Crime fiction

[AE35Unit]

I'm surprised there isn't a category for this genre of fiction, or am I just not seeing it?
Anyway I just finished Eight Black Horses by Ed Mcbain and I'd love to find more authors that write in that genre. I believe Ian Rankin is similar, with his Rebus series of books. I'll have to look for one.

 

[Pyan]

Rebus is brilliant, if you like the gritty underside of police work. Very Scottish, thoroughly recommended. A long, long way from Agatha Christie...

Personally, I'd start with #3 in the series, Tooth and Nail - the first two are somewhat patchy, but this one is usually regarded as the book that Rankin really gets into his stride with the character.

Rebus books in order.

 

[AE35Unit]

Thanks Pyan, I found one on bookmmoch, on its way soon hopefully (Door Open, a non Rebus novel)

 

[Randy M.]

A lot of writers have written in the police procedural sub-genre. Georges Simenon's Maigret novels tack along the perimeter of it; P. D. James sort of merges it with Golden Age detective stories still set in England, as does Louise Penny but with a Canadian setting; Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo Martin Beck series gave it a Swedish slant (I just saw that Sjowall died in May) and was a precursor of the noir movement coming out of Northern Europe. Besides Rankin, I think Peter Robinson writes a British police procedural series, Val McDermid writes at least one, I believe, and so does Mo Hayter. If you're drawn by the grittiness of McBain, Penny may not be for you, though she's not afraid to plumb the darkness in people, and I haven't read Hayter, Robinson or McDermid.

For myself, I'm interested in finally getting to Tana French. I thought I would have by this time this year, but I hope soon.

Randy M.

 

[BAYLOR]

Rendezvous in Black by. Cornell Woolrich
Night Has a Thousand Eyes by Cornell Woolrich

 

[Randy M.]

Rendezvous in Black by. Cornell Woolrich
Night Has a Thousand Eyes by Cornell Woolrich

I like the latter a lot, will eventually get to the former, I think, but I'm pretty sure neither is along the lines of Ed McBain.

Randy M.

 

[BAYLOR]

I like the latter a lot, will eventually get to the former, I think, but I'm pretty sure neither is along the lines of Ed McBain.

Randy M.

Ive read Ed Mcbain, you correct Woolrich is quite different.

In one of his book Harlan Ellison spoke very highly of Woolrocih. That's how I found Woolrich.

 

[hitmouse]

Try Christopher Brookmyre, starting with Quite Ugly One Morning

Carl Hiaasen is very good, and iccasionally hilariously funny.

There are a number of very good Scandi noir writers.

 

[Danny McG]

I've read all the Jo Nesbo books about Harry Hole the Norwegian cop.
I'm currently reading the latest Chris Carter book about an American cop.

I read a lot of Ed McBain about twenty years ago, the Deaf Man was a superb arch villain and adversary to the cops of the 87th precinct

 

[P.J. Greystoke]

Anyone read any Nicci French? I became hooked on the Frieda Klein series when they came out.

 

[J Riff]

Hard to beat Donald Westlake, Parker for serious heists, Dortmunder for comedy.

 

[BigBadBob141]

Jo Nesbo, I agree, very good as are the Rebus books.
Try the Tony Hill books by Val McDermid, interesting character and good plots.
Michael Connelly for the Harry Bosch and Lincoln Lawyer books, all good.
For something unusual try books by Tony Hillerman about the Navajo Tribal Police.
For real classics try the Hard Boiled Phillip Marlow books by Raymond Chandler (plots can be a bit complex but the writing is superb) plus the Continental Op stories by Dashiell Hammett, all the short stories can now be found in one volume, also I recommend the Lord Peter Wimsey books and stories by Dorothy L. Sayers, same period as early Agatha Christie.
For fantasy crime (forensic magicians), the Lord Darcy story's and single novel, these can now be found in a single volume collection.
Finally try the Charlie Parker books by John Connolly, these should really be read in order for some things to make sense, also there is a very slight supernatural element in the books, but they are well written and have interesting characters and villians.
Also more thriller then detective are the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child, not a bad read, worth trying a few.
And if you like old stuff then try the Saint books and short storys by Leslie Charteris, half detective, half James Bond type adventurer.

