[whitebelly]

I'm not at all a crime devotee, but these are really too good not to share:

Boris Akoenin's historical "Fandorin" series takes place in 19yh century Russia and should appeal a lot to Sherlock Holmes lovers. These books are extremely clever, well-written and witty. Unfortunately not many of them have already been translated into English (I read them in Dutch). Those already available in English are "The Winter Queen" (the 1st book in the series) and "Murder on the Leviathan" (the 3rd, and also one of the funniest and best crime novels I have ever read). Crime writing and humour don't often go together convincingly, but somehow Akoenin succeeds. Really amazing!

Henning Mankell is perhaps a better known name (he's sometimes dubbed Inspector Norse -> he's Swedish and his literary creation - Inspector Wallander - is in many respects a lot like Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse). Again this is a really skillful writer, not just a good story teller. The series numbers 9 books in all (I believe so far 6 have been translated into english), and even though it helps to read them in chronological order, "Dogs of Riga" and "The White Lioness" are esp. highly recommended.

Both Akoenin and Mankell write the sort of books that make you rush to the library/bookshop to take out/buy the whole series as soon as you have finished the first book. Something which doesn't happen too often.

Other suggestions welcome!

wb

[AuntiePam]

Thanks for the suggestions. Are these books whodunits or are they the kind where characterization is more important than crime-solving?

I don't read much in this category, but someone recommended a couple a few months ago and I enjoyed them -- Forty Words for Sorrow by Giles Blunt and Lost Girls by Andrew Pyper. Psychological thrillers, not quite as graphic and gory as the stuff Thomas Harris writes, but very readable, and not too much plot. I hate too much plot. I don't even care that much about solving the crime; it's the process and the characters that I like to read about.

[knivesout]

Georges Simenon's Inspector Maigret mysteries are some of best literature I have read in the mystery genre, and each one is a cracking good mystery too. Good translations (Simenon was French) are available from Penguin and possibly elsewhere.

[whitebelly]

Simenon was Belgian !!! :eek:

(you know, Belgium ... that wee little European country where half of the population speaks Flemish - the northern part - and the other half French - the southern part).

wb (belonging to the northern part) ;)

I'll get back to you later auntie Pam (I remember you from my previous life on this message board). If it's characterization you want, then you will very probably like Mankell a lot (though his plots are really ingenious too).

[whitebelly]

Come to think of it, when we talk about the mystery genre, an absolute top read is Wilkie Collins (not related to Jackie, but a friend of Dickens), esp. "The Woman in White" and "Armadale". Other page-turners by a current writer who springs to mind are Caleb Carr's "The Alienist" and "The Angel of Darkness" (setting for both is early 20th century NY)

Anyone read "The Dumas Club" by Perez-Reverte?

[knivesout]

Simenon was Belgian !!! :eek:

(you know, Belgium ... that wee little European country where half of the population speaks Flemish - the northern part - and the other half French - the southern part).

wb (belonging to the northern part) ;)



I aplogise for the error. Belgium, eh? I believe I have heard of the place... ;)
Going kind of OT, but wsn't Herge Belgian too?

[whitebelly]

Indeed, Hergé was born near Brussels, our splendidly ugly capital city which is situated in the flemish part but where most of the people speak **** french! (don't be alarmed ... language is a huge issue in our little country, wars have been fought because of it). :eek:

I must admit (and I'm not even ashamed of it) that I have never read Simenon. As I've said, I'm not a dedicated crime reader, and I have always been rather suspicious of overly-productive writers. I think Simenon could write a crimi in one week.

Tintin, on the other hand, is cool!

[knivesout]

Simenon was prolific but preternaturally consistent, I think. Do give his works a shot sometime - especially as you can read him in the original!

[ravenus]

People may want to try out this Bradbury novel called Death Is a Lonely Business. It's a fantastic spin on the crime thriller format and a great book in its own right.

[ravenus]

Come to think of it, when we talk about the mystery genre, an absolute top read is Wilkie Collins (not related to Jackie, but a friend of Dickens), esp. "The Woman in White"
That Wilkie would required to be thus qualified... :(
But yes, Woman in White was a very well-written book, although more a crime melodrama than a mystery. The characters were nicely fleshed out and mostly quite believable, and the villain gave you a shiver up the spine.