Can anyone suggest some books/ authors for me? Am not particularly highbrow

[TheArmadillo]

Can anyone suggest some books for me to try?

I like fantasy that makes me laugh (Robert Rankin, Pratchett, Jasper Fforde style stuff) and the Terry Brooks prequels to Shannara (but don't like the Shanara stuff).

Some sci fi but nothing where I need to understand too much science. Phillip K Dick = good but Greg Egan goes over my head.

My major passion is crime novels - more modern ones such as Ian Rankin and Kathy Reichs, but mostly stuff such as Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. Though have read all of these our library has. Have tried the Alexander McCall Smith ones but couldn't get on with them.

I would like to read the Paul Temple series but can't remember the author. Also the woman that wrote that one with the policeman stuck in bed who 'solved' the princes in the tower mystery.

I also want to read some more classic books but don't like 'romance' or 'twee' stuff. I can't stand Dickens and have read all the Jane Austen I can stand (ok was forced to at school). Also didn't like 'The woman in white'.

If I can get away with books with no hint of love or romance then that is my ideal . Chick lit is my idea of hell.

There was also a book serialised on radio that I would like to get hold of about a woman who was brought up at home (I think early 20th century) then went to finishing school where she met a girl who became an actress. She was in love with someone from her village who went to war. Never married. Her sister caused a scandal by getting pregnant and eventually died after trying to kill her self (her new inlaws were bastards). Eventually heroine's love asks her to marry him but she decides she'd prefer to stay single and be a spinster.

I also like books on cookery (Elizabeth David style).

If anyone can suggest anything I would be very grateful

[TheArmadillo]

also loved John Wyndham and Richard Mathieson.

[TheArmadillo]

and also love Henning Mankel (INspector Wallander series)

[milknosugarplease]

crime novel wise- tess gerritsen! fab author! she has loads of books but a bunch of them follow 2 characters (maura isles and jane rizzolli) theyre fab! will find you a list of the order to red them if ya interested?

xx

[aristocat]

have you tried Tess Gerritsen, James Patterson (my fave....but read 'em all), Michael Connelly.

also found James Grippando recently and he is excellent !

[aristocat]

Wow mnsugar great minds and all that
OP gotta read them now

[milknosugarplease]

Deffinatly have to read them now!

aristocat-is james grippando crime writer?

xx

[TheArmadillo]

thank you

I'd forgotten about James Patterson - read one of his a couple of years ago adn loved it. Will definately put these suggestions on my list.

[aristocat]

Yes, American of course.
The latest i read was called Lying with Strangers. Have also read A KIngs Ransom by him too.

[Tillyscoutsmum]

Have you read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series ?

[TheArmadillo]

no I haven't heard of it - what kind of thing is it?

[MermaidSpam]

Have just read the Grant County Series by Karin Slaughter (starting with Blindsighted). Really enjoyed them.

[TheArmadillo]

just wiki'd it - looks def like my kinda thing.

Going on the list.

Thanks

[hocuspontas]

Josephine Tey wrote 'Daughter of Time' (princes in the tower one). I liked her books.

If you like crime/thriller type books have you read any of Robert Goddard? These are full of twisty-turny plots and are really good reads with NO romance at all

[TheArmadillo]

will also look out for Karin Slaughter
Thanks

If the library don't have them it'll be my birthday in about a month

[TheArmadillo]

I dislike films with romance in as well - this leads to dp and lodger saying I have no soul

why ruin a good story by adding smoochy stuff there is no need for it.

Which is why I love Conan Doyle one minute it's 'she's a smart woman' next minute their married.

That's enough for me

[TheArmadillo]

thanks for josephine tey as well. I will write it down before I forget. I really loved that book.

[lilolilmanchester]

I've read a couple of Mary Higgins-Clark ("Two Little Girls in Blue" and "No place like home") which are easy but good reads, crime/mystery-ish. You might like John Grisham, a lot of his books are legal thrillers, rather than crime novels (haven't been too impressed with his books which weren't legal thrillers tho).
Classics - I'd try Thomas Hardy's "Jude the Obscure"or "the Mayor of Casterbridge"; Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird"

[TheArmadillo]

Thanks for those - will def try them. Have heard some Hardy on the radio and really liked it. Will add them all to list.

[Sidge]

If you like crime/thrillers try:

Lee Child
Dennis Lehane
Harlen Coben
Janet Evanovich
Robert Crais
Christopher Brookmyre
Linda Fairstein
Patricia Cornwell (but only her first 6 or 7 books)

[FlyingMonkey]

I recently read one of the Inspector Lynley books by Elizabeth George and really enjoyed it.

If you like historical crime novels, I would really recommend CJ Sansom and also Ellis Peters.

Have you readArthur and George by Julian Barnes? It's about Sir Arthur Conany Doyle and his involvement in a real life case. V v good read.

[elkiedee]

I was going to suggest Christopher Brookmyre - as a crime writer but also because in your first post you mentioned that you like fantasy with humour.

Other crime writers - have you tried Mark Billingham or Peter Robinson? Rick Riordan has recently been very successful as a children's writer but he's written a wonderful series of PI crime novels - I don't know if they're published here but I've been able to buy the ones I didn't already have through Amazon - first in the series is Big Red Tequila. This year I've also devoured the Martin Beck series of 60s/70s Swedish books about a police detective - the authors were Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo. Only trouble is there are only 10 and Wahloo died soon after the last was published, so there are won't be any more.

[aristocat]

another book i read recently was called Creepers by David Morrell.

the blurb says -
one chilly october night in New Jersey, a group of creepers enters the Paragon, a hotel designed and built by a reclusive millionaire. the once magnificent structure is now a decrepit,boarded-up edifice marked for demolition and has a disturbing history. soon after the group enters it becomes clear that this decying seven storey building holds more secrets than they could have imagined in their worst nightmares. danger, terror and death wait for them in a place ravaged by time and redolent of evil.

the author also wrote the 'rambo' books but dont let that put you off
truly a gripping story IMO

[MermaidSpam]

Have you tried any John Grisham? I would recommend 'The Pelican Brief' in particular

[maisiebrooks]

I've just read my first Kate Atkinson novel 'When will there be good news', a crime thriller but so much more! Would highly recommend it. I am also a big fan of Elizabeth George (she writes the Inspector Lynley novels, much better than the TV series).

[shivermetimbers]

If you like Terry Pratchett you might like Tom Holt, similar but better imo.