Crime books

My all time favourites are the Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout. (He was recognized as an arithmetic prodigy, with an IQ of 185.) He started writing them in 1934 and went on till he died in 1975.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rex_Stout
Obviously they are dated but I love them because they are so well written and Rex Stout obviously loves language.

My favourite author is Michael Connolly and I have read all his books. Michael Connelly is an American author of detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller. The ones with the central character of detective Harry Bosch are superb as are his other books, but Bosch is my favourite character. There were two Bosch series on Amazon Prime which I've watched and I'm waiting impatiently for Series 3 and one of his books The Lincoln Lawyer based around detective Mickey Haller was made into a film. Also Jeffrey Deaver and James Patterson are brilliant crime writers.

Andrew Taylor is indeed a superb writer, both his style and plotting are great.
Susan Hill's Simon Serrailler books are very enjoyable-she is the author of ghost story,"Woman in Black". I have never read a series where I feel that the characters are real and personal friends before, this was the impression I had here.
Please read them in order:first one is,"Various Haunts of Men"
Sure you'll enjoy these, they are really involving reads.

Apologies if anyone else has mentioned Clare Francis (yes, the yachtswoman). I've read two of her crime thrillers recently and enjoyed them very much. I've just started a third.

I endorse every good thing said about I Am Pilgrim. I couldn't put it down.
I have enjoyed many of the books mentioned. One author that hasn't come up yet is Mark Mills. His books are intriguing - particularly The Savage Garden.
If you can get hold of them then a Regency crime series by Kate Ross - The Julian Kestrel books - are good and a bit different. There are only four of them. The author unfortunately died - too young.
Can I recommend a site for looking up books by particular authors and getting ideas for others, also seeing what's new and about to be published. It's www.fantasticfiction.com
What a good idea this has been - going for the genre.

Josephine Tey - brilliant!

The sequel to the Millennium Trilogy is out and is very good. I was prepared to be disappointed after Stieg Larsen died but not so, I think it's called The Girl in the Spider's Web. Well worth reading.
I loved the Serailler books as well and can't understand why there are not going to be any more. We were left up in the air at the end of the last book.
Kathy Reichs is good and Linwood Barclay.

Henning Mankell and Kathy Reichs - both excellent. I wish you many happy hours ahead!

Read Girl on a Train when it first came out - I loved it, Martina Cole is one of my favourite authors. Agatha Raisin books are good light hearted fun

Has anyone read crime novels by Tony R Cox by any chance? Mostly set in Derby I think.

CRAFTYCAT I think you mean Robert Galbraith.
Don't forget the Dorothy L Sayers - Lord Peter Wimsey books. Incredibly well written and they totally evoke a time and place. Also a good series is the Serailler Series by Susan Hill, I think there are 8 now. I can't understand why these have never been picked up by television. They are excellently written. (IMHO)

Just been reading some books by M R Hall, first in series is The Coroner. The coroner in question has some interesting revelations of her own, so I suggest you're best reading the books in order to get the most out of them. So far have read the first 3, think there's currently 6 of them.

Also really enjoyed the Shardlake books by C J Sansom that Anya mentioned. Only got one left to read now so am hoping he'll write more! He's written two other books too, one set in an alternative London after Hitler won the war - quite a thriller. Other one not looked at yet - may be a treat in store once I've read the last Shardlake.

Has anyone suggested The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. I've recently finished it and loved it. Not the usual type of detective story but a completely unreliable narrator with many flaws and therefore very real.

I love 'Nordic Noir' crime books, have recently discovered Torquil MacLeod he writes about a woman detective, Inspector Anita Sundstrom which is different.. Similarly Angela Marsons Silent Scream has a female sleuth - D.I. Kim Stone. The Jorn Lier Horst series is also brilliant. Another favourite author is P.D James, is there any better detective than Adam Dalglish??
Also enjoyed Stieg Larson's trilogy starting with Girl With a Dragon Tattoo.
A friend recommended it ages ago now and said that when she was recommended it she was told that she wouldn't enjoy the first part but to stick with it and you get hooked, good advice. Just finished Robert Harris's ' Officer and a Spy' about the Dreyfus Case, not a conventional crime novel, but gripping.Recently joined a book club and it is January's 'read'.
Historical crime - Susanna Gregory, C.J Sansom, Professor Bernard Knight. Hope you find something you like here.

Try Harry Bingham's Cardiff set books, his DC Fiona Griffiths detective stories are great.

If you like Italy (specifically Venice) and love a good honourable detective give Donna Leon a try. She evokes a real sense of time and place and you will fall a little bit in love with Commissario Brunetti

I love the Sophie Hannah books with the detectives Simon Waterhouse and Charlie Zailer. She's also written two Poirot books, plus other stand-alone reads. I was up till 5 am the other day finishing reading one of her books, because I just couldn't put it down.

Nicci French's series about the psychologist are good all called after days of the week. Start with Blue Monday
Love Andrew Taylor so great to know there is a new one.

Child 22 by Tom Bob Smith and the subsequent books. I don't like crime and found it gripping...

I'm Travelling Alone by Samuel Bjork
Just finished it.

Nicci French
Alex Gray
Stephen Booth
Jacqueline Winspear
Peter Robinson
John Harvey
Susan Hill
Shirley Wells
Edward Marston
Kate Ellis

TerriBull you and I must have similar tastes. I've read and enjoyed quite a few books ? you've recommended in the past.

Stella Rimington

Love JK.Rowling's Cormoran Strike books- published under name of David Galbraith.

Ann Cleeves is good too & I really enjoyed the Girl with the Dragon Tatoo series- there should be another one out soon as a new writer took over when Steig Larsson died.
I can't wait for sequel to I am Pilgrim.

Thanks for that Charleygirl. When trying to 'get back into' books I stumbled upon Quintin Jardine and was so hooked that I read the whole Skinner series in less than six months. Ably helped by my local librarary, I must add...... I'll now try your suggestion of Michael Connolly. Again.....ta.