I'm a huge fan of crime fiction but I get that it might not be the most palatable type of fiction for every person. With that in mind I've put together a wee list of books that I think will appeal to everyone whether you're a usual fan of this genre or have never given it a go. These books are guaranteed to not quite give you nightmares.
The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson. If you haven't yet read any of the Millennium books - The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest then this is the perfect place to start. The main character Lisbeth is a sassy arse-kicking heroine who's also as smart as she is ballsy. I love that the plot for these books are really twisty and the characters are also explored in depth throughout the trilogy making it more than just a nice action plot line.
Harry Hole novels by Jo Nesbo. Actually any books by Scandinavian crime writer Jo Nesbo are brilliant but the great thing about the Harry Hole series is they don't have to be read in chronological order as the backstory is always referred to throughout each book. Harry Hole is in typical crime fiction style a brilliant yet troubled detective who doesn't always play by the rules, but that's half the fun of following him through each case he is trying to solve.
Cormoran Strike by Robert Galbraith. J K Rowling writing crime fiction is literally one of the best things ever! I really enjoyed the first novel The Cuckoos Calling and her (his?!) writing has only gotten better, the plots more twisting and the clues harder to decipher with The Silkworm. Former British army soldier turned private detective Cormoran and his intelligent receptionist Robyn are two characters that I've absolutely adored seeing grow and progress throughout this series and I can't wait for the third book to drop later this year.
Gillian Flynn. I love Gillian Flynn's novels for being dark and creepy but more so because of what goes on inside the characters heads rather than blood, guts and gore. Gone Girl is one of the best mystery thriller novels I've ever read and I'm really intrigued to read Sharp Objects and Dark Places.
Dennis Lehane. One of my favourite authors ever from any genre is Dennis Lehane. His detective series of Detectives Kenzie and Gerrano are a great read for anyone who likes their crime fiction a little bit closer to reality. While these books won't have you sleeping with the light on they are pretty bleak in terms of desperate characters and lowlife crims who you just know are based on real people. I suggest reading something upbeat (see my Reasons to Read: Chick Lit post if you need some inspiration) but don't let that put you off as my god the twist and turns just keep coming and I never ever know how his books are going to end.
Are you a fan of crime fiction? Leave any suggestions for great authors from this genre in the comments!
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