The author who won't let you down

[pippinandtog]

Which author's books would you buy unreservedly, knowing that you will definitely enjoy ?
My choice would be Deborah Moggach.

[HooseRice]

Claire Allan. Her books get better and better.

[LadyCassandra]

Marian Keyes, I have re-read every one.

[EssentialHummus]

Sarah Waters. She can turn her attention to anything from Victorian London to the near-present and spin a compelling narrative.

[ThePigeon314]

Anne Tyler , Barbara Trapido
Tana French (crime but with charecterisation)

[LittleCandle]

Sharon Kay Penman and Elizabeth Chadwick. And going back a bit, Mary Stewart. Her books were fab.

[GemmaB78]

Philipa Gregory. Alison Weir. Neil Gaiman

[Reality]

Neil Gaiman

Marian Keyes

Stephen King

[MermaidofZennor]

Susan Hill
Alan Bennett
Ian McEwan
C J Sansom
S J Parris
Elizabeth Jane Howard
Kate Atkinson

[freetrampolineforall]

Sara Paretsky

[WaitroseCoffeeCostaCup]

Maggie O'Farrell-every new one is my new favourite!

[KittiesInsane]

I must be super-picky. Pretty much every author I've read on those lists seems to have had at least one duff effort.

or maybe I need to stop reading grumpily at 3 a.m. when I can't sleep, and then they'll all be great again?

[OneArt]

Barbara Kingsolver
Sarah Moss
Maggie O'Farrell

[GetAHaircutCarl]

Zadie Smith, Kate Atkinson, Mo Hayder, Karin Slaughter, Denise Mina.

[whatamidoinghereanyway]

Oh Maggie O'farrel, I adore her books!
Kate Atkinson, Kate Morton, Philippa Gregory. Also Rachel Joyce

[varvara]

CJ Sansom and Kate Atkinson.

[TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross]

Don't think I've ever found a failsafe author who hasn't disappointed at least once. Need to think about it.

Janet Evanovich is probably the closest: when I go for one of her books, I know exactly what I want (light, funny, romantic) and she always delivers.

[MissBattleaxe]

I think even my favourite authors have written at least one book I didn't like much.

[Religieuse]

I must be super-picky. Pretty much every author I've read on those lists seems to have had at least one duff effort.

I'm with you, Kitties. Actually, I think there are very few relatively prolific novelists who aren't also uneven. Every time I think of a name of a novelist I really admire and whose new book I will always read immediately, I find myself thinking that no, they're not always writing at the same level. I adore Anne Enright, but I liked The Green Road less than The Forgotten Waltz or The Gathering. I love Hilary Mantel, but I don't like her early unpleasantly bitter black-comic novels like Every Day is Mother's Day and Vacant Possession.

I will always buy anything new from Colm Toibin, Huge Hamilton, Deirdre Madden, Miriam Toews, Rachel Cusk, Mary Morrissy, Edna O'Brien, and a load of others, and know I'll enjoy them, but without any guarantee it'll be 'unreserved'!

[Just5minswithDacre]

Margaret Atwood.
Ian McEwan.
Nancy Mitford.
Ali Smith.

[tobee]

Used to be Pat Barker. But then Noonday let me down. Since then I have read some of her earlier ones and they've been disappointing too.

[Cocolepew]

Harlan Coben
John Sandford
Sue Grafton

[HoggleHoggle]

Going back, but I love everything by Edith Wharton.

Also love everything by Manju Kapur, Elizabeth Jane Howard, Antonia Fraser, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, PD James.

[timeforabrewnow]

Going right back ....Thomas Hardy, Leo Tolstoy

Back a bit ...John Fowles, Doris Lessing, Patricia Highsmith, Ira Levin

[AtiaoftheJulii]

Iain Banks? Some weird ones in there, but not duff.

[JazzTheDog]

Claire Allan
Lesley Pearse
C J Box