I didn't think I would like Crime and Punishment but I read it back in April of this year and LOVED it. There's such a reputation that it's a hard book but I didn't find it too difficult to read and enjoy. I definitely want to read The Brothers Karamazov and Demons.
The murder of roger Aykroyd is one of Christie's finest pieces of writing! This was her first best seller back in the day. And please, please, read Double indemnity. It's a fantastic book! I might be a bit biased because the Barbara Stanwyck film is one of my all-time favourites 😍
Thank you of mentioning The Alienist - and yes if we are including both mystery and thriller - House of Leaves! And please try to read The Shadow of the Wind... Thanks for going through this list. And Big Little Lies was a great fast paced book - really jump started my reading again after a long reading slump for me.
Thanks so much for doing this Greg 👍. I wasn't aware Time Magazine did this. I've only read between 5 and 10 of these. But I'm saving the list! I want to dive into these.
I agree with you about the older,classic mysteries. But definitely read the Hound of the Baskervilles before your trip and if you happen to cross a Scottish Moor be sure to look in all directions!
Henning Mankell 🤩I read them all and followed the the two tv series. The English one and the Swedish one. The Secret History 🤩 Val MacDermid 🤩 I highly recommend Denise Mina ( Glasgow) Ian Rankin ( Edinburgh) Tana French is from Dublin. Her first thriller in the Dublin Murder Squad is In The Woods. It was made into a tv series by BBC & RTE. A Galway author recommendation is Dervla McTeirnan Attica Locke 🤩 My current favourite is Aussie Noir. Authors like Jane Harper,Chris Hammer, Emma Viskic
I didn't know there were two series based on Mankell's books! I've read one book each by Denise Mina and Ian Rankin. Always meant to do more but somehow never did.
John le Carré writes brilliant spy thrillers. If you're reading the Smiley series, rather read in order (tinker tailor soldier spy are later in the series) because it does follow one spy (Smiley) and the plots he's involved in. I've only read a handful of his books and a murder of quality (the 2nd in the smiley series) are my favourite so far. This is mostly because it's set at a boy's school of all places. I need to pick up the next one in the series, but I'm on a mission to finish the Josephine Tey books in my (local) library 😂 hopefully in December when it's sunny! 🌞🏖
I love this video. I'm trying to get into spooky stories with my students since it's definitely in my curriculum for October. Do you mind sharing a little of what you do for a living now beside youtube? I think a lot of us (me included) went into teaching because we didn't know what else to do and it seemed like a fun thing to do but are now looking to pursue other things....you seem like you have a vast knowledge of the world --- what is there to do for someone that loves books and people but is a little put off by teaching at the moment. I love your content and look forward to every video of yours! Keep doing what you do.
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead is very good. I liked Bluebird Bluebird. Mexican Gothic was just OK. P.D. James and Elizabeth George deserve to be on the list. I also really loved some of Kate Atkinson's mysteries. I loved The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay but I also enjoyed Moonglow. Hated Gone Girl with a ferocious passion. This was a fun video. Thanks!
For Scotland, I definitely recommend Ian Rankin. He has the very long Rebus series (and a couple that are not so long... yet) and some standalone books. But I'd recommend a non-mystery, The Flood, which is a coming of age and deals with class and transition in Scotland. He is very masterful at creating an atmosphere.
The Decagon House Murders is een 5 star for me. Just finished it and I was overwhelmed. The twist at the end….. If you are a fan of Agatha Christie's 'And then there were none', then you should definitely read this!
I've read a handful of Agatha Christie novels and my favorite by far was The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Rebecca is terrific. It builds up slowly and becomes delicious. I've thought of rereading Smilla's Sense of Snow because I remember liking it but the details are now hazy. I love Kate Atkinson, Attica Locke, Sarah Waters, Laura Lippman and Tana French. For French I'd start with either In The Woods or The Searcher. I can think of a bunch of missing books! Where's Denise Mina? What about Harlem Shuffle? The list goes on.
I don't read many mysteries or thrillers, but I am always interested when 'literary' writers dabble in genre. The results are often things I either absolutely love or absolutely hate. I read Drove Your Plough Over the Bones of the Dead and Your House Will Pay in 2021 and they still stick with me. I recommend them both extremely highly. I was especially not expecting to love Your House Will Pay as much as I did, and I feel bad that I haven't read more of Steph Cha since. I am also intrigued by the inclusion of Linda Hogan's Mean Spirit. It was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 1991, and I read a different Hogan, People of the Whale, this year and liked it a lot. I might prioritize getting to it now. Thanks for a great video!
My Tana French suggestion would be The Searcher. In it a retired Chicago cop who had gone through a bad divorce moves to a bucolic Irish village for fishing, rest, and relaxation. Fate has other plans, and he gets drawn into the seamy underside of criminal activity. Interesting portrayal of a child whom he befriends. I loved it.
I would actually recommend that you try The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, for the same reasons you said We Have Lived in the Castle is important. Roger Ackroyd was really a ground-breaking novel for its time and sort of shook up the crime fiction landscape when it came out. That being said, it is a Poirot novel and there is a lot of Poirot-ness, which sounds like it isn't your thing. However, I think if you go into Roger Ackroyd knowing that it is there, it shouldn't be too much of a distraction.
That's good context, thank you. I have found that dipping into a Poirot now and then knowing that I won't exactly enjoy him has been helpful. I couldn't binge the Poirot books like I did the Marple books as a teenager.
Yes to Rebecca! Yes to Dorothy Sayers! Gaudy Night is my favourite, but you can't read it first. Or at least, the reading experience will be better if you have read some of the other books. Most of the books are starring Lord Peter, and then there are a few books with Peter and his extremely slow-burn love interest Harriet Vane (well, slow-burn from her side, love at first sight of her mugshot in the newspaper for him). Gaudy Night is her book, and Peter is just a side character. If you haven't met either of them before you are going to miss out on so much backstory and character development. That said, you don't have to read all of them. Start with maybe... Clouds of Witness for Peter and his family, and a very Agatha Christiesque mystery. Then, if you like that, you can either read the books in order or you can jump to Strong Poison for an introduction to Harriet Vane, who is under arrest on suspicion of having poisoned her former lover. The Honjin Murders is the first in a series of Japanese murder mysteries. Very inspired by Agatha Christie, but also very Japanese. I like them, but I am more than casually into Golden Age mysteries. And definitely read The Name of the Rose. That one stands out as just different from anything else I've read. It demands a lot from the reader though. Smilla's Sense of Snow is a bit strange. I loved the first half which had a lot of social realism and dealt with issues of identity and colonialism, but then it turned into an action thriller that gave me whiplash. I don't know if the book's genre identity crisis is meant to mirror something in the protagonist, but it felt a bit like they switched authors mid-way.
The Murder of Rodger Ackroyd is fun. The Name of the Rose is an all time favorite of mine, in general, not just in the mystery genre. In The Woods is the only Tana French novel I have liked. I actually felt Gone Girl was pretty predictable. But I have a very suspicious mind!
