Want to Give Crime A Go!

[CDMforever]

Don't know where to start though.
I know I don't like James Patterson airport type books. Want something with a bit more depth.
Any ideas??

[meditrina]

You could try Minette Walters or Lynda La Plante. Then PD James. Then try some "Golden Age" old-fashioned murders like Dorothy L Sayers.

[Lisatheonewhoeatsdrytoast]

hmmm...i love Crime books, I'm a fan of Ian Rankin, Kathy Reichs (crime meets forensics).

[BoiledFrog]

Dennis Lehane is very good.

[LadyPeterWimsey]

PD James is the literary end of crime. But Dorothy L Sayers brought the Golden Age detective story to its highest point, I would argue. Rankin is a great modern writer, and Michael Connelly is very good from the other side of the Atlantic. Historical crime is also appealing: Ellis Peters (medieval), Steven Saylor (Roman Republic), Lindsay Davis (Imperial Roman detection with a light-hearted but cynical hero).

[clemetteattlee]

Ian Rankin is literary crime fiction at it's best. Start at the beginning of the Rebus series and I promise you won't be disappointed.
I have also been enjoying the Mankell Wallander books but they can be a bit dour!
As a younger person I devoured Ruth Rendell's Wexford series and they still read well now.

[Jux]

What sort of books do you usually read? Authors etc?

[ZacharyQuack]

Michael Connelly is excellent.

[MavisEnderby]

Ian Rankin.
The "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larrson is very good
Michael Conelly "Harry Bosch" books
I also love Fred Vargas,shes a fab author.

[Deaddei]

Susan Hill's Serailler novels, Peter James, Peter Robinson are all good.

[pearlgirl]

Was also going to suggest the Serailler novels by Susan Hill and Peter Robinson, I also liked the earlier novels about Decker by Faye Kellermann.

[BabeRuthless]

Jo Nesbo is brilliant, start with Redbreast. I'll add my thumbs up along with everyone else for Ian rankin & as someone said Dennis Lehane is brilliant. Start with "A drink before the war"

[tillyfernackerpants]

Robert Crais is probably my favourite, he has a series of novels featuring Elvis Cole, The Monkey's Raincoat is the first one.

Also Harlen Coben (Myron Bolitar books), he has a stand-alone called Tell No One which is v good

Carl Hiaasen mixes crime & humour, would recommend Skinny Dip

Lee Child's Jack Reacher books

[CDMforever]

Wow! Thanx all, a load to have a gander at on amazon.
The sort of authors I usually read are Kate Atkinson, Jasper Fforde (both with a bit of crime running through I guess) Rose Tremain.
I did think about Ian Rankin, someone who has cropped up alot above.
Think I would be more interested in the crime itself rather than forensics.
Generally like books about human relationships and strong characters.

[ZacharyQuack]

tilly I love Robert Crais too. I love how his Elvis Cole books have got better and better as the series has developed.

[tillyfernackerpants]

Zachary, yes, he seems to have added more depth to the characters hasn't he? I guess its as you find out more about their past etc.

[Deaddei]

There is a new Serailler novel which I have pre-ordered....definitely Harlan Coben Love Wyn.

[BitOfFun]

You might like Christopher Brookmyre too- they tend to be blackly comic and very well-written, with a political edge.

[BoiledFrog]

Yes Brookmyre is brilliant, I happened to pick up one of his in the library and loved it, went to amazon and sought out the rest. I do love some more than others but can't wait for his next one.

[BoiledFrog]

Which is your favourite BitofFun?

[BitOfFun]

It's really hard to say- if only because I get all the titles mixed up!

[BoiledFrog]

Yeah me too, although I would have to say "A big boy did it and ran away" or "Be my enemy" I love Tim Vale he should have his own series.

[pranma]

Try Stephen Booth
Kate Ellis
Peter Robinson
Peter Lovesy
Elizabeth George is good too though she can be hard work at times.
These are all English as opposed to American so I find them very accessible.
My all time favourites are the Books by Phil Rickman featuring Merrily Watkins

[BelleDameSansMerci]

Agree with all the above and was just going to recommend the Phil Rickman books too. They're brilliant.

[BelleDameSansMerci]

Oh, and Reginald Hill who writes the Dalziel and Pascoe series has done some "one offs" which are also excellent.

[MEBMotherof3]

PD James, Elizabeth George, Ruth Rendell, Ann Cleeves, Colin Dexter, RD Wingfield ( yes I am a sucker for tv detectives BUT the books are always better!!!!)