Recommend a Good "starter" book

[mike D]

Hello all,

I have a friend who is just 'getting into' the mystery genre. They have read Sandford, and the Dan Brown stuff, some James Rollins, and that type of work as well. They found me reading an older anthology of 'Pulp Fiction: hardboiled stories" and asked what it was, so I tried to explain it to them. I had a copy of Stephen Kings Hard Case crime book on the table as well, and they picked it up, and leafed through it.

Now they want recommendations for someone just getting involved in the whole film noir/hardcase type mystery.

I know what I would recommend, but I come to you OH Great Mystery Readers of Da Woild, who would YOU recommend for someone just beginning this great ride?

mike

[Angie]

Well, just about any of the HardCase crime books are a great place to start - plenty of fab oldies and some great new talent there, too.

[Dana King]

So much depends on what their tastes are, as the styles vary so greatly. You can't go wrong with the masters: Raymond Chandler, Ed McBain, Elmore Leonard. Of the younger (and all living) writers, Robert Crais, Dennis Lehane, and John Connolly are all first rate and fun to read.

[Jude Hardin]

If he wants true noir, tell him to try Andrew Vachss.

[Johnny Ostentatious]

I'd recommend they check out the ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PULP FICTION WRITERS by Lee Server.

[Laura Root]

Depends if they prefer police procedural (Joseph Wambaugh or Ed McBain) or PI (Chandler, John H MacDonald, Dashiell Hammett. Possible James Ellroy too (LA Confidential or Black Dahilia)

[mike D]

OK i asked the questions and was pretty much told that they do not prefer police procedural...i guess they find the whole cop shop stuff a bit off of their liking...but did like the whole PI line....

they also several stories and did like dashiell hammett, who wouldnt really....and chandler.

so if you had to name one single novel to someone just starting out reading that vein...what book would you recommend. I myself mentioned mickey spillane....any one have a fave for beginners?

[DADavenport]

Give them something familiar, like The Maltese Falcon or Laura. Both were fabulous films that started as great books and they have probably seen them both in the distant past. Then bring them along with similar ones, both classic and Today's. But I would work them in gradually to Bruen or McDermid orSwierczynski or Abbott. Don't want them scared away by the truly hardboiled right off the bat! Suck "em into the genre first!

[D K Gaston]

I would add Loren D. Estleman to the reading list. His Amos Walker series is set in modern day but has a real hardboiled/film noir feel.

[Dennis Leppanen]

DK,

Did you ever read Estleman's PEEPER?---That is a dandy.

[Nick Lawless]

Any of the Parker novels by Richard Stark.

[mike D]

Ok I went out and purchased them The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep (which I will reread before giving it up), and then I found this one titled "The Flanders Panel" by Arturo Perez-Reverte....has anyone read this last one? It seemed very interesting, and since Barnes and Noble was having the mystery month sale, I picked it up as well....for myself.

[mike D]

Great! So it was a good find then. There were so many to choose from at BnN, and I had to find the Chandler book, it wasnt marked as part of the sale, but it was shown on the website as being part of it, I had a guy check, and sure enough, I got the last copy.

I have been reading quite a bit of thriller/suspense lately, but after this find, I believe I will fall right back into the mysteries again, and probably more of the older stuff, since I have not read all of Chandlers works yet, or Hammetts for that matter.....and Mickely Spillane....wow, I am not even close to finishing his works.

By the way....a little note....I have not read a single Agatha Christie story....not one.........wow.