Crime, Thrillers, Horror and Mystery Recommendations

[cynthia-t]

One of my favourite mystery writers is the Scottish IAN RANKIN. I am reading, on Kindle, his latest book "A Question of Blood", which I consider his best so far. Great rapport (?) between Rebus and his side-kick and wonderful characters, plots, humour mixed into a tale of mystery and sadness.

[tinakohr]

my new favorite series im stuck on is scifi horror deal its call reaction its a virus that wipes out i think its like 33.3% of the worlds population and then has a ton of twists and turns as you go farther in.

[Kmckeeth]

I didn't get a chance to read through all 18 pages of replies, but I recently read Let the Right One In and Little Star by John Ajvide Lindqvist. He has a great way at setting up the story for the big ending. Very atmospheric stories that give an ominous feeling from page 1 until the end. His stories have stuck with me for years. Overall more creepy than gore, but you do get both.

[H0LD0Nthere]

I love Dick Francis's horse racing mysteries. Dick Francis was a jockey in his younger days. He actually died a few years ago, but in his older years he wrote probably at least fifteen terrific thriller novels. Sometimes the protagonist is a jockey, sometimes not, but the world of horse racing always comes into it somehow. For the most part, Francis's books are not a series, although there are three that feature the same protagonist.

The typical Dick Francis protagonist is a young, single man who has been around long enough to become very competent in his profession (whether he's a filmmaker, accountant, glassblower, chef, jockey or whatever). It's always clear that Francis has researched extensively whatever industry his hero is involved in. The setting is usually England (Francis's home). Then something happens that causes the hero's path to cross with that of some bad guys. The bad guys are often organized criminals involved in some complex scam that seems to be invited by the complexities of the racing world. They are often shockingly violent and ruthless. The tension increases steadily until it becomes clear that the hero's life will be on hold until either he or the bad guys are dead or in jail. The hero is always honest, brave, and very perceptive about people (which helps when he describes the interactions of those around him ... Francis's novels are all narrated by their protagonists).

This may sound cookie cutter, but the novels are not exactly predictable because of the very diverse characteristics of the settings, the scams used, and even the resolution. (Sometimes the hero comes out nearly unscathed, sometimes his involvement costs him dearly.) Despite the high level of tension, action, and violence, Francis is full of sympathy for his very complex characters, and the reader ends up feeling very sorry for many of the minor characters caught in the crosswinds of evil, and occasionally for the villain as well. Readers will also learn a lot about horses and the world of horse racing.

[DebraJ]

I recently finished Discipline by Paco Ahlgren. Great read. Definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat from the very first paragraph to the very last sentence. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth that this book offers while scaring the wits out of me psychologically. I'd recommend you guys pick it up for sure.

[sophiachic]

Stephen king (IT)

[Purplehifigirl]

I am a Karen rose fan having read all her books.Although similar format to one another, the author uses her great skills to suck you in the very first page. If I had to recommend one it would be kill for me!

[jvanderveen]

JD Robb (who is actually Nora Roberts) writes a futuristic crime/mystery series about a police Lieutenant in New York, starting around 2040. I love the plot twists and watching the characters evolve. It is also interesting to see what things have "changed" by 2040. After reading the series so far, I hope we do have a lot of the advances mentioned and described by JD Robb. The series starts with "Naked In Death" and she usually comes out with 2 books per year. Some are available as audiobooks as well.

[claire03957878]

Teens looking for a good crime read should engage with Michael William's Eighth Man but some must read crime authors are Jo Nesbo and Dean Meyer.

[JenniferBoyce]

I just read a book called Mean Martin Manning by Scott Stein. It's one of the best, most entertaining books I've read in a while. It's about a man who just wants to be alone, but the government forces him into a "rehabilitation" program because he's living a supposedly unhealthy lifestyle. Manning has to find a way to escape, as he is constantly surrounded by guards. When he does, he's all about revenge.

This book is very comedic, but it's also very thrilling. I recommend it to EVERYONE.

This sounds like a very interesting read! I will have to check it out.

[moderntimes]

What can you recommend for modern hardcore private detective novels? I'm thinking about the Elvis Cole series for example. Thanks.

[PashaRu]

Just finished two by James Cain: The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity.

Both have that edgy, tough-guy language of the 30s and 40s. Postman was quite explicit for the time, with violence, blood, and a hint of sado-masochism. If you like the film noir movies from this era, you'll love these books. (DI has quite a different ending than the film.) Both femmes fatales are quite compelling characters, but Phyllis Nirdlinger (her last name is Dietrichson in the film) is colder and more calculating. She's pretty, but not a beauty like Cora in Postman.

They're both fairly quick reads, but have a solid place in the genre.

[Gegin]

I'm soon going to start the third Jack Reacher book, Tripwire, written by Lee Child. The first two books actually created in me an interest in thrillers, and so I am thankful for his work.

[tmoore1990]

I'm reading "The Last Good Man". It was written by Anders Ronnow Klarlund and Jacob Weinreich, the author tandem known as A.J Kazinski. The basis of the book is a myth taken from the Jewish faith that there are thirty-six righteous people on earth, once these people die, earth is doomed. In the book, thirty-four people have been murdered, it's up to the main character's to find the remaining two righteous people.

[ewyna34]

Lee Child - The Killing Floor

I liked this book much better as an introduction to Jack than I did the movie. Not that Tom Cruise isn't a wonderful actor - that Jack was just cold there really wasn't much of a human side to him. Granted writing a screenplay you don't get to see inside his head as you would a book but it just felt cold. The book was much better and brilliant as a first story and introduction.