Crime fiction

[Sundeporino]

Crime fiction

Vicarious Thrillseeker wrote:

Sundeporino wrote:

Elmore Leonards the king of this stuff because he doesnt need false endings and tension mounting devices full of semi believable characters making ridiculous decisions to bring about the "storybook" ending modern publishing apparently requires.

That was then. If you can get through 'Djibouti' you're a better man than me.

Never at his best when he leaves the US.

[kugelrund]

Crime fiction

Sundeporino wrote: Just finished Lawrence Blocks "When The Sacred Ginmill Closes".
Its No6 in his Matt Scudder series. Scudders drinking a lot and apparently this reflected Blocks lifestyle at the time.
Started it after reading on a cri-fi (?) blog that it was one of the all time top ten PI novels.
It is very very good but not that good. I just hope the rest arent in its shadow.
Id been put off his stuff previously because I couldnt get away with the couple of his "Burgler" series that Id started..
Id recommend the Scudder stuff though if their all this standard..

Once you've read one "Burglar" book, you've read them all. Basically, he gets falsely accused of something and has to do a burglary to get out of it--every time. And then it turns out he did the first burglary anyway, but not for the reasons they accused him of doing it. And then he goes back behind his secondhand book counter to wait to be falsely accused again.

The Scudder ones are better - decent enough crime novels that, read in order, are set against the background of the character's progress through rampant alcoholism (often with scenes so stark you think about your own consumption with a slight pang of guilt), to a point where he's attending AA meetings in church basements and trying to stay sober.

I gave all of mine away; I wish I hadn't, as I'd happily read them again now my memory's shot from all that drinking.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

Crime fiction

Anyone mentioned Malcolm Pryce and his Aberystwyth noir novels yet? I finished the last one last week and there's a Louie Knight-shaped hole in my life. Chandleresque Welsh weirdness and I love it.

[via vicaria]

Crime fiction

Sundeporino wrote: Just finished "The Woman From Bratislava" by Leif Davidsen (translation by Barbara J Haveland). Im on my hols so sunlounging through a book a day at the moment!

Now this is what we want from a crime thriller although its possibly more "espionageish". Spring 1999 and NATO are bombing Yugoslavia etc. Set in Denmark and Central Europe the action stretches back to the Danish SS fighting on the Eastern front in WWII and up to the aftermath of the Yugoslavian break up.

A Danish original with an excellent translation from a Scotswoman living in Norway. It feels as if nothings lost in translation as often happens with Arcadia Books "Euro Crime" imprint. Highly recommended and educational.

Congrats allround.

I've just finished this one. Very good, but I found the tendency to over-explain (whenever the story moved to a new location) where they were and what the history of the place was to be a bit too, erm, American-style. Granted, I wouldn't have expected everyone to know, say, Croatian WW2 history, so I know I'm nitpicking here and that some of it is necessary; but it gets grating after a while, and it's often tortuously worked into the characters' interactions randomly.

A good story though and classic espionage-y stuff, though different enough that the ending and epilogue made it the more satisfying.

[Rumpus]

Crime fiction

Time for me to give long overdue thanks to Felicity, I guess so for the recommendation of Ice Moon by Jan Costin Wagner.

Cool noir as you say, memorable on the numbness of the killer and survivors.

[Felicity, I guess so]

Crime fiction

Happy to oblige, Rumpus. Do seek out the others- just as good.

Agree with via vicaria on the Davidsen book's tendency to paste in historical context a little too overtly. But thanks to Sundeporino for the suggestion, I wouldn't have come across it otherwise.

Found a copy of Martin Cruz Smith's Tokyo Station behind the wardrobe recently, realised I'd never read it, and proceeded to do so.

I love the Arkady Renko books set in Russia/Cuba, and this was just as good: struck me the title/setting (just as war is breaking out, US citizen in enemy Japan) has directly inspired David Downing's Berlin-set 30s-40s series named after various Berlin stations. They are also highly recommended.

[JtS]

Crime fiction

I've almost finished Michael Connolly's books, currently reading Void Moon. It's ok, but not a patch on the early Bosch books.

[AMMS]

Crime fiction

Gerontophile wrote:

I will reiterate one thing:

If any of you are screenplay writers, FFS, do a Brookmyre. Please. I will give you a hand with the accents.

Did you know they filmed a TV version of Quite Ugly One Morning? Strangely Northern Irish actor James Nesbitt played the lead character who is supposed to be from Paisley. It wasn't very good.

[kugelrund]

Crime fiction

Just finished Safe House by Chris Ewan, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a while since I thought a book was genuinely exciting (a thriller, in fact). I usually find it odd when a story switches between first person (the protagonist) and third person (everyone else) but he carries it off.

Currently only 20p on Kindle, as well.

I have to admit I'd never heard of the author, stumbled across this one during a search for something else, and thought I'd give it a go based on the reviews. I may now buy another of his - which, I suppose, is why this 20p thing is done.

[kugelrund]

Crime fiction

Found a copy of Martin Cruz Smith's Tokyo Station behind the wardrobe recently, realised I'd never read it, and proceeded to do so.

Seeing this prompted me to go and check out his books - I had no idea he'd written so many. Talk about losing track. I read Gorky Park, but the last Martin Cruz Smith book I read was The Indians Won, which I read just after that. I had no idea he'd been so prolific.

