parker--so that's enough to keep me busy for quite a while!

Absolutely loyal to 

James Patterson  I just love the Alex Cross series and the Women Murder Club Series

Victoria Thompson  I really enjoy her Gaslight Series.

Ken Bruen, I just recently discovered his Jack Taylor series and I can not get enought of the series. This is a dark series but I keep wanting to know what trouble will find Jack next.

Cody McFayden I really like Smokey Barrett series.

Matthew Reilly- I just love the Shane Scoefield series I keep waiting to see if  the author will write another book in that series. His Jack West Jr. series is great too.

Jilliane Hoffman- Her books are pretty much stand alones I wish her books would come out faster.

These are just a few of my favorites.

My RL has about tripled due to this thread...now if the time in my day would correspond, I might make some headway!

Tammy - I am so thrilled to see someone besides me in this forum that enjoy's Patterson.  They're all a bunch of haters here 

Laura - that is the curse of this forum - doesn't matter what thread it is, it causes everyone's TBR list to balloon. 

I stick with Elizabeth George because whoever is second place in character development, also not using strictly stereotypical minor characters is about three notches behind.

I stick with James Lee Burke because he understands coonasses so well. [and for the non-cogniscenti, coonass is the farthest thing from a perjorative term]  (except for one book when he place the book in West Texas and mangled the geography unbelievably)

I stick with Tony Hillerman because he presents his people so knowledgably.

I stick with Walter Mosley because he does dialogue so well. And like Raymond Chandler did, looks into the heart of his bad guys and speculates on why.

James Rollins sigma force, stephen hunter swagger series, vince flynn's mitch rapp, lee child's jack reacher, and clive cussler's dirk pitt. and anything by david morrell. Reading my first steve berry cotton molone novel now and its very good so far.