Detective Novels

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I've recently discovered a whole shelf of detective fiction in the Law library. Since their size is readily digestible and they're nice and suspenseful (the good ones are anyway), I'm looking for some recommendations.

I'm particularly interested in Agatha Christie's Poirot and Marple series, but I'm not sure of the order they go in. Why don't I look it up on Wikipedia, you ask? Because I don't want to be spoiled! A quick search of Hercule Poirot yesterday nearly blasted my eyes out from spoiler-poison. You might say that order doesn't matter, but I'm one of those anal people who have to read books in order even if it bears no connection. I took an age figuring out the Discworld cycles.

Also, apart from Christie, any general recommendation on detective fiction would be nice. Either recommend me the first in the series or, if that sucks, the best in the series. The shelf is pretty big, so I'm fairly confident on it having what people name.

Basically, any suggestions would be great.

PS: My parents have a collection of Christie novels, in Chinese. I've always thought that she looks rather like a man. Does anyone else share this view?

Edit: Okay, found a list of the books in chronological order, so don't need that anymore. Also, there's a book on the bookshop for $25 - complete colletion of Sherlock Holmes short stories, with their original illustrations. The book is sealed so I couldn't read inside to see what it's like. Worth getting?
Also, I wasn't aware it had illustrations...

 

I always liked Earl Stanley Gardner, though his was more of a Law and Order series with 1/2 the time on the case and 1/2 the time in court.

I like Ian Rankin, too. I suggest "Witch Hunt"

Caleb Carr's "The Alienist" is a kick buttinski historical mystery.

 

Sherlock Holmes stories had illustrations in The Strand (a magazine they were published in). I enjoyed the books, but $25 is a bit high -- you can find it for less (even in paperback).

Patricia Cornwell books are good -- but the later ones get a bit overboard (she suffers from Clancytis -- the desire to make your main character into a God ala Jack Ryan). I would certainly recommend the first five or six Kay Scarpetta books by Cornwell.

 

I can warmly recommend the Sherlock Holmes stories. They're fantastic reads. Agatha Christie's has some great stories, but on a whole I find that here detectives are too much smarta**es for my taste. If you want something British, rather go for Dorothy Sayers. An American equivalent would be S.S. van Dine, who has some very well written stories. A favourite of mine is John Dickson Carr, in particular his hilarious story "The Case of Constant Suicides".

And there there are the Americans of the 'black series': Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett and Cornell Woolrich - you can't go wrong with them. Great, often gritty stories, they also introduced me film noir, which is an added bonus. Great favourites of mine.

From modern crime stories, Ian Rankin is good, and I like Michael Connelly. I can recommend them both.

 

If you're into old (but excellent) stuff read The Woman In White or the Moonstone by Wilkie Collins.
T. S. Eliot called The Moonstone "the first, the longest, and the best of modern English detective novels"

These are classics but they are not as boring as one may think.

 

Ray Bradbury's written at least couple of interesting/fun enough detective stories. If you've read any Bradbury and liked it, I think you'd like them as well.

 

I won't dispute that point but Sergeant Cuff from the Moostone by Wilkie Collins was the prototype of the detective and certainly a major influence for Sherlock Holmes as well.

 

Yeah, Wilkie Collins is great. He was actually Charles Dicken's son in law, and the Woman In White was the most popular novel of the 19th century. Now you know. (And I'd also like to mention that Inspector Bucket from Bleak House was another early novel detective.)

I also love the Cadfael stories from Ellis Peters. Cadfael is a mystery-solving-monk during the time of The Anarchy. There's also a great TV Movie series starring Derek Jacobi.

Also, Dorothy Sayers.

 

It was NZD - in USD it's $16.99 (according to Google).

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I'll refer back here as I continue my quest.

 

Just adding my .

I'd say all of the above are excellent suggestions. Sherlock Holmes stories, Agatha Christie's work, The Moonstone, Poe's stories, Cadfael series - all make great read and you won't do wrong regardless of which you pick.

If you are interested in short stories and don't wish to get to engrossed you could also try some collections of stories from various authors. I prefer the classic stuff, but there are modern ones available.

As for books, some of them have faster pace, some slower (personally I always thought that some Christie books have an amount of irrelevant pages with the sole purpose of distracting the person reading it - but I guess that makes them not so irrelevant, heh.) All are fun, though.

 

Anyone played the Sleuth games online? There are various levels of mystery, all the free ones follow a simple formulae, but the custom ones are written by players and the game creators for people. Most you have to be a subscriber to play, but if you write a couple and submit them you become a subscriber.

Good for spending a bit of time on when you can't find a book to work out

 

@Ragusa

Hercule Poirot´s smartassiness is part of his winning charm!

no new input from me I´m afraid. I swear by Holmes and Poirot. I can´t stand Ms. Marple. Agatha Christie´s stand-alone novels are excellent as well though. Here are 3 that you CAN´T MISS:

Towards Zero
Death Comes as the End
Crooked House

those 3 books are excellent. the 2nd one is set in ancient egypt.