Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 3

Two days, two great recommendations. Today we'll make it three in a row. Rosemary Harris's Dirty Business Mystery series is a tad different from the book she's recommending. But, being familiar with both Paula Holliday and Poke Rafferty myself, I can tell you they share great plots, smart humor and casts of wonderfully colorful characters. Oh, sorry, this is Rosemary's recommendation. Rosemary is recommending THE QUEEN OF PATPONG by Timothy Hallinan. Here's what she has to say:

"I discovered Tim Hallinan on Dorothy L and - based on his posts - I thought anyone that hip and smart probably writes books I'd like. And I was right. I started with The Queen of Patpong and was transported to the backstreets of Bangkok where, dare I say it, the drinks are cheap, but life is cheaper. Take a walk on the wild side with The Queen of Patpong, but don't expect to get anything else done that day because you won't want to put it down."

I'll second that recommendation. I remember when I received my first Poke Rafferty book. I was curious. I didn't know anything about the series or Tim at the time. I couldn't read it right away, but I peeked at the first page. "Couldn't" suddenly fell by the wayside and I read it in one sitting...that day.

Another author that does an outstanding job of transporting readers to another world is James Thompson who writes his books set in his adopted home of Finland. His first novel to be published in the U.S. came out early this year. SNOW ANGELS is dark and bleak and amazingly wonderful. The personal struggles of Thompson's protagonist, Inspector Vaara, are as fascinating as the struggles to solve a gruesome murder.

How are those wish lists going so far? We'll have another great recommendation for you tomorrow. Happy Reading!