crime fiction inspiration please.

[wrinklytum]

I love crime fiction and am in need of inspiration

I have exhausted Rankin's Rebus books
Ditto Connelly and his Harry Bosch series.Enjoyed both of these

I am irritated by Cornwell and her Scarpetta character.Gerritsen is also annoying and I hate the romance bolleaux she adds to her books.

Will often re-read some classics by Christie/Marsh etc.

Any ideas?TIA

Have you tried Martina Cole? Its mainly about gangland London sort of crime rather than a whodunnit, very gritty, I loved them.

Also Sheila Quigley, set in north east (where she is from) police type detective stuff.

But I love love love Harlan Coben, The Woods was a crime type novel, although I think anything he writes is fab, very fluid writing, keeps you guessing, with a big twist right at the end.

Thanks,will try those two.Have read Harlan Coben and enjoyed very much

Susan Hill's Simon Serrailler (sp?)series.

Denis Lehane - set in Boston

I like Rankin and Connelly too.

Others that I enjoy are Reginald Hill, John Conolly, Peter Robinson and RD Wingfield.

Also PD James and Colin Dexter, but you have probably already read them.

Have you read any John Franklin Bardin or Simenon's Maigret novels?

Simon Beckett - The Chemistry of Death was v good - he has written others but I haven't tried them

Restless by William Boyd is fab

Also the Reginald Hill books are good but have all been on TV

Jo Nesbo is very, very good.

As is Henning Mankell. I always think his Wallendar books are reminiscent of Rankin.

My personal favourite is James Lee Burke though. He's never written a dud but the DAve Robicheaux books are best.

Finally, for anyone looking for a shot in the arm when reading crime, try Robert Harris's "Fatherland". It's a fantastically good book.

I agree - Robert Harris is ace - also The Little Drummer Girl by ??? (wrote the George Smiley books )

Yes to Reginald Hill and RD Wingfield.

PD James a definite classic.Also Dexter

Will look foir John Connolly and Peter Robinson thanks

Have read Maigret (abother classic) but haven't come across John Franklin Bardin.Thanks.

Meant tomention,have read

James Lee Burke (Love his descriptions of the deep south)

Also the Warshawski books (cannot remember writer,enjoyed those)

Cynthia Harrod Eagles writes the Bill Slider series, which seem to be little-known, but raved about by a small but dedicated audience.

Wrongside - John le Carre

o yes ![blush ]

Wrinklytum - Sara Paretsky

Must stop bringing my work home dammit....

Quintin Jardine?

am currently reading "The Tin roof Blowdown" by James Lee Burke.Set during Katrina.Very good.Barcode Zebra....you read crime fiction AS A JOB?????

I am

My reading has to be fitted in in the wee small hours in betwwen children/dp/etc etc.

I like Michael Connolley books
and also a chap called Frank Lean (although haven't found any new ones recently)

Gillian Flynn - Sharp Objects. Creepy-southern-Gothic coupled with evil teenage girls. chilling. She's got a new one out this year sometime too.

Have you tried any Mark Billingham? I just read Sleepyhead off an MN bookswap and found it totally gripping.

Tana French - In the Woods, although it sags a bit in the middle and could have done with being about 200 pages shorter.

And I really like Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie books, but they're not to everyone's taste.

Ooh, ooh, ooh, you have to read Christopher Brookmyre. Any of his work, all of his work. There are samples on the link.

Has minor case of hero worship re Mr B

Dennis Lehane, Robert Crais, Michael Connelly, Lee Child

There have been a couple of good MN threads on crime fiction

here, here and here. I've got heaps of ideas from these.

PJ Tracey
JD Robb
John Connelly
Michael Connelly
Johnathan Kellerman
Faye Kellerman

JD Robb is my fave (the 'in death' series) but as there is a little fantasy/science fiction hint in her work (set in 2059) some people may not like her.

Flossie - I just can't get into Kate Atkinsons books at all.

OP, have you tried "The Suspicions of Mr Whicher". Its not fiction, but it is crime and it's very good.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Karin Slaughter, her books are great. I too love Rankin (have got every one of his) and Reginald Hill, and Colin Dexter.
I've just finished reaidng the Inspector Frost books, by JD Wingfield, although I have seen them all on tv.
I cannot be doing with Cornwell Scarpetta character, she was good in the first couple of books but now she's just a pain, always interfering and almost every book has someone in it who has a grudge against her or her irritating neice

Fred Vargas is very good...

and reminds me of Wallander (Mankell) , one of my favourites

Stieg Larsson is very good if you like Henning Mankell.
Am just half way through Peter Robibson's latest, it's very good. Read them all and think he's fab.
Loads of good suggestions here. Even some I haven't tried yet - hooray for this thread!

Oh yes, I love Peter Robinson as well!