What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

This SF book was written by a writer known more for mysteries. Came out back in the 80s or 90s, maybe even the early 2000s. Set in a dystopian future. A group of criminals, bandits or whatever, all males, numbering around 4-6. One member is needlessly violent. One is a young man or boy with mild retardation or some other mental handicap. I think he was the main character. The boy stops the group leader from killing the violent one at one point.
They break into a home where there's a small gap in the perimeter scanners of the home and this is where the incident of the boy stopping the violent one being killed occurs. I only read about 1/4-1/3 of the book, so I don't know how it ends or what the major story theme was. It was a full length novel, not a short story.
ETA: The setting was, I think, a wasteland with isolated pockets of modern technology. The home they break into was off by itself, I think. The book was recent or new when I read it.
ETA: I think the group leader wanted to kill the violent one because he had needlessly killed one of the people in the house they had invaded.
ETA: I'm reasonably certain it was a male author.
ETA: The group of men the retarded boy is part of are the only characters we meet other than the people whose home is invaded. There may have been others later in the book, but it starts with just this small group.
ETA: It was a new hardcover at the time I read it. About 200-300 pages.

It's not something by
Fredric Brown
Isaac Asimov
John D. MacDonald
Donald E. Westlake

Suggestions of other authors, even if not a specific book are welcome. I keep feeling like I'll recognize the author name if I see it.
ETA: Apparently I won't.

ETA: not
P.D. James
Lawrence Block
Rex Stout
Robert B. Parker
Dick Francis
Robert Crais
Ross Macdonald
Erle Stanley Gardner
Ron Goulart
Andrew Vachss
Andrew Greeley
Loren D. Estleman
Walter Mosley
Kate Wilhelm
Iain Banks
Dana Stabenow
Caleb Carr
Philip Kerr
Jack Vance
Lawrence Sanders
Harlan Ellison
Thomas M. Disch
Stuart M. Kaminsky
Frank M. Robinson
Thomas Scortia
Peter Lovesey
Reginald Hill
Jonathan Gash
Peter Robinson
Leslie H. Whitten Jr.
Richard Bachman
Ira Levin
Sheri S. Tepper
Ed McBain
Evan Hunter
John Dudley Ball
Rick Boyer
Dan Wakefield
Ruth Rendell
J. D. Robb
James Patterson
Dean Koontz
Peter F. Hamilton
Michael Moorcock
Dennis Wheatley
F. Paul Wilson
Elmore Leonard

Could it be P.D. James? She wrote mostly mysteries but also some sci-fi and at least one historical novel.

Based on a super quick search - Lawrence Block, Rex Stout, Robert B. Parker, Dick Francis, Robert Crais, Ross Macdonald, or Earle Stanley Gardner?

Whoa, Dick Francis wrote a sci-fi novel? Will have to look for that one.

I can't be sure. That was a "super quick search" of mystery authors similar to the ones mentioned by Bargle (using Librarything.com) since he thought he'd recognize the name at a glance.

Miriam wrote: "Could it be P.D. James? She wrote mostly mysteries but also some sci-fi and at least one historical novel."

It's not her. Her only sci-fi/dystopian book was Children of Men.

Is it set in a particular country?

I think the U.S., but I'm not sure.

Dadgummit, I accidently deleted my earlier reply.
Thanks to Kris and Miriam for trying. It wasn't one of their suggestions.

Andrew Vachss, by any chance? He had a number of science fiction stories set in a crap-tastic future, and your basic description sounds like something he might have gone with. The two collections I read the stories in were "Born Bad" and "Everybody Pays."

No, not Andrew Vachss. I've read many of his books, though. Thanks for the suggestion, Peter.

It was a full length novel, not a short story.

Andrew Greeley wrote a lot of mystery novels, along with a few steamy novels. He also wrote a couple of science fiction novels.
God Game by Andrew M. Greeley

Nope, not Andrew Greeley. Wouldn't have thought of him as an SF writer, but he was. :-)

Another two eliminated, Bill Pronzini & Loren D. Estleman.

There's a site that list 10 novels about scifi detectives.

http://io9.com/5526900/top-10-greates...

Although he's not normally considered a mystery or SF writer, this sounds very close to Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange.

The plot summary on Wikipedia is a lot better than the one on Goodreads:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Clockw...

Edward, it wasn't on that list, but what a cool page. :)
Thanks for the link.

Mike, I'm familiar with A Clockwork Orange and that isn't it. Thanks for trying.

Kris wrote: "Based on a super quick search - Lawrence Block, Rex Stout, Robert B. Parker, Dick Francis, Robert Crais, [author:Ross Macdonal..."

I looked for a Dick Francis sci-fi or fantasy(ish) book and couldn't find one listed. What's the title? He's one of my all-time favorite authors.

