Update: Seems I needed to preface this post with a comment of sorts: I did this list to inform readers of the great mystery writers out there. I got this idea from another reader. I do not mean to assume that you haven’t read any of these writers and if you do GREAT! Wonderful! If you haven’t then you really should. That is all. It is understood that this is my opinion and you have every right to agree or disagree. Thanks.

1. Colin Cotterill. You should have guessed he’d be first if you follow this blog at all. He’s a British writer residing in Southeast Asia. He writes a series of books set in 1970′s communist Laos that features Dr. Siri Paiboun who is the national coroner (and the only coroner for the country). He’s in his seventies and considers himself a disenchanted party member and a cynic. The first book is The Coroner’s Lunch and there are presently 7 books available as I write this with another title, Slash & Burn, due out this fall in the US / UK. I enjoy this series because they are brilliantly written, solidly plotted and feature quirky, cynical, well-developed characters and have plots that are full of political intrigue, suspense and satire with the added touch of the supernatural.

2. Johan Theorin – this author hails from Sweden and sets his books in and around the island of Öland, off the coast of The Baltic Sea. The first book in the planned quartet is Echoes From the Dead. I fell in love with his writing with The Darkest Room, a very atmospheric story with the hints of supernatural elements. The books are loosely connected but can stand alone. The third book, The Quarry, just released in the UK only at the time of this writing. My copy is on the way.

3. Christa Faust - loved Money Shot, which features an ex-porn star who runs her own adult modeling agency. In Money Shot, she gets wrung through hell that leaves her life a mess and she goes on the rampage for revenge. Many of us are anxiously waiting for the sequel, Choke Hold that is due out this fall. If you like strong characters – especially in a female role then check out this author. The porn industry serves as the backdrop and the story itself is a fast paced adrenaline rush to the end.

4. Ken Bruen – Irish writer with a devoted following (and I’m one of them). Mysteries are set in Galway and speak of social strife, the bad economy, the scandal of the church and religious zealotry among others. His endings are usually cliffhangers and are quite shocking. The series I’m reading follow Jack Taylor, an ex Guard with a drinking problem and the usual hang-ups that come with that: solitary lifestyle with few friends and days of binges and black-outs. The first book is The Guards. A quick word about his writing: it’s spare and poetic in style and prose. He loves to quote other writers and I’ve gotten most of my recommendations from him (like Ed McBain and James Sallis).

5. Indridason, Arnaldur – mysteries are set in Iceland and features the divorced, chain-smoking Reykjavi­k detective Erlendur. What makes this series great? Erlendur. Just Erlendur. He’s the main draw for me next to the writing of course. He has baggage and those are my favorite kind of characters. The first book in the series is Jar City (or Tainted Blood wherever you’re at).

Also, on my side-bar are writers who I think are exceptional that I left off this list. I’ve linked to their websites . Asa Larsson’s website is not in English and as far as I know she doesn’t have a US version of her website available. Looks like she needs to work on that though. I will admit to not liking Colin Cotterill’s website as it doesn’t seem to reflect the serious side of his writing which I must admit is very satirical of the communist government but it is very rather politically dense and informative.

On the personal side, I’m still reading Echoes From the Dead and that’s because I’ve been busy and this is a long ass book.

U.S. titles for bestselling mystery novels [hardcover] for week ending May 7, 2011 at the time of this writing:

#1 Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris (Southern Vampire Mystery)
#2 10th Anniversary by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro (ugh)
#3 The Sixth Man by David Baldacci (never read him and don’t plan to)
#4 The Sixth Kill by Robert B. Parker (final Spencer novel)
#5 I’ll Walk Alone by Mary Higgins Clark

The complete list is here (NYT) Read any of these? I’ll say that I don’t put much stock in these lists as they are politically generated. Obviously for me there’s a huge disconnect between me and the general reading public and always has been (and this is nothing new).

Most of these are U.S. titles. The article serves two purposes: 1) to remind me about these books when they come out and 2) this is an opportunity to share some of my favorite authors with you all. Let’s start with Julia Spencer-Fleming’s One Was A Soldier, due out April 2011 in hardcover (336 pages). This is the 8th book in the Rev. Clare Fergusson / Russ Van Alstyne series. The manuscript was late so the publisher pushed back the release date to spring. In all honesty, I can wait. I am afraid at what direction the author intends to go with Clare and Russ as the last book has them at a crossroads now. I don’t know what to make of that cover, however. It’s not what I was expecting.

Next is Suzanne Arruda’s The Crocodile’s Last Embrace: A Jade Del Cameron Novel. I read the first book in the series, Mark of the Lion and enjoyed it very much. Due to so many books, I just haven’t followed up but I plan to rectify that. The series is set during the 1920′s and follows larger than life Jade del Cameron who writes for a travel journal and lives in the British occupied Africa. She’s an ex-ambulance driver. She rescued soldiers from the front-line under enemy fire. I like Jade. She is smart and practical and the book itself reads like a travel diary. I really do need to catch up! The previous five books released in hardcover but the publisher is releasing her next book The Crocodile’s Last Embrace in trade paperback (win!). I wouldn’t read the product description of any of the books as it contains spoilers. [Read more...]