Mumsnet Talk

MrsGuyOfGisbourne (love your name more than I can tell you) I think you were the first (and the last) to mention Morse!

I've been IN LOVE with Morse since I was a teenager - more so on TV but love the books too. So condescending & clever - yum

In books, I also like Banks and Rebus. I like Dalziel & Pascoe too.

Baring into the Wimsey queue. YY Gervase Fen, too.

I hate Adam Dalgleish. I was ok with him till James printed one of his godawful poems. I had to go and have a shower. Blech. And not Shardlake either. Sansom is so tickbox about making him Likeable.

Hercule Poirot and Cetin Ikmen

Can't believe no one has mentioned Dave Robicheaux (by James Lee Burke). He's fabulous. As is his sidekick Clete.

I also love 'that fucking Flowers' (but I think Lucas Daveport is a bit boring) and, of course, Rebus.

And I like Faith whatsit in the Karin Slaughter books.

Martin Beck
Peter Wimsey
Miss Marple

in no particular order.

Don't warm to Dalgeish though the stories are good. He's a bit wet; mind you, if I knew someone in rl like him, I would probably like him immensely.

Seeker! I love Gervase Fen too! Kind of books you could read out loud to dh at bedtime and laugh your head off. Funny romantic thrillers, why were they never made into a television series? Would be awesome.

I've been looking for some new authors as I'm bored with the books I have. Have managed to get a few from here to have a look at, but sadly some people have only mentioned the detective and not the author.

Who writes about Montalbano? Sounds interesting.

I haven't read the whole thread yet, but..

on television, Sherlock, as played by the scrummy Benedict and Inspector Montalbano
in books, Alex Cross

Hi literary, oh they are interesting (and hard to find nowadays) - pick them up quick!! What I love about them is that they have loads of subtle psychological insight into the characters/criminals and detectives (and their families), and into human nature generally. Freeling is a compassionate, quirky writer and often unusually non-judgemental in his approach. I found myself getting really attached to his detectives (Van der Valk and Castang) and their way of looking at the world (in all its worst forms sometimes). Freeling used to be a chef in various European countries, and he also had (I think) a Dutch wife, so for an Englishman he has a real depth of insight into other cultures and outlooks which I also found very refreshing. Plus, I adored the frequent insertion of tantalising 'foodie' passages into his novels (where his highly intelligent, worldly-wise - but not highly-educated - detectives take a break from their pursuit of some dire felon to enjoy some fine cuisine, which is described with insider knowledge..! His very last few books weren't quite so good, I felt as all his others. He himself was I think largely self-educated, but he has an amazingly wide and deep knowledge of literature and culture. He may be an acquired taste....a Canadian post-grad at my university put me on to him many years ago, and I was quickly hooked. There was a TV series with Van der Valk a long time ago, but I never saw it as I was then growing up abroad - so don't know whether that did justice to the novels.

FiftyShades, my local secondhand bookshop has a whole collection of Nicholas Freeling books, which I've never picked up as they don't seem very interesting. What do you like about them? I should try one.

Chief Inspector Wexford
Simon Waterhouse

Love Thursday Next and Stephanie Plum. Can't believe nobody's mentioned Frost!!! Haven't warmed to the TV show, but the books are fantastic, gritty and hilarious.

Also love Hannasyde and Hemingway from many of Georgette Heyer's murder mysteries.

Concur also with Columbo and Alex Cross.

Oh, it's got to be Philip Marlowe.

Sorry, Nicolas Freeling (not Nicloas!)

Henri Castang (French) and Van der Valk (Dutch) from Nicloas Freeling's unforgettable novels, now hard to find, which nobody else seems to know and love except me...

Mine are mainly from the 'Golden Age' of detective fiction. Gervase Fen, John Appleby, Dr Thorndike and Peter Wimsey. Modern ones are Wexford, Precious Ramotse and Morse.

elkie thanks for Marcia M mention. Never heard of her but have asked for 1st one for Xmas.

I'm getting rather fond of Shardlake in the C.J.Sansom books.
Though tbh that may be the setting rather than the character.

Reviving this to get into the Wimsey queue.

I also enjoy Andy Dalziel tremendously and Gervase Fen too.

Lugg is more fun than Campion.

Definitely do - I read all of them after I read the first Kate Shugak one and was not very impressed. I decided to try again though and was hooked! I hope she writes more of both!

Have also got the Star Svensdotter one which is free from Amazon, but can't get into it. Shame, as I normally love SF!

I still have to try the Liam Campbell books - the first of those is free for Kindle as well.

elkiedee they only get better! I like the Liam Campbell ones as well, but there's only four of them.

Tuppence and Miss Marple
Robert Marthaler in Jan Seghers' books - a Hauptkomissar in Frankfurt who cycles a lot and spends a lot of time clinging fearfully on the back of police motorbikes!

Wimsey
And if journalist investigators count, Jack Parlabane and his friend Tim Vane who was probably in MI6 but doesn't talk about it

I like the Kate Shugak series but have only read the first 4 so far. Kindle users can get the first book, A Cold Day for Murder, free.

I'll add a new name to the mix - I love Kate Shugak (Dana Stabenow) and have just finished the last book. I am bereft!

Also Kinsey Millhone, VI Warshawski and Arkady Renko.