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Good books to start with?


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We may have some people reading this who haven't tried these genres, but would now like to try. I was wondering what current fans would recommend as good books to start with? Which book or author is a good introduction to crime, who writes good, gripping thrillers, etc?

 

Visiting authors, feel free to recommend your own books - but you must explain why! ;)

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I would recommend any of Tony Hillerman's books as they are light Directive/crime novels but they are mixed with an interesting view of life on the Navajo reservation as well as a little of their history. They are easy to read and the characters of Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee are likable (an important quality for me.)

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Lee Child's Killing Floor (Jack Reacher No 6) is an awesome thriller and my favorite so far.  You don't have to read them in order, there are no references to the other books, they all stand alone.  It's only 400pgs and goes fast.

I can't give Lee Child enough praise for the Jack Reacher books.

Edited by Anna Begins
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I was very impressed with John Connolly and his Charlie Parker books, even if they overwhelmed me occasionaly with their content.

 

Louise Penny her Canadian detective made me feel that another Christie has come.

 

Phillip Kerr and his German WOII policeman shows how history mixes very well with a detective story. A man without breath is a brilliant book.

 

Currently working my way through Tana French and she is impressive.

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Agatha Christie's "And then there were none" is my favorite. It's a fun guessing game and it works today even though it's old. Also her "The murder of Roger Ackroyd" is very good.

They are easy to read, not very long and classic.

 

If you want a newer novel, I would suggest Gillian Flynn's "Gone girl" or Stieg Larsson's "The girl with the dragon tattoo". Both very appreciated by "commoners" - meaning people who don't read a lot like most people here. So obviously they have something.

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I have been wracking my brain over this one, and I think I would suggest starting with the old school writing.  I found my way into crime fiction and thrillers through  the likes of Sherlock Holmes, Dorothy L Sayers,  Agatha Christie, Patricia Highsmith and Raymond Chandler.

 

I'm not sure if my appreciation of the genre would have the depth and breadth it has if it were not for these authors.

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Are any of these/or are there any short thrillers? I am really into quick reads at the moment. I have never really tried thrillers before. I've tried true crime but never fiction crime.

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The books that probably got me into thrillers/ crime were James Patterson's early work, when he was writing on his own. Short, sharp chapters kept the pace bumping along and I would often finish one of his books in a couple of days. Over recent years when he is the co-author of a book and pumping out 3-4 a year I haven't enjoyed them quite so much.

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