Crime fiction fans

[elkiedee]

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

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!

Iain Pears art detective series-different

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

have I kiled this thread, then?

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).

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.

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.

I like Sue Grafton & Kathy Reichs.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Oh yes - Harlen Coben is very good

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

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.

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

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.

I have just read and really enjoyed a book called "Diamond Dove" by first time author Adrian Hyland. It is set in an Aboriginal community in the centre of Australia and the heroine is a young feisty and funny Aboriginal woman.

Elkiedee,I love the Lydmouth series by Andrew Taylor too! Agree about contemporary authors writing 'golden age' fiction and I like Barbara Nadell's books set in the Blitz,also Catriona Mcphereson's,set just after the first world War.
My bookshelves are full of
P.D. James
Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine
Peter Robinson
Stephen Booth
Andrew Taylor
Jim Kelly.

friend reminded me of a good psychological thriller i read ages ago...the analyst by Katzenbach (?john can't remember first name)

SilentTerror, in the Nadell books, didn't you think the way she wrote down the undertaker's speech grated a bit?

Enjoyed the plots, though

Sarah Paretsky - her female character V I Warshawki, based in Chicago. She hasn't written many recently, but they are a great read.

Have just discovered Lee Child, and his Jack Reacher series. Brilliant! Was completely obsessed with them and really disappointed when I finished the last one (till I discovered that there is a new one out now - just waiting for it to come out in paperback)

And in a slightly different vein - i.e. comic rather than serious - Janet Evanovitch.