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Crime fiction fans

95 replies

elkiedee · 10/07/2007 00:49

Calling fans of crime fiction - what have you read recently, any books or authors you'd recommend or warn people against?

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ZisforZebra · 13/07/2007 20:02

I love John Connolly's Charlie Parker books but flippin' heck are they gory! Definately not ones to read if you are at all squeemish. I discovered recently and have read all but the latest one.

I think that i'm slightly in love with Charlie Parker (if you can be in love with a completely fictional character?!) though so I may be biased.

Earthymama · 13/07/2007 12:19

Elizabeth George, the Lynley/Havers series.
Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine
Anne Perry
J D Robb for comfort read
A big vote for Lindsey Davis and Susan Hill

christie1 · 11/07/2007 21:12

Tenderness of wolves-steff penny- just came out this year and really good. Ian Rankin, Ian Rankin, Ian Rankin. I also love Martha Grimes and the Richard Jury series.

Lolly68 · 11/07/2007 14:51

I'm reading Count to Ten by Karen Rose at the moment... very good.

margosbeenplayingwithmynoonoo · 11/07/2007 12:15

Oh yes - Harlen Coben is very good

foxinsocks · 11/07/2007 10:49

ooh how did I miss this . I love crime fiction.

Have just finished Harlen Coben's new one, The WOods. Tis excellent.

Couldn't get on with Kate Atkinson's Case Histories for some reason. May try it again now.

One of my fave series of books is the Kurt Wallander detective ones by Henning Mankell.

elkiedee · 11/07/2007 10:43

Fishie, have to agree with you re cornwell's insanity, I thought she'd lost the plot in Black Notice, especially, total paranoia.

Also liked Atkinson's Case Histories as well as her earlier non crime books, and both series by Laurie King.

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elkiedee · 11/07/2007 10:41

I wish I could find more time to catch up on some of these authors - first time mum, currently on maternity leave for quite a while but I find less reading time than when I was working full time - I can normally get through a few pages on the morning tube journey (depends on journey, seat/crowding or not etc) and at lunchtime.

I also liked Donna Leon's first two books and have most of the others in the series waiting TBR. Read the first 3 Michael Dibdins last year and would certainly read more - he died earlier this year so the book due out around now will be the last.

I'm a fan of Val McDermid too.

Tissy, he's not Golden Age as he's writing now, but you might enjoy David Roberts' series of historical novels set in 1930s Britain, starting with Sweet Poison. Verity is a radical journalist and the other main character is an aristocrat - they don't agree politically but they like each other a lot but can't quite deal with it. There are lots of things that aren't mentioned explicitly in real GA books, but the author is definitely a fan of the form.

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fishie · 11/07/2007 08:22

really like kate atkinson, as refd by expat further down. ann cleeves is great, solid well written traditional.

patricia cornwell has gone quite mad and i don't know how any of you can read her books, they don't make sense.

i adore laurie r king, all of her books are excellent but the russell/holmes ones are particularly good.

FlameDelacour · 11/07/2007 08:13

The Straw Men books - Michael Marshall

I like the Mark Billingham ones too

Tess Gerritsen to an extent, but I have realised that I don't actually take in any of them - I managed to re-read one of her books and it was only at the end that DH and Psychomum told me I had already read it

Lisa Gardner's growing on me.

CantSleepWontSleep · 11/07/2007 08:02

Ah yes, was just coming back on to say that I'd forgotten Val McDermid, so pleased to see that margo has mentioned her.

Sidonie · 11/07/2007 01:58

Thanks elkiedee for your recommendations. I can't wait to try Taylor, Paul Johnston, Manda Scott, Denise Mina and Karin Fossum.

Sujata Massey sounds good.

MyEye I have heard about Sjowall and Wahloo before and I must chase them up too.

Of course it really goes without saying that someone with a passion for Scottish crime fiction has read all the Rankin books.

After having a browse on the web I will also try William McIlvanney and Stuart MacBride

margosbeenplayingwithmynoonoo · 10/07/2007 23:43

I have gone off of

James Patterson - his books seem "manufactured" far, far too many chapters and empty pages. I don't think you get value for money and I think he is wasting paper (What a stupid reason)

Patricia Cornwells "Blowfly" annoyed me too. Lots of needless paranoia.

But their early books were very good.

I've read, and enjoyed, Karin slaughter, although one of her books was particularly harrowing, Mo Hayder, John Harvey, Val McDermid and Jeffrey Deaver

GreebosWhiskers · 10/07/2007 23:34

I like Sue Grafton & Kathy Reichs.

mummytosteven · 10/07/2007 23:20

Can't Sleep - I really didn't like Cross Bones, the one that came out around the same time as the Da Vinci Code and seemed a touch inspired by it.

