American or British Mystery/Crime

[Katrina1968]

I'm not a big mystery/crime reader but I do have my favorites.

 

Tell me, do you enjoy British or American mystery/crime writers? Why?

 

I tend to go along the lines of the old mysteries and they all seem to come from across the pond;)

[catwoman]

I'm not a big mystery/crime reader but I do have my favorites.

 

Tell me, do you enjoy British or American mystery/crime writers? Why?

 

I tend to go along the lines of the old mysteries and they all seem to come from across the pond;)

 

 

Oh that is a hard one... I don't think it matters to me, I have a few ultimate favourite writers. Val Mcdermid is one and she is British, Karin Slaughter is American and of course James Patterson is American.

 

For me it is all about the style of writing. It also has to be fast paced and with loads of suspense.

 

W

[Fi.]

I have no preference - I love both American & British crime writers. Like catwoman, it's about the writing and the storyline not the nationality of the writer or even the location of the novel

[honestfi]

In a nutshell (IMHO):

 

American writers are better at thrillers/tension.

 

British writers are better with plots.

 

I like a well thought out plot, but I also like a good page turner. There is some terrific talent on both sides of the Atlantic, although some British writers feel that the Americans tend to publish more "production line" stuff to please the masses. Some have even started some sorta "protest group" about it.

[Echo]

I prefer American crime novels, but only because they're more violent. I like me some blood and guts.

[Katrina1968]

LOL. I honestly get sick of how explicit everything is here, nothing subtle. Nothing to the imagination.

[Echo]

I like to feel blood dripping from the pages...

[blithe]

I like both. There are some good Canadian, French, etc. mystery writers too. As long as the story is compelling and well written - that's what's important.

[funrun]

like some of the australian writers like gabriella lord tara moss okay but it all depends how writtten

[frankie]

I like both so I don't feel the need to choose just the other to read I think the American Crime fiction is sometimes a bit high paced which I like, I really like having many twists to a book, never knowing whodunnit in the end. In the British Crime fiction I think sometimes the characters are more rounded than in the American novels, and I like that too. But that's a very superficial estimate of the two, so ...

[Nicola]

Well the only crime books I tend to read are by Jeffrey Deaver and I can't remember reading anything by an English author. That's not because I'm against British crime thrillers, I just haven't got round to it yet

[Chrissy]

I read both with equal glee!

 

But I do find that the female authors generally write better about the gruesome stuff then the males. Read a little Karin Slaughter (USA) or Val McDermid (UK) if you like your blood and gore on the 'ouch' side.

[Guest velocipede2288]

Well I like both American and British crime novels. And I love detective fiction. Ed Mc Bain and Elmore Leonard for American favourites, and Reginald Hill and Colin Dexter and Ian Rankin for British favourites.

Mustn't forget Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes though.

PS.

I almost forgot. Phillip Marlow and Dashiel Hammett.

[Peacefield]

I never really have given it much thought, so I guess it really doesn't matter where an author is from. I confess that I haven't read much crime, and the mystery I prefer is the historical kind. I love Matthew Pearl, and I know he's American, but then I also love Iain Pears however I have no idea where he's from .

[honestfi]

Well I like both American and British crime novels. And I love detective fiction. Ed Mc Bain and Elmore Leonard for American favourites, and Reginald Hill and Colin Dexter and Ian Rankin for British favourites.

Mustn't forget Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes though.

PS.

I almost forgot. Phillip Marlow and Dashiel Hammett.

 

Ever tried Mike Ripley?

[willoyd]

I don't think it comes down to American v British for me, but individual authors. I also like a fair bit of Euro-crime.

 

Ones I'd class as favourites include Paretsky, Evanovich, Chandler, Laurie King, Pears, Gregory (Chaloner not Bartholomew I've never got into medieval crime except for the brilliant Name of the Rose), Conan Doyle, Collins, Childers, Kate Atkinson, Simenon, Mankell, Leon, Lauren Henderson, Larsson, Sjowall & Wahloo.

[Peacefield]

You too like Iain Pears, blencathra? If so, do you have any favorites? I think I love 'Instance of the Fingerpost' most, but I can never get enough of his art mystery series with Argyle.

[Guest velocipede2288]

One of the best crime writers ever wasn't American of British, but French.Simenon's Inspector Maigret is unforgetable.

One of the first crime books I ever read was a Maigret thriller I had from a book club. I've been reading crime ever since.

[Guest velocipede2288]

Honestfi. Never come across Mike Ripley. I'll have to look him up at amazon.

[Beccles]

USA crime fiction is not very believable UK Crime is more true and is not as far fetched. I have enjoyed the Scarpetta novels but dislike P.R Tracy her books are rubbish

[SueK]

Has to be British (or European) for me - every time - I'm afraid. I like my plots to centre around sleepy English villages, or (in the case of the Jacquot series) in southern France. Places where I can relate to. Martin Edwards was an unknown writer to me until recently - he writes beautifully plotted thrillers around the Lake District. I also like thrillers to take place in dusty libraries or museums and the like.

 

I did try picking up a Jeffery Deaver novel but couldn't get on with it I'm afraid.

 

Having said that though, I did enjoy The Lost Book of Salem which, of course, HAS to take place in New England but I got a sense of the small town in the book which I enjoyed.

[Katrina1968]

SueK, I think thats why, when I DO read Crime/Mystery books, I look for books centered in sleepy English villages. I'm just not into fast paced, stick and rip books. I love the idea of roaming through ancient estates and meeting up witht the quirky characters.

[SueK]

Hi Katrina

 

You may therefore enjoy the Midsomer Murder series of books featuring Chief Inspector Barnarby (if you haven't seen them already). They are an extremely popular TV series over here as well. They take place in sleepy picturesque villages.

 

 

Sherlock Holmes is my all time favourite crime detective and although he epitomises the Victorian English sleuth, a few of his books have American themes.

[Katrina1968]

I wasnt aware of the book series, I have seen the television show though and really enjoyed it. As a matter of fact, I use Netflix so I can continue to watch them as it appears to have been canceled. I'll have to check that out!

[Chrissy]

A favourite of mine is Dorothy L Sayers. The period she is writing in is between World War One and World War Two, with Lord Peter Wimsey as her detective, with the fabulous Harriet Vane in attendance!

 

Caps are still doffed, the working man knows his place, and we all use the correct fork at dinner! Great books.