Reading the Detectives discussion

John Grisham
Joanne Fluke
JoAnne Carl
Edith Maxwell
Mary Higgins Clark
Catherine Coulter
Leslie Meier
J.A.Jance
Elaine Viets
David Rosenfelt
Spencer Quinn
Carolyn Haines

In mysteries,
Michael Innes
Margery Allingham
Dorothy Sayers (sometimes)
Edmund Crispin
E C R Lorac
Josephine Tey (sometimes)
Charlotte MacLeod
Robert B. Parker
Tony Hillerman

Good idea for a thread, Libby. I will have a think!

I'm reading the Joanne Fluke Hannah Swensen series and do enjoy her writing style and humour, plus daydreaming about all the cookies, but I wish Hannah would sort her love life out - I think I'm about halfway through the series.

1 John Dickson Carr
2 Agatha Christie
3 Ellery Queen
4 Rex Stout
5 Erle Stanley Gardner
6 Ed McBain
7 Raymond Chandler
8 Helen McCloy
9 Freeman Wills Crofts
10 Stuart Palmer

And outside of my top 10, in no particular order:

Christopher Bush
Elizabeth Ferrars
Elizabeth Daly
J J Connington
John Rhode
Brian Flynn
Eric Ambler (thrillers/espionage)
Len Deighton (espionage)

Not necessarily in the right order (and tomorrow it might be a different top ten ...)

1 Reginald Hill
2 Michael Innes
3 Iain Pears
4 Sara Caudwell
5 Michael Gilbert
6 Colin Watson
7 Agatha Christie
8 Cyril Hare
9 William Marshall
10 Georgette Heyer

Well, to no one's surprise my favourite author of all time is Georgette Heyer. (this includes her mysteries) My favourite New Zealand author is Katherine Mansfield, my favourite pre- 20th century writer is Jane Austen, my favourite mystery writer is Dorothy L. Sayers.

Other favourite mystery writers are
Agatha Christie
Josephine Tey
Rex Stout
Vanda Symon
Erle Stanley Gardner
P.D. James
Sarah Paretsky

I've only read one novel & one short story by Ethel Lina White but she looks promising!

I did enjoy Sue Grafton's Kinsey books very much, but W & X were long & disappointing so I never made it to Y. But I will list her for her earlier books.

Ten of my faves - no specific order

John Dickson Carr
Margery Allingham
Dorothy Sayers
Edmund Crispin
Josephine Tey
Agatha Christie
Erle Standley Gardner
Arthur B. Reeve
Geroges Simenon
Phoebe Atwood Taylor

10 of my favourite crime/mystery writers, in no particular order - I'm also enjoying a lot of the other British Library Crime Classics and Dean Street Press reprints

Margery Allingham
Dorothy L Sayers
Arthur Conan Doyle
Rex Stout
Gillian Linscott aka Caro Peacock
Rhys Bowen
Clara Benson
Joanne Fluke
ER Lorac
Ann Swinfen

Great question - I’ve picked up some new favorites from this group, but in no particular order:

Agatha Christie
Dorothy Sayers
ECR Lorac
Georgette Heyer
Elizabeth Peters
Charlotte MacLeod
Paul Doherty
Imogen Robertson
Will Thomas
CJ Sansom
CS Harris
Christopher Fowler
Kerry Greenwood
Alys Clare
Tessa Arlen
Alan Bradley
Ellis Peters
Margaret Frazer
Rhys Bowen
Victoria Thompson

Sorry, couldn’t pick just 10 - historical mysteries are what I read most, so many favorites!

I love these lists! I have only read Agatha Christie ( I am obsessed with her!) I am curious about similar authors, these lists give me a great place to start. Thanks everyone!

Kate Charles
Hazel Holt
Agatha Christie
Ngaio Marsh
Nicholas Blake
Elly Grffiths
D M Greenwood
Simon Brett
Anthony Horowitz
Caroline Graham

Om another group that was discussing favorite mystery authors, I put up my list, so I'll mention them here - women sleuths, mostly amateurs, snd ones I can imagine seeing on the big or small screen. The authors are:
Nora DeLoach
Sparkle Hayter
Joan Hess
Liz Lipperman
Tamar Myers
Katy Munger
Jane Rubino
Elizabeth Daniels Squire
Sarah Strohmeyer

Jan C wrote: "Ten of my faves - no specific order

John Dickson Carr
Margery Allingham
Dorothy Sayers
Edmund Crispin
Josephine Tey
Agatha Christie
Erle Standley Gardner
Arthur B. Reeve
Geroges Simenon
Phoebe Atw..."

Now finding that I need to add

J.J. Connington
Elizabeth Daly

This is a fun question-and my answer wil change with the season or decade!

In no particular order:
Laurie R. King
Alan Bradley
Rex Stout
Louise Penney
Agatha Christie (new to me this year)
Barbara Cleverly
Stephanie Barron
Darcie Wilde
Robert B. Parker

Mystery writers - modern and not:
Alan Bradley
Agatha Christie
John Dunning
Charles Finch
Dorothy Gilman
TE Kinsey
Lisa Lutz
Sujata Massey
Louise Penny
Dorothy Sayers
Josephine Tey
Nicola Upson (writes mysteries with Josephine Tey as the main character)
Jacqueline Winspear
Matthew Costello and Neil Richards (co-writers)

Great list, Gail - a few of the names are new to me, so I will investigate those. I like Sujata Massey too and recently was given the most beautiful trade paperback copy of The Satapur Moonstone, which I'm looking forward to reading soon.