What crime/mystery books do you like?

[tillyfernackerpants]

I need suggestions and/or inspiration!

I love crime & mystery books but seem to have pretty much read everything by my favourites atm and am looking for something new!

I've read Robert Crais, Harlan Coben, Michael Connelly, Jonathan & Faye Kellerman, Kathy Reichs, James Lee Burke.

I don't like Val McDermid (or anything overly gory!), Patricia Cornwell, James Patterson, John Grisham, Tami Hoag.

Oh, and I quite like books with a continuing character.

Other than that I'm not particularly fussy . So please help!!

Has anyone mentioned Laura Lippman?

Stealth, I'm rosmerta on there, wonder if we have swapped?!

I am liking the sound of the Donna Leon series so think I will give those a go next, and my library has lots of Quintin Jardine books in so will get those as well.

Period-crime fans, have you read Carola Dunn? She has a female protagonist (Daisy Dalrymple), set in the 20's. Very enjoyable!

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

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

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.

Oh god yes, Margery Allingham absolutely rocks.

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

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

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.

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

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

People have recommended lots of good ones: of those mentioned, I like John Harvey, Peter Robinson, Mark Billingham, Sara Paretsky, Sue Grafton, Liz Evans.

Also Linda Barnes, Marcia Muller, Lawrence Block's Matt Scudder series runs to about 16 books. Zoe Sharp. Lauren Henderson, Walter Mosley.

Scandinavian series - old but good and reprinted recently, the Martin Beck books by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo, with intros by lots of modern crime writers. Henning Mankell and Karin Fossum.

www.reviewingtheevidence.com has reviews of new crime fiction books coming out but goes back to about 2002. There's also a website called eurocrime. Both were set up by crime loving friends of mine.

Dazmum, I love Deryn Lake, I've nebver met anyone else who has read them.

I also love Anne Perry, and can read them over and over, they are on my comfort read list!

I've not read Deryn Lake but I have some of her books and I've met her a few times (she's quite a character). I read her previous historical sagas (not mystery) under the name Dinah Lampitt

Ann Cleeves - especially the Shetland series (starts with Raven Black). She's very good at describing the sense of place and the ubdercurrents in communities.
She has another series of novels where the protagonist is a woman detective - Vera Stanhope. These books are being made into a series by ITV at the moment.

Ooh elkie I am impressed! Do try the Deryn Lake books, I would say in order if you can as the story and characters develop through the series.
I've just realised CJ Sansom has a new book out just in time for my week long break in the country .

Mo Hayder - but totally gory and will mess with your head.

Frank Tallis and Ariana Franklin, as well as CJ Sansom, for historical stuff.

I really like The Ladies' Detective Agency books for lightweight reading but I wouldn't say that they are crime/mystery really. They are much more about tea and cake!

I've read a couple of the Railway Detective ones and they are just about okay but didn't really grip me.

Whatver you do, stay away from the Elizabeth and Darcy Mysteries - unbelievably bad!

I quite like the ones where Oscar Wilde solves crimes though.

I take it you've read all the 'proper old stuff' such as Wilkie Collins and Conan Doyle?

Earthy, it really wasn't that hard at the time, there was a lovely independent crime fiction bookshop in Covent Garden which had regular events. I think I arrived before one one day and she was resting on their sofa. Sadly the bookshop (Crime in Store) is long gone.

Phil Rickman - The Merrily Watkins books are all great (there are about 8, I think). Plus he has written others that are good too.

Reginald Hill's non-Dalziel/Pascoe mysteries are also excellent.

Second Stephen Booth - his Peak District books are great. Really, really good.

The Simon Serrailler books by Susan Hill are very engrossing too.

Guess my favourite literary genre?

Try Lee Child or if you like CSI you could give Kathy Reichs a go.Her main character is a forensic anthropologist.

A bit different, but I love the US novelist Susan Isaacs. Kind of crime but not exactly!

John Dickson Carr / Carter Dickson was good

Elizabeth Peters - both the Peabody ones (mad Egyptological mysteries/adventures set in late 18/early 19 century; and the Vicky Bliss ones (20th century museum curator).

Also David Roberts - set in 1930s with outbreak of war looming in the background.

And when you want something undemanding, anything by MC Beaton.

James Lee Burke has written a lot of books centred on Montana and Texas. I've just read one so far after hearing him recommended by Simon Mayo and found the language beautiful and much more of an absorbing read than Kathy Reichs. I like her character but she reads like a twitter site to me.

tadjenny, ikwym re Kathy Reichs, still like her but more of an easy read. I've been a fan of JLB for years now but am still catching up with his Dave Robicheaux novels!! Though the Montana/Texas ones are good as well

Well, I've now ordered a CJ Sansom & an R Ellory book to be going on with, and will have another look through the thread to see what's next.