Tissy - I also really like the Iain Pears Jonathan whathisface art history/florence ones. The last Michael Dibdin book "End Games" has recently come out. If you like Lindsey Davies, then you might like the Steven Saylor "Roma Sub Rosa" series, it's a bit more intellectual and historical than the Falco series IMHO. If you like the more lighthearted Roman ones, then there's the David Wishart series (think they star Corvinus), and Ruso and the Disappearing Dancing girls by ?RS Downie.

eidsvold · 10/07/2007 23:13

actually I am glad you have posted this as dh and i tend to read a lot lately and I seem to have been through all of my favourites and sm loathe to buy them all the time - that is why library is fab BUT i am running out of authors.

Marcia Muller okay - female p.i. series Sharon McCone character.

SO now I have a list for when I next go to the library.

CantSleepWontSleep · 10/07/2007 20:37

Can't believe no-one has mentioned Jeffery Deaver yet! All of his Lincoln Rhyme series are fantastic!

Also second Karin Slaughter, Patricia Cornwell, and to a lesser extent Kathy Reichs (her first couple were great, but I've struggled a bit with the later ones).

tissy · 10/07/2007 20:32

have I kiled this thread, then?

tissy · 10/07/2007 20:32

Iain Pears art detective series-different

Was in Borders at the weekend and could have spent many many pounds!

tissy · 10/07/2007 20:30

Margaret Forster (I think) set in India in the days of the Raj

Those Roman ones, Lindsey Davies

liked Ellis Peters originally, but they got a bit samey after 20 or so books!

tissy · 10/07/2007 20:27

Love:

Margery Allingham
Georgette Heyer
Ngaio Marsh
PD James
Elizabeth Peters
Henning Mankell
Donna Leon
Michael Dibdin
Ian Rankin
Kathy Reichs
Robert Goddard
Tess gerritsen
Reginald Hill
Susan Hill
Alexander McCall Smith
Peter Robinson
DL Sayers

and that's just off the top of my head...

I LOVE crime books-prefer "Golden Age" ones with the rather upper crust detective, but am open to any suggestions!

WinnieThePooh · 10/07/2007 20:23

If anyone wants the Kathy Reichs books, I have them all and am wqilling to sell them.

elkiedee · 10/07/2007 20:18

Iklboo, I started at the beginning with Ian Rankin, Knots and Crosses I think, but it might work better starting a few books in. I thought the 1st 3 were ok but wasn't sure what the fuss was about, didn't like no 4 much, and then really enjoyed The Black Book, no 5 at the time, and caught up to the rest at the rate of one a month (this was a few years ago long before motherhood when I averaged out at more than 1 book every 2 days). I saved the most recent The Naming of the Dead to read when I finished work but before baby turned up, correctly expecting he'd be late. So The Black Book or his real breakthrough in terms of sales and fame, no 8 Black and Blue, might be good ones to start with. My personal favourite now is probably Fleshmarket Close, but that's because he deals with immigration/asylum from a political perspective I'm very sympathetic to, however, you don't have to be political to enjoy his work.

Yes, Massey's series starts with The Salaryman's Wife.

Mark Billingham and Simon Kernick both set their books in north London, though I understand Billingham is also planning to do something different from his series featuring Tom Thorne. I guess that makes sense after 6 books but am sorry I only have one more to read.

Other suggestions for those who like British police detectives - I think John Harvey writes really well, and I also normally read Peter Robinson's Alan Banks books as they come out, although I still have 3 early ones to catch up with. Stephen Booth writes a series set in Derbyshire's Peak District. Patricia Hall writes a series I buy in hardback but is now published in paperback again (some of the middle books in the series weren't) - start with what you can get hold of - and Allison & Busby, her publisher, have also reprinted all Stuart Pawson's Charlie Priest series, a little lighter in tone than many of the other books in this vein I and other posters have mentioned - first and one of the best is The Picasso Scam.

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Lolly68 · 10/07/2007 13:40

Agree with you PollyWoddle re Tess Gerritsen.

pollywollydoodle · 10/07/2007 12:39

good thread, thanks for posting it!

i love karin slaughter!

i like mo hayder, apart from Tokyo

i like the jane rizzoli series by tess gerritson (The surgeon, the apprentice, mephisto club...)but don't like the stand alone medical thrillers much

i get annoyed with Nicci French..i loved land of the living, a good psychological thriller but then their novels all seem to be basically the same themes

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