What crime/mystery books do you like?

GraceK, I have such happy memories of reading Sayers in my teenage years.

Think The Nine Tailors is my favourite, but I also love the one where he works undercover at an ad agency so so good! What's it called Murder Must Advertise, I think. Fab

I've recently read some good Sophie Hannah ones, pyschological crime genre, and Kate Atkinson books.

Anne Perry has two detectives she writes about. Inspecter Pitt and also Monk. They are both set in Victorian England. They are best read in the right order because she follows their personal lives as well.

Dick Francis = Sid Halley books

Alexander Mccall Smith - No1 Ladies Detetive Agency books. These are very gentle stories, good comfort reads.

Dorothy L Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey books - 1920's puzzle stories but with more historical detail & fairer clues than the dreaded Agatha, plus I think Wimsey's funny and his relationship with Harriet Vane is one of the most interesting 'romantic' relationships in literature - but don't worry it doesn't get in the way of the mysteries. DD2's middle name is Dorothy because of her.

Agree with poster about Reginald Hill's Daziel & Pascoe books - so much better than the tv programmes - they lost a lot of the earlier books details and then totally dumped the original stories a while back. Very funny at times too.

The Instance at the Fingerpost by Iain Pears - historical mystery told from 4 different view points. Very clever

Oh god yes, Margery Allingham absolutely rocks.

And Josephine Tey; sorry if someone's mentioned her too, have been skimming thread.

Second whoever suggested Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie books (Case Histories et al). They are excellent -- she is a fantastic, understated writer, and without fail they make me laugh and also cry (NB, not at the same time in a crappy Steel-Magnolias-type way).

Her new one is out now. I pre-ordered it and just got email today saying it is on its way to me

Also like Andrew Taylor's Lydmouth series. First one or two are only averagely good IMO, but they really hit their stride as a series eventually and by the last two or three I'd say they are genuinely excellent.

And also possibly Andrew Martin's Railway Detective books -- not for everyone, bit of an acquired taste maybe, but I got into them last summer and read them all in a row. Again would say first one not the best, they do improve.

If you like detective ficiton, Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks series. 17 or so books should keep you going!!

Walter Mosley - Devil in a Blue Dress and Black Dahlia are just brilliant

Has anyone mentioned Laura Lippman?

David Lawrence is excellent - and he has a female protagonist, DS Stella Mooney. They're set in London and are exceptionally atmospheric and gritty (except I rather suspect you might find them a bit gory). He's an interesting example of a literary writer having an a parallel career as a crime writer - in RL (as it were) he's the poet and opera librettist David Harsent. V highly recommended.

The Donna Leon Brunetti novels are also fab (someone mentioned them) but they're good more for the characters - who develop from book to book like old friends - and the mouthwatering descriptions of Italian food, rather than the plotlines, I find.

And another vote here for the immortal Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh and Patricia Wentworth, whose Miss Silver is a sort of Miss Marple-a-like. Gladys Mitchell too - very funny and slightly twisted.

Another vote for Quintin Jardine's Skinner novels fantastic, with a very strong central character throughout the series, probably my favourite. He has another series with Oz Blackstone as the central character, but I'm not quite as keen on those.

Also for something a bit different Deryn Lake, central character is an apothocary, set in Georgian period.

Oh, I'm katy_tt on it :) Wonder if we've ever swapped!

if you only want to read books once this site is brilliant

liz evans - shes great, i have re read almost all of her books.

Donna Leon features an Italian police detective based in Venice. Very quiet, no gore but lots of wonderful food!
For vintage try:
Edmund Crispin, slightly whimsical, funny 40s and 50s settings.
Margery Allingham
Ngaio Marsh

Colin Forbes

Jean-Christophe Grangé - spine-chilling with a weird twist at the end. Only problem with them is, late at night you have to find a safe place to stop. Originally in French, but available in English.
and if you like spine-chilling ones any of the books by Jean-Christophe Grangé,

Some of my favourites:

Susan Wittig Albert ? The China Bayles Mysteries
Linda Barnes ? The Carlotta Carlyle series
Sue Grafton - Kinsey Milhone series
Ann Granger ? Mitchell and Markby Mysteries
Sara Paretsky ? V I Warshawski series
Kate Wilhelm ? Barbara Holloway series
J A Jance ? Joanna Brady series and J P Beaumont series
Nevada Barr ? Anna Pigeon series
Janet Evanovich ? Stephanie Plum series
Deborah Crombie ? Duncan Kinkaid/Gemma James series

Also:

Edna Buchanan
Ruth Rendell
Minette Walters

A couple of more lighthearted series:

Joanne Fluke - Hannah Swenson series (with recipes!)
M C Beaton - Hamish Macbeth series and Agatha Raisin series

Stephen Booth
Linda Fairstein
P J Tracy
P J Parrish
Quintin Jardine
Louise Penny
Robert B Parker

All of the above have long running characters.

John Sandford

Lee Child - long running character of Jack Reacher.
Jeffery Deaver - Lincoln Rhyme/ Ameila Sachs
Karin Slaughter (quite gory though.)

I love all the authors you have mentioned in your OP!

Sara Paretsky

Ian Rankin, John Harvey