Recently the New York Times announced its list of the 50 best mystery writers and most of the folks I know went, “huh?” I’ll admit, I’m late to the table reading mystery. I can’t say I’d picked up anything beside Christie or Hammett and only because I had to for school. That is until a few years ago. Then I couldn’t get enough.
But I still have to wonder how they came up with this particular list. Did they stick a bunch of names in a hat and pick out the first 50? And who came up with the cheesy descriptors??? But let me ask you–do you agree with this list? If not, who would you kick off? Who would you add?
1. Patricia Highsmith
Rule-breaking master of amorality
2. Georges Simenon
The Trojan horse of foreign crime-writing
3. Agatha Christie
The original Queen of Crime
4. Raymond Chandler
The most profound of pulp writers
5. Elmore Leonard
The Dickens of Detroit
6. Arthur Conan Doyle
Creator of the ultimate hero-and-sidekick team
7. Ed McBain
Thrilling writer of snap-and-crackle dialogue
8. James M. Cain
Godfather of Noir
9. Ian Rankin
Edinburgh’s gritty crime laureate
10. James Lee Burke
American spinner of bleakly lyrical tales
11. Dennis Lehane
A tender craftsman with a tough centre
12. P.D. James
Prolific and cerebral grand dame of British crime
13. Dashiell Hammett
The man who dragged murder back into the alley
14. Jim Thompson
Revered creator of corrupt cops and sociopaths
15. Sjowall and Wahloo
The mother and father of Nordic crime
16. John Dickson Carr
King of the “locked room mystery”
17. Cornell Woolrich
Tortured pulp novelist known for Rear Window
18. Ruth Rendell
Criminal mastermind of unparalleled breadth and depth
19. Ross Macdonald
Raymond Chandler’s hard-boiled heir
20. James Ellroy
The most literary of American crime writers
21. Charles Willeford
Aficianados’ favourite who is ripe for a break-through
22. Dorothy Sayers
Lord Peter Wimsey’s witty creator
23. John Harvey
The man behind the jazz-loving Nottingham cop Resnick
24. Wilkie Collins
Godfather of the detective novel
25. Francis Iles
Pseudonymous writer of radical plots
26. Manuel Vasquez Montalban
Intellectual gourmand whose fiction mapped Barcelona
27. Karin Fossum
Norway’s foremost cold-climate crime writer
28. Val McDermid
Influential author of high-grade “Tartan Noir”
29. Edgar Allan Poe
Mould-setter for the modern sleuth
30. Derek Raymond
Hard-drinking, hard-writing British crime legend
31. George Pelecanos
Energetic, music-loving social crusader
32. Margery Allingham
Golden Age sophisticate who can chill or charm
33. Minette Walters
Unflinching chronicler of humankind’s dark side
34. Carl Hiaasen
Rapid-fire satirist of Miami vices
35. Walter Mosley
A bold American voice, not afraid to tackle race
36. Reginald Hill
Playful creator of British favourites Dalziel and Pascoe
37. Michael Dibdin
Late, great ironist who investigated Italy’s corruption
38. Patricia Cornwell
Shrewd pioneer of gruesome pathology
39. Scott Turow
Legal thriller-writer famous for Presumed Innocent
40. Dick Francis
Former jockey and king of equestrian intrigue
41. Edmund Crispin
Elegant and accomplished Oxford plotter
42. Alexander McCall Smith
Scottish Professor whose Mma Ramotswe has won hearts and minds
43 Andrea Camilleri
Italy’s foremost crime export
44. Harlan Coben
Mature metroplitan stylist loved for his twisting plots
45. Donna Leon
American explorer of the Venetian underworld
46. Josephine Tey
Acute 1940s author whose books describe the danger of love
47. Colin Dexter
Former classics teacher who found fame with Morse
48. Nicholas Blake
C. Day Lewis’ crime-writing foil
49. Henning Mankell
Swedish novelist with a bleak take of modern life
50. Sara Paretsky
Spirited creator of feminist sleuth VI Warshawski
Oh-kay (lol) I don’t recognize many of the names, so I can’t kick off what I don’t know. I do know that I had a headache after reading Hiaasen (it was like lying in the sun too long). I enjoy Cornwall and I hear that Pelicanos is supberb. But since I don’t feel like being depressed of late, I haven’t read Cornwall, and put Pelicanos back on the library shelf. BTW, I didn’t see her on the list, but I’m not sure how I feel about J.D. Robb…
I’m not much of a mystery reader. I recognize a few names, though. I’m pleasantly surprised to see Alexander McCall Smith (#42) who has become well known for The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. I highly recommend the series, about an African woman who decides to open up a detective agency. I love this series because it portrays Africa and Africans in a realistic, positive, non insulting light. Oh, and the author is a very nice person, too.
Paz
Let me tell you about Mr. McCall–
I went to one of his book signings in Manhattan. First off, this is a huge space and it was standing room only for his talk. He was very witty and charming talking about his writing and his experiences. Then we all lined up to have our books signed.
Now, I had never been a fan of this series. I prefer gritty murder and mayhem, but my mother is a huge fan. So she makes me take every book the man has ever written down to the signing for him to sign. I figured he’d do one or two extras, but he signed all twenty something books, chatted with me about South Africa and mystery writing while he did it and had a smile on his face the whole time.
Still haven’t read one of his books, but I’m a biiiig fan.
All the best,
Dee
He really is a nice person.
If you never read any of his books, at least make an effort to read the first in The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Even if it’s not your type of book to read, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Paz