Thrillers! Detective fiction type stuff - what's good?

[colbhoy]

As has been mentioned already, Elmore Leonard is excellent - if you haven't watched the Justified TV series, featuring one of his characters (US Marshall Raylan Givens) then you have missed one of the best series in the last 20 years.

Would also agree on Dennis Lehane, particularly his Kenzie/Gennaro series, although Mystic River is also a fantastic read. Robert Crais's Cole/Pike series is superb and for a bit of Scandanavian crime, Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series is well worth a read.

Finally, William McIlvanney's books featuring tough Glasgow detective Jack Laidlaw are very good. There are only 3 of these.

 

[Shirl]

I like Kate Atkinson too Shirl.
Also Denise Mina - both her Garnethill trilogy and the DI Alex Morrow series.

I've read a few Denise Mina too. I'll read more again but I read the Garnethill trilogy and a couple of others one after the other then thought I needed a break.
I really like her writing but I bought the first book after seeing her on TV and thought she looked interesting I had no idea what her books would be like

 

[campanula]

Michael Dibdin
Phillip Kerr
Martin Cruz Smith
James Lee Burke

 

[cyberfairy]

I have read all read Tana French's novels and think they are the best in the genre- utterly absorbing, detailed and excellently written. So many tiny details that all combine together (eventually). They are set in Dublin and are all loosely connected to each other- feature more psychological bait than blood and guts and very very good. In the Woods: Dublin Murder Squad: 1: Amazon.co.uk: Tana French: 9781444758344: Books

Oh and this author...The Sea Detective: Amazon.co.uk: Mark Douglas-Home: 9781405923569: Books

 

[felixthecat]

I've recently discovered RJ Ellory - beautifully written complex thrillers/murder mysteries. A Quiet Belief in Angels is probably my favourite, followed by Candlemoth and A Simple Act of Violence