Most writers are fairly reliable. You get the carra carra orange you paid for. (Love those oranges btw). But everyone has one writer they come to expect more from.
Mine is Stewart O'Nan, who is not only reliable but unexpected in his subjects. Read SNOW ANGELS, followed by SPEED QUEEN, followed by A PRAYER FOR THE DYING and ending with a hit of LAST NIGHT AT THE LOBSTER.
Four completely different books with some others scattered between. His canvass is one of the broadest in literature.
I am reading EMILY ALONE right now and it's a new day entirely. O'Nan is my go-to writer.
Who's yours?
39 comments:
I still read Ross Macdonald like he is still releasing new material. But, today, Stephen King rarely disappoints me.
MacDonald was my go-to writer for many years. And John D. as well.
Good question!
While I'm thinking about it let me add THE NAMES OF THE DEAD to your O'Nan list.
I've got too big a list to really name one, depending on what I want to read. But one I'd put up there is Evan Hunter/Ed McBain, who only wrote one really bad book among the 84 I've read so far (MARY, MARY). Among living writers Ken Bruen is always reliable.
Jeff M.
I think I may have missed that one.
Yes, both of those are also reliable. I especially like the 87th Precinct books. Ken, especially Jack Taylor and especially THE DRAMATIST. Can't get over the ending still.
NAMES OF THE DEAD is his Vietnam novel. The guy serves in the war as a green 19 year old, while the main body of the novel takes place 15 years later and deals with disabled (in whatever way) vets.
It's been a while since I read it but as you're a fan I'm sure you'll like it.
Jeff M.
My first O'Nan was The Night Country, and while it was beautifully written, it was also such a downer that it put me off his other works. I might have to try him again.
My go-to writers are typically Adrian McKinty and Donald Westlake (for crime) or William Gibson and Neil Gaiman (for speculative stuff).
