I think Dash Hammett was a better writer than Chandler. People talk about how his dialogue has dated more than Chandler's but that's because it was more immediate and of it's time. It was the real street language of the day.

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If there is still anyone around who hasn't read the 'Berlin Noir' books by Phillip Kerr 'March Violets' - 'The Pale Criminal' and 'A German Requiem' they are great, great books.

If you haven't already, I'd urge you to give Michael Dibdin's Aurelio Zen novels a go. As with the novels of Ian Rankin about Inspector Rebus, there's quite a bit of character development over the course of the series so it's best to read them in order: start with Ratking.

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People talk about how his dialogue has dated more than Chandler's but that's because it was more immediate and of it's time.

Neither author seems dated to me. It's only really minor details that make you think it isn't contemporary - mainly the fact that everyone's constantly smoking and drink-driving really!

All the rest of the descriptions of the LA high-life fit in perfectly with my mental image of the place. I suspect if you've actually ever been to California it's a different story though...

Im halfway through "The Power Of The Dog" by Don Winnslow. Its a Mafia/DEA/CIA/FBI/ drug smuggling one set in Mexico,NYC, LA and San Diego (so far). great stuff, its gonne make one helluva film as well.

As mentioned in the 'current reading' thread, Paul Auster's New York Trilogy is brilliant, although it won't half make you feel unintelligent.

Also, Poe. The Murders In The Rue Morgue and the others in the series. OK, so they're short stories, but even so. Do it.

I'd like to second the nomination for Aurelio Zen, and I can also recommend Gianrico Carofiglio, just read 'The Past Is A Foreign Country', it was superb, going to get his others.

Henning Mankell is also really good, usually with an unfeasibly high body count.

So far I'd totally endorse what TCC says about Carofiglio - I'm about two-thirds of the way through The Past Is A Foreign Country and it's far beter than any book that looks like it looks ought to be.

As mentioned on the Current Reading thread, I finished The Maltese Falcon and wasn't that impressed. It finished strongly but I found it very hard to follow the flow of the story for 2/3rds of it. There are quite a few dodgy bits of language in there too, felt a bit contrived to me.

This morning I finished my first Harlen Corben book, The Innocent. I really liked it, it moves along very nicely, has some good turns of pace. It was a shame that the absolute (and slightly unnecessary) ending was weak.

Did you know Chandler went to the same school as P G Wodehouse? Scope for a mashup there, I feel. (I actually started writing one, but as usual didn't finish it).

Anyway, anybody that wants quality comedy crime fiction (a specialised market, I know) look no further than the Dortmunder series by Donald E Westlake. From whence cometh my nym.

http://www.donaldwestlake.com/home.html

They were at the boys' school which is attached to my school. It was the only claim to fame we had.

Lyra wrote:

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They were at the boys' school which is attached to my school. It was the only claim to fame we had.

Dulwich College, I do believe.

My school can boast Paul Scholes, Steve Coogan, Clint Boon and Martin Alcock (who was in Fairport Convention). Not bad, actually. If a bit light on the academic side.

Just read Snowblind by PJ Tracy (who is a mother-and-daughter team). Set in wintry Minnesota, it is a real page-turner.

I'd like a recommendation for a crime novel for Mrs Bafflin.

It has to be an atmospheric, well-written, old fashioned page-turner, ideally also including moody English locations. It needs to be available in French.

Any ideas?

I'm on to another one of Gianrico Carofiglio's books, 'A walk in the dark'. It's unfeasibly good, in fact it's already forced me to stop reading to tell my girlfriend that I love her, like a great big soppy twat.

Broken Clock wrote:

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Im halfway through "The Power Of The Dog" by Don Winnslow. Its a Mafia/DEA/CIA/FBI/ drug smuggling one set in Mexico,NYC, LA and San Diego (so far). great stuff, its gonne make one helluva film as well.

I'd like to add my voice to the Winslow admiration. Just an excellent read that sets a terrific pace.
A movie/miniseries would hopefully be similarly awesome. For some bizarre reason I keep seeing the guy who played Nick Sobotka in season 2 of The Wire as Callan.