Need a new crime / thriller writer please?

Has anyone mentioned James Lee Burke? Brilliant writing. Start at the beginning though - there are lots featuring his detective Dave Robicheaux.

SJ Bolton is my most recent discovery - quite gruesome, which I like (freak)

And I would steer clear of James Patterson (though I have only read a couple of the Women's Murder Club ones so others could be different) - horrible right-wing propaganda: "Here is the murderer. He is suffering from severe mental health issues and is basically a five-year-old child trapped in a man's body. Death penalty you say? Absolutely. It's the only solution."

I love Brookmyre. (that's what he makes me do.)

All crime fans should sample the sublime Christopher Brookmyre. Preferably in order, but not strictly necessary.

Always overlooked - Cynthia Harrod-Eagles's Bill Slider series. Police procedurals, with a good helping of humour and wit.

I couldn't recommend Robert Goddard these days, I'm afraid. His early novels were really, really good, but the standard began to slip around the late 90s and nowadays they read like Dan Brown-style potboilers. I find it hard to believe that they are written by the same person: the writing style is completely different and the story unfolds at breakneck speed. I haven't bothered to read the latest two or three, but I do reread the early ones from time to time.

I love Karen Rose she mixes Cops hunting Serial Killer with a bit of romance and lusty Love throw in, so easy to read and hard to put down!

More suggestions: Natasha Cooper - her protagonist is a (female) barrister.

David Lawrence is also brilliant. Quite gritty and a Proper Writer (I read tons of crime fiction and there's definitely good, bad and ugly!).

Elmore Leonard is a bit of a special case, not exactly crime but he's also great.

Patricia Highsmith is well worth a look, and for 'golden age' you can't go wrong with Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh and Gladys Mitchell.

And if you've read all the Miss Marples, Patricia Wentworth wrote masses of books with a strangely similar maiden lady 'tec, Miss Silver. Old-fashioned by modern standards - Mo Hayder they ain't! - but good fun.

Thank you to all who suggested Birdman by Mo Hayder
I'm now reading Ritual
Op definitely worth a read I've read all the same authors you have and am enjoying these immensely

Sorry, just read that you've already read Patricia Cornwell. What about Mark Billingham?

I love Tess Gerritsen, how about Martina Cole or Patricia Cornwell?

I love sjowall and wahloo but the humour and characterization were dry to begin with. If you also read them as the depiction of Swedish society at a period of change they are v interesting.

Of an older period, ellery queen and Rex stout.

Tony hillerman for navajo interest. The great Emma lathen for wall street.
Edmund crispin for post war England.

Donna Leon for.Venice.
Giuttari also for Italy. And camilleri. I think they are both excellent.

I am perservering though Jux as the person who lent them to me says they get better ...

Cody Mcfadyen and Linwood Barclay

plus many of the others that have already been suggested...enjoy your reading just jealous that I don't have time anymore

I know what you mean, TheFarSide. I thought they were an interesting snapshot of a different society and a different era. (I was a teenager in the 70s and I remember those chauvinistic attitudes only too well.)

Jux I'm reading those at the moment - just finished number 4 - and really not liking them much. Maybe something has been lost in the translation, but they are very stilted. And, not surprisingly, very dated - the chauvinism is getting on my nerves.

Sjowall & Wahloo: Scandinavian, 70s, married and wrote alternate chapters. Quite interesting books. Wrote a set of 10. Hailed as early (or first?) example of detective 'method' novels. I liked them, liked seeing the development of their main character and his life unfolding, as well as the crime plots.

I also recommend Carter

Kazhy Reiches. The series Bones is based on her character Temperance Brennan.

lindsey davis roman detective falco series
mc beaton
steven saylor another ancient rome gordianus the finder
jd robb, romance/nyc police procedural/near future scifi - pure fun

Oh, I'll also second Chris Carter, -Karin Slaughter and mark billingham

Haven't read all posts, so don't know if the following have been mentioned:-

I've just finished a brilliant book by new writer Chevy Stevens - "Still missing" - had me on the edge of my seat all the way through and i'm an avid crime/thriller reader.

also:

Stuart macbride
John Connolley - although you would need to read them all to understand them;
mo Hayder
tess Gerritsen
Richard Montanari
Tim Weaver

If i think of any others i will post again

John Lawton - set in wartime/just after. Fantastic. There's a cheap one on the Kindle at the moment.

Michael Robotham is very good, have just found him.

And I'm starting mine soon so can let you know when that's done . . .

I second Quentin Jardine, tho' the first chapter of the first book in the Skinner series was rather gruesome. I had a three hour wait for a train and HAD to read if I was going to be able to drag dinner out for more than 20 mins, but really didn't want to read about a headless corpse when I had a plate of pasta in front of me! But none of his other books have been so bad.

Alex Gray, Reginald Hill etc etc (shall go through my crime shelves later and see if there's anything major that's not been said up thread).

Definitely Reginald Hill - was very sad to hear of hie recent death.

Also love Susan Hill's Serrallier series, Sophie Hannah, Minette Waters.

anything by alan furst - set in europe generally wwii - excellent