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Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Three Authors You Couldn't Live Without

Karen at Aust Crime Fiction has listed the Three Authors She Couldn’t Live Without, an idea she pinched from David J Montgomery at Crime Fiction Blog who borrowed it from elsewhere. At the end Karen asked others to pick up the challenge so what the hell.

Now this is going to seem to be flying in the face of the subject of my own blog, but my number 1 and 2 favourite authors are not Australian.

Dennis Lehane. I’m still mourning the end of the Kenzie and Gennaro series and occasionally go back to re-read the books. Mystic River made up for the loss somewhat, though.

George Pelecanos. Gritty, tough and nothing at all held back, Pelecanos gets down into the sleaziest, drug riddled parts of Washington DC hitting the mark time and again with scene depiction and use of language. I’ve enjoyed the work these two have done on The Wire, too, by the way.

Chris Womersley. I’m a big fan of noir fiction and Chris’ debut novel, The Low Road is exactly the kind of desolate story that my warp mind really appreciates. I’m waiting with the hope that he will see his way clear to write another similarly dark and moody tale.

So there you go folks, challenge acknowledged and met. Anyone else out there with authors they'd like to bestow their praise upon?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Damien - thanks for taking up the challenge. I love these sorts of lists as it really can give a glimpse into a readers personal tastes. And I have to agree with you about The Low Road - it was a book that has stayed with me for a long long time.

Have you tried Paul Cleave - he's just on the other side of the ditch in NZ so he's not too far outside the borders :) The Low Road reminded me of his books very clearly.

Kerrie said...

Now I wouldn't have picked any of your 3 - just shows you how we all differ doesn't it. Mine were Michael Robotham, Peter Lovesey and Ruth Rendell

Anonymous said...

Elmore Leonard, George Pelecanos and James Lee Burke. Dark humour, twisty unexpected narratives, and flawed, fully-realised characters. Cheers, Thomas.