 

[JimC]

Watched Jim Sallis' movie 'Drive' last night. It was very good.

 

[Vladd67]

Have you read the Judge Dee books by Robert Van Gulik based on a actual 7th century Chinese Magistrate.

 

[Danny McG]

Have you read the Judge Dee books by Robert Van Gulik based on a actual 7th century Chinese Magistrate.

I remember the TV series many years ago

 

[AE35Unit]

.
Also more thriller then detective are the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child, not a bad read, worth trying a few.

Yes I'm curious about Lee Child

 

[AE35Unit]

I've read all the Jo Nesbo books about Harry Hole the Norwegian cop.
I'm currently reading the latest Chris Carter book about an American cop.

I read a lot of Ed McBain about twenty years ago, the Deaf Man was a superb arch villain and adversary to the cops of the 87th precinct

He is a pretty incompetent villain though, never quite gets things right

 

[Randy M.]

I forgot to add, Donna Leon and her main character, Inspector Brunetti, of the Venice police. I've read 2 of them and they are beautifully written and thoughtful about the state of policing and politics in Venice.

Since we seem to be stretching beyond police procedurals, I'll put in a rave for Ross Macdonald. His early work featuring Lew Archer (a.k.a. Lew Harper in the movies Harper and The Dead Pool) is strongly redolent of Raymond Chandler. But Archer changes over time, becoming less like Philip Marlowe, his cases usually featuring a look at the children of the wealthy in California in the 1960s and '70s. Some of that feeling appears to stem from personal experience with his own daughter (Macdonald was the husband of Margaret Millar and they had the one child). Macdonald was a better plotter than Chandler, and his equal in exposition. If Macdonald's dialog doesn't usually have the snap of Chandler's, his novels -- particularly The Underground Man and The Goodbye Look of the ones I've read -- are still every bit as good as Chandler's best.


Randy M.

 

[BigBadBob141]

REF: Vladd67.
Thanks for reminding me about the Judge Dee books by Robert Van Gulik, I completely forgot about them, I think they are definitely worth a try!
Also just remembered the Maigret books by Georges Simenon, they are reasonably short if you want a quick read but well written and plotted, I think there is about 80 plus of them to read and collect, look them up on Wiki!!!
If you want some real goldie oldies try the Ellery Queen books written suprise, surprise by Ellery Queen (bit strange I know), actually E.Q. was the pen name of two cousins.
If you just want some outlandish over-the-top James Bond type adventure for simple relaxation try the early Dirk Pitt books by Clive Cussler, I recommend "Vixen 03" , "Night Probe", "Deep Six" & "Cyclops", also the Modesty Blaise books by Peter O'Donnell!
For fun and humour and a great amount of Biritishness I recommend the "Rumpole of the Bailey" books by John Mortimer and also the TV series based on these which was also pretty good!
P.S. I know am probably going a bit off track with Pitt and Blaise books as they are not what people think of as detectives but the stories do usually involve some sort of crime and both series are well worth a read!
P.P.S. And on that note don't forget the greatest adventurer of them all, the man him self James Bond aka 007!!!

 

[Vladd67]

If you like Maigret you may like the Inspector Pel books by Mark Hebden, and after his death his daughter Juliet. I also enjoyed the Aurelio Zen novels about an Italian detective who values truth over politics by Michael Dibdin, the tv series wasn't bad either. Staying in Italy I did enjoy the series Inspector De Luca about a police Inspector set during the Fascist era of Italy, which is also three novels, and the TV series Inspector Nardone about a post-war police Inspector who took on the local mob and won, based on a real person who was known as the Italian Eliot Ness. Staying in Italy there are the books by Lindsey Davis about Roman PI Marcus Didius Falco, which are worth a read.