Detective novels recommendation

[Waiting]

Maybe casting the net too wide, but how about some noir by Jim Thompson or James M. Cain? Or maybe more recent crime stuff by Elmore Leonard or Dean Koontz?

 

[j d worthington]

I would second the recommendation of Ngaio Marsh, and add Josephine Tey's (sadly small) collection of novels ("The Daughter of Time" is one of my favourite novels - a very untraditional piece of detection).

I would second Tey's work, especially that particular novel. Quite a... novel (if you will pardon the pun) type of detective story, albeit something of a variant of the detective who investigates without bestirring himself... speaking of Wolfe.....

 

[kurzon]

^ Wolfe just bestirs Archie...

 

[j d worthington]

^ wolfe just bestirs archie...

lol....:d

 

[old wallie]

I looked again at the title of this forum and can't believe no-one mentioned Asimov's robot detective in Caves of Steel. Tut Tut!

Also John Sanford has some good gritty novels. Also try Elizabeth Gunn.

 

[Toby Frost]

I agree with Mosaix. For me Chandler is a fair way ahead of anyone else in the genre. Even his more obscure short stories are brilliant. Lots of people say The Long Goodbye is the best, but personally I liked Farewell My Lovely more.

 

[Hari Seldon]

Arnaldur Indridason's Erlendur series and Henning Mankell's Wallander series. Since the classics seemed to have been covered I thought I would slip in a couple of newer series that I really enjoyed.

 

[chongjasmine]

Thanks for all the recommendation!

 

[thatollie]

You might like the Dr Gideon Fell books by John Dickson Carr, it certainly has it's moments.

 

[littlemissattitude]

I would second the recommendation of Ngaio Marsh, and add Josephine Tey's (sadly small) collection of novels ("The Daughter of Time" is one of my favourite novels - a very untraditional piece of detection).

I was just going to suggest Josephine Tey's Alan Grant novels, so instead I'll second the nomination.

I read The Daughter of Time after an acquaintence of mine saw me in the library one day and literally dragged me by the arm to where it was on the shelf, thrust it into my hand and said, "You have to read this!" He was right. It is marvelous, as are her other novels.

I'd also like to speak up for Faye Kellerman's series of novels about Peter Decker, an LAPD detective, and his wife Rina Lazarus, whom he meets on a case in the first of the the novels, The Ritual Bath, courts and then marries as the series continues. Wonderful series of novels.

Also, whoever recommended Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch novels upthread, I definitely second those as well. But don't miss Connelly's other novels, not directly in that series (but with some crossover of characters). They are just as good. One of those is Blood Work, which was made into the film of the same name. The really funny thing about that shorter series is that in the second book (the name of which escapes me at the moment), some of the characters reference the movie and complain about the film portrayals having misrepresented them. Great use of an inside reference.

EDITED TO ADD: Crap. As soon as I clicked to post, I realized that I left out a very good novel that read a couple of months ago. It is The Art of Detection, by Laurie R. King. Marvelous detective story set in San Francisco among a group of Holmseians and concerning a mysterious manuscript that might or might not be a Shrelock Holmes story set in San Francisco, which might or might not have been written by Doyle while visitng the city.

I would never have picked it up, but Ms. King came and spoke to a group of mystery writers and fans I belong to here locally, and I bought it because it was the least expensive book for sale there that day, and primarily so I could have it signed (I collect signed editions). But then I picked it up and started reading it, and couldn't put it down.

 

[dwndrgn]

You don't specify what you like about Holmes that makes you want to read more detective fiction. But, I immediately thought of Ariana Franklin. Now, this is not really detective fiction but bear with me a minute. Beginning with Mistress of the Art of Death, this series tells the story of...well, I'll let Ms. Franklin's blog tell you, she does it much better:
In medieval Cambridge, four children have been murdered. The Catholic townsfolk blame their Jewish neighbors, so to save them from the rioting mob, the Cambridge Jews are placed under the protection of the king. King Henry II is no friend of the Jews-or anyone, really-but he believes in law and order, and he desperately needs the taxes he receives from Jewish merchants. Hoping scientific investigation will catch the true killer, Henry calls on his cousin, the King of Sicily-whose subjects include the best medical experts in Europe-and asks for his finest "master of the art of death," the earliest form of medical examiner. The Italian doctor chosen for the task is a young prodigy from the University of Salerno, an expert in the science of anatomy and the art of detection. But her name is Adelia; the king has been sent a "mistress of the art of death."

Part of the reason I thought of this series was because she takes all of these disparate clues and works them together like a puzzle. Also fun to look in on a different world where women had no power and weren't listened to. So there you go, that is my recommendation.

I hope you find lots of new books to enjoy!

 

[Vladd67]

Although not a novel I would recommend Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine for a good selection of short stories, and if you have one it's available on the Kindle

 

[blacknorth]

I spent a couple of years reading crime/detective fiction. At the end of it I kept only a few and I suppose I can recommend those:

Fast One by Paul Cain - often called the toughest of tough guy novels, the book is made human by Ms S Granquist who remains as intriguing as Kells in life and death.

Everything by Cornell Woolrich.

Everything by David Goodis.

The John Franklin Bardin Omnibus.

And if you like it cheap and easy, James Hadley Chase.

 

[Palerider]

Sorry, I have to throw this in since the man was very kind to me at a time that I needed it the most. Not classic, but fine nonetheless.

John Connolly - The "Charlie Parker" novels are a first rate series of thrillers with a very slight hint of the supernatural to them.

Charlie is a former NYPD Detective who lost his wife and child to a serial killer. It goes from there in a series of 8 or 9 books.

I'd start with the first one which is titled (I believe) "Every Dead Thing."

Really good stuff.

Joe

 

[Palerider]

Shoot - almost forgot. In the hard boiled thriller/mystery vein. Lee Child "Reacher" novels are great.

And casting the net a little further, the Preston/Child "Pendergast" novels, especially "Brimstone", "Still Life with Crows" and "The Cabinet of Curiosities" are excellent

"Brimstone" is a locked room murder mystery for the 21st Century.

Two really good series, in my opinion.

 

[Waiting]

"Nightside City" by Lawrence Watt-Evans. A nice little book. Science fiction, even.

Kristine Kathryn Rusch's Retrieval Artist series.