Comments on: New author please!

Question: New author please!

Leud — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 11:03:08 -0800

Help me find a new author in the style of Patricia Cornwell, Iain Banks, Christopher Brookmyre, Ian Rankin etc.

I've read almost every single book available from the above authors and am looking for something new to fill my shelves. Please help!

By: Mekon

Mekon — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 11:14:28 -0800

I like Rankin a lot, and I also like the novels of Michael Connelly, especially the Harry Bosch books. Try The Poet. Then try The Narrows, but only in that order.

By: IndigoJones

IndigoJones — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 11:26:52 -0800

Layer Cake by J.J. Connolly. (Skip the film unless you've read the book, and even then....)

By: rmhsinc

rmhsinc — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 11:34:10 -0800

Henning Mankell--I agree with Mekon's recommendation and would add Mankell--as far as I am concerned he is the best of the best--Swedish with wonderful absolutely transparent translation---- I find the main character "Inspector Wallander" compelling, utterly human, and believable. Good procedural, supporting characters and always set in a broader cultural context/struggle without any moralizing--besides--Mankell is quite simply a good writer--the characters develop over time so you might consider starting with some of the earlier ones--good reading

By: Mekon

Mekon — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 12:00:59 -0800

That's right, Henning Mankell. I'm reading The Dogs of Riga right now. Quite good. Thanks for reminding me.

By: fenriq

fenriq — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 12:11:11 -0800

I would suggest looking into Roald Dahl (yes, of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fame), he has a series of adult oriented books and short stories that are incredibly well written.

By: BoscosMom

BoscosMom — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 12:12:25 -0800

Try the Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries by Reginald Hill .

By: Zetetics

Zetetics — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 14:17:59 -0800

I'm having trouble seeing the similarity of style in the writers you list but, how about Minette Walters?

By: Mid

Mid — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 14:56:42 -0800

I am reading right now A Small Death In Lisbon, which is a pretty good literary-ish mystery with some similarity to Ian Rankin.

By: maudlin

maudlin — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 16:16:53 -0800

Reginald Hill definitely, but also try the Inspector Alan Banks series by Peter Robinson.

By: invisible ink

invisible ink — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 17:54:28 -0800

Thank you so much for asking this question. I'm a big fan of Cornwell, and have had much difficulty finding similar authors.

By: LairBob

LairBob — Tue, 28 Jun 2005 19:36:27 -0800

I know Cornwell, but not the other authors you've mentioned. (Actually, I know Iain Banks pretty well as "Iain M. Banks", when he writes sci-fi, but not his other books.) Nevertheless, I'd seriously recommed P.D. James as an author of very, very well-written mystery books. They're all a bit quaint/Agatha Christie-ish, on one level, but she really does a great job of getting into all the different characters' emotional and psychological mindsets--even though she does a great job of maintaining suspense, her outcomes are always a clear result of the people. It takes an effort to step back into a kind of a time capsule, but it's totally worth it.

By: Savannah

Savannah — Wed, 29 Jun 2005 07:20:44 -0800

You might give Elizabeth George a try. An American who travels to Britain regulary to research, they are steeped in contempory, not quaint, British life.

Generally, her novels are excellent: well-plotted, character-rich, and long enough to really immerse oneself in the story and setting and provide a satisfactory read. I was a little disappointed in A Place of Hiding, which didn't compell me as much as her earlier books. However, overall her books are very good, not only as mystery novels, but simply as novels.

By: biffa

biffa — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 09:43:46 -0800

I wouldn't have put Cornwell in with those others but try Kathy Reichs for stuff similar to Cornwell's.