Crime books

If you like Elly Griffiths Wesley Peterson series, you will like Kate Ellis' Ruth Galloway series. Both are archaeology-related.

I've met both authors at Bristol Crime Fest and they are lovely, talented women.

For "gentle" crime try Aline Templeton, her books are set in The Rhinns of Galloway, I think the first is called Cold in the earth

John Harvey stories set in Nottingham, Peter Robinson and some of the American crime writers, Lee Child, Harlan Coban Kathy Reichs

Classic: Dorothy L. Sayers

'cozy': Simon Brett, especially the Fethering series, which whilst not to be taken seriously, has 2 excellent central characters and some trenchant observations on modern life.

US: Marcia Muller, the Sharon McCone series; Sharon matures and changes throughout her life, the series runs from 1977 to the present day

Scandi: the Irene Huss series by Helene Tursten - a police detective in Gotenborge

France: Cara Black's Amy LeDuc series (private detective, in Paris); the Bruno series by Martin Walker (local policeman in the Dordogne) and the Jacquot series by Martin O'Brien (police detective in Marseilles)

UK: semi-historical,in that historical crimes are unearthed parallel to modern ones: Kate Ellis - Wesley Peterson is a detective in the West Country and his best friend is an archaeologist; Elly Griffiths series about Ruth Galloway, an anthropologist in Norfolk.
Historical: Mistress of the Art of Death by Arianna Franklin

Just thought of Deborah Crombie and her Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series. Police detection and mystery. She's up to no 17 in Feb.

I discovered Karim Fossum's books late last year. I read a slightlyear off beat novel and then saw her Detective Sejer stories were well reviewed. So. Got the first in hard copy, read it in December and since have gone through the next eleven on my Samsung Kindle.
They are in translation and truly wonderful
The small core of characters develop more in each story.

I use find 'I am a Pilgrim' mentioned a lot in this thread

I'm sure all us crime genre fans are getting as much out of this as I am as the OP.

I'm thinking, so much good reads, so little time

So much many good reads!

The Philip Kerr Bernie Gunther novels are good. He's a German detective around the time of WW2. Not your ordinary crime novel but fascinating.

Stuart McBride's series set in Aberdeen is quite addictive. I read most of them until they became (for me) just a bit too gory! Lindsay Davies Falco series set in the Flavian era of the Roman Empire is fabulous for the settings, characters and plots. She has a more recent series featuring Flavia Alba, adoptive daughter of Falco.

Lupin I haven't kept up with Gemma and Duncan for some time now, the last was when her son was going to learn to drive I think!! Have to get back to them. Thank you!

Tess Gerritson
Kathy Reich
CJ Sansom
Mark Billingham
Val McDermid
Harlan Coben
Lee Child
Michael Connolly
Ed McBain
Mo Hayder

I love a crime novel better than anything. I'll read anything if it's well written . I'm afraid I don't worry if there violence in it, it's only a book.

Someone up thread mentioned The Girl on the Train and then a few posts down someone else said they'd read Girl on a Train when it was first published and loved it.
BE WARNED: both these titles exist!!! I bought Girl on a Train when it was on Kindle Daily Deals - should have known it wouldn't be selling any time soon for 99p! This one is by A.J.Waines, whereas The Girl on the Train is by Paula Hawkins and is the one that everyone talks about and was made into a film.
However, buying the 'wrong' book turned out to be a happy accident as it was an extremely good psychological crime thriller - I couldn't put it down. It is still on Amazon Kindle for 99p and I can thoroughly recommend it!

Ooooh...Tess Gerritson and Kathy Reichs. I have only seen the TV shows, Rizzoli & Isles (I'm from nr Boston!)and Bones (lived in DC, too LOL). Sorry to see those series ending. Not sure if Bones definitely will... their last seasonal episodes always seem to leave it up in the air!! But I do miss Sasha Alexander as Maura Isles.

Easy reading:

Carola Dunn
Catriona McPherson
Rebecca Tope
Alan Bradley
L C Tyler
Hazel Holt

Ooh yes Catriona McPherson is great fun. I always enjoy het 'Dandy Gilver' mysteries.

Just thought of Barbara Cleverly's Joe Sandilands series. The first one is The Last Kashmiri Rose. They are set in many different locations and his personal story develops with each book. She's up to no 13 now - Diana's Alter. Good involving reads.

Can anyone tell me, do the Jack Reacher novels become less graphically violent? I know some authors seem to start out really graphic but ease up after two or theee books, i.e. Karin Slaugter and Jeffrey Deaver.
Also has anyone read any David Baldacci?

Thank you for so many helpful suggestions. May I also recommend "Why Did you Lie" by Sigurdardottir - translated from the Icelandic, a good read. Didn't enjoy so much her first book, wonder if it could have been a different translator? Love Louise Penney too, you really do like the characters, and Mark Billingham. Like all writers, authors have good and bad books. "The Girl next door" by Ruth Rendell was a good one, less crime but intriguing all the same. Yes, I have read several David Baldacci, NonnaW, "The Camel Club" was my favourite. Husband loves the Bernie Gunther books, now started on a book about football by the same author. We both loved "I am Pilgrim".

www.bl.uk/aboutus/publishing/crime-classics-booklet.pdf
There is this collection of vintage crime.
Also Hamish Macbeth generally cosy and repetitive but the last few are a bit more bloodthirsty. If you know Lochinver the inhabitants remind you of the little town.

Michael Gilbert
Dorothy L Sayers
Quintin Jardine
Ben Aaronovitch (spelling?)
Raymond Hill
Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

None of them too gory, as that just keeps me awake. Looking forward to starting a book by LC Tyler, which we bought because it looked like fun.

Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher crime series, set in Melbourne, makes fast-paced, enjoyable reading. The main character is 'naughty but nice'. Light reading, and quite addictive.

wheniwasyourage, interested to see that you too like Ben Aaronovitch's books. I have just finished The Hanging Tree, no 6 in his Rivers of London series. They are quirky in their combination of detection and magic, which might not be to everyone's taste. I found it quite easy to suspend disbelief! As with all series it's best to start with the first - Rivers of London.

I would second Josephine Tey, The Franchise Affair & The Daughter of TIme are both brilliant.

If you like books set in Italy, I would recommend Zen books by Michael Dibdin.

I love all Josephine Tey's books and reread them regularly.
Haven't read any Michael Dibdin, but I do love Donna Leon and Andrea Camilleri.
For fun I read M.C.Beaton's Agatha Raisin books and I've just started on Agatha Christie. My mother told me not to bother with them because they were badly written, but I'm finding them really witty, with great plots.