Well-written detective fiction

I agree with PPs who have mentioned the Jackson Brodie series by Kate Atkinson- they fit the bill of 'like Cormoran Strike but better written' (sorry, Jo! I do love you!).

For fairly light crime fiction, I would recommend:

The Act of Roger Murgatroyd and A Mysterious Affair of Style by Gilbert Adair

An English Murder by Cyril Hare

The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy, The Affair of the Mutilated Mink and The Affair of the Thirty-Nine Cufflinks, all by James Anderson- these are SO brilliant and deserve to be far more well-known than they are.

Magpie Murders, Moonstone Murders and the Hawthorne series by Anthony Horowitz

The Appeal and The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett

The Marlowe Murder Club series by Robert Thoroughgood

Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi

The Murder Most Unladylike series by Robin Stevens- yes, they're for children, but I love them!

Out of interest, @StalkerEx, why do you say 'apart from Agatha Christie'? Have you read all of hers, or are you just not a fan?

I still enjoy Quentin Jardine, despite the complex relationships. He usually explores interesting political angles in the later books.

I adore Sherlock Holmes and wish there were more, even though I own a startling amount of the pastiche ones too.
Peter Grainger’s DS Smith books set in Norfolk are fantastic and for the life of me, I can’t understand why they are only on Kindle and a publisher hasn’t ripped his arm off!
Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London are a brilliant variation on a detective theme.
Quentin Jardine’s early Bob Skinner novels were great before they jumped the shark and everyone had to get divorced and remarried to a different key character every three books or so.
Golden Age wise, I find it hard to pick between Christie and Ngaio Marsh as both are perfectly of their time.
I also love Anne Perry’s two Victorian detective series, with William and Hester Monk and Charlotte and Thomas Pitt.
Dandy Gilver is fantastic too.
There are just so many great crime fiction writers out there, it’s outrageous that I have to work and not just read them all😂

Mark Billingham and Peter James are two of my favourites.

Louise Penny is glorious, and there are so many of them as well. I wish I was reading them again for the first time

Thank you to whoever recommended Janice Hallett! I've been ill in bed trying not to move more than the occasional wavering thumb and I've just Kindled my way through The Appeal and The Twyford Code.

How about Father Brown? I haven’t read them, but I have read some of G K Chestertons other work, and it’s superb. Fantastic writer.

I add a vote for Dorothy L Sayers. And you can’t beat Sherlock Holmes. Listening to Stephen Fry read Holmes is pure bliss.

I just wanted to vote for Rivers of London. It is a mash up magical realism and police detective but o my gosh it is fantastic writing. Ben Aaronovitch the writer has such a good grasp of creating characters and place.
And it's funny and light. And there are lots in the series.
Sue Grafton F is for Fugitive is one of my favourite books of all time. Great story great sense of location and quite light.

Dorothy L. Sayers is great. In contrast to PP, I would start with the ones without Harriet Vane, which all work as standalone stories - maybe Clouds of Witness first (though I do think Murder Must Advertise is my favourite). IMO the ones with Harriet Vane are better read in the order Strong Poison - Have his Carcase - Gaudy Night - Busman's Honeymoon. The murder mystery of each book is standalone, but the Harriet Vane story runs through them.

I also second Ngaio Marsh and, tor something more modern, P. D. James.

I think my favourite detective story is still The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. I love 19th-century literature but don't often find it unputdownable - this was an exception.

Seconded! Also Lynn McEwan, her DI Shona Oliver, set in Dumfries and Galloway.

For something completely different, Abir Mukherjee books, English Captain Sam Wyndham and Indian Sergeant Surendranath Bannerjee are based in Calcutta just after WW1.

You might want to look at the Crime Writers Association awards.
https://thecwa.co.uk/awards-and-competitions/the-daggers/

following :)

Ann Bridge - Julia Probyn; Johnson Johnson - Dorothy Dunnett; are both available on kindle.

I enjoyed revisiting both, but some attitiudes are very much of their time.

Sophie Hannah - Culver Valley Crime series but start from the beginning (Little face)

Nicci French - Frieda Klein series, again start from the beginning (Blue Monday)

Better than cormoran strike! sacriledge!

Oh and Marion Todd, set in St Andrew’s. The author also reads her own audiobooks.

Stephen booth writes some very good murder mysteries....he follows two police officers and their professional relationship. Its very good in my humble opinion!!

Two no longer living UK authors I have enjoyed are Margaret Yorke and Jill McGowan.

VerlynWebbe, I see that you have identified Aline Templeton.

Garry Disher is my favourite Australian crime writer. I like Laura Lippman and her books set in Baltimore.

Tim Weaver
Harlen Coben
Peter James

Some may enjoy Ann Bridge's Julia Probyn detective novels from the late 50s and 60s. She had a wonderful ability to conjure landscapes. Out of print in general, but still a lovely Golden Era feel to them.

@Artus, I had completely forgotten Dolly and Johnson Johnson. I loved those. And Gladys Mitchell. I must look for Michael Innes... you are clearly part of my tribe.

Love many of those already suggested.

I like Gladys Mitchell. Weird but entertaining

Michael Innes, also quirky and literary

Dorothy Dunnet's Johnson Johnson books are out of print now but are detective novels set in the 60s and 70s.

Nell Buchanan, who features in Chris Hammer's three latest Aussie noir novels, is an engaging character with a good back story. My gore tolerance is fairly high; also my ability to engage with procedure, but the stories tend to be quite multi-layered and wide-ranging so could appeal to readers who enjoy complexities. Agreeing that this thread is throwing up lots of new to me authors.

Jane Harper is brilliant, but I found The Dry very harrowing.

Oh yes, Jane Harper's books are excellent.

Agree with the recommendations for Kate Atkinson and Tana French for well written detective novels. In the same quality, an author I’ve not seen mentioned yet is Jane Harper, especially the Aaron Falk series, starting with The Dry.

Also I’d recommend Peter May, The Lewis Trilogy is brilliant and I’ve just seen that he has a 4th novel in the series coming out in September, which I’m delighted about.