The Name of the Rose was a dirty book, there was so much bacteria floating around. Could one character have washed their hands? Personally I was glad it was over. I ended the book and took a shower.
I felt like the person who yells at the TV because my mind kept making interjections that were ultimately inane - it’s an interesting video with some good comments here. 👍
My high school (in NJ) set up senior English classes the same way! I took Shakespearean drama, film as an art form and contemporary novel (mostly banned books). It was a fun way to learn things that I wouldn’t have in a traditional year long class. If you want a good Le Carre, try A Murder of Quality. It’s a well done whodunnit (not a spy thriller).
I can't remember all of the classes I took, but I do remember the comic spirit, Shakespeare, literature of our place, science fiction, and literature and cinema. It was a very fun way of exploring literature. Thank you for the Murder of Quality recommendation.
I really enjoyed this video. Please do more like it. I’m surprised you didn’t like The Goldfinch. I just finished it today and loved it’s beautiful writing and the story. I tackled it (after a dnf years ago) after reading and enjoying Demon Copperhead. The Secret History will be my next Donna Tartt.
Le Carré (definitely pronounce the final syllable) has pretty involved plots but don’t judge it by the Tinker Tailor movie. The movie has many good aspects, but the feature film format is just too short to contain the book.
For Tey, I would recommend Brat Farrar over Children of Time or anything else in that series. I've read several of the Grant books (including CoT) and thought they were awful.
Oh, I meant Daughter of Time, sorry! Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky is actually an excellent science fiction tome. I'm arachnophobic so it took me a long time to get through it, but it was worth it. The audiobook helped.
You have come into my happy place with mysteries and thrillers! Definitely listen to Rebecca read by Anna Massey. What a magnificent performance and what a magnificent book! A masterpiece in my mind. The Need is a great book! One that has you feeling very unsettled during and after reading. I think this is the first time I’ve heard you mention Ruth Ware. She’s one of my favorite writers who has never let me down and I thought The Turn of the Key was absolutely thrilling. I’m sending you a big raspberry for poo-pooing this book. (Of course, I’m just teasing.) I loved Mexican Gothic! Do I think you would enjoy it? Nope. 😉 In my mind, it’s closer to horror than mystery/thriller, but it’s a hoot no matter what category you put it in. I’m surprised not to see any John Grisham books on the list. I haven’t read him in a very long time, but not having The Firm on this list is definitely an oversight. I’m toying with buying the sequel which comes out tomorrow, but I may just get on the very long wait list at the library. This must have been a bear to edit. Thanks for doing it! Always great to see a list of thrillers that I might want to dig into. I definitely want to read Allingham and I have that Josephine Tey book here to get to at some point, as well as a few others on this list.
It is a little surprising that John Grisham isn't on the list. I didn't know he was publishing a sequel to The Firm! This wasn't easy to edit, but it's a fun way of going through a list like this. I may try it again for the NY Times 100 Notable when that list comes out. I'm glad you enjoyed the list and I got to spend some time in your happy place (even if I did earn a raspberry). 🥂
Thank you for the reviews! The Name of the Rose is a cilantro book- i know people who love and hate this book, very well written but maybe not amazing. Drive you Plow was really intriguing for me and i really enjoyed it The Shadow of the Wind seems to have everything but it fell really flat and was somewhat forgettable. House of Leaves is great and very creepy! Snow Falling on Cedars could maybe fit on this list as well.
John Le Carré became one of my recent favorite writers. I've been reading his Smiley's series. 'The Spy Who Came In from the Cold' is the third, but it works as a standalone (the main character of the series has just a cameo in it). Alternatively, I'd recommend 'The Little Drummer Girl,' a standalone that deals with the Israeli-Palestinian theme. The characterizations are superb and the plot is amazing. Until around the middle, I was doubting every action and motivation of all the characters. And FWIW, yes to 'Rebecca' and 'Smilla's Sense of Snow.' And Mick Herron should be in the list.
I think all Le Carré books can work as (great) standalones even when there are recurring characters and the general picture is developping slowly in the background.
Read A Coffin for Dimitrios. Eric Ambler is the grandaddy of the spy thriller genre, and since you seem to feel as I do about the Bond books, I think you will appreciate Ambler a lot more. Side note: I had no idea at the time, but when I did my London semester, I lived two doors down from Ambler. Rebecca is my all-time favorite book. Do make Roger Ackroyd a priority if you can. Then you won't have to worry about spoilers. And read it before reading Malice by Higashino. You'll see why. (I liked Malice better than Suspect X, but mostly because of how the latter ended.)
Thanks for all the feedback! I'll have to check out Ambler. I've been keeping an eye out for Roger Ackroyd at my local used bookstore, but no luck yet.
For the last two years I have gravitated toward mystery/thrillers; however, I have only read 5 books on this list. From what I have read I can highly recommend The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, and Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger. Also, Tony Hillerman should definitely be on the list. I love his books - so good.
I hated the Secret History from the first page. However, I enjoyed the first third or so of the Goldfinch. Then it just sort of wandered away somewhere.
Currently reading the goldfinch and somehow managed to force myself to midway.. i truly question the merit of the Pulitzer prize after reading this book..
Attica Locke is a great author and her book Bluebird, Bluebird is one of my favorite books. Can’t believe Patricia Wentworth is not on this list. That is nuts. I reread The Secret History and did not like it at all. When I first read it when it came out, I really liked it. Things change as you age.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was Christie’s best. Love Rebecca and Daughter of Time (Did King Richard kill his nephews?) but I guess I’m alone here in loving The Woman in White. Where is The Collector by John Fowles or Snow Falling on Cedars? My favourite Barbara Vine is Anna’s Book. I’ve read all her alphabet books, and my fave Grafton is C is for Corpse. Finally, if The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde can be considered a mystery, that would top my list for sure.
I'm a fan of mysteries and thrillers. I've read twenty-five of these books. I agree that The Muder of Roger Ackroyd is an important work in the mystery genre and should be read by any mystery fan. I'd recommend Out, A Place of Execution and Daughter of Time.
I’m happy to see The Patient in Room 18 by Mignon Eberhardt on the list although I thought it was just OK. I’m from Nebraska and her book The Mystery of Hunting’s End was our One Book One Nebraska selection for 2023. I liked that one better than the Patient. Eberhardt was a significant mystery writer during her time who doesn’t get much attention anymore. She grew up in Nebraska and some of her books take place there but far from all of them- she led a fascinating life in a lot of places. You might like her books- they are kinda that old fashioned who done it type that you were talking about.
Agree 1000000000% about The Woman in White. It just wouldn't end! I think it was originally published as a serial. I stubbornly read the whole damn thing, since it is often touted as foundational for the mystery genre, and I kept thinking it was going to be worth it in the end. Nope. Although I do credit it as one of the books that convinced me going forward that it was okay to DNF! Definitely read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and Rebecca. Forget Mary Higgins Clark. She always gives away the killer very early on. I read a few of her books when I was in my 20s and thought I was so stinking smart until I realized she was just BAD. You know, I have been following you for so long now, and I'm well aware of your feelings about the Gone Girl-ification of the genre, but I think this is the first time I've heard you say you liked the book! 😂 (I loved it, but I know exactly what you mean.) Great video. Thanks!
