Few of my favourite authors are

Sir Arthur Connon Doyle.

His character Sherlock Holmes has become a legend.He is hard to match and easily an all time great.

John Dickson Carr.
His novels are gripping.I think he has written about 8 or 9 books.They are hard core mysteries.Dr. Gideon Fell is one of his famous detectives.In his books the crime scenes are described vividly.Picking up the clues from there the mystery is very rationally unraveled.Much like sherlock Holmes.

And of course the Queen of mystery novels Agatha Christie.

Earl Stanley Gardner.

I am still looking for a modern author who can match the intense suspense and logical mystery solving these authors generated in their books.

Oooh... I loved the Roth trilogy so you could start with The Four Last Things. It tells the story of a female psychopath starting at the end and working its way backwards - through her teenage years and then her childhood - never told from her POV but from another's.

It's dark, but it isn't morbid.

Or if you'd rather start with a stand alone - The Unpardonable Crime (or if you are from the UK it is An American Boy)

Or An Air That Kills which is set in 1950's - part of a long running series.

My personal favourite though is The Four Last Things and the rest of that trilogy and I'd recommend starting with that one.

It was that book that really made me more curious about this genre.

Fiona wrote: "I've heard of Connolly and had him highly recommended to me. I think The Lincoln Lawyer is the first in one of his series?

I'm quite 'new' to this genre of fiction which is one reason why I wante..."
Hey Fiona,
Which Andrew Taylor would you start with? I have never yet read him. Thanks for starting this group!

Deirdre wrote: "...I'd recommend Patricia Finney whose three books set in the England of the 1580s and featuring Simon Ames are cracking novels which transcend their crime genre..."

These sound good... what's the title of the first?

I'm getting into Henning Mankell now.

Donna wrote: "I enjoyed A Beautiful Blue Death very much. If you like Victorian mysteries have you read Anne Perry series with William Monk or Charlotte and Thomas Pitt?"

Donna, I have A Beautiful Blue Death waiting in my short list pile. I'll have to get to it soon.

Nobody has mentioned Michael Dibdin whose Aurelio Zen series is wonderful. I'm please that Ian Rankin got one mention but he should be on everybody's lists; he's about as good as it gets when it comes to crime fiction and indeed his works stand up as novels which transcend genre. I see one nod to Lindsey Davis for her wonderful crime books set in Rome of 70s AD. I'd like to second the choice of a classic crime writer of the past, John Dickson Carr, the greatest ever exponent of locked room mysteries; he had a series with one detective, Gideon Fell and then he wrote a few really classy historical-crime novels.

As well as the gritty realism of the likes of Rankin, I do like crime mysteries with an historical setting. As well as John Dickson Carr, I'd recommend Patricia Finney whose three books set in the England of the 1580s and featuring Simon Ames are cracking novels which transcend their crime genre.

I used to like P D James but find her dull and conservative now. I've never liked Agatha Christie, way too overrated. Yes she was prolific and Poirot and Marple are interesting characters but she really wasn't a terribly good writer and she quite often cheated, ignoring the convention that the reader must know as much as the detective. She was good on poisons though but so she should have been. It was her area of expertise.

I read Anne Perry years ago and got a got bored. I do like most of the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters, but I am very partial to Egyptian history and archeology, so for me it's a win-win.

I enjoyed A Beautiful Blue Death very much. If you like Victorian mysteries have you read Anne Perry series with William Monk or Charlotte and Thomas Pitt?

Yes I have read Sayers. I even own some of the BBC mystery series DVD's. She was one of my mom's favorites.

And yeah I was kind of weaned on mysteries. What other 6th grader has her nose stuck in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd? Right next to it would sit one of Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars books! LOL What can I say, I was and still am a book fiend.

Reacherfan - have you read Dorothy L. Sayers?

Welcome Reacherfan. I can see you were practically weaned on mystery!

My mom was a mystery fan. I think she read every book Earl Stanley Gardner ever wrote, even those he wrote as A.A. Fair. She started me on Nancy Drew at a very young age and I read all of Agatha Christie before graduating grade school. She wisely had me read all the old classic mystery writers, John Dickson Carr, Earl Derr Biggers, Ellery Queen, Clayton Rawson, Mgaio Marsh (loved her books!), Margery Allingham, Phoebe ATwood Taylor (and as Alice Tilton), Josephine Tey - and so many others.

