Detective books recommendations please

Stella Rimmington's (ex head of MI5) books are good too.

Ella Griffiths also writes the DI Edgar Stevens and magician Max Mephisto mysteries. Set in post war Brighton they have a Foyles War feel about them.

Shardlake - as mentioned above. The books have been dramatised and are sometimes on BBC Sounds.

Montelbano by Andrea Camilleri

Aurelio Zen by Michael Dibdin.

Both the above have been televised. One reason I love Montelbano are the descriptions of the lunches he has at the local trattoria and the food his housekeeper leaves for him.

Zen is a Venetian cop but based in Rome. Because he is out of favour he is sent to try to solve difficult crimes. Each one is in a different location.

Sadly both authors are have died so so more books to come.

Alan Bradley - The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. This is the first of a series featuring Flavia de Luce, a chemistry loving youngest daughter of a riches to rags family living in a ramshackle stately home set in the 50's. Sorry for the run on sentence.

A not-too-gruesome mystery, and you really do get to love the main character.

pascal30

Quokka

Another thank you. I’ve started my first and have enough ideas to see me out!

Which ones did you choose, just out of interest...

I started with Quentin Jardine which was the second suggestion - mainly because they are set in Edinburgh a city I love.
Many of my all time favourites have been mentioned but I’m like a kid in a sweetie shop. I want to read them all ASAP.

Thanks for this timely thread! I had just had a cull of the bookshelves, and had 3 carrier bags full of books which I had read, all set to go to my charity bookshop. I love these type of books and thanks to the recommendations, have now got a few new authors!

Seabear

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Dorothy L Sayers yet.

I suppose I read them so many years ago, I tend to forget.
Like Agatha Christie books.

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Dorothy L Sayers yet.

Jane Harper books set in Australia - they are rather different mysteries:

The Dry
Force of Nature
Lost Man
The Survivors

Charleygirl5

I also am a fan of Michael Connolly who writes the Bosch series. It is better to read them in rotation.

Did you see the the TV series of Bosch was rated as a must see in The Times.. Hooked!
Big Shout out for LJ Ross.. Ryan series
Angela Marsden.. Kim Stone Series.

Quokka

Another thank you. I’ve started my first and have enough ideas to see me out!

Which ones did you choose, just out of interest...

I was pleased to discover that many of the suggestions are available as audio.
So now I'm looking forward to enjoying new authors. Thank you everyone

Another thank you. I’ve started my first and have enough ideas to see me out!

And Peter Grainger definitely.
Set in Norfolk and beautifully written, his D C Smith is such an endearing detective who won't play by 'the rules'.

I was talking to a friend about this on Friday and she suggested Peter James. She loves his books.

I've read through the thread and don't think anyone has mentioned Marsali Taylor. I enjoy her descriptive writing about Cassandra 'Cas' Lynch's seafaring adventures, mostly around Shetland. Although it is difficult to believe that so much skulduggery and murder takes place around her, I find the books are such an enjoyable read. They are best read in order as the characters also develop through the volumes. Only my opinion of course!

Siope

Sara Paretsky
Sophie Hannah
Nicci French
Deborah Crombie
Tana French
Louise Penney

Joanne Harris’s Gentlemen and Olayers, Different Class, and Blueyed Boy

Stuart Turton’s Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Another vote for Sara Paretsky and for Nicci French.

I loved the Alphabet series of books by Sue Grafton, and was so sad that she never got to the end with Z is for....
I have also enjoyed all the Peter May books, except the Enzo character ones.
Has anyone read anything by Marion Todd?
I found a couple of her books in a charity shop and enjoyed them, so keeping an eye out for more.

Just been recommended books by Steve Higgs.Have to say the Albert Smith's Culinary Capers series looks like fun!

Have just discovered J.D.Kirk in my local library. Brilliant!

pinkquartz

I would like to recommend Books by William Shaw,

I think he has written 2 short series There are the Cupidi books set around south east coastland and contemporary.

And the Tozer and Breen series set in London back in the 1960's very atmospheric of that time.

I second this...

Recently recommended to me - John Sandford - American detectives. Great plots and good descriptions of US culture & scenery.
Then of course Peter Robinson - probably too well known to be on this list but worth a mention.

I would like to recommend Books by William Shaw,

I think he has written 2 short series There are the Cupidi books set around south east coastland and contemporary.

And the Tozer and Breen series set in London back in the 1960's very atmospheric of that time.

Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway books are great. Ruth is a bone specialist and the stories are informative and full of humour.
I would also recommend Donna Leon's Commisario Brunetti books and C J Samson's Shardlake series.

One of my favourite detective series is the Peter Diamond series by Peter Lovesey. First rate detective stories with humour. I also like many of Edward Marston’s historical detective series too - the Railway Detective and Restoration England series are both great and there are now reprints of the Ocean Liner series. I have enjoyed Aline Templeton’s series set in Galloway, too. Kate Ellis’s Wesley Peterson series is great as is Elly Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway series.