Favorite Mystery\Detective Authors

panella said:
Good eye J.C. "The Maltese Falcon" is my favorite Dashiell Hammett story. His other generic, nameless "continental op" themes are heavy on plot but a little light in characterization.

Shann - mycroft and one45auto are on the money with the Sherlock Holmes mysteries.

For an historical perspective you might want to check out what is considered to be the first true detective, C. Auguste Dupin, and detective fiction: Murders in the Rue Morgue written by Edgar Allan Poe in 1841.
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I have read most of Sir Conan Doyle, I will check out that Poe book. Thanks.
 
For real crime you should look up a copy of "The Napoleon of Crime, The Life and Times of Adam Worth, Master Thief. The author thinks that he was the original model for Professor Moriarty. The main difference was that Worth hated violence and was the closest thing you might find to an honerable thief. The Pinkertons pursued him, but they also respected him.
http://www.centuriesandsleuths.com/...id=aMedoRt5eHP9?s=showproduct&isbn=0385319932
 
For literate crime fiction , James Lee Burke. He's the only guy writing much these days that I know about that has a good handle on the emotional cost of police work. His works aren't really mysteries as much as crime stories, however, and there's a strong mystical streak (pun intended).

I also really enjoy the Lindsey Davis Falco novels, hardboiled set in ancient Rome.

For comedic crime, Carl Hiassen and Tim Dorsey. I lived in Miami for a wierd while and these guys really capture the south florida vibe.

I find almost all the American noir preferable to the locked room stuff.

Take Care,
Jeff
 
I'll second what Mycroft said about Doyle, Hammet, and especially Akunin. I've very much enjoyed all the Erast Fandorin mysteries. They were actually translated out of order, though, so you might want to read "The Turkish Gambit" before you read "Murder on the Leviathan".

The John Rebus mysteries by Ian Rankin are excellent, as well. I liked his earlier books better than his more recent ones, but they're all well written, well thought out mysteries that take place in and around Edinburgh. Rankin's books introduced me to Laphroaig and other single malt Scotches, so I might be biased in his favor. :)
 
For a slightly askew view of the classic detective / crime novel, Lawrence Block's "Burgler" series is good, and for the more classic hard bitten detective story, his Matthew Scudder series works well.

Dave
 
Kkimo said:
For a slightly askew view of the classic detective / crime novel, Lawrence Block's "Burgler" series is good, and for the more classic hard bitten detective story, his Matthew Scudder series works well.

Dave
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I'll second this, try "When The Sacred Ginmill Closes" or "A Walk Amongst The Tombstones" for a taste of his work.
 
I really love James Patterson, Patricia Cromwell, and Michael Connelly. I also really like Agatha Christie! PS: Anyone read any Lillian Jackson Braun books?
 
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