Crime, Thrillers, Horror and Mystery Recommendations

[mland2000]

I just discovered the John Dunnings books. He has a series of books with "Bookman" in the title. They are exciting mysteries with memorable characters. PJ Parrish-actually a pseudonym for 2 authors, also has a really good mystery series featuring a young policeman named Louis, who has demons of his own.

[jaguilar]

Tony and Ann Hillerman: Awesome characters, accurate cultural info, and great crime/thriller plots. LOVE them all I hope some day to own the whole series. It's really great for our kids to have Native heroes like Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn.

[Dream Catcher]

I recommend 'Apartment Sixteen' by Adam Nevill,
The book switches between two points of view -male and female- which can be unnerving for a book as it can become confusing or draw away from the plot/ audience. But Nevill manages to cleverly tell the story from two contrasting points of view and bring them together when the two characters finally meet! Very well written and very in depth. Its of the horror genre and doesn't disappoint. The story is about a haunted apartment, a door way to hell! But instead of being a stereotypical 'ghosts in the attic' and 'blood on the walls' kind of story, the book depicts a very sophisticated evil which makes everything feel all the more realistic and all the more frightening.

[legendary_mama]

I am just now beginning the Alex Cross books. I am reading Jack and Jill currently. I am enjoying the series so far. I find that I get anxious about what is going to happen in the books. The build-up is perfect. I love that he doesn't always save the day and that some of the characters get killed, despite his heroic efforts to save them. It is very realistic. His relationship with his partner is very entertaining, and his home life is refreshing. I absolutely love his relationship with his grandmother. I think I am going to enjoy this series immensely.
I have also read several of the Jack Reacher novels. I thoroughly enjoyed the first few, but then felt as if I was reading 'same Reacher, different day'. I would not recommend reading the entire series back to back if you have an aversion to monotony.

[FlorenceDupuis]

Everyone who loves horror should read John Harwood's The Seance. It's amazing.

[kaylahar6]

The book Accused is an excellent crime novel.

[Ayla_Cal]

I would have to recommend the works of Agatha Christie and Robert Ludlum. If ever I feel like I'm in the mood for "whodunnit," I go look up these two writers. Of course, I also have Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are such classic and iconic characters.

[culbsamu]

I haven't read too much horror book, just the basics some Stephen King, and a little H.P. Lovecraft, but I just bough house of leaves and it is incredible! Its more of an experience than a read with backward phrases, immensely long notes, but it sucks you in and scares you like a movie can't even do.

[SneakyReviewer007]

Just finished H.P Lovecraft - A Collection Of - I must say his writing is lengthy and definitely descriptive. Definitely not your average crimes = more like scifi/crime meets aliens supernatural kind of genre. Yet quite enthralling and vivid. Mystery and crime mixed with horror.. would it could it fit those genres . I think yes.

Alex Cross definitely gets my vote, the writer is ingenius at devising little quirks in the plot and definitely works in a healthy does of suspense. In most instances the criminal get's their "Just desserts" and in a fitting way too .

[jenny_109]

Three by Ted Dekker
I wasn’t really into authors. Not until i stumble into Dekkers book which leaves me so amaze at how he was able to write such an incredible book. I’ve read a lot of thrillers, suspense and mystery books but no one could compare to this one so far. A lot of surprises and leaves you on the edge of your seats right to last few pages. Most of the books that I’ve read have the same typical plots. But this one leaves you amaze at how you were wrong at everything that you thought was right. The book really gets into you. (Base In my experience.). So i HIGHLY recommend this book. (Also check the book).

[jessiejoan88]

BLOOD STAIN!
if you like true horror/crime stories i recommend blood stain. Story is based in country NSW AUSTRALIA about Katherine Knight an abotour worker who without giving anything away did some pretty grousome things... boggles the mind that there are SANE people like that in our world.

[gladeslibrarian]

I would suggest anything by Lee Child (Jack Reacher series)

[rusthc09]

And Then There Were None is by far the greatest mystery that I have ever read. I teach this book to my freshmen English class and it contains the perfect balance of logic and mystery to keep the most reluctant readers reading. If you are patient and have the common courtesy of not reading the epilogue or Googling the murderer, you will remain baffled the entire time. Love the touch of the poem "Ten Little Soldier Boys" by Frank Green, is also a lovely way to let the reader think they know what is going to happen, when in reality, you know what clues to look for, but Christie's creativity outshines your ability to put the pieces together.

Along with this novel, you can also be in awe of Poe's mysterious nature in just about all of his short stories and poems-- even the ones not intended to be a mystery are still mysterious in their macabre. Both writers have an incredible skill at using the grotesque and the unexpected to create a logical and very real outcome for their reader.

Love having both of these authors to show students the versatility of writing and reading-- the more they are intrigued the better the conversation and mystery is a wonderful way to get readers active!!

[lrmyers4289]

Lately I have been reading Kate Atkinson's mystery books. She has a series of four books featuring Detective Jackson Brodie: Case Histories; One Good Turn; When Will There Be Good News; and Started Early, Took My Dog. Detective Brodie is a great character and the books are very well-written with lots of surprising twists! I would definitely recommend these!

[KLyons1]

I find that many of my favorites have a very strong sense of place, probably because I like to travel

So I recommend Dana Stabenow's mysteries, set in Alaska (well outside any cities) - start with A Cold Day for Murder. Then there's the New York setting of the PI mysteries by SJ Rozan; the first one is China Trade. And thoughts of China lead to Tibet - try The Skull Mantra by Eliot Pattison, which is the first in that excellent series. And enjoy!