'Best' Humourous Crime Novel

[Jeff Ross]

I've begun reading Carl Hiassen and wonder what other people believe are the 'funniest' or 'most humorous' crime novels out there. Steve Hamilton's stuff is great as well, but I feel like I'm missing out on a bunch.
Any ideas?

[Dana King]

A million people will echo this, but I got here first: Donald Westlake's Dortmunder books. Tight and creative plots that never get in the way of the humor. Hiassen is a riot--i read everything he writes--but his plots are driven by the comedy, which is fine in comedy. (Witness South Park, Family Guy, and The Simpsons.) Westlake's plots would work as straight caper stories, but they're laugh out loud funny. His death was a great loss.

[Eric Christopherson]

I'm mighty fond of Westlake's Money for Nothing, a stand alone.

[Naomi Johnson]

Here's the echo. The Dortmunder books actually get funnier throughtout the series. I'll never stop missing Westlake.

[Jeff Ross]

That name comes up a lot and, somehow, I have never read his work. I will now.

[Dana King]

My personal favorite Westlake is WHAT'S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN? The movie was an abomination; the book is a lot of fun, as Dortmunder becomes obsessed with getting something back that was taken from him for a change.

[Naomi Johnson]

That one is my favorite also, with DROWNED HOPES running a close second. I didn't bother with the movie, I'm not about to let Hollywood ruin Dortmunder for me.

[I. J. Parker]

R.D.Wingfield's Jack Frost series.

[Jon Loomis]

That Loomis guy writes some funny stuff, they say. They don't always know what they're talking about, though.

[Lindy Cameron]

Geoff McGeachin's Fat, Fifty & F*$#@d is hilarious - an Aussie caper novel. His Alby Murdoch spy series is a hoot: D.E.D. Dead, Sensitive New Age Spy, and Dead and Kicking.

[Joshua Corin]

Westlake, may he rest in peace, was a huge influence on my novel NUCLEAR WINTER WONDERLAND. Dave Barry's BIG TROUBLE was a hoot as well (although the movie was a muddle of a pig sty of a mess).

[Jeff Ross]

I now have Westlake, Corin, and this Loomis guys stuff on hold at the library. I'm one of those people who gets books out, reads a bit of them (or all of them) then buys them if they are something I am really enjoying or want to own. This has saved me from some mistakes as far as it goes with authors I really like (Pelecanos) who put out books now and then that just don't appeal to me. It also means that I end up buying more books than I need. But, then, how many books do we 'need'?

[Dana King]

Books to a writer are like guns to Phil Gramm. "I probably got more than I need, but not as many as I want."

(Note to non-American Crimespacers: Phil Gramm is an American politician and ardent foe of any and all gun control legislation. He was also the architect of many of the banking policies that have led to the current state of affairs. You're welcome. To him, I mean.)