UKC

I have never been that into this sort of genre as reading material but really fancy a good murder mystery book (as opposed to a horror book). Can anyone recommend some goodies?

Cheers

In reply to Flying Monkey:

The Secret History - Donna Tartt

In reply to Flying Monkey: Hmm, it's something a bit different but Alasteir Reynold's "Century Rain" is part 1950s detective thriller and part sci-fi noir. Highly recommended if you fancy something a bit strange.

In reply to Flying Monkey:

oh and I ahve not read it but the TV adaptation was great (and I don't go in for this kind of thing, so if I like a story then it's clearly got a little "extra" about it) - A Fatal Inversion by Barbara Vine

In reply to Flying Monkey:

2 good thriller/murder books are The Sett and the Feather Men by Ranulph Fiennes.

Also Wolf Winter by Claire Francis is an interesting read.

In reply to Flying Monkey:

If you want ones that are just easy reads but keep you interested ( train journeys and rainy days) i'd recommend Mark Billingham..he's done a handful and i enjoyed them

Not one for these types of books much myself really but these ones did hold my attention .

In reply to Blue Straggler:
A Fatal Inversion by Barbara Vine


Who is, of course, Ruth Rendell. Supposedly her 'dark side'.

In reply to Flying Monkey:
Thanks for all the suggestions so far, I shall look them all up

In reply to Al Evans:

I know, and now I think most, if not all, the Barbara Vine books say "Ruth Rendell writing as Barbara Vine"

Which surely defies the point...

In reply to anansie:
Sleepy Head sounds creepy.

The Barbara Vine books mentioned by others on here look well worth a read.

In reply to Flying Monkey:

It is a wee bit actually :oP, but, as it's all about a detective really i thought the series of books may be relevant..think though ,if you're easily freaked then they may not be for you really..just thought i'd fling them in with the mix really

And was just looking at the Barbara Vine ones on Amazon..may splash oot on a couple and give them a go too

In reply to anansie: I like Nicci French, but they are not really mm's, more Barbara Vine-ish.

In reply to anansie:
Ach being creeped oot is part of the fun I'm off to the airport later so might see if I can get me some there

In reply to Flying Monkey:

Bet you do too! ha ha! :oP Will make your flight pass quicker anyway

Aberystwyth Mon Amour (and the other two in the series) by Malcolm Pryce is fun

In reply to anansie:
Ya wee rascal!

In reply to Flying Monkey: The Name of the Rose (Umberto Eco)
A Long Finish (Michael Dibdin)
An Instance of the Fingerpost (Iain Pears)
The Depths of the Forest (Eugenio Fuentes)

In reply to Flying Monkey:

Ooh i've not been called a wee rascal in ages! ha ha!..minded me of ma wee mammy there and oh it made me smile!

In reply to Flying Monkey: Showing my age, but all the Maigret books by George Simenon are a good read - and because he was so prolific, there are planety to choose from.
Ian Rankin is good too.

In reply to anansie:
Aw good, good to have Friday smiles

In reply to OMR:
Of course, the Maigret books are classics

In reply to Flying Monkey:

I've not read them but I've heard good things about the current wave of Scandinavian crime fiction, by the likes of (iirc) Henning Mankel. Might be worth a look...?

In reply to CJD: Yes, I've read a few of Arnaldur Indridason's crime thrillers (set in Iceland) and enjoyed them. I think enjoyment of crime thrillers depends a lot on whether you like the setting. I'm a fan of Italian crime - Michael Dibdin, Donna Leon, Andrea Camilleri. However, those who enjoy an American setting might prefer Robert Crais, Dennis Lehane, Michael Connelly, Harlan Cohen, James Ellroy et al. Or classic English thriller-seekers would seek out Marjory Allingham, Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers - and - more modern - Ruth Rendell, P.D.James, Minette Walters. Of course, Ian Rankin is the master of Edinburgh and Colin Dexter the master of Oxford-based thrillers.

In reply to Marc C: Elizabethh George too, most will recognise at least some of the areas she writes about (Padley Gorge, Flash, and Swanage), also Stephen Booth for Peak District thrillers(Hope Valley/Castleton, references to the Neil Moss tragedy) and even Reginald Hill (Yorks/Peak borders) but he is not as convincing with locations as Booth and George, still some good stuff though.

In reply to Marc C: I challenge anyone to enjoy Marjory Allingham who is under 60 or outside of a girls grammar school.

In reply to Mike Highbury: I am 63 and was educated at Flossingley Girls' College

In reply to Flying Monkey:

Patricia Cornwell or Ian Rankin.
Patricia Cornwell is American but you get quite a lot of forensic science info which I find interesting.