Try a crime wave: Recommendations of great crime novels by crime novellists
March 13, 2008 1:33 pm What to ReadI have just finished watching Jennifer Byrne Presents: Crime (produced for ABC1, Australia) I am not a great reader of good crime (I admit to reading US forensic blockbusters, but they aren’t renowned for good writing). However, on the suggestion of a previous episode of First Tuesday Bookclub, I recently read Peter Temple’s The Broken Shore (which for an awarded book is very difficult to get your hands on through second hand means). It did good things for me, and now I am keeping my eyes out for more quality crime fiction.
The discussors for this special were Jennifer Byrne, Graeme Blundell, Ian Callinan, Shane Maloney and Dorothy Porter. It was quite inspiring. They trashed forensic blockbusters, and most cosy mysteries. They also discussed the increasing growth of “literary crime fiction,” and each had a slightly different take on it.
Shane Moloney on the future of crime fiction:
I think it’s going to take over the world! … Anything that guarantees the reader a good time I think should be classified as crime!
So do you need to expand your reading horizons? Dipping into crime may be just right to freshen you up - apparently, it guarantees the reader a good time!
Recommendations:
So the panelists recommended their favourite crime novels (remember three are crime novellists, one is the host and one is a literary reviewer, so their recommendations are probably worthwhile):
Shane Moloney: The Big Sleep (Raymond Chandler) and Cadillac Jukebox (James Lee Burke)
Dorothy Porter: The Big Nowhere (James Elroy) and Death on the Nile (Agatha Christie)
Ian Callinan: Farewell my Lovely (Raymond Chandler) and The Big Sleep (Raymond Chandler)
Graeme Blundell: James Lee Burke, Spenser series - the first is Night Passage - (Robert Parker) and first novels with two private eyes - like A Drink Before the War - by Dennis Lehane
Jennifer Byrne: Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
My best crime novel at the moment would have to be The Broken Shore. What is your top recommendation?
Related posts:
- Book recommendations for those suffering acute literary indigestion
- Reviewing TIME Magazine’s 100 Novels
- Read novels to find conversation starters (includes Commonwealth Writers Prize regional winners)
- Get a free book from Simon and Schuster
