A few of us got into a conversation about author Sue Grafton in another thread which really had nothing to do with the topic of the thread. I thought maybe we should start a thread dedicated to books and what we're reading. We can also discuss our favorites authors or whatever here. I'll start -

Yes, Sue Grafton has been one of my favorite authors for over 20 years. I will miss her books and character Kinsey Millhone. I have several other authors which I regularly read: JA Jance and her Sheriff Joanna Brady series; Michael Connelly and his Harry Bosch series; Janet Evanovich and her Stephanie Plum series; Patricia Cornwell and her Kay Scarpetta series; Kathy Reichs and her Temperance Brennan series; Lisa Scottoline and her Rosato and Associates series; Dan Brown.

I've also tried some other authors and like them: Paula Hawkins and Gillian Flynn to mention a few. As you can tell, I'm into mystery and suspense when reading. Since retiring I have more time to read and read more of a variety of books and authors. Biographies, some light, funny books, and history; right now I'm into WWII. Last year I joined Bookbub.com and get daily emails about discounted books. This also gives me a chance to try some different books that I might not otherwise.

I read on a Kindle - the old style which is strictly for reading. I never thought I'd give up holding a book in my hands, but as my eyesight got worse it was harder and harder to read even with my prescription readers. I was working and staring at a computer screen 10-12 hours a day. I usually read when I go to bed and at the end of the day it was just too hard to see the small print. In 2011 a friend sent me a Kindle for a birthday gift with a $50 Amazon gift card. I tried it and discovered I really liked it because I could make the size of the font larger and easier to read.

Currently I'm reading -

• Age of Order by Julian North
• Conscience of a Conservative: A Rejection of Destructive Politics and a return to Principle by Jeff Flake.

Whoa! That was longer than I expected. Sorry for going on and on, but I really enjoy reading in addition to playing my computer games like Midnight Castle.

Please join in the conversation!

It was only when I read this thread yesterday that I discovered Sue Grafton had past away.I loved her alphabet books & always laughed when reading that she had a rolled up little black dress in her car.I will miss the anticipation of waiting for the next book.

Like you I love crime thrillers & the authors you mention are among my favourites.I also like:Jefferson Bass,Alafair Burke,Chris Carter ( excellent),Tania Carver,Lee Child,Luke Delaney,Nelson DeMille,Mark Giminez,Graham Hurley,Faye Kellerman & her husband Jonathan,J A KerleyKatia Lief,Stuart MacBride & so many others.

I like to collect all the books by an author & then read them in the order they were published.

I will stop now as this is a subject I could spent hours talking about.

If you enjoy mystery/suspense ..... all things David Baldacci are INCREDIBLE reads..... some of his books are in a series. I have NEVER been disappointed when reading one of his books.

Vince Flynn has his Mitch Rapp series that is quite good.

Iris Johansen has her Eve Duncan series ..... she started as a romance novelist, but has branched out. The first book I read of hers was Ugly Duckling (not in the Eve Duncan series)...... she had me hooked by the first few pages (and I was amazed that a friend said she couldn't "get into the book")

Anne Perry is another AWESOME author .... she writes in the Victorian era and has 2 series: Thomas Pitt and Monk ...... you will definitely want to read these in series order.

If you like mystery & suspense, I've got a few recommendations for you:

The Good Samaritan by John Marrs

When You Disappeared, also by Marrs

Head On by John Scalzi - warning - the prologue/1st chapter is ghastly - just get through that & it becomes pure detective story/murder mystery.

Find Her by Lisa Gardner

Currently reading Heir to the Shadows by Anne Bishop, sequel to Daughter of the Blood. Started it because I thought it might be like the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind (SoT is highly recommended for all lovers of our original, gothic MC story!), but it's not. It's MUCH darker, & the evil characters are sooooo evil!! The 2nd book isn't as awful as the 1st - & I don't mean badly-written awful, I mean the plot & what happens is just so awful. That's why I kept reading - I really needed things to be resolved.

I have read several books by Iris Johansen,Body of Lies…Dead AIM & Deception which I thought was brilliant.

I've read all the authors listed above and some are just my favorites. I keep those on my kindle for quick reading. I love suspense novels but I also got into some of the young adult books, thanks to my niece. I also have a ton of books which include Linda Howard, Mary Higgins Clark, Lisa Jackson, Heather Graham (mostly the Krewe of Hunters), Allison Brennan, George R.R. Martin, Kay Hooper, Cassandra Clare and many more. Oh and I'll read anything based on the paranormal. I guess I really don't have set genre, I just love to read. My living room is filled with books on all kinds of history and mythology.

AEGram said:

If you enjoy mystery/suspense ..... all things David Baldacci are INCREDIBLE reads..... some of his books are in a series. I have NEVER been disappointed when reading one of his books.

I have him on my list of authors to watch for and have read a couple of his books. The most recent one was Absolute Power.  The one before that was the first book in his King and Maxwell series.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Thanks, DesertDruid. I'll have to look for some of these.

When you said the first chapter of Head On was ghastly it reminded me of something. I have a close friend who also reads a lot and she suggested The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson but warned me it was really "dark". I took her up on on this and was nearly done with the book and wondered what she meant. It finally dawned on me that I didn't think anything about it being "dark" because I was so used to reading Patricia Cornwell. BTW, I've read all three in that series by Larsson and have also read the new ones by David Lagercrantz who picked up the series after Larsson died.

Books?

Don't need books when I want a good laugh!

The first 10 pages or so of the Special Room saga has me in stitches every time!

For intellectual purposes : Douglas Adams tales of the Galaxy