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Searching for an intelligent crime novel

114 replies

Finbar · 10/10/2016 15:00

Am new to this thread so apologies if this has been done before.,,
I like crime thrillers on TV, BUT any I've read have been frankly pants.
Quite obvious who the killer is OR so obtuse you'd never get it until the last page. Plus the female lead seems to have to sleep with at least one of the potential suspects.
Any suggestions for something a bit more meaty?

OP posts:
OCSockOrphanage · 01/11/2016 16:07

Reggie Nadelson and Martin Cruz Smith are both Americans who feature Russian detectives, and if you are a fan of Hunter S Thompson, you might also like George V Higgins and James Crumley. I think you can find some of these as Kindle books but the last two are dead and may have fallen out of print.

And you have of course read Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, haven't you?

LilyElena · 04/11/2016 20:38

Not sure if anyone's mentioned it yet, but the Robert Galbraith series are excellent

DinosaursRoar · 04/11/2016 20:49

I like the Ann Cleeves Shetland series.

The LJ Ross ones are quite good, but sexy detective's romantic involvement with a key civilian expert / bereaved family member of victim does seem ridiculously unprofessional in the first book. See past that and it's not a bad series.

outofdepth · 04/11/2016 20:50

RD Wingfield frost series
Belinda Bauer
The first 5 Patrica Cornwell Kay Scarpetta books

DapperDame · 04/11/2016 22:44

Another vote for Arnaldur Indriðason's Detective Erlendur series. Brilliant.

ChampagneCommunist · 04/11/2016 22:51

Just read the first two Tim Weaver novels. Really enjoyed them

Kazplus2 · 05/11/2016 18:17

Another Scandinavian author fan here. I enjoyed all Lars Kepler books. Definitely a cut above the norm.

Fintress · 27/11/2016 21:18

John Sandford 'Prey' series is excellent. Best read in order. I have a huge crush on Lucas Davenport, the main man.

SVJAA · 27/11/2016 21:21

Quintin Jardine's Skinner series are good, there are 25 so far and all set in Edinburgh about the police. Very character driven, you get to know the "cast" very well over the years and all the crimes are different and well thought out. I've been reading them for 20 years and never guessed whodunnit. Also no child abuse or gratuitous violence against women which is something I like about him. Obviously some victims are female, but it's not disproportionate.

Lokisglowstickofdestiny · 28/11/2016 22:36

Patrica Highsmith - her Ripley novels are good ( I think there are 5 of them). Love Ian Rankins Rebus novels - as they are written in real time he has developed his characters so well - will be very sad when he stops writing them.

AmberGreyson · 29/11/2016 09:37

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

RockyBird · 29/11/2016 09:44

Second bert's Stuart McBride recommendation.

I have seven hours to kill this afternoon so looking forward to getting stuck into one of his books.

gutrotweins · 03/12/2016 20:52

Eva Dolan - Zigic and Ferreira series based in Peterborough
Luca Veste - murphy and rossi series set in Liverpool
Sharon Bolton - Lacey Flint series
Mari Hannah
Sarah Hilary
Torquin Macleod - Malmo series
Asa Larsson

BestIsWest · 09/12/2016 22:33

Belinda Bauer

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