Mystery Lovers! discussion

I like mystery series, do not doubt that. I an currently following several!

Buth the publishers push series, and I think sometimes solo novels get lost in the crowd.

So your help please, I would like a few suggestions of non series novels--or if in a series, ones that can be read out of order if the entire series--or the first few books--are not available. Thank you.

One I recently read that I really wish would become a series but so far is the only one is Anteater of Death A Zoo Mystery. It's a well written story with interesting characters and a new and different plot.

Hi Mary. Robert Crais has a couple stand alones that are terrific: DEMOLITION ANGEL, THE TWO-MINUTE RULE, HOSTAGE. LA REQUIEM is one of his Elvis Cole series, but you could easily start with that book. I just finished George Pelecanos THE WAY HOME which is a standalone. Either of Thomas Holland's books can be read as a standalone: ONE DROP OF BLOOD or K.I.A. Michael Koryta's release last year, ENVY THE NIGHT, was a fabulous standalone as was Gregg Hurwitz's THE CRIME WRITER. Most of Hurwitz's work can be read as individual books even though three are a recurring character. And I'd be remiss in not mentioning Dennis Lehane. SHUTTER ISLAND is still one of my all-time favorite novels.

These are all on the more traditional side of crime fiction.

Mary, I just finished John Hart's latest, THE LAST CHILD, and it was fantastic! His 2008 novel, DOWN RIVER, was one of my favorites of last year. They're both standalones--in fact, DOWN RIVER is told in first person and LAST CHILD is third person point of view.
Enjoy!
CJ
CJ Lyons http://www.cjlyons.net
URGENT CARE, coming October 27, 2009
WARNING SIGNS, "Lyons is a master within the genre." ~Pittsburgh Magazine
LIFELINES, "A breathtakingly fast-paced medical thriller."~Publishers Weekly

I loved People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks People of the Book. Books about books get me every time. Another great read is The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield The Thirteenth Tale. Our book club had a great time discussing it and once again this is a book about a book. Another stand-alone book about a book is The Club Dumas by Arturo Perez-Reverte The Club Dumas. One of my favourite books is The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon The Shadow of the Wind. Until recently it was a stand alone but now there is a sequel that I'm 5th in line for at the library - can hardly wait!

Harlan Coben has some stand alones (Tell No One) and most of Dick Francis' books are stand alones. Henning Mankell also has some stand alones. Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine does as well. There is a website fantasticfiction.com which compiles listings of titles by individual authors. It not only lists them chronologically, but it also separates stand-alone titles from those belonging to a series. I use the site a lot.

Check out "Jump" by Tim Maleeny, "Fault Line" by Barry Eisler, and "The Blade Itself" by Marcus Sakey. All great standalones.

The Dante Club A Novel, by Matthew Pearl.

Minnette Walters writes good non-series contemporary mysteries set in small English towns: http://www.minettewalters.co.uk/.

John Katzenbach writes standalone novels that are kind of a cross between mysteries and suspense. I particularly liked The Madman's Tale and The Analyst was also quite good.

And - I agree with CJ. John Hart is a great new mystery writer.

Michelle's right, you can't go wrong with any of those authors--and Harlan Coban is also a great reccomendation. I'd also add Laura Lippman's standalones--I like them even better than her series (which is also great). If you're into more thrillers, try any of David Morrell's, they all standalone as well.
Have fun! CJ
CJ Lyons http://www.cjlyons.net
URGENT CARE, coming October 27, 2009
WARNING SIGNS, "Lyons is a master within the genre." ~Pittsburgh Magazine
LIFELINES, "A breathtakingly fast-paced medical thriller."~Publishers Weekly