No James Ellroy on this list? An absolute disgrace. LA Confidential should have been on there at least. Also no Murder on The Orient Express? What is this? I’ve been watching your videos man. I dig em, you got a subscriber.
I’ve found that I’m less of a mystery/thriller person and more of a straight up horror person. I tend to like the Nordic thrillers, though, because they’re much darker. I do enjoy the older classic writers like Wilkie Collins. Modern domestic thrillers are generally a miss for me (boring) and Mexican Gothic was a big miss because it was too silly. I recognize that I’m not necessarily in the majority here on that but if you’re not into horror, I would leave that one alone. I can’t imagine it would be your cup of tea. I think House of Leaves would probably be on the list if this was more of a horror list. That’s the list I would really want to see! Thanks for the video!
I highly recommend listening to Crime and Punishment on audio with Anthony Heald (Dr Chilton in the Silence of the Lambs) Amazing narrator. I could not read the physical book but I could not wait to get back to the audio version. Speaking of the Silence of the Lambs. I avoided watching the movie for so long as I found the novel so engrossing and well written in my simple viewpoint. Loved the first 6 books of Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta novels but then I felt the quality of the writing suffered. I do enjoy my Nordic crime novels, Henning Mankell, Jo Nesbo (According to my Swedish grandfather, they can't say Jam or Jelly, the say yam and yelly 😁). Loved The Snowman and The Leopard but these are in the middle of the Harry Hole series. Dark Nordic novels not for everyone. Maybe because I am from Mass, I loved Dennis Lehane's series with Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro series: starting with A Drink Before the War (1994) Hated Shutter Island. For some reason when I hear people say Mystic River (loved it) I hear Mr Griver 🤪 I loved Gone Girl too and also enjoyed her book Sharp Objects. Books not on the list!!! I really enjoyed Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz. had hints of Agatha Christy in the story within the story and Ohio by Stephen Markley. Before I write a novella....
Thank you for all the feedback on the books you've read! I had forgotten that I did read a Patricia Cornwell book--her nonfiction about Jack the Ripper, which I did not like at all. I think that slowed me down on trying her regular series for a while, but I should do it at some point (and maybe not keep going once they slip).
Well this is not a genre that I don’t really read a lot of the mainstream ones. When you read The Lottery maybe selective in the choice collection Jackson short stories are real good. I read The Honjin Murders is good and I think based on a true story. The Tattoo Murder Case by Akimitsu Takagi is exceptional . Out is really good but the end is very grizzly and brutal and hard to take. The Nameof The Rose is good but I loved Foucaut’s Pendulum by Eco.
So weird haven’t heard of quite a few of these. I’m surprised that there wasn’t more Agatha Christie’s …. My favorite and probably the best thriller on that list is Rebecca - even the first line of the book sets the mood omg it’s fantastic highly recommend you bump that up on your list! The movie was great, but so was the book. Shocking to me that it was even published / became a movie for the times in which it came out… fantastic writing and best gothic novel. I dnf’d The Secret History but loved The Goldfinch even though the very beginning pages didn’t grab me and it was excessively long I loved the trials of the young boy and loved seeing him morph into an adult and loved the twisting of the authors love of art into the crux of the story - I hope you give it a second chance! I haven’t read Blacktop by SA but I’ve read two by him and not only are they reading like a well written action film more thrilling action than mystery but definitely enjoyable. This list is really dredging the pond if you ask me 😂 but then again I shouldn’t say that bc there’s so many I didn’t read. But I also will not go on with Ruth Ware this was a retelling of the Turn of the Screw so why even list them both? Why didn’t they throw Jane Eyre on there as there were gothic mysterious happenings that turns into a love story, twisted as it was! (Love that story)… but again that would be stretching it. Must’ve been an old timer (and I don’t mean us) that compiled this list - so many from decades before … 😂 I would not be interested in most of these. I love historical fiction and or contemporary fiction best so these are not high on my list however I intend to read Krueger!
Name of the Rose is great, Lee Child's is a guilty pleasure, Graham Greene is patchy, Sherlock Holmes is great, John Le Carré can be great, can be pot boiling tripe.
😲 OMG! You have to read Rebecca! edit: and John le Carre! Try A Delicate Truth(my favourite of his) edit: my first(and only) Nesbo's book was also Macbeth(DNF'd)
Josephine Tey is great. John le Carré is great -- probably best to read the series in order -- will hook you for sure (and probably make more sense than jumping into the middle). Peter Hoeg is the author of my favorite contemporary novel (Borderliners) but Smilla's Sense of Snow is also excellent. I would not have put Mexican Gothic on this list, though I have read and enjoyed it. It is a Fall of the House of Usher retelling. So more mood/horror than mystery. I am also amazed that some great mystery writers are not on this list. Marcia Muller is in the mystery writers hall of fame, but none of her books are here.
Please consider trying “Life After Life”. I won’t hype it, but I suggest that you give it at least 100 pages. Or maybe you already have? I am finding this video in March.
Hi from France, try "Still life" (nature morte) by Louise Penny. I loved it. It's the first one of the Gamache serie. Gamache is an really interesting character but all her characters are " atypicals" .The titre (Bury you dead) in this list is not the best, in my opinion.
I really really liked Mexican gothic so I think you should read. Please go back to 2666, it is far far better than everything else on this list imo (yes, I said it lol). Donna Tartt secret history is an all time fav altho I completely get ur aversion to the goldfinch but I think you would love secret history if you decide to give it a chance.
This list is too long for me to remember everything I wanted to say about it!🙃 So, just a few things here. I have a feeling you won't be reading Rebecca ever, but if/when you do I'd like to know what you think about it. Since you read Agatha Christie you should definitely read Roger Ackroyd, it's a good one! You should definitely read The Name of the Rose, I thought it was a very special read. But if you feel like you can't, watch the movie- not as remarkable as the book but very good imo. Talented Mr. Ripley is good, Minghella's 1999 movie is good and so is René Clément's 1960 movie Purple Noon (Plein Soleil) - and each one is different. I happen to love all Kate Atkinson's books, not all are thrillers like Case Histories (Life After Life surely isn't) but there are more Jackson Brodie mysteries. John LeCarré is worth reading if you are into spy lit. and interested in the cold war and what came afterwards, he's a very good writer (there was a summer when my best read by far was his Constant Gardener). James M. Cain's crime fiction is nothing (at all) like Mildred Pierce, he deserves his place on this list. Rosemary's Baby is truly a horror thriller, different from other Ira Levin's books Dostoevsky is an author you should absolutely read (if you can), Brothers Karamazov is a more ambitious goal - but doesn't belong on this list. Crime and Punishment? Well, let's say it does, at least for the title (and the crime😅) There were other things but I don't remember them and this rant was much too long anyway, sorry about that. I'm also sincerelly sorry you had these hard times in your life that left black zones on your mind, I know how it is, but I was lucky books were always my happy haven and stayed with me. I wish you to never-ever go through bad moments again! 🤗
Razorblade Tears was pretty good. Some of the crazy stuff that happens seems a little to far fetched. The dialog is great. Little side note: did you know that if you say Rise Up Lights it sounds a lot like Razorblades in an Australian accent. 😆
Regarding Mary Higgins Clark, you are too young to have read her. She is good, bestseller kind of book. Name of the Rose was dense, long and boring. When it was on the bestseller list, I didn't believe that that many people had read it. I think they just said they read it. Also, if you didn't like Donna Tartt's Goldfinch, you probably won't like a Secret History. I would recommend Widows of Malabar Hill. It taught me a lot about India.