I now read mystery, romantic suspense, action thrillers, romance and erotic romance and some non-fiction, though I'm choosier there as I read so much earlier in life.

My two favorite 'new' authors are Barry Eisler with his John Rain series and - obviously - Lee Child with his Jack Reacher series, though his last 3 books, except his most recent release, were not up to par.

My favorite historical mysteries are the Marcus Didius Falco series by Lindsey Davis and the SPQR series by John Maddox Roberts. I read Deanna Rayborne's first Lady Jane Grey and was bored. I enjoy Will Thomas's Baker and Llewelyn series and just bought Charles Finch's A Beautiful Blue Death, which came well recommended.

A BookCrossing buddy has just said she will send me a copy of "The Mixed up Files"! I'm so psyched to read this again!!

Camerandi, I just bout my first Anne Perry today at Barnes and Noble. I saw The Cater Street Hangman on our poll, voted for it, then decided I wanted to go ahead and buy it. I'm not sure that I'll be able to wait to read it until we finish voting and choose a book. I do so love Victorian England. The Lady Julia Grey series by Deanna Raybourn is set in Victorian England, too. Silent On The Moor was the third and latest in that series, and I just finished it.

I got started on Agatha Christie, who I followed for a great while. I now love Anne Perry. She is a Victorian England era author. She is very true to the time period and knows her characters splendidly.

Interesting about Elizabeth George and the TV series of her books - I saw the first one and never watched another one. Didn't like how they had written the sexual abuse out, and their explanation that they thought it was passe these days made no sense to me.

I've liked most of her novels.

Agreed - PD James is an excellent writer.

I think my turn from nonfiction to escapist fiction and mysteries was a turn away from the horrors of the real world (largely, the Bush administration) and what felt like powerlessness to do anything about it.

I know what you mean Lobstergirl. I came to Italy during a previous recession (1986) and have been watching the US from afar... powerless is right.

(Live in Maine, by chance? I spent summers near the Mass-NH shore. Lobster dinner was always my birthday treat! Yum!!)

I started out reading Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie as a kid. My love for true crime began with Helter Skelter and In Cold Blood as a teenager. Then I mostly stopped reading mysteries. I turned to nonfiction. Then I kind of got into the PBS Mystery series, which was producing Elizabeth George and P.D. James. So I'm reading some of George having seen nearly all the TV episodes, and I think the TV productions are better than the novels. (George is a fairly bad writer.) James on the other hand is quite a good writer so I'll be going back and reading the parts of her oeuvre I haven't read. I read two of Karin Fossum's Inspector Sejer mysteries.

In terms of thrillers, I've read some Follett, one Alan Furst so far, one David Ignatius, one Margaret Truman. I read Leonard Downie's novel - I don't know if you'd call it a thriller, exactly; it's a book of "political intrigue." But I don't recommend it. If you have a copy, throw it on the bonfire at once.

I think my turn from nonfiction to escapist fiction and mysteries was a turn away from the horrors of the real world (largely, the Bush administration) and what felt like powerlessness to do anything about it.

Rhonda wrote: "Dick Francis helped when I was recovering from a lingering long term illness years ago."

Rhonda, I love Dick Francis, too. He's such a comfort to read when things are hard. I think there are several reasons why. One of the reasons is that his heroes are so great at dealing with problems, yet they are not superheroes. Reading Dick Francis helps me feel like I can deal with the problems I'm facing as well.

He hasn't published as much as Grisham, so I think he puts more into his writing. The first book I read by him was "One L" given to me as a gift right before my first year at law school.

Kathy wrote: "Katie Flora wrote: "I haven't seen Scott Turow mentioned here. Like Grisham, he is a lawyer turned author. Actually, I have enjoyed some of his books more than Grisham's."

I agree w..."

Katie Flora wrote: "I haven't seen Scott Turow mentioned here. Like Grisham, he is a lawyer turned author. Actually, I have enjoyed some of his books more than Grisham's."

