In keeping with my mystery/crime theme, I was thinking about what new mystery I would pick up and read next--the perfect moment for a list (because you know I love lists). I've been a little neglectful of US authors when it comes to the genre. Or if I read an author from here the book tends to be set in England or somewhere in Europe. There was a time before I started blogging, maybe really before I had easy access to the internet, where the only books I read seemed to be mostly by US authors set in locales very familiar to me. Now I think I subconciously choose books set in distant foreign places to get a taste of something new and different. I've only read one American author so far this year--Laurie King, who sets here books in England (does Tana French count? I can't figure out if she's from here or Ireland). I should at least try and vary my reading a little bit.
Since I am still on a mystery binge, I thought I would take a look at the classics of the genre written by American authors. I cheated a little with my list. I tried to choose those books/authors who are considered classics, but some of them are more popular than anything else. I've read many of these, and those I haven't gotten to yet are on my shelves with the best intentions attached to them. If you can make any suggestions, please do so. I have read Sue Grafton and Patricia Cornwell, and while they're enjoyable, I don't have a burning desire to read all their work. I should probably try Sarah Paretsky, and I know I should read a few novels by Rex Stout. My list:
1. Death in the Fog, by Mignon Eberhart - She was writing about the same time as Agatha Christie. She's from Nebraska, so I really should read her (and may pick up one of her books next). She wrote a slew of mystery novels and they sound like cozies, so I think I would enjoy them.
2. Waltz into Darkness, by Cornell Woolrich - He was a pulp fiction writer, quite popular from what I understand. Alfred Hitchcock made his short story, "Rear Window" into a famous (one of my favorites, too!) movie.
3. The Big Sleep, by Raymond Chandler - I could have sworn that I've read him before, but I think I'm getting him mixed up with someone else. A classic purveyor of hardboiled crime fiction. Must read his work.
4. The Maltese Falcon, by Dashiell Hammett - I have read this one. Loved it. I sort of like reading about the seedy underside of the city sometimes. Haven't seen the movie, though.
5. The Postman Always Rings Twice, by James Cain - Liked this one a lot, too. I love his spare style. Haven't seen the movie either.
6. The Ivory Grin, by Ross MacDonald - I haven't gotten to him yet, but he's the "heir" to Dashiell and Hammett. I didn't know he was writing in the 1940s and 50s. For some reason I thought he came along much later.
7. Butterfield 8, by John O'Hara - Surely this is one of the most depressing and bleakest books I've ever read.
8. The Talented Mr. Ripley, by Patricia Highsmith - Loved this book, too. It's one of the few times I think I've ever been so sympathetic to a murderous character.
9. The Chatham School Affair, by Thomas H. Cook - Another book I really enjoyed and years later has stuck with me. I liked it so much I bought a stack of his other books, but I never did get around to reading them.
10. Theban Mysteries, by Amanda Cross - This is the pen name of author Carolyn G. Heilbrun, who was a feminist scholar and academic. I've been meaning to try her books.
11. Free Love, by Annette Meyers - She's a contemporary author who writes historical mysteries, though sadly she has only written two featuring Olivia Brown. The books are set in 1920s Greenwich Village and Olivia is inspired by poet Edna St. Vincent Millay.
12. The Strange Files of Fremont Jones, by Dianne Day - More historical mystery set in San Francisco this time, at about the same time as the Great SF earthquake. Unfortunately Day's publisher dropped her so she is no longer writing Fremont Jones mysteries. I thoroughly enjoyed these and should go back and reread them.
13. An American Tragedy, by Theodore Dreiser - So, Dreiser is technically not a crime writer, but this novel is based on a true crime case. I've always wanted to read it, but it's about 900 pages and the type is really, really small. Maybe I'll get to it this year?
What am I missing?