I absolutely loved To Say Nothing of the Dog, which was the first Connie Willis novel I'd ever read. I recently read Remake, which was only so-so. Unless you're a big fan of Hollywood movie musicals, I'd give that one a miss.

With this series, it's best to start with Aunt Dimity's Death, but you could also start with Aunt Dimity and the Duke, since it is a prequel. Don't read any further, though, until you've gone back and read Aunt Dimity's Death, so you'll have a better understanding of the supernatural aspects and who all these characters are to each other.

I have read The Golden Compass (Northern Lights, I believe it is called in England), and I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the rest of that series. However, I have also read The Ruby in the Smoke, and I enjoyed that one tremendously. It is more of a straight adventure story, so it's great for readers who aren't as into fantasy novels.

The first two or three novels, though award-winning, are a bit weak. I would recommend starting with G is for Gumshoe, which gives an excellent introduction to the character of Kinsey Millhone. Then go back and start at the beginning of the series.