Mumsnet Talk

Hoping someone can help. Every year I buy my dad some crime fiction, it's become a bit of a tradition. So far, I've done Michael Connelly, most of the main Scandi-crime writers, Peter James and last year it was CJ Samson. Any ideas for this year? Before I started supplying him, he was into Ellis Peters, Janet Evanovich, Patricia Cornwell, PD James, Elizabeth George, Ruth Rendell, Sara Paretsky.

What else might he like, do you think?

Christopher Brookmyre
Stuart McBride

Off the top of my head

Ian Rankin, John Harvey, Val McDermid (her early stuff is less dark than the Wire in the Blood series),

Mark Billingham, the DI Tom Thorne books. I love them and am a huge Michael Connelly fan.

The Ben Aaronovitch series is really good if he can be persuaded to get into crime and magic at the same time!

Sorry, should have put "London" before "series"

Peter Robinson
Reginald Hill

Jeffrey Deaver

Lee Child
Mark Billingham
Karin Slaughter
Caroline carver
Peter Robinson

wow, so many responses so quickly! The only name on that list I know he's already got is Val McDermid, so plenty of options there - thanks all

I have recently enjoyed the first two books of Peter May's 'the lewis trilogy' about some murders in the Hebrides, the first one is called The Blackhouse
and the second The Lewis Man, I think the third one is coming out in the New Year. They are very well written.

The Susan Hill 'Simon Seraillier' series is also nicely written with some interesting themes.

Louise Penny's 'Inspector Gamache' books are brilliant and I am jealous of everyone who hasn't started reading them yet.

Similarly Dennis Lehane's Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro books are fantastic and underrated over here.

Lisa Gardner (but buy them in chronological order as the same characters appear in her different series-she also writes stand alone crime novels such as 'The Perfect Husband']

Chris Carter - forensic crime procedural/quite graphic in detail of the murders

M K Kerley

Alex Kava

Sophie Hannah

Lisa Jackson

Linda Carvello

Karin Slaughter - again buy chronologically starting with 'Blindsighted' and then 'Kisscut'

Tess Gerritsen - again, buy chronologically- 'The Surgeon' is the first book in her crime series featuring Jane Rizzoli the Boston detective

James Lee Burke (chronological featuring a Louisiana detective, Dave Robicheaux)

Attica Locke - brilliant new Deep South based crime novelist.

I really enjoyed the Shetland Trilogy by Anne Cleeves. There were some good plot twists!

Some not mentioned, Robert Crais, Sue Grafton, Chelsea Cain, Nelson deMille, JA Kerley, Alafair Burke, Harlan Coben, Jonathan Kellerman, Faye Kellerman.

RJ Ellory - different take on 'crime fiction' but a fabulous writer.
Ian Rankin
Christopher Brookmyre - hilarious
Jeffery Deaver

I'd second Harlan Coben, Jonathan Kellerman and Faye Kellerman. Enough titles between them to keep him going for aaaages!

My dear old grandmother loved Ellery Queen. Old fashioned I think but a really good read!

Belinda Bauer. She's written three novels so far, set on Exmoor. I liked them very much. Blacklands, Dark Side and Finders Keepers. Must be read in that order.

Liza Marklund - really good scandinavian writer
And another vote for Christopher Brookmyre

Anne Cleeves is amazing - love her Shetland trilogy; she also does the Vera Stanhope ones.

Johann Thorein (sp) is a fab Scandic one to get into. Also like Camilla Lackberg.

Do you know, I did this with my dad too. I gave him the first of the Shetland trilogy for Christmas last year with a view to giving him the others later in the year for his birthday. He died before we got to that. It was very sudden, completely out of the blue. I miss being able to do that sort of thing, the shared thing. I'm glad that someone else does it too.

Ellie Griffiths - forensic archaeology in East Anglia with a heroine who is an older mother, likes cats and Bruce Springsteen
I'd second Anne Cleeves and the Shetland books (actually a quartet and no 5 is coming out in the NY)
Stephen Booth - the Cooper and Fry books are really good reads, quite a few of them
Lin Anderson - scottish forensic scientist, interesting stories so far

Yes, its a Shetland Quartet! Ive just finished the fourth! Doh! The finale was good!

Kathy reichs, the bones series is based on her books, but the books are much better. Cross between Rendell and McDermid.

And you're still going! I went with Ben Aaranovitch in the end, as I always end up borrowing them and liked the sound of magic so thanks Lula

hanahsaunt - it's become a lovely tradition, completely by accident ... Will be keeping a copy of this thread for Christmases to come too.

And I think the Shetland quartet - or quintet - will be the choice for 2013