Who are your five favorite mystery authors and authoresses?

Question

Greetings! Think of the excitement this weekend for Harry Potter's last book. Now I want you to think about that same excitement when your favorite mystery writer releases his or her book. Who would that be?

For me, it is:

Robert B. Parker
Sue Grafton
Janet Evanovich
Michael McGarrity
Nevada Barr

What say you all? Take care.

Answer 1

I enjoy Robert Parker, especially the early works. Agathie Christie, Sue Grafton, John LeCarre, Elmore Leonard, Ngaio Marsh.

BTW, "author" is not a gender-specific word; nobody uses "authoress" any more.

Answer 2

M.C. Beaton
Elizabeth Peters
Rita Mae Brown
Joan Hess
Perri O'Shaughnessy

I'm not sure if Peters is still active or not, but her later books are not as good as the early ones. Lillian Jackson Braun has gotten almost tiresome, so she doesn't make my top five, but again the early books were great.

Among authors long since deceased, Dorothy L. Sayers and Ellis Peters come to mind, as well as Emma Lathen (Mary Jane Latsis and Martha Henissart), who is at least half dead (Latsis died a decade ago). And my childhood favorite, Erle Stanley Gardner.

Added: How could I have forgotten Tony Hillerman and Faye Kellerman!? Five is just not enough!

Answer 3

Well, most of my favorite mystery authors are dead, so I'll never feel that lovely rush of excitement. But a list from an inveterate cozy lover:

Agatha Christie (Of course -- she's a fairly major deity in the pantheon of popular literature)
Dorothy L Sayers (some of her short stories are absolutely fascinating and quite dark -- none of the flippancy of dear Wimsey)
Ngiao Marsh (not so much, but her inspector is fairly endearing, even though he's too perfect)
M.C. Beaton (ONLY Hamish Macbeth though -- such a wonderful character, and great, quick reads)
And lots of single books or bits of series which I didn't get enough into to remember at 4:00 AM

Answer 4

Lilian Jackson Braun,

The Cat Who books are classics.