Thank you for the thoughtful feedback. Mary Higgins Clark was very popular when I first worked at Borders when I was 19, but I did get the sense that her fans were a lot older than me at the time.
I agree with your Thomas Harris take. SotL and Red Dragon are fantastic and the rest are mediocre at best. Cari Mora is disturbing only because I started to question if Thomas Harris isn't really a monster hiding behind his characters.
I also did not think much of Rebecca, though. Thought it was just OK. Crime and Punishment is the best books to start with Dostoevsky, I think. Another of his that has a crime element and my favorite Dostoevsky is The Demons.
I was SHOCKED to see Mexican Gothic on the list….omg, unreadable ….so poorly written, so shallow. Has it made this list in an effort to appear “inclusive”? Yuk
I agree, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is by far the best of Agatha Christie's work. The audio version read by the late Robin Bailey is excellent, but very difficult to find these days.
😂 “let me tell you…. That was a waste of time “ not what I expected you to say at alllll . I am unfamiliar w them, so wasn’t sure what I expected, but it wasn’t that . Blahdiggityblah, ok comment allowance overdrawn.
Truly dire run down of these books. Repeating “I haven’t read this” combined with limited insight results in a complete waste of the listeners time. Why not read the books before commenting? Lazy
You want me to read 100 books just in order to be able to take a look at what books are on a list and see how many I've read? I think you completely misunderstood the point of this video. Lazy.
When no one is watching by Alyssa Cole is one of the worst mysteries I've read. I suppose the race and gentrification themes propelled it onto the list, but almost dnf'd halfway through and wish I had. The ending was incredible and not researched at all, sorry to say.
You must read all of Raymond Chandler. I read all of Graham Greene when I broke my leg in 1984. It's patchy. For me, the best one is "The End of the Affair". "The Comedians" is also Good.. John LeCarré (eh??) is grossly overrated. ""The Hunt for Carla " trilogy - "Tinker Taylor", "The Honourable Schoolboy", and "Smiley's People", I read at a very important time in my life. Le Carré's characterisations, especially of women, are agonising. He is an ex-spook who was so much regarded as an national treasure. they wheeled him out to attack Jeremy Corbyn alongside J.K. Rowling. These millionaires can get so bitchy. Lee Child is great but the films and TV Series suck. Jack Reacher is basically an existentialist. Stieg Larsson I like, while I read all of Tom Clancy years ago. When I had Covid I re-read all of Conan-Doyle, one of the most depressing experiences of my life. On your holidatys in Britain and Ireland, go to Kinsale for fish, Galway for the Craic and Loch Ness for the Monster. I am trying to read Tristan Shandy and the Magic Mountain. Pity me.
Ok I “lied”, last comment . William Kent Krueger- loved This Tender Land by him & chose his River We Remember for sept BOMC pick; Razorblade Tears - feels like an outlier relative to my norm ( like an action film, but a book), but liked it . Mexican Gothic - my mom loved it & I wanted to also, but as you say::: just thought it was ok 😳 ok I’m FR finished comment bombing the thread. 📖🪱💚
I read “Big Little Lies” in 2 sittings (having never read that author before) so I think it was pretty good 😂 That book is chunky! Skip “The Secret History” 🥱 I DNF after 120 pages. It was torture…much like “The Goldfinch”. This list kind of sucks 🤷🏻♀️
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For Tana French I’d start with the first Dublin Murder Squad book which is In The Woods. Very good one!
I didn't think I would like Crime and Punishment but I read it back in April of this year and LOVED it. There's such a reputation that it's a hard book but I didn't find it too difficult to read and enjoy. I definitely want to read The Brothers Karamazov and Demons.
I need to get to Dostoevsky at some point.
Hercule Poirreau: “I am not a Frenchie! I am a Belgie!!”
The murder of roger Aykroyd is one of Christie's finest pieces of writing! This was her first best seller back in the day.
And please, please, read Double indemnity. It's a fantastic book! I might be a bit biased because the Barbara Stanwyck film is one of my all-time favourites 😍
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
It is a great film.
@@henryottis295 it is! ☺️
Thank you of mentioning The Alienist - and yes if we are including both mystery and thriller - House of Leaves! And please try to read The Shadow of the Wind... Thanks for going through this list. And Big Little Lies was a great fast paced book - really jump started my reading again after a long reading slump for me.
Thanks so much for doing this Greg 👍. I wasn't aware Time Magazine did this. I've only read between 5 and 10 of these. But I'm saving the list! I want to dive into these.
I hope you like any of the books you pick up!
I agree with you about the older,classic mysteries. But definitely read the Hound of the Baskervilles before your trip and if you happen to cross a Scottish Moor be sure to look in all directions!
Between that and An American Werewolf in London, I think the moors would scare me too much. 😉
Henning Mankell 🤩I read them all and followed the the two tv series. The English one and the Swedish one.
The Secret History 🤩
Val MacDermid 🤩
I highly recommend
Denise Mina ( Glasgow)
Ian Rankin ( Edinburgh)
Tana French is from Dublin. Her first thriller in the Dublin Murder Squad is In The Woods. It was made into a tv series by BBC & RTE.
A Galway author recommendation is
Dervla McTeirnan
Attica Locke 🤩
My current favourite is Aussie Noir. Authors like Jane Harper,Chris Hammer, Emma Viskic
I didn't know there were two series based on Mankell's books! I've read one book each by Denise Mina and Ian Rankin. Always meant to do more but somehow never did.
Finally , someone that has read Mankell and watched the series. I prefer the Swedish series.
I would have included The Collector by John Fowles. This was first "thriller" read back in the 60's when I was a teen. It blew me away.
Dude you should definitely checkout “Devotion of Suspect X” and other books by that Japanese author. He’s a very clever writer
This was a fun one! Thanks for making me aware of that list. Definitely good food for my TBR on there. :)
I'm glad it was helpful!