Francis, I don't recall the type of "super quick search" I did back in November. If I had to guess now, that might have been a red herring as there appears to be a science fiction illustrator named Dick Francis. Sorry if I got your hopes up. :(

lol, ah well. If anyone is looking for a great read, I recommend Dick Francis. Mystery, horse racing and likeable characters. :)

You know, that's a great reco. I've never read Dick Francis. I'll add him to my TBR list.

Okay, back to our regularly scheduled programming... :)

Kris wrote: "You know, that's a great reco. I've never read Dick Francis. I'll add him to my TBR list.

Okay, back to our regularly scheduled programming... :)"

I recommend NOT reading Come to Grief by Dick Francis.

My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Thanks for the heads up, Banjomike! Yep, horses' legs...and heads should remain firmly attached to their owners.

Something by Walter Mosley?

Sophie wrote: "Something by Walter Mosley?"
I don't see anything familiar. Thanks for the suggestion.

Do you remember what caused the dystopia -- e.g. plague, nuclear war, environmental collapse, etc.? Recall how old any of the characters were, or what country it was set in?

I don't think the cause was mentioned. At least not in the part I read.
The retarded guy was, I think, in his teens, but I'm not sure. The other characters were adult males. Older than the young guy, but not to the point of being elderly. They were in decent shape physically.
I don't think the country was given, though I think it was an American or Canadian author, so I suspect North America.

Another one eliminated, Kate Wilhelm.

SF novel by mostly mystery writer.

More eliminations:
Iain Banks
Dana Stabenow
Caleb Carr
Philip Kerr

SF Novel by Mostly Mystery Writer

Another one eliminated, Jack Vance.

SF Novel by Mostly Mystery Writer

Walter Mosely fits what you are asking to a T. The story doesn't sound familiar, but it might be Blue Light. He does have a collection of short story fiction that might be it because they are all interrelated. That one is called Futureland

Papaphilly wrote: "Walter Mosely fits what you are asking to a T. The story doesn't sound familiar, but it might be Blue Light. He does have a collection of short story fiction that m..."

Blue Light doesn't sound like it, but Futureland might be. I've got it coming from the local library system.

Bargle wrote: "Papaphilly wrote: "Walter Mosely fits what you are asking to a T. The story doesn't sound familiar, but it might be Blue Light. He does have a collection of short s..."


good luck,

There is nothing more frustrating than trying to remember a book and forgetting the title.

Papaphilly wrote: "Bargle wrote: "Papaphilly wrote: "Walter Mosely fits what you are asking to a T. The story doesn't sound familiar, but it might be Blue Light. He does have a collec..."
Nope, it wasn't Futureland. Thanks for trying.

The search continues.

Bargle wrote: "A bump up.

SF Novel by Mostly Mystery Writer."

How about The Children of Men? It fits your bill to the "T". Dystopian Science Fiction by a notable mystery writer.

No, I actually started "Children of Men" recently and it's not the same book. Thanks for trying.

I think the setting had large wasteland areas with isolated spots of technology. The place they break into was one of these. I'll add that to the main description.

About when do you think the novel was written?

80s or 90s. It was recent or new when I read it.

Another small detail. I think the group leader wanted to kill the violent one because he had needlessly killed one of the people in the house they had invaded. I'll add that to the first post.

Try the The Tomorrow File. it does not meet your story but, it is written by Lawrence Sanders and the timing would be good.

My local library has it, so I'll check it out. I read many books by Sanders back then, so it's a possibility. Thanks, Papaphilly.

Bargle wrote: "My local library has it, so I'll check it out. I read many books by Sanders back then, so it's a possibility. Thanks, Papaphilly."

Oddly enough I want you to find this book. It is under my skin now. I also know this feeling because I was chasing a book name for over a year before I found it.

Well, it wasn't "The Tomorrow File", so the search goes on.

Bargle wrote: "Well, it wasn't "The Tomorrow File", so the search goes on."

Oh man this is killing me.

Anything by Harlan Ellison? I'm not familiar with his work but he writes both sci-fi and mysteries apparently.

No, I'm familiar with HE and it wasn't one of his. Thanks for trying.

It sounds like something Thomas M. Disch could have written, except he's known for sci-fi and not for mystery so I'm guessing he's not right.

No luck with Disch. I looked through his books and nothing looked familiar. I think I've only read a few of his short stories. Thanks for the suggestion.

I do wonder if this is an obscure book by one of the authors already suggested.

The search goes on.

Bargle wrote: "No luck with Disch. I looked through his books and nothing looked familiar. I think I've only read a few of his short stories. Thanks for the suggestion.

I do wonder if this is an obscure book by ..."

Maybe you are remembering it wrong and it has thrown you off.

Papaphilly wrote: Maybe you are remembering it wrong and it has thrown you off. "

No, I'm sure I'm remembering it fairly accurately. I had read mystery books by the author and liked them. I remember I was disappointed by this one.