A Good Thriller discussion

What series of books has you glued, going back to time and time again? Is it the protagonist that draws you back, the ongoing storyline, the writing or something else?

hmm Interesting topic Janet, my favorites series that I m still reading are:
a Song of Ice and Fire
Jason Bourne
the Talisman (two books)
And the series I m planning to read :
Hunger Games
Divergent
Lord of the Rings
Maze runner

By far my favourite is Terry Goodkind's "sword of truth" series. I've read all thirteen books twice, some of the earlier ones three times, and I will definitely read them all again at some point. The main draw is the characters, though I do like the writing style.

Maybe one for you to try sometime, Janet, now you're a fan of fantasy ;~)

You are never gonna let her forget, are you, David? (-:

Christine wrote: "You are never gonna let her forget, are you, David? (-:"

Is she not a fan? :~)

Did you think he would, Christine?!! :D

Of course she is, and we have YOU with us to make sure she remembers that! Go David!!!!!!!

Hmmm don't know where to begin since there are so many to choose from. Davenport from the Prey series from the top of my head.

The Blackstone Chronicals by John Saul. I have read them numerous times and yet I still love them. Also I like Jonathon Kellermans Alex Delaware series.

William Kent Krueger Cork O'Connor series and Angela Marson's Kim Stone series. Also loved Stacy Green's Lucy Kendall series that has come to an end. David's Alloria series and HN Wake's Mac Ambrose series are right up there as well.

I've several favorite series:
Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series
John Sandford's Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers series
Jeffery Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme and Kathryn Dance series
Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series

Elly Griffiths Ruth Galloway series.
Louise Penny Three Pines series
Zoe Ferraris Katya and Nayir series - there is only 4 books and I really hope for more.
Eleanor Kuhns Will Rees series
Jussi Adler-Olsen Dept Q series ( I'm behind on this which is why my resolution is to read what I have and stop jumping at the new stuff!)

Quite a few

Lee Child's ... Jack Reacher

Sharon Bolton.. Lacey Flint

Simon Kernick .. Tina Boyd

Robert Crais.. Elvis Cole and Joe Pike

Casey Hill.. CSI Reilly Steel

David Baldacci.. John Puller

David Baldacci.. Will Robie

and of course my favourites

Tom Wood... Victor

Mark Dawson .. Beatrice Rose (other character still to read of his)

My single favorite series is probably James Rollins and his Sigma Force series. I enjoy the regulars and the science aspect to the creative story lines. Other favorite series would be Steve Berry's Cotton Malone books and Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series. The former ties in history while the latter ties in art, and both do it well. Beyond that, I'm tracking over 70 different series, so it's safe to say that I'm not afraid to wander away from standalones!

These are my top favorites
Fire and Ice- Michael Ridpath
Bill Hodges- Stephen King
Fiona Griffiths- Harry Bingham
Joona Linna- Lars Kepler
Shetland Island- Ann Cleeves
African Immortals- Tananarive Due
Harper Connelly- Charlaine Harris
Magdalen Line Trilogy- Kathleen Mcgowan
Languedoc-Kate Moss
Inspector Armand Gamache- Louse Penny

Yes I do enjoy Gabriel Allon from Daniel Silva.

I need to read more of his

Read through some of the other posts. Many listed, I've read, some I haven't and here's some not listed.

Brad Taylor - Pike Logan
L.J. Sellers - Det. Jackson & Agent Dallas
Ernest Dempsey - Adriana Villa & Sean Wyatt
D.V. Berkom - Leine Basso
Chuck Barrett - Greg Kaplan

Michael Jecks - Medieval West Country series
Elizabeth George - Inspector Lynley series
Susanna Gregory - Matthew Bartholomew series
Yes, my favorite books are set in the medieval time period, except for the Inspector Lynley series. But I've been following these authors for years and they have been my fall back books quite often when there was nothing worth reading at the library. And we have our own library in our house with over 3500 books.

Mystery
Louise Penny-Three Pines
Elly Griffiths-Ruth Galloway
Inger Ash Wolfe-Hazel Micallef
Elizabeth George-Linley/Havers

Non-Mystery
Game of Thrones
Lord of the Rings
Wheel of Time
Harry Potter

I am looking forward to the next in the Inspector Alan Banks series by Peter Robinson. I've read them all in order, about 23 so far.

Have a few D V Berkom books to read.

Also have three Elly Griffith books to read

I love the In Death series by J.D. Robb and the Lady Georgiana series by Rhys Bowen.

I have mentioned this, months and months ago. To our new members, I have to say, I love the books written by W.E.B. GRiffin. There are several series' and I simply love them all.

I will say, the later books, written by Griffin and his son..........are not the quality of the earlier books, but I still buy each and every one of them, in hardback. Total, total enjoyment and several offer great memories of history. Fictionalized, of course.

And, like Sean, I positively love Robert Crais. Joe Pike surpasses Jack Reacher......and makes my palms sweat.

To Ter'e, I have never read Robert Crais so know nothing about his Joe Pike character (maybe you could give me a recommendation on where to start / with which book in that series, please) , but , IMO, Jack Reacher is the BEST current male fictional character in that genre. OMG ! Speaking of palms sweating.... Do they even "make" men like that ??!! Love Lee Child and Love Jack Reacher!

Betsy wrote: "To Ter'e, I have never read Robert Crais so know nothing about his Joe Pike character (maybe you could give me a recommendation on where to start / with which book in that series, please) , but , I..."

I agree about Jack Reacher, but my opinion about Lee Child has slipped since he allowed Tom Cruise not only to buy the rights, but to cast himself as Reacher .... and never criticized it!

I totally agree w/ you Kirsten about Child's fall from grace selling out to Cruise.... a Reacher Cruise is NOT !!