John le Carré writes brilliant spy thrillers. If you're reading the Smiley series, rather read in order (tinker tailor soldier spy are later in the series) because it does follow one spy (Smiley) and the plots he's involved in. I've only read a handful of his books and a murder of quality (the 2nd in the smiley series) are my favourite so far. This is mostly because it's set at a boy's school of all places. I need to pick up the next one in the series, but I'm on a mission to finish the Josephine Tey books in my (local) library 😂 hopefully in December when it's sunny! 🌞🏖
I love this video. I'm trying to get into spooky stories with my students since it's definitely in my curriculum for October. Do you mind sharing a little of what you do for a living now beside youtube? I think a lot of us (me included) went into teaching because we didn't know what else to do and it seemed like a fun thing to do but are now looking to pursue other things....you seem like you have a vast knowledge of the world --- what is there to do for someone that loves books and people but is a little put off by teaching at the moment. I love your content and look forward to every video of yours! Keep doing what you do.
Thank you! I work with a corporate recruiter. It’s certainly not my dream job but it pays the bills and it allows me to work from home.
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead is very good. I liked Bluebird Bluebird. Mexican Gothic was just OK. P.D. James and Elizabeth George deserve to be on the list. I also really loved some of Kate Atkinson's mysteries. I loved The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay but I also enjoyed Moonglow. Hated Gone Girl with a ferocious passion. This was a fun video. Thanks!
Thanks for watching, and for sharing your thoughts.
If you want to read a Dorothy Sayer, go with the Nine Tailors. It has some slow bits but overall brilliant.
Thanks!
For Scotland, I definitely recommend Ian Rankin. He has the very long Rebus series (and a couple that are not so long... yet) and some standalone books. But I'd recommend a non-mystery, The Flood, which is a coming of age and deals with class and transition in Scotland. He is very masterful at creating an atmosphere.
The Decagon House Murders is een 5 star for me. Just finished it and I was overwhelmed. The twist at the end…..
If you are a fan of Agatha Christie's 'And then there were none', then you should definitely read this!
I've read a handful of Agatha Christie novels and my favorite by far was The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Rebecca is terrific. It builds up slowly and becomes delicious. I've thought of rereading Smilla's Sense of Snow because I remember liking it but the details are now hazy. I love Kate Atkinson, Attica Locke, Sarah Waters, Laura Lippman and Tana French. For French I'd start with either In The Woods or The Searcher. I can think of a bunch of missing books! Where's Denise Mina? What about Harlem Shuffle? The list goes on.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Love both Eco The Name of the Rose and Fucault Pendelium. Generally a fan of most of his books. Find your video in a perfect time for me. Thanks.
I'm glad it found you at a good time!
In the woods by Tana French is very good
That's the title I couldn't remember! Thank you.
I'd love to know what criteria they used to make this list. No offense but it's a bit all over the place 😅
I don't read many mysteries or thrillers, but I am always interested when 'literary' writers dabble in genre. The results are often things I either absolutely love or absolutely hate. I read Drove Your Plough Over the Bones of the Dead and Your House Will Pay in 2021 and they still stick with me. I recommend them both extremely highly. I was especially not expecting to love Your House Will Pay as much as I did, and I feel bad that I haven't read more of Steph Cha since. I am also intrigued by the inclusion of Linda Hogan's Mean Spirit. It was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 1991, and I read a different Hogan, People of the Whale, this year and liked it a lot. I might prioritize getting to it now.
Thanks for a great video!
Thanks for the great thoughts!
My Tana French suggestion would be The Searcher. In it a retired Chicago cop who had gone through a bad divorce moves to a bucolic Irish village for fishing, rest, and relaxation. Fate has other plans, and he gets drawn into the seamy underside of criminal activity. Interesting portrayal of a child whom he befriends. I loved it.
Loved the Searcher
Thanks! That does sound intriguing.
I am about 2/3 through it, and I have found it to be very slow and boring. Contemplating stopping.
I would actually recommend that you try The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, for the same reasons you said We Have Lived in the Castle is important. Roger Ackroyd was really a ground-breaking novel for its time and sort of shook up the crime fiction landscape when it came out. That being said, it is a Poirot novel and there is a lot of Poirot-ness, which sounds like it isn't your thing. However, I think if you go into Roger Ackroyd knowing that it is there, it shouldn't be too much of a distraction.
That's good context, thank you. I have found that dipping into a Poirot now and then knowing that I won't exactly enjoy him has been helpful. I couldn't binge the Poirot books like I did the Marple books as a teenager.
Yes to Rebecca! Yes to Dorothy Sayers! Gaudy Night is my favourite, but you can't read it first. Or at least, the reading experience will be better if you have read some of the other books. Most of the books are starring Lord Peter, and then there are a few books with Peter and his extremely slow-burn love interest Harriet Vane (well, slow-burn from her side, love at first sight of her mugshot in the newspaper for him). Gaudy Night is her book, and Peter is just a side character. If you haven't met either of them before you are going to miss out on so much backstory and character development. That said, you don't have to read all of them. Start with maybe... Clouds of Witness for Peter and his family, and a very Agatha Christiesque mystery. Then, if you like that, you can either read the books in order or you can jump to Strong Poison for an introduction to Harriet Vane, who is under arrest on suspicion of having poisoned her former lover.
The Honjin Murders is the first in a series of Japanese murder mysteries. Very inspired by Agatha Christie, but also very Japanese. I like them, but I am more than casually into Golden Age mysteries.
And definitely read The Name of the Rose. That one stands out as just different from anything else I've read. It demands a lot from the reader though.
Smilla's Sense of Snow is a bit strange. I loved the first half which had a lot of social realism and dealt with issues of identity and colonialism, but then it turned into an action thriller that gave me whiplash. I don't know if the book's genre identity crisis is meant to mirror something in the protagonist, but it felt a bit like they switched authors mid-way.
Thanks for all the thoughtful feedback! You got me very excited to try a Dorothy Sayers book.
Yay! My work here is done. 😁@@SupposedlyFun
In a Lonely Place and Double Indemnity have great film adaptations, but they're both noir. Have added a couple here to my TBR.
I hope you enjoy any of the books you pick up!
The Murder of Rodger Ackroyd is fun. The Name of the Rose is an all time favorite of mine, in general, not just in the mystery genre. In The Woods is the only Tana French novel I have liked. I actually felt Gone Girl was pretty predictable. But I have a very suspicious mind!
I feel like I've been intending to read The Name of the Rose forever at this point.
The Name of the Rose was a dirty book, there was so much bacteria floating around. Could one character have washed their hands?
Personally I was glad it was over. I ended the book and took a shower.
I felt like the person who yells at the TV because my mind kept making interjections that were ultimately inane - it’s an interesting video with some good comments here. 👍
I really liked Life after Life from Kate Atkinson. It made me want ro read the rest of the catalog... Now I'm worried!
I am definitely in the minority when it comes to Case Histories, so don't be discouraged!
I loved the Alienist. .you should definitely try it..also the quincunx or the unburied by Charles Palliser are two very atmospheric mysterys..
My high school (in NJ) set up senior English classes the same way! I took Shakespearean drama, film as an art form and contemporary novel (mostly banned books). It was a fun way to learn things that I wouldn’t have in a traditional year long class.
If you want a good Le Carre, try A Murder of Quality. It’s a well done whodunnit (not a spy thriller).
I can't remember all of the classes I took, but I do remember the comic spirit, Shakespeare, literature of our place, science fiction, and literature and cinema. It was a very fun way of exploring literature.
