Need help finding an author!

[Jill]

Several years ago I read a few books in a series about a British police detective who drank Theakston's Old Peculiar and made himself the most fantastic sandwiches which he then ate at the kitchen sink...The writing was wonderful (and I discovered my favorite beer EVER) but I've forgotten who wrote them. Ring a bell with anyone? Thanks for your help!

[Mona]

Jason Foss?

[Jill]

Mona wrote: "Jason Foss?"

Noooo...but thanks for the name - seems to be worth further investigation!

[Mona]

Thomas Graham?

[Dorie]

What about the Tom Thorne series by Mark Billingham?

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Was it by any chance the Richard Jury series by Martha Grimes?

[Jill]

Thank you all so much - I've read all of Billingham, most of Grimes, all of Graham - none of them fit this description. The detective was separated from his wife after being married for quite a while, thought for a moment of Alan Banks but he's not the right detective either. Oh well, I still discovered Theakston's Old Peculiar!

[Jill]

Dorie wrote: "What about the Tom Thorne series by Mark Billingham?"

Dorie, It's not Tom Thorne but I was very happy to discover Billingham last year. I think he's excellent even if rather...involved.

[Jan C]

How about Peter Lovesey's Peter Diamond series? I don't remember about the beer but I think I recall him eating over the kitchen sink.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Perhaps it's Philip R. Craig who writes the Vineyard Mystery series?

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Nancy wrote: "Perhaps it's Philip R. Craig who writes the Vineyard Mystery series?"

no...he's not British. sorry.

[Jill]

Jan C wrote: "How about Peter Lovesey's Peter Diamond series? I don't remember about the beer but I think I recall him eating over the kitchen sink."

I don't think so but now that I've investigated, I'm adding Lovesey to my reading list! Thanks Jan.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Nancy wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Perhaps it's Philip R. Craig who writes the Vineyard Mystery series?"

no...he's not British. sorry."
But he does drink Old Peculiar and make sandwiches.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Okay. I'm going to try once more and then I give up. It could feasibly be Charlie Resnick, who eats sandwiches over the sink. His series is written by John Harvey.

[Jacqueline]

Hi,
It might be Ian Rankin. He has a series featuring Inspector Rebus.

[4cats]

Peter James, Colin Dexter (Morse loved a pint) or Val McDermid grasping at straws here I think but my bet's on Morse.

[Bill]

It actually sounds like Lawrence Sanders detective, Edward Delaney (even though he isn't a British detective), but I do recall the wonderful sandwiches he would make. The Deadly Sins series of books.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

I thought of that too, but she said it was British. I'm still going with Jack Harvey.

[Donna, Co-Moderator]

I'm thinking Charlie Resnick series by John Harvey too.

[Dorie]

Darn it, Jill. This thread is adding to my to-read pile. LOL!

[Jan C]

And the fact that Theakston's Old Peculiar has a crime writing award makes this question hard to google. I know, I tried it this afternoon.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

I just started plowing through my Brit books!

[Jill]

Jan C wrote: "And the fact that Theakston's Old Peculiar has a crime writing award makes this question hard to google. I know, I tried it this afternoon."

Tell me about it Jan - I did the same thing when I first started to look for these books. On the plus side, looking at the Theakston's award winners led me to a bunch of new (for me) authors.

[Jill]

Dorie wrote: "Darn it, Jill. This thread is adding to my to-read pile. LOL!"
I know, Dorie - between this thread and the Theakston's award site, I'm "booked" for about 6 months!

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

So -- did you ever figure out who it was you were looking for?

[Jill]

Nancy wrote: "So -- did you ever figure out who it was you were looking for?"

No, I haven't found it...but I will persevere! And in the meantime I've found loads of new books to add to my list. So it's all good!

[Kate]

In Stewart Giles' DS Jason Smith novels, Smith has named his bull terrier 'Theakston.' He also drinks considerable quantities of Theakston's.

[Gretchen]

Laurence Saunders has a detective who liked his wet sandwiches (over the sink) and dry sandwiches. American writer though. I think they are the first deadly sin, etc. ?

[Bill]

Gretchen wrote: "Laurence Saunders has a detective who liked his wet sandwiches (over the sink) and dry sandwiches. American writer though. I think they are the first deadly sin, etc. ?"

They are indeed. I used to like reading the books just to see what he would eat and what beer he would drink with it. Lawrence Sanders. Ed Delaney was the cop.