Your top ten all time fav novels?

[bluerosekiller]

I'm sure this has been done here before by now ( perhaps even many times by now ... ), but I couldn't spot one that had been done in the recent past, so at the risk of being redundant I decided to go ahead & be inquisitive. This question is always a fun way to get to know people & introduce one's self as well. So ...


My personal all time top ten favorite novels are ( in no particular order ) :


1) DARK HOLLOW by John Connolly
Although I think Connolly's entire Charlie "Bird" Parker series is excellent, edge of
seat reading thus far ( & shows absolutely no signs of doing anything but getting
better as it goes along! ), I chose this second entry to represent it on this list. Though
any one of the five really could have done so.

2) THE STRAW MEN by Michael Marshall
A terrific initial entry into what became a terrific trilogy of paranoia, intrigue,
millenia old conspiracies, secret societies, ghosts, crytozoology & serial murders.
Great stuff!

3) THE CEREMONIES by T.E.D. Klein
An all too often overlooked classic of Lovecraftian horror in rural, backwoods New
Jersey.

4) DARKNESS, TAKE MY HAND by Dennis Lehane
Again, so tough to pick one representative of a great series, but after
much contemplation I chose this as my favorite of Lehane's Kenzie & Genarro novels.
Charecters that I most certainly hope that we haven't seen the last of.

5) SUMMER OF NIGHT by Dan Simmons
By far the SCARIEST book that I've ever had the great pleasure of reading.

6) HARD AS NAILS by Dan Simmons
This entry is meant to encompass all three of Simmons' Joe Kurtz novels.
Supposedly, NAILS was the charecter's finale after HARDCASE & HARDFREEZE, but
I refuse to believe that Dan has written the final word on Kurtz ...

7) THE WHITE TRILOGY by Ken Bruen
I realize that this is technically cheating because this is actually three seperate
novels, but I just could not find a way to pick a fav from amoung THE WHITE
ARREST, TAMING THE ALIEN & THE McDEAD. Just couldn't do it. They're just too
bloody brilliant as a whole.

8) 'SALEM'S LOT by Stephen King

9) THE THROAT by Peter Straub
A tremendous third part to his brilliant Blue Rose trilogy that included KOKO &
MYSTERY.

10) THE WOODS ARE DARK by Richard Laymon

[Harry Hunsicker]

These are ten books that stuck with me long after I finished them. And the list changes periodically.

A DRINK BEFORE THE WAR by Dennis Lehane
DOWN BY THE RIVER WHERE DEAD MEN GO by George Pelecanos
THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER by Tom Clancy
THE DAY OF THE JACKAL by Fredrick Forsythe
GUN MONKEYS by Victor Gischler
ANYTHING by Ken Bruen
PERSUADER by Lee Child
ICED by Jenny Siler
MYSTIC RIVER by Dennis Lehane
THE PRINCE OF THIEVES by Chuck Hogan

[Robert Gregory Browne]

I can do five off the top of my head:

MARATHON MAN by William Goldman.

SOMEBODY OWES ME MONEY by Donald Westlake.

THE FUGITIVE PIGEON by Donald Westlake.

SOME KIND OF HERO by James Kirkwood.

THE DEAD ZONE by Stephen King

[Paul Guyot]

I don't think I have a top ten list. My favorite book of all-time (so far) is McMurtry's LONESOME DOVE.

Others that came to mind when I saw your post...

THE HEART OF THE MATTER - Graham Greene
THE END OF THE AFFAIR - also Greene
THE DEEP BLUE GOODBY - John D. MacDonald
FAREWELL MY LOVELY - Raymond Chandler
THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE - James M. Cain
RED HARVEST - Dashiell Hammett
CANNERY ROW - John Steinbeck
JOLIE BLON'S BOUNCE - James Lee Burke
OUT ON THE RIM - Ross Thomas
THE RESTAURANT AT THE END OF THE UNIVERSE - Douglas Adams

is that ten?

Edit: Crap, I just saw Hunsicker's list... I loved DAY OF THE JACKAL, too.

[Harry Hunsicker]

Aw crap! I forgot to put a James Lee Burke novel on my list. PURPLE CANE ROAD. Now I'm over ten.

[Robert Gregory Browne]

Damn, Guyot, you've got a great list here.

[Laura Root]

1)March Violets by Philip Kerr
2)Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
3)Someone Else by Tonino Benacquista
4)The End of the Affair by Grahame Green
5)Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John Le Carre
6)Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman
7)Oranges are not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
8)May God have Mercy by Fred Vargas
9)One Helluva Mess by Izzo
10)The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell

[Christa Faust]

Man, I have no idea how I'd boil it down to only ten, but I do have to post an adamant HELL YEAH to Michael Marshall (Smith). I think he's fantastic.

[Karen from AustCrime]

This week (and I make no particular promises about tomorrow) my favourite all times would have to be:

1) ON BEULAH HEIGHT, Mr Hill
For me, the best of the best series.

2) THE BROKEN SHORE, Peter Temple
Lyrical, evocative, unashamedly Australian.

3) THE GUARDS, Ken Bruen
Stunning and memborable.

4) THE DEVIL'S STAR, Jo Nesbo
Honestly can't say why, but I loved it and still think back on some elements.

5) SLEEPYHEAD, Mark Billingham
Very brave to give the victim such a clear, loud voice.

6) ABSOLUTE FRIENDS, John Le Carre
Because

7) THE DAY OF THE JACKAL, Frederick Forsythe
Because

8) MAY GOD HAVE MERCY, Fred Vargas
Lyrical, takes you out of your comfort zone, compelling

9) FACELESS KILLERS, Henning Mankell
(After agonising, I'll pick this one of all this novels because of the commentary that was woven into it rather than necessarily it being the best of all of his excellent books).

10) DON'T LOOK BACK, Karin Fossum
Because of the way it holds up preconceptions and highlights prejudice and baseless reaction.

I reserve the right to change my mind at a moment's notice.

[Laura Root]

oh yes, I absolutely agree with you about on Beulah Height (which makes it such a shame that the following books in the sequence have become, dare I say it, a little whimsical/indulgent, such as Arms and the Women)

[Karen from AustCrime]

Arms and the Women is possibly the most controversial - it flushes the Ellie fans and loathers quicker than of you can say Womens Liberation :) :) :)

Personally I thought Dialogues of the Dead and Death's Jest-Book were very far from whimsical or indulgent, but they are certainly lavish and the use of the obscure language either delights or annoys.

(But then Mr Hill is lucky he lives a continent away from me because I suspect I'd have a tendency to blather if I ever came face to face with him)

[DADavenport]

It's so hard to choose, but I'll give it a go.

[DADavenport]

Sorry, let me start again.

1. A Confederacy Of Dunces

2.The Haunting of Hill House

3. Pride And Prejudice

4. The Maltese Falcon

5. Mallory's Oracle

6. The Collected Works of Edgar Allen Poe.

7. Shane

8. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn

9.My Wicked, Wicked Ways

10. Silence of the Lambs