Thank you for the Murder of Quality recommendation.
I really enjoyed this video. Please do more like it. I’m surprised you didn’t like The Goldfinch. I just finished it today and loved it’s beautiful writing and the story. I tackled it (after a dnf years ago) after reading and enjoying Demon Copperhead. The Secret History will be my next Donna Tartt.
I’ll be trying The Goldfinch again at some point for my Pulitzer Project, so we’ll see!
Le Carré (definitely pronounce the final syllable) has pretty involved plots but don’t judge it by the Tinker Tailor movie. The movie has many good aspects, but the feature film format is just too short to contain the book.
For Tey, I would recommend Brat Farrar over Children of Time or anything else in that series. I've read several of the Grant books (including CoT) and thought they were awful.
That's good to know--thanks.
Oh, I meant Daughter of Time, sorry! Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky is actually an excellent science fiction tome. I'm arachnophobic so it took me a long time to get through it, but it was worth it. The audiobook helped.
You have come into my happy place with mysteries and thrillers!
Definitely listen to Rebecca read by Anna Massey. What a magnificent performance and what a magnificent book! A masterpiece in my mind.
The Need is a great book! One that has you feeling very unsettled during and after reading.
I think this is the first time I’ve heard you mention Ruth Ware. She’s one of my favorite writers who has never let me down and I thought The Turn of the Key was absolutely thrilling. I’m sending you a big raspberry for poo-pooing this book. (Of course, I’m just teasing.)
I loved Mexican Gothic! Do I think you would enjoy it? Nope. 😉 In my mind, it’s closer to horror than mystery/thriller, but it’s a hoot no matter what category you put it in.
I’m surprised not to see any John Grisham books on the list. I haven’t read him in a very long time, but not having The Firm on this list is definitely an oversight. I’m toying with buying the sequel which comes out tomorrow, but I may just get on the very long wait list at the library.
This must have been a bear to edit. Thanks for doing it! Always great to see a list of thrillers that I might want to dig into. I definitely want to read Allingham and I have that Josephine Tey book here to get to at some point, as well as a few others on this list.
It is a little surprising that John Grisham isn't on the list. I didn't know he was publishing a sequel to The Firm!
This wasn't easy to edit, but it's a fun way of going through a list like this. I may try it again for the NY Times 100 Notable when that list comes out.
I'm glad you enjoyed the list and I got to spend some time in your happy place (even if I did earn a raspberry). 🥂
Thank you for the reviews!
The Name of the Rose is a cilantro book- i know people who love and hate this book, very well written but maybe not amazing.
Drive you Plow was really intriguing for me and i really enjoyed it
The Shadow of the Wind seems to have everything but it fell really flat and was somewhat forgettable.
House of Leaves is great and very creepy!
Snow Falling on Cedars could maybe fit on this list as well.
John Le Carré became one of my recent favorite writers. I've been reading his Smiley's series. 'The Spy Who Came In from the Cold' is the third, but it works as a standalone (the main character of the series has just a cameo in it).
Alternatively, I'd recommend 'The Little Drummer Girl,' a standalone that deals with the Israeli-Palestinian theme. The characterizations are superb and the plot is amazing. Until around the middle, I was doubting every action and motivation of all the characters.
And FWIW, yes to 'Rebecca' and 'Smilla's Sense of Snow.' And Mick Herron should be in the list.
I think all Le Carré books can work as (great) standalones even when there are recurring characters and the general picture is developping slowly in the background.
If you're visiting Scotland, Greg, and especially Edinburgh, give Luckenbooth by Jenni Fagan a read. It has all the ingredients addressed here.
Thanks for the recommendation!
Eric Ambler is the greatest. I recommend PASSAGE OF ARMS, THE LIGHT OF DAY, and DR FRIGO.
Read A Coffin for Dimitrios. Eric Ambler is the grandaddy of the spy thriller genre, and since you seem to feel as I do about the Bond books, I think you will appreciate Ambler a lot more. Side note: I had no idea at the time, but when I did my London semester, I lived two doors down from Ambler.
Rebecca is my all-time favorite book.
Do make Roger Ackroyd a priority if you can. Then you won't have to worry about spoilers. And read it before reading Malice by Higashino. You'll see why. (I liked Malice better than Suspect X, but mostly because of how the latter ended.)
Thanks for all the feedback! I'll have to check out Ambler. I've been keeping an eye out for Roger Ackroyd at my local used bookstore, but no luck yet.
Do you remember in “ Friends when Joey hid The Shining in the freezer?
I had forgotten that! 😂
For the last two years I have gravitated toward mystery/thrillers; however, I have only read 5 books on this list. From what I have read I can highly recommend The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, and Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger. Also, Tony Hillerman should definitely be on the list. I love his books - so good.
I thought that a secret history was one of the worst books I ever read and I also didn’t finish the goldfinch
What I'm starting to gather is if you didn't like one, you won't like the other.
Thank you! I also hated The Secret History.
@@SupposedlyFunNot entirely true though - I liked Secret History a lot but didn't like Goldfinch at all 🤷♀️
I hated the Secret History from the first page. However, I enjoyed the first third or so of the Goldfinch. Then it just sort of wandered away somewhere.
Currently reading the goldfinch and somehow managed to force myself to midway.. i truly question the merit of the Pulitzer prize after reading this book..
Attica Locke is a great author and her book Bluebird, Bluebird is one of my favorite books. Can’t believe Patricia Wentworth is not on this list. That is nuts. I reread The Secret History and did not like it at all. When I first read it when it came out, I really liked it. Things change as you age.
I've never met anyone who's read A Month in the Country besides me. You've got great taste. One of my favorite books ever -- just so exquisite! 💚
Things do change as you age. It’s always interesting to revisit books.
@@onourpathNot Ivan Turgenev's only play, I presume😅
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was Christie’s best. Love Rebecca and Daughter of Time (Did King Richard kill his nephews?) but I guess I’m alone here in loving The Woman in White. Where is The Collector by John Fowles or Snow Falling on Cedars? My favourite Barbara Vine is Anna’s Book. I’ve read all her alphabet books, and my fave Grafton is C is for Corpse. Finally, if The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde can be considered a mystery, that would top my list for sure.
I'm a fan of mysteries and thrillers. I've read twenty-five of these books. I agree that The Muder of Roger Ackroyd is an important work in the mystery genre and should be read by any mystery fan. I'd recommend Out, A Place of Execution and Daughter of Time.
Thanks for the recommendations!
I’m happy to see The Patient in Room 18 by Mignon Eberhardt on the list although I thought it was just OK. I’m from Nebraska and her book The Mystery of Hunting’s End was our One Book One Nebraska selection for 2023. I liked that one better than the Patient. Eberhardt was a significant mystery writer during her time who doesn’t get much attention anymore. She grew up in Nebraska and some of her books take place there but far from all of them- she led a fascinating life in a lot of places. You might like her books- they are kinda that old fashioned who done it type that you were talking about.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
I enjoyed this video and have subscribed.
