Tuesday, August 21, 2012

20th century mysteries

The fiction I read for pleasure is almost entirely in the mystery/thriller genre. The Independent Mystery Booksellers Association has compiled a list of their "100 Favorite Mysteries of the 20th Century" and, although I fall far short of having read all of them, I very much agree with them about those I have read. A few of their selections that I know and heartily recommend:
  • Margery Allingham, The Tiger in the Smoke
  • Eric Ambler, A Coffin for Dimitrios
  • John Buchan, The 39 Steps
  • Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep
  • Agatha Christie, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
  • Michael Connelly, The Concrete Blonde
  • Edmund Crispin, The Moving Toyshop
  • Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles
  • Dick Francis, Whip Hand
  • Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon
  • Tony Hillerman, A Thief of Time
  • P.D. James, An Unsuitable Job for a Woman
  • Elmore Leonard, Get Shorty
  • John D. MacDonald, The Deep Blue Good-by
  • Philip MacDonald, The List of Adrian Messenger
  • Ngaio Marsh, Death of a Peer
  • Ellis Peters, One Corpse Too Many
  • Ellery Queen, Cat of Many Tails
  • Dorothy L. Sayers, Murder Must Advertise
  • Ross Thomas, Chinaman's Chance
When I find an author I like I tend to read everything he wrote that I can find. Each of those above have authored other mysteries — in some cases many others — and I have enjoyed all that I have read.

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