Based on the multiple recommendations, I bought The Woman From Bratislava last night.

[The Purple Cow]

Crime fiction

I meant to big up Eoin Colfer’s Dan McEvoy books, ‘Plugged’ and the follow-up ‘Screwed’ which will be released in the next few weeks.

McEvoy is a former Irish special forces soldier who ends up in New Jersey, living among Sopranos characters. Doesn’t sound promising I know, but Plugged is really excellent, and I’ve got Screwed on pre-order – so to speak.

Colfer writes the Artemis Fowl books, and the extensions to the Hitch-Hikers series, so I wouldn’t normally have considered his books, but the owner at Nantwich Bookshop gave me a pre-publication copy and said “Try this it’s right up your street”. And he was right.

[Gerontophile]

Crime fiction

AMMS wrote:

I will reiterate one thing:

If any of you are screenplay writers, FFS, do a Brookmyre. Please. I will give you a hand with the accents.

Did you know they filmed a TV version of Quite Ugly One Morning? Strangely Northern Irish actor James Nesbitt played the lead character who is supposed to be from Paisley. It wasn't very good.

No, didn't know. Is it available? Or consigned to petrol stations in Laos?

[Gerontophile]

Crime fiction

I am currently nose-deep in another Patterson set - the 'Private' books. Different from his Cross stuff, and actually a shitload more gripping.

Does he have a conveyor belt of co-writers?

[Sundeporino]

Crime fiction

I think the Guardian mentioned his co-writer deals a year or so back. Something along the lines of being paid but uncredited for the first two then paid and credited from the third title onwards.

I believe Patterson has the ideas and sketches out the plot which the cowriter writes and submits. Patterson then edits/criticizes and the co-writer rewrites until Patterson is happy with it.

Apparently it helps the co-writer gain recognition within the publishing industry for their own novels.

[Gerontophile]

Crime fiction

James Patterson, again, with a n other (guy with 10 adopted children who also happens to be an Inspector in the NYPD, who is facing an ongoing nutter, because Mr Patterson, doesn't do sensible people who kill, just fucking arsewipes, who choose to kill).

It's rather good (although, I have read the previous ... several.)

[Sundeporino]

Crime fiction

Forgot about this thread.

Just finished "No Country For Old Men". Loved it.
Dont know if Id have the same reaction if Id not already seen the film.

Ive always had a liking for "Found Money" films/books. "Fargo", "Shallow Grave" etc. Any more I should know about?

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

Crime fiction

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Book or film.

[Lucia Lanigan]

Crime fiction

Read a couple of Derek Raymonds this year already, fantastic stuff. He Died With His Eyes Open is so well written, and a great survey of 80s London through eyes of an aging existentialist. Some powerful dream passages in there too. How The Dead Live is more ragged, but has that 'Londoner infiltrating a small town' pace going for it. Really impressed.

[Felicity, I guess so]

Crime fiction

Am still looking for Raymonds, on LL's recommendation, and trying to avoid buying too many books on amazon for 1p, when there are two or three 2nd hand shops in N. East Eng that I like to visit and feel I should support.

Anyhow:> just discovered Colin Harrison, whose 'Manhattan Nocturne' manages to be traditionally hard-boiled but also quite modern. I really enjoyed it, great 1st person voice and atmosphere. From about 10 years ago.

So I found 2 more by the author (US journalist, now written 7 or 8 novels) and just read 'Break and Enter'. Which has some similarities with the Manhattan one, not quite as confident in its execution (it's much earlier, early 90s) but a nice twist on the Grisham/Turow court-based thriller.

[JtS]

Crime fiction

If you haven't read Qui Xiaolong's Death of a Red Heroine then stop what you're doing right now and get a copy. Inspector Chen is an up and coming party star police inspector and poet, he breaks the rules to get to the truth.

[Gangster Octopus]

Crime fiction

Ey up, Jas; long time no see. How's tricks?

[Felicity, I guess so]

Crime fiction

Stuart Neville and Adrian McKinty anyone?

I've an Irish friend who passes me Irish novels, and he's been shrieking with excitement about these two- both post-Troubles N. Ireland novels in their different ways, but both also have characters who end up in USA.

Stunningly violent at times, and maybe a bit macho with it, but Neville's 'The Twelve' and 'Collusion' and the 3 Duffie novels by McK are really well worth getting hold of.

[JtS]

Crime fiction

Not bad TImothy, how're you?

[Gangster Octopus]

Crime fiction

Survivin'...

[Sundeporino]

Crime fiction

Felicity, I guess so wrote: Stuart Neville and Adrian McKinty anyone?

I've an Irish friend who passes me Irish novels, and he's been shrieking with excitement about these two- both post-Troubles N. Ireland novels in their different ways, but both also have characters who end up in USA.

Stunningly violent at times, and maybe a bit macho with it, but Neville's 'The Twelve' and 'Collusion' and the 3 Duffie novels by McK are really well worth getting hold of.

"The Twelve" was seriously hyped/reviewed on release. I expected it to be a little less 'Sylvester O'Stalloneish" to be honest. I mustve forgotten my dissapointment as Im currently half way through 'Collusion". Ive started so Ill finish but wont be boosing Mr Nevilles bank balance again.