Thanks! I hope you enjoy the rest.
Agree 1000000000% about The Woman in White. It just wouldn't end! I think it was originally published as a serial. I stubbornly read the whole damn thing, since it is often touted as foundational for the mystery genre, and I kept thinking it was going to be worth it in the end. Nope. Although I do credit it as one of the books that convinced me going forward that it was okay to DNF!
Definitely read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and Rebecca.
Forget Mary Higgins Clark. She always gives away the killer very early on. I read a few of her books when I was in my 20s and thought I was so stinking smart until I realized she was just BAD.
You know, I have been following you for so long now, and I'm well aware of your feelings about the Gone Girl-ification of the genre, but I think this is the first time I've heard you say you liked the book! 😂 (I loved it, but I know exactly what you mean.)
Great video. Thanks!
I’m glad I’m not alone on Woman in White! Thanks for sharing all of your considered feedback.
No James Ellroy on this list? An absolute disgrace. LA Confidential should have been on there at least.
Also no Murder on The Orient Express? What is this?
I’ve been watching your videos man. I dig em, you got a subscriber.
I’ve found that I’m less of a mystery/thriller person and more of a straight up horror person. I tend to like the Nordic thrillers, though, because they’re much darker. I do enjoy the older classic writers like Wilkie Collins. Modern domestic thrillers are generally a miss for me (boring) and Mexican Gothic was a big miss because it was too silly. I recognize that I’m not necessarily in the majority here on that but if you’re not into horror, I would leave that one alone. I can’t imagine it would be your cup of tea. I think House of Leaves would probably be on the list if this was more of a horror list. That’s the list I would really want to see! Thanks for the video!
Thanks for the feedback!
I highly recommend listening to Crime and Punishment on audio with Anthony Heald (Dr Chilton in the Silence of the Lambs) Amazing narrator. I could not read the physical book but I could not wait to get back to the audio version. Speaking of the Silence of the Lambs. I avoided watching the movie for so long as I found the novel so engrossing and well written in my simple viewpoint. Loved the first 6 books of Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta novels but then I felt the quality of the writing suffered. I do enjoy my Nordic crime novels, Henning Mankell, Jo Nesbo (According to my Swedish grandfather, they can't say Jam or Jelly, the say yam and yelly 😁). Loved The Snowman and The Leopard but these are in the middle of the Harry Hole series. Dark Nordic novels not for everyone. Maybe because I am from Mass, I loved Dennis Lehane's series with Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro series: starting with A Drink Before the War (1994) Hated Shutter Island. For some reason when I hear people say Mystic River (loved it) I hear Mr Griver 🤪 I loved Gone Girl too and also enjoyed her book Sharp Objects. Books not on the list!!! I really enjoyed Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz. had hints of Agatha Christy in the story within the story and Ohio by Stephen Markley. Before I write a novella....
Thank you for all the feedback on the books you've read! I had forgotten that I did read a Patricia Cornwell book--her nonfiction about Jack the Ripper, which I did not like at all. I think that slowed me down on trying her regular series for a while, but I should do it at some point (and maybe not keep going once they slip).
Well this is not a genre that I don’t really read a lot of the mainstream ones. When you read The Lottery maybe selective in the choice collection Jackson short stories are real good. I read The Honjin Murders is good and I think based on a true story. The Tattoo Murder Case by Akimitsu Takagi is exceptional . Out is really good but the end is very grizzly and brutal and hard to take.
The Nameof The Rose is good but I loved Foucaut’s Pendulum by Eco.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
So weird haven’t heard of quite a few of these. I’m surprised that there wasn’t more Agatha Christie’s …. My favorite and probably the best thriller on that list is Rebecca - even the first line of the book sets the mood omg it’s fantastic highly recommend you bump that up on your list! The movie was great, but so was the book. Shocking to me that it was even published / became a movie for the times in which it came out… fantastic writing and best gothic novel. I dnf’d The Secret History but loved The Goldfinch even though the very beginning pages didn’t grab me and it was excessively long I loved the trials of the young boy and loved seeing him morph into an adult and loved the twisting of the authors love of art into the crux of the story - I hope you give it a second chance! I haven’t read Blacktop by SA but I’ve read two by him and not only are they reading like a well written action film more thrilling action than mystery but definitely enjoyable. This list is really dredging the pond if you ask me 😂 but then again I shouldn’t say that bc there’s so many I didn’t read. But I also will not go on with Ruth Ware this was a retelling of the Turn of the Screw so why even list them both? Why didn’t they throw Jane Eyre on there as there were gothic mysterious happenings that turns into a love story, twisted as it was! (Love that story)… but again that would be stretching it. Must’ve been an old timer (and I don’t mean us) that compiled this list - so many from decades before … 😂 I would not be interested in most of these. I love historical fiction and or contemporary fiction best so these are not high on my list however I intend to read Krueger!
Name of the Rose is great, Lee Child's is a guilty pleasure, Graham Greene is patchy, Sherlock Holmes is great, John Le Carré can be great, can be pot boiling tripe.
Raymond Chandler is brilliant.
😲 OMG! You have to read Rebecca!
edit: and John le Carre! Try A Delicate Truth(my favourite of his)
edit: my first(and only) Nesbo's book was also Macbeth(DNF'd)
Well I'm glad I'm not the only one who DNF'ed Nesbo's Macbeth! 👯♀️
Josephine Tey is great. John le Carré is great -- probably best to read the series in order -- will hook you for sure (and probably make more sense than jumping into the middle). Peter Hoeg is the author of my favorite contemporary novel (Borderliners) but Smilla's Sense of Snow is also excellent.
I would not have put Mexican Gothic on this list, though I have read and enjoyed it. It is a Fall of the House of Usher retelling. So more mood/horror than mystery.
I am also amazed that some great mystery writers are not on this list. Marcia Muller is in the mystery writers hall of fame, but none of her books are here.
Thanks for sharing your feedback!
Please consider trying “Life After Life”. I won’t hype it, but I suggest that you give it at least 100 pages. Or maybe you already have? I am finding this video in March.
Hi from France, try "Still life" (nature morte) by Louise Penny. I loved it. It's the first one of the Gamache serie. Gamache is an really interesting character but all her characters are " atypicals" .The titre (Bury you dead) in this list is not the best, in my opinion.
I really really liked Mexican gothic so I think you should read. Please go back to 2666, it is far far better than everything else on this list imo (yes, I said it lol). Donna Tartt secret history is an all time fav altho I completely get ur aversion to the goldfinch but I think you would love secret history if you decide to give it a chance.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Iv'e enjoyed Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series.
This list is too long for me to remember everything I wanted to say about it!🙃 So, just a few things here.
I have a feeling you won't be reading Rebecca ever, but if/when you do I'd like to know what you think about it.
Since you read Agatha Christie you should definitely read Roger Ackroyd, it's a good one!
You should definitely read The Name of the Rose, I thought it was a very special read. But if you feel like you can't, watch the movie- not as remarkable as the book but very good imo.