Sounds like I need to read the Jack Reacher series! Betsy, I've read one Crais novel and plan to read more. Hope this helps: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Anything by:

Brandt Legg--thoughtful metaphysical/fantasy
Jacob Whaler--Stones (wow) fantasy/magical realism
Aaron Lee Yeager--Isle of Wysteria (complete in four books - fantasy)
Jodi Taylor--St. Mary's (time travel for adults)

Tom Barber--thrillers with unconventional hero

Started all of these series with free books--and all are Goodreads authors.

Must now add

Mark Greaney's The Gray Man

Angela Marson's Detective Inspector Kim Stone

Right now, it's a five way tie.

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
The Codex Alera by Jim Butcher
The Hannah Swensen Mysteries by Joanne Fluke
The Candy Coated Mysteries by Nancy CoCo
and The Mrs. Murphy Mysteries by Rita Mae and Sneaky Pie Brown

Alex Berenson- John Wells Series
Jeff Abbottt- Sam Capera Series
Jonathan Maberry- Joe Ledger Series
Ty Patterson- The Warrior's Seriers

This going to take a while as there are many from 50 plus years of reading.
The earliest series: The Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon

More when I have more time to type.

In case I didn't mention it elsewhere, Miss Pie (of Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown) is a pussycat.

reading "A Song of Ice and Fire" and " Hunger Games", and I m considering reading "the Dark Tower" by Stephen King.

the Millenium series, sadly shortened and then postumously carried on...

Adding to my post above

In the Classic Mystery Genre:

87th Precinct by Ed McBain
Nero Wolfe by Rex Stout and later by Robert Goldsborough
Hercule Poirot by Agatha Christie
Miss Marple by Agatha Christie
Luis Mendoza by Dell Shannon
Perry Mason by Earle Stanley Gardner
Donald Lam and Bertha Cool by AA Fair (a pen name for that Gardner fellow above)
Ellery Queen by Ellery Queen
Sherlock Holmes by A. Conan Doyle
Solar Pons by August Derleth and later by Basil Cooper (They really need release in E-book format)

Pulp Fiction

Doc Savage by Kenneth Robeson
The Shadow by Maxwell Grant
The Spider by Grant Stockbridge
The Avenger by Kenneth Robeson

Sci Fi
The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison
Foundation by Isaac Asimov
The Robot Series by Isaac Asimov
Darkover by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Skylark series by EE Smith
Lensman series by EE Smith

More later

It is a series I discovered this year. Only two books so far, but I believe author Owen Mullen is currently working on the third in the Charlie Cameron series. If you haven't read them yet, do check them out. They are a Scottish crime series and I just love them. Games People Play and Old Friends and New Enemies.

Gary, I see three series we have in common, the Holmes canon and the two by Asimov.

Amber wrote: "Gary, I see three series we have in common, the Holmes canon and the two by Asimov."

So far I haven't gotten to fantasy and where do I pigeon hole Edgar Rice Burroughs?

Tarzan by Burroughs
Barsoom by Burroughs
Pellucidar by Burroughs
Venus series by Burroughs
there are a couple of other Burroughs series as well

As long as I'm adding Barsoom I should add the John Stark series by Leigh Brackett Hamilton.

Epic Fantasy with some humorous fantasy
Middle Earth by JRR Tolkein
Landover series by Terry Brooks
Xanth by Piers Anthony
Discworld by Terry Pratchett
The Harold Shea series by deCamp and Pratt.
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

I'd add Brooks major series but so far I have just read the first one which I affectionately call The Sword of Sha-na-na
Same is true more or less of Terry Goodkind read the first book and the short work in the Legends anthology

I am sure I am missing a few others.

Only thing you and I have in common on Epic Fantasy, Gary, is LOTR.

Amber wrote: "Only thing you and I have in common on Epic Fantasy, Eric, is LOTR."

Who is Eric?

Eric the Red?

Aymen wrote: "hmm Interesting topic Janet, my favorites series that I m still reading are:
a Song of Ice and Fire
Jason Bourne
the Talisman (two books)
And the series I m planning to read :
Hunger Games
Diver..."

Thank you, thank you!
I was just looking for "A book guaranteed to bring you joy" and was struggling.....then I saw your post A Clash of Kings will do very nicely!!

Olivia wrote: "I've several favorite series:
Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series
John Sandford's Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers series
Jeffery Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme and Kathryn Dance series
Michael Con..."

Olivia....we are clearly well matched...I love your whole list. I am currently starting over in the Lucas Davenport and the Harry Bosh series as I have never read them in proper order, gathering up books here and there. I thought it would be nice to see the characters develop in order...or maybe I'm just nuts and am torturing myself...anyway..LOVE those series. Good choices

Pat wrote: "Elly Griffiths Ruth Galloway series.
Louise Penny Three Pines series
Zoe Ferraris Katya and Nayir series - there is only 4 books and I really hope for more.
Eleanor Kuhns Will Rees series
Jussi Adl..."

I only know Department Q here...and I LOVE those. Can't wait to check out some of the others on your list. Which one do you suggest I red first?

Dave Robiceaux series by James Lee Burke

My all time favorite :-)

Gary wrote: "Amber wrote: "Only thing you and I have in common on Epic Fantasy, Eric, is LOTR."

Who is Eric?"

Typo I didn't catch.

Amber wrote: "Gary wrote: "Amber wrote: "Only thing you and I have in common on Epic Fantasy, Eric, is LOTR."

Who is Eric?"

Typo I didn't catch."
I figured as much. I speak fluent typo.

Gary wrote: "Amber wrote: "Gary wrote: "Amber wrote: "Only thing you and I have in common on Epic Fantasy, Eric, is LOTR."

Who is Eric?"

Typo I didn't catch."
I figured as much. I speak fluent typo."

Don't we all?