Crime Writers Caught Recommending Crime - Day 20

Those of you who visit the blog often know I think you should be reading Hilary Davidson's THE DAMAGE DONE. Well, so does the L.A. Times! And goodness what company's she's in. Despite this high honor, it hasn't lifted Hilary above making a recommendation for us.

Hilary is recommending Ken Bruen and his LONDON BOULEVARD for this holiday season. Here's why:

"Nothing against Colin Farrell, Keira Knightly, or Ray Winstone (Mr. Winstone is one of my favorite actors), but as exciting as the new "London Boulevard" movie might be, I think the Ken Bruen novel that inspired it a tough act to follow. His London Boulevard is a retelling of 1950's "Sunset Boulevard," but set in London's underworld and told through the eyes of a man just released from prison. Its ending is even more twisted than the Billy Wilder film — and I have a feeling that the Farrell-Knightly pairing is going to meet with a happier fate. But the black humor of Bruen's book makes it a perfect gift for crime-fiction fans and movie lovers."

Who can argue with that? Ken Bruen is definitely a must read for your crime fiction fan. If he/she hasn't yet experienced him, give them the gift of Bruen for the holidays!

O.k., I looked back and noticed that it has been far too long...like 9 days since I made a recommendation for a female author's work. If there weren't any deserving of being recognized, I wouldn't worry about it, but since there are gads of them, I need to rectify that situation.

Back at the beginning of this series, Rosemary Harris made a recommendation. Now I'm going to recommend her book THE BIG DIRT NAP. This is the middle book in her "Dirty Business" series about a Connecticut gardener, Paula Holliday. This is a smart, funny series with underlying themes and social issues that contribute to the depth. One of the elements I like most about this series is that Holliday is a strong, smart, realistic female. She isn't afraid to get her hands dirty and she isn't waiting for Prince Charming to come in and save the day.

So we've had about 40 recommendations so far and there are still a few more to come. We've definitely covered the continuum of crime fiction, so you should be able to find something for any kind of crime fiction fan on your list! If you think you haven't, though, check back for the ones we still have to offer you.

Happy Reading!