Something kinda like....

[Erin]

Hello,
New to group, new to the genre.
I just finished reading Karin Slaughter series Grant County. LOVED IT. I liked that it was pretty gruesome/chilling/creepy/disturbing. I loved the way she wrote, I think it was the first book that had me saying “ WOW” while reading. I picked up Gerritsen, Tess, and have read 3 of the Jane Rizzoli & Maura Isles series. Pretty good…but I’m always looking for my next book. Any suggestions would be appreciated!!!
Happy Reading.

[Erin]

ah, none of the links worked. Sorry.

[John]

Hey Erin,

"gruesome/chilling/creepy/disturbing"

Have you tried Thomas Harris of Hannibal fame? Or are thinking of female writers only?

I am lacking in the female writer's realm (though the best book on writing is If You Want To Write by Brenda Ueland), but would like to give those you mentioned a try.

[Erin]

Added TBR Thomas Harris, and Natsuo Kirino. Thank you.
I don’t really have a preference on male/female writers.
I did just realize that my 'reason for liking the book' made me sound a little off. ;) I had been reading all the Vampire Romance books, got sick of that, switched to Horror. Nothing really stirred any emotions, but that 1st Karin Slaughter book….man it shook me up. Thanks again for the recommendations.

[Maxine]

For me the ponderous and the gruesome quotients have gone up far too much in Karin Slaughter for me to enjoy her much more, which is a pity as she started out well. I'd recommend Linda Castillo's Sworn to Silence as a really good thriller, about a female Amish police chief, and with a gorish element (which I didn't like, but there is plenty of other good stuff in the book). I also read the first couple of P. J. Tracy novels (a mother/daughter combo) and although I've stopped reading them now, they are quite good and quite high on gore quotient if memory serves.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson is not gory but quite violent in places, and is fantastic! I do very much recommend that if you are new to the genre. There are lots of great crime fiction books that are exciting without verging into the over-gruesome!

[Craig]

Hi Erin,

If you like the darker/gritttier end of the crime/thriller spectrum (e.g. Karin Slaughter), then I would recommend Stuart MacBride, Mark Billingham, Mo Hayder, Val McDermid and Paul Cleave.

I've also heard good things about Denise Mina, although I haven't read any of her books yet.

[Dorie]

Welcome to the group, Erin. The first thing I thought of when I read your post (gruesome/chilling/creepy/disturbing) was the author Gillian Flynn and her book Sharp Objects. Really good, but disturbing and chilling definitely.

Also I agree with Craig about Mark Billingham and Denise Mina -- they both write great, very character-driven series. I read the first two or three Mo Hayder books and they were really good, I must admit. But they became a little too disturbing, even for me. Really brilliant writing though.

[Craig]

Good call on Gillian Flynn Dorie - I read and loved her second book, DARK PLACES, last year. Creepy, disturbing, and a book filled with dislikable characters, but super well written.

[Dorie]

I haven't read her second book yet Craig, but it's on my list. I was waiting for the paperback to come out, but it seems to be taking forever.

[Tammi]

Hi Erin, you might enjoy the Charlie Parker series by John Connolly. I had the same WOW reaction as you (gruesome/chilling/creepy/disturbing)when I started reading it. The series starts with Every Dead Thing.

I love the Karin Slaughter series too ...

[Theweebarrell]

Hi if you are looking for Like for Like authors try the site Love Reading they do Liek for Like on there . Hope this helps. I also agree with the others on the Authors they have recommended

[Enni]

If you like Karin Slaughter you should give Cody McFadyen a try. Cody McFadyen The first book of his series is Shadow Man

[[deleted user]]

Thre is also the literature map...

when I typed in Karin Slaughter:

http://www.literature-map.com/karin+s...

Jilliane Hoffman and Tess Gerristsen were the closest matches.

[Keri]

I just discovered Brian Freeman and I love his work! Similar authors include Karin Slaughter, Cody McFadyen, Chelsea Cain, and Gillian Flynn.

[Vince]

The Calling by Inger Ash Wolfe
The Mermaids Singing / The Wire In The Blood by Val McDermid

[4cats]

karen Rose may work or Kathy Reichs is another obvious one.

[Stacyc]

ALEX KAVA!!!!
Her Maggie O'Dell (FBI profiler)series is AMAZING!
When I finished reading all of Karin Slaughter's books, I was in a panic as to what to read next; I absolutely loved her characters, the plots, etc. I stumbled across Alex Kava three weeks ago and will be finishing the latest novel in the series (book #10) this week. After finishing the first novel, I was "that" person - the one who goes to the library and checks out every single book by that author, simply because I KNEW I'd want to move from one book into the next without delay. :-)
The series has an engrossing story line. The chapters are relatively short, so it makes reading little snippets at a time a possibility; the chapters also vary in viewpoint(e.g. which character is telling the story), which adds suspense and further develops the storyline.
The first book in the series is entitled "A Perfect Evil". Check it out. I think you'll like Kava's work. :-)
Happy reading!

[Erin]

John Sanford's Prey series is really good. The first dozen or so books are really intense.

[Afsana]

lisa gardner is good if you like karin slaughter

cody mcfadyen is good but shame is he only ever wrote 4 books

come back and let us know what you liked and what you reading now 2 yrs down the line

[Lynne]

Greg Iles disturbs me for some reason. He's always a good read. I'll add my vote for John Sanford's Prey series.

[Shaina]

so far, Jilliane Hoffman is the closest to Karin Slaughter that i've found. LOVE Karin Slaughter!

[[deleted user]]

If you like gruesome, you will like the Gretchen Lowell series. The first is . I love them, and even though they gross out my husband, he enjoys them, also.

[Ang]

I absolutely love Karin Slaughter's books, I go nuts waiting for the next one to be released, then I read it in 2 days. I tried out Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder series and found her to be a similiar writer, I now wait for her books to be released too.