Talented Mr. Ripley is good, Minghella's 1999 movie is good and so is René Clément's 1960 movie Purple Noon (Plein Soleil) - and each one is different.
I happen to love all Kate Atkinson's books, not all are thrillers like Case Histories (Life After Life surely isn't) but there are more Jackson Brodie mysteries.
John LeCarré is worth reading if you are into spy lit. and interested in the cold war and what came afterwards, he's a very good writer (there was a summer when my best read by far was his Constant Gardener).
James M. Cain's crime fiction is nothing (at all) like Mildred Pierce, he deserves his place on this list.
Rosemary's Baby is truly a horror thriller, different from other Ira Levin's books
Dostoevsky is an author you should absolutely read (if you can), Brothers Karamazov is a more ambitious goal - but doesn't belong on this list. Crime and Punishment? Well, let's say it does, at least for the title (and the crime😅)
There were other things but I don't remember them and this rant was much too long anyway, sorry about that. I'm also sincerelly sorry you had these hard times in your life that left black zones on your mind, I know how it is, but I was lucky books were always my happy haven and stayed with me. I wish you to never-ever go through bad moments again! 🤗
Thank you for the considered feedback and for the kind words!
Razorblade Tears was pretty good. Some of the crazy stuff that happens seems a little to far fetched. The dialog is great. Little side note: did you know that if you say Rise Up Lights it sounds a lot like Razorblades in an Australian accent. 😆
Ha! I never would have thought of that!
I thought Big Little Lies was an excellent book, and it prompted me to read more of Moriarty. I've enjoyed them all; this is my favorite.
Regarding Mary Higgins Clark, you are too young to have read her. She is good, bestseller kind of book. Name of the Rose was dense, long and boring. When it was on the bestseller list, I didn't believe that that many people had read it. I think they just said they read it. Also, if you didn't like Donna Tartt's Goldfinch, you probably won't like a Secret History. I would recommend Widows of Malabar Hill. It taught me a lot about India.
Thank you for the thoughtful feedback. Mary Higgins Clark was very popular when I first worked at Borders when I was 19, but I did get the sense that her fans were a lot older than me at the time.
Hello! Big Little Lies is definitely a bummer!
It definitely felt out of left field to me.
I agree with your Thomas Harris take. SotL and Red Dragon are fantastic and the rest are mediocre at best. Cari Mora is disturbing only because I started to question if Thomas Harris isn't really a monster hiding behind his characters.
Well he definitely started seeing Hannibal as the hero of his books after Silence of the Lambs, which is... an interesting choice.
Crime and punishment!! This book is alive!! Get ready for a lot of emotions
I need to read it someday!
Saying if you like Agatha Christie, then you'll like Dorothy Sayers is like saying if you like Nora Roberts you'll like Jane Austen.
Try S.A. Crosby
Current author
Excellent
Has 3 books that are all great!
Black author Razorblade tears
Violent but excellent
Patricia Cornwell - The Body Farm or From Potters Field. Her early books are great! Recent Cornwell is not that good.
The Woman in White is long but excellent.
I am someone who did not like The Secret History. Here, I said it :)
I also did not think much of Rebecca, though. Thought it was just OK. Crime and Punishment is the best books to start with Dostoevsky, I think. Another of his that has a crime element and my favorite Dostoevsky is The Demons.
Thanks for all the feedback!
Addendum: I DNFed Mexican Gothic. And I really love gothic novels.
I've heard mixed things about it. I feel like I'm probably okay passing.
I was SHOCKED to see Mexican Gothic on the list….omg, unreadable ….so poorly written, so shallow. Has it made this list in an effort to appear “inclusive”? Yuk
Leave crime and punishment in the store. I read it it's ok not great. It's 3 days ill never get back
please dont watch Poirot the tv series read the murder of roger ackroyd its a stunning piece of work
Thanks for the feedback.
I agree, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is by far the best of Agatha Christie's work. The audio version read by the late Robin Bailey is excellent, but very difficult to find these days.
If you want to ❤read Irish authors don’t miss Alice M cDremot and colm toibin
😂 “let me tell you…. That was a waste of time “ not what I expected you to say at alllll . I am unfamiliar w them, so wasn’t sure what I expected, but it wasn’t that . Blahdiggityblah, ok comment allowance overdrawn.
Truly dire run down of these books. Repeating “I haven’t read this” combined with limited insight results in a complete waste of the listeners time. Why not read the books before commenting? Lazy
You want me to read 100 books just in order to be able to take a look at what books are on a list and see how many I've read? I think you completely misunderstood the point of this video. Lazy.
You can get around not reading Arthur Conan Doyle by watching the BBC Sherlock series with Benedict Cumberbatch ❤
That would be a fun workaround since I've never watched the Cumberbatch Sherlocks.
When no one is watching by Alyssa Cole is one of the worst mysteries I've read. I suppose the race and gentrification themes propelled it onto the list, but almost dnf'd halfway through and wish I had. The ending was incredible and not researched at all, sorry to say.
Oof!
I know. I really hate to pan books, but for some reason, this one really struck me like Gone with the Wind did for you.
Robert Goddard.
The Sympathizer dnf
I stuck with it to the end and didn't feel like it paid off for me.
Riley Sager should be on this list!!!
I've been a bit up and down on the Sager books I've read but that's a good choice.
Ooo a BIG yes to Rebecca! Loved it.
I need to get to it someday!
You must read all of Raymond Chandler. I read all of Graham Greene when I broke my leg in 1984. It's patchy. For me, the best one is "The End of the Affair". "The Comedians" is also Good.. John LeCarré (eh??) is grossly overrated. ""The Hunt for Carla " trilogy - "Tinker Taylor", "The Honourable Schoolboy", and "Smiley's People", I read at a very important time in my life. Le Carré's characterisations, especially of women, are agonising. He is an ex-spook who was so much regarded as an national treasure. they wheeled him out to attack Jeremy Corbyn alongside J.K. Rowling. These millionaires can get so bitchy.
Lee Child is great but the films and TV Series suck. Jack Reacher is basically an existentialist. Stieg Larsson I like, while I read all of Tom Clancy years ago. When I had Covid I re-read all of Conan-Doyle, one of the most depressing experiences of my life.
On your holidatys in Britain and Ireland, go to Kinsale for fish, Galway for the Craic and Loch Ness for the Monster.
I am trying to read Tristan Shandy and the Magic Mountain. Pity me.
Ok I “lied”, last comment . William Kent Krueger- loved This Tender Land by him & chose his River We Remember for sept BOMC pick; Razorblade Tears - feels like an outlier relative to my norm ( like an action film, but a book), but liked it . Mexican Gothic - my mom loved it & I wanted to also, but as you say::: just thought it was ok 😳 ok I’m FR finished comment bombing the thread. 📖🪱💚
I read “Big Little Lies” in 2 sittings (having never read that author before) so I think it was pretty good 😂 That book is chunky!
Skip “The Secret History” 🥱 I DNF after 120 pages. It was torture…much like “The Goldfinch”.
This list kind of sucks 🤷🏻♀️