I agree with you about Turow, Katie. As well as his legal thrillers, I loved his Ordinary Heroes. I was fortunate enough to meet him and hear him speak at a book festival. He was just awesome! I've always called him the cerebral John Grisham, not that Grisham isn't smart or talented, but Turow's writing is a step above (in my humble opinion). I actually enjoy them both.

Because I went to school in Miami and a friend had a complete set of the books, I started reading John D McDonald and fell in love witthe Travis McGee series. I used them for escapist reading after a day of more serious things. Agatha Christie was always wonderful, and PD James and Dick Francis helped when I was recovering from a lingering long term illness years ago. Clive Cussler was exciting and I still like picking up the occasional volume. I think I have collected accidentally most of Margaret Truman's books mostly because I knew the places around Washington DC where most were set. I like Elliott Roosevelt for the same reason I suspect. I fell in love with the Women's Murder Club series and all of Patterson's books, although I acknowledge that there is a kind of systematic way in which they are often written.

I haven't seen Scott Turow mentioned here. Like Grisham, he is a lawyer turned author. Actually, I have enjoyed some of his books more than Grisham's.

Hayes wrote: "I read that a long time ago. Heavy (all meanings of the word, LOL) and sometimes irritating, but fascinating and very well researched."

Yes, when I received An Instance of the Fingerpost from Amazon the other day, it was a bit larger/longer than I anticipated. However, I read all of the Outlander books this past spring, so long doesn't seem as daunting to me as it once might have. Thanks for the feedback, Hayes. I love to hear from some more who have read it, too.

I read that a long time ago. Heavy (all meanings of the word, LOL) and sometimes irritating, but fascinating and very well researched.

Well, I did forget another one that I intend to read this summer, Iain Pears and his An Instance of the Fingerpost.

Well, Agatha Christie is at the top of my list of mystery and the one who started me off. Some others that I enjoy are mystery and/or mystery/crime/thriller:

Ariana Franklin, the Adelia Aguilar series

Laurie R. King, the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series

Tess Gerristen, Maura Isles (ME) and Jane Rizzoli (Detective) series

Linda Fairstein, Alex Cooper series

Sue Grafton, Kinsey Millhone series

Harlan Coben, favorite so far has been The Woods but I like his Myron Bolitar series, too

Stieg Larsson, new favorite, like Fiona after reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Mary Higgins Clark, very predictable, but nice easy reads

Matthew Pearl, write literary mysteries--The Dante Club A Novel, The Poe Shadow A Novel, and The Last Dickens A Novel (currently reading)

Deanna Raybourn, writes the Victorian Lady Julia Grey series


Two authors that I intend to read this summer are Louis Bayard, The Pale Blue Eye A Novel and Charles Finch, A Beautiful Blue Death.

I'm sure I've left someone out, as I read a lot of mystery and crime/thriller.

My all time favorite author is P.D. James, but Reginald Hill and Jeffrey Deaver are also high on my list.

My Favorite authors in no particular order John Grisham, J.D. Robb, Agatha Christie, Janet Evanovich and Mary Higgins Clark. There are lots of authors I still need to go explore. :~)

Jeane's list above covers most of my long standing favorite writers but I also have a few newer writers - at least to me - that have become favorites.

Cara Black - mysteries set in Paris

Garry Disher - Australia

and
Colin Cotterill - 1970s Laos

I'm gonna add Stieg Larsson to my favourite authos just now - because The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was awesome.

I'm pretty blown away.

I forgot to mention Clive Cussler. Not heavy reads, you know that in general everything will end okay but still very interesting stories! Dirk, the main character often makes me think about Buck Danny.

Wow. OK. So, I need to read the first six now. Hmmm...

Sure Becky, here you go:

1. Goodnight, Irene
2. Sweet Dreams, Irene
3. Dear Irene,
4. Remember Me, Irene
5. Hocus
6. Liar
7. Bones
8. Flight*
9. Bloodlines
10. Kidnapped

* Flight is a bit different because unlike the others in the series, Irene's husband is the primary character and narrator.

Other Jan Burke novels:
Nine (standalone)
Eighteen (short stories)
The Messenger (standalone)


Happy hunting!

Dorie, can you give me the correct reading order please? :)

Kandice wrote: "You guys, is Bones from the series they made that television series out of? It looks interesting, even though I've never seenit. I had heard it was a series of books, and was thinking of looking fo..."


The series for the Show bones is based on
Kathy Reichs

You guys, is Bones from the series they made that television series out of? It looks interesting, even though I've never seenit. I had heard it was a series of books, and was thinking of looking for them.

Dorie wrote: "Oh Becky, I envy you having the whole series to look forward to. You started with one of the best though. I can highly recommend Bloodlines, but you'd appreciate the story more if you've read at ..."


I found with his stand alone you just have to read at face value KWIM? The circumstance might be plausible but the race to end is sometimes a stretch but it does get your blood pumping. I guess you could say it is eye candy of the mystery genre?

Oh Becky, I envy you having the whole series to look forward to. You started with one of the best though. I can highly recommend Bloodlines, but you'd appreciate the story more if you've read at least the first book in the series first.

Teresa, yes I like Coben quite a bit as well. At least his Bolitar series. I have the new one in my TBR stack. But his standalones tend to be hit or miss with me.

Dorie wrote: "It's funny, I used to avoid the mystery genre like the plague. In school whenever they assigned a mystery read, it was always a cozy-type mystery and I always hated it. That sub-genre is just not..."

Have you read Harlan Coben? I was recommended him at the same time as Crais? Has a series featuring Myron who is a sports agent and his partner Win who is quite rich, doesnt talk much sports which is good since I am not a sports fanatic, and his stand alones are quite the thriller, maybe even physological?

Harlan CobenHarlan Coben

I didn't know it was a series! I pick up so many books at the thrift store... It's always a crap-shoot what you find. And that one I've had for I don't even know how many years... at least 5, but I think more. I'll have to look into the rest of them now. :)

It's funny, I used to avoid the mystery genre like the plague. In school whenever they assigned a mystery read, it was always a cozy-type mystery and I always hated it. That sub-genre is just not to my taste, and I assumed all the mystery books were similar. Eventually I was convinced to try Janet Evanovich books, which of course I loved. On Janet's old readers forum there were some readers who recommended Robert Crais, so I got one of his books out at the library and got hooked. And from Robert Crais I spread to Michael Connelly and Lee Child, and I haven't looked back since.

Becky, wanted to add I also really loved Jan Burke's "Bones". The second best in her series, IMO. ("Bloodlines" is my favorite.)

Rob wrote: "I've read Red Dragon, Silence, and Hannibal. I also read Harris' Black Sunday...which is more of a political thriller I guess?

But yeah..I'd say Connolly's thrillers are as dark and savage as Harris'...if not more so."

Oooh. Thank you Rob! *adds to wishlist* :)

Jeane wrote: "Hayes wrote: "Jeane, what's the first Morse book called, do you know? I think I read it, but I can't remember."

Last Bus to Woodstock ..."

Grazie!

Cool. I like that kind of book. Dark doesn't bother me at all. Well, as long as it's not too focused on shildren, but otherwise...

I read Black Sunday years and years ago, before he was really big, and I really liked it. I think I'll look for it. I've read all the others a few times each.

I've read Red Dragon, Silence, and Hannibal. I also read Harris' Black Sunday...which is more of a political thriller I guess?

But yeah..I'd say Connolly's thrillers are as dark and savage as Harris'...if not more so.

Rob wrote: "Every Dead Thing is the first in Connolly's thriller series. I'd put it in the same category as Silence of the Lambs thematically speaking.

Becky: Nocturnes and The Book of Lost Things are also ..."


So, psychological thrillers? That's what I think Haris' books are. Have you read his others? Hannibal was crap, but I love all his others.

Hayes wrote: "Jeane, what's the first Morse book called, do you know? I think I read it, but I can't remember."

Last Bus to Woodstock

When I went to Oxford I went in the street that is mentioned in the book. I could really imagine inspector morse walking there!

Every Dead Thing is the first in Connolly's thriller series. I'd put it in the same category as Silence of the Lambs thematically speaking.

Becky: Nocturnes and The Book of Lost Things are also very good!