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?

I absolutely love Lee Child - brillant brilliant brilliant! Mine and DHs favourite author.

Also like Dennis Lehane, Harlan Coben, Christopher Brookmyre, Kathy Reichs, Linda Fairstein, Janet Evanovich, Sue Grafton. I used to love Patricia Cornwell but after about 10 books she went all loopy and her last half dozen books have been dire.

Oh and I know it's not fiction but I found the criminal psychologist Paul Britton's books fascinating - they are The Jigsaw Man and Picking Up The Pieces.

I love the Rebus series by Ian Rankin

Sidge - I am working through all Lee Childs Jack Reacher books at the moment.

MollyWW - are you enjoying them then? I love them and can re-read them over and over. Jack Reacher is just the best hero ever swoon

Which one are you up to?

I read a few out of order (courtesy of Readers Digest!). Then found my Dad has them all so on the first one now (odd as written in first person) and have 2 more waiting.

Which is your fav?

MollyWW - I know, it takes a bit of getting used to as some are written in the first person and some in the third person.

My favourite I think is Persuader but then I like them all . Die Trying is very very good too. Which one are you reading at the mo?

Doh ignore me just re-read your post and saw you are reading the first one.

(New name btw, tring out the HP variations)

Have just started Karin Slaughter's new book, "Skin Privilege" haven't got very far with it as yet but is very good from the small amount that I have read. She has gone back to the ME in her first books. Would definitely recommend her, her writing has improved from the first book she wrote to this new one, after the first part I had to put it down for awhile!

Aufish - I love Karin Slaughter but unlike you I thought her first book was the best. Fantastically written and kept you guessing right to the end of who it was!!

Did you read her last book? I gasped out loud when the 3 people that I thought were the main characters actually became 2, I thought that was great, really changed how I was reading the book.

I have avoided the Karin Slaughter books because I didn't like her name. I need some inspiration too as I have just finished a load of Rankin and Cornwell books I got second hand and absolutely do not want to read any more Patricia Cornwell as she has started to grate with the unrelenting misery of murder rape torture and underlying right-wing sentiment in the novels...

some more Minette Waters would be good but I have read them all...

Mark Billingham
Peter James

both excellent

Love Ian Rankine
James Patterson
Dan Brown
Been reading Kathy Reichs lately - quite good.
Agree Patricia Cornwell has lost the plot. Her last book was absolutely dire.
Jeffery Deaver is my latest find - really enjoying his books.

'Rankin' even...

I will check them out - are there any female writers I should know about? V.I. Warshawski books are good but can get bogged down in details - I like the clarity and detached atmos you get in British crime novels... iykwim.

Anything by James Lee Burke.You get a real feel for the area of Louisiana the stories are set in.
Sue Grafton
Ian Rankin
Sara Paretsky-wish she'd write some more.

Aufish - are you talking about Triptych. I thought it was very cleverly done and was a welcome change from the "County" series that she does although I'm looking forward to reading the new one!

Lee Child is great - new find - and loving that there are books I still haven't read.

Just finished the new Elizabeth George - What Came Before He Shot Her - fabulous (though you do need to have read the one immediately before to understand it). Really great idea and quite unexpected.

Christopher Brookmyre is another favourite though the latest (A Tale Etched in Blood and Black Pencil) wasn't his best. I think The Sacred Art of Stealing probably holds that particular title.

Others include Meg Gardner, Lisa Gardener, Greg Iles (more thriller than crime but really gripping), Linda Howard (for comedy value), Laura Lippman - love hers, she doesn't write enough - Lisa Scottoline, PJ Tracy.

Have tried and struggled with James Lee Burke - worth trying again? What would you recommend to get into them?

Dear Sidonie

Glad you liked Diamond Dove. Thanks. Adrian.
By the way, are you an Aussie? It's about to come out in the UK and US and I'm interested in whether it makes sense to an international readership.

You'll enjoy Stuart MacBride - he's wonderful. My other favourites include Ken Bruen and Peter Temple.

Can't believe no one has mentioned Mo Hayder!!!

The Treatment is one of the creepiest books ever. Tokyo made me cry buckets of shock and horror - I defy any mum/day who wouldn't. Don't think I could read it again it upset me so much - and I like to think I could read the most graphic books

I second Hannahsaunt mentioning PJ Tracy - read Want to Play? thought it was excellent. Have since read her other books.

My problem is i forget the authors names! and i try to search in library for a book where there are a number in a series.

For very light-hearted read - the mills & boon of crime I have really enjoyed the series by Janet Evanovich - main character is a Bounty-hunter.

ooh i agree on the Janet Evanovich, she's always good for a tongue in cheek crime caper.

Love Kathy Reichs and Karin Slaughter, would also love it if Boris Starling stopped writing about Vodka and went back to books like Messiah and Storm for a bit.