What are your favorite mystery or espionage novels?

[Chasseur]

Alan Furst's spy novels set around WWII are great, in particular "The Polish Officer" and "The World at Night."

 

[tuppence]

Miss Smillias feeling for snow by Peter Hoag

 

[Tiller]

I like the classics. The Sherlock Holmes series by Arthur Conan Doyle, and the Hercule Poirot series by Agatha Christie.

 

[Elizabeth.F]

The Mr. Moto series by John P Marquand!

 

[Spitfire]

Len Deighton did some pretty researched spystories too.

 

[HungaryTom]

 

[carter]

Has anyone read Donna Leon's "Guido Brunetti" mystery series? The first one is "Death At the Fenice." They take place in Venice and reflect realistic Venetian life. Brunetti is a good man and fullly realized on the page.

Also Trevanian's "Shibumi" is a great read; a parody, but not when you're 12, which was when I read it.

I read Trevanian's "Shibumi" when I was much younger and the descriptions of the protagonist's water garden stuck with me. Many years later, I purchased a 1st edition. This has been the case for many books that I read when I was much younger and want to reread. I'll find a good 1st edition and add it to my library.

 

[Naphtali]

Anything by Eric Ambler.

The Fortress and House of Cards by Stanley Ellin.

Nearly every Kinsey Milhone mystery novel by Sue Grafton. There are a couple that are merely good.

The Bryant and May novels by Christopher Fowler.

I could go on for hours. These will provide you with entertainment for several weeks.

I have not addressed any "splatter" mysteries or comedic ones. None of what I have suggested will leave you with an unpleasant aftertaste.

 

[David V]

My wife and I are both fond of Margret Frazer's Dame Fravisse novels, about 15th century English nun. For someone in a cloister, she sure gets involved in a lot of murders!

 

[WideBrimm]

Wow! I've just now found this thread. It never ceases to amaze me how I come across FL threads I've not seen before.

I'm a big mystery fan. I think I've read, viewed, or heard of most of the authors mentioned here. As a kid I started out reading the Hardy Boys, then Nancy Drew and Fu Manchu, all Golden Era series. Recently I've really gotten interested in some of the Ancient Rome whodunnits. Lindsey Davis's Falco series, and Steven Saylor's "Roma Sub Rosa" series are really good, and a great way to learn about daily life way back when. Its hard to pick a favorite mystery author, but Ruth Rendell often comes to mind.

 

[TessTrueheart]

Farthing by Jo Walton

 

[Old School QD]

Might I suggest Monstrum, by Donald James. It isn't set in the past, rather near-future Russia, but as I read it I got an old-time vibe from it and it's a decent story.

 

[AmateisGal]

I LOVED this book. Haven't seen the movie, though.

 

[AmateisGal]

I finished reading Sebastian Faulk's Devil May Care: The New James Bond Novel.

I really enjoyed it. In fact, I think I like his writing style a lot better than Ian Fleming's.

Anyone else read it?

 

[HungaryTom]

Die Nadel

I LOVED this book. Haven't seen the movie, though.

Amateisgal,

In my case it was the other way - I saw first the movie (a lot of times-R.I.P. pooor VHS tape) than read the novel.

Both are excellent - just try to get the DVD.


Tom

 

[Brian Sheridan]

Anything by Barry Eisler. His newest thriller, Fault Line, is in bookstores now.
They are action packed and he goes out of his way to make sure all aspects of his novels are based in reality.