Top 10 for first half of 2007

[Karen from AustCrime]

It's coming up to the end of June (damn that means end of financial year and all that rotten paperwork!) and I'm pinching an idea from one of my favourite online mystery discussion lists.

What were your favourite 10 books from the first half of the year - the ones you'd happily tout to all and sundry in the local pub. They don't have to be published in 2007, just what you read up until the end of June.

[Donna Moore]

Here are mine - in no particular order:

Ken Bruen - CROSS
Joe Lansdale - LOST ECHOES
Al Guthrie - HARD MAN
Megan Abbott - DIE A LITTLE
Mark Haskell Smith - SALTY
Gil Brewer - A TASTE FOR SIN
Sean Doolittle - THE CLEANUP
Kevin Wignall - AMONG THE DEAD
Ray Banks - DONKEY PUNCH
Duane Swierczynski - THE BLONDE

I know I shall immediately think of another one as soon as I send this, but...

[Karen from AustCrime]

Luckily I asked the question and I notoriously can't count Donna - so add away :)

[Steven Torres]

Holy cow! Look at the company I'm in.

[I. J. Parker]

Deserve to be in! :)

[Karen from AustCrime]

I just thought I should post mine :)

Diamond Dove, Adrian Hyland
Ice Moon, Jan Costin Wagner
Cross, Ken Bruen
Let the Right One In, John Ajvide Lindqvist (you knew I'd be touting this one)
Cherry Pie, Leigh Redhead
Broken Skin, Stuart MacBride
The Death of Dalziel, Reginald Hill
The Colour of Blood, Declan Hughes
Crow Stone, Jenni Mills
The Assassins Gallery, David L Robbins

[Stuart MacBride]

I second Diamond Dove - it's a brilliant book!

[Dave White]

Books that I've read in 2007 that have come out in 2007 or are coming out in 2007... top ten.... hmmm.

Duane Swierczynski SEVERANCE PACKAGE (seriously one of the most fun, exciting, and best books I have EVER read)
Laura Lippman WHAT THE DEAD KNOW
Al Guthrie HARD MAN
Ray Banks DONKEY PUNCH
Robert Crais THE WATCHMAN
Jason Pinter THE MARK
Marcus Sakey THE BLADE ITSELF
Sean Chercover BIG CITY BAD BLOOD
Michael Koryta A WELCOME GRAVE
Harlan Coben THE WOODS

[Bill Peschel]

Oh, taunt us with a book to come from Duane, would you? Why didn't you just add "neener-neener-neener"?

[Angie]

I'll second that...bitch.

[Rosemary Harris]

What the Dead Know Laura Lippmann
Girls of Tender Age Mary-Ann Tirone Smith
The Birthday Party Stanley Alpert
The Conjurer Cordelia Frances Biddle

..those four stand out..but I've just started The Woods, and just bought Snakeskin Shamiesen and feel sure those two will join the list.

[Karen from AustCrime]

Maybe we should just start a general topic which is what's your Top 10 Favourite Books this second :)

[Laura Root]

The Attack by Yasmina Khadra
The Broken Shore by Peter Temple
The Dramatist by Ken Bruen
Christine Falls by John Banville
The Big Ask by Shane Moloney
Cutter and Bone by Newton Thornburg
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
The Savage Garden by Mark Mills


(now going away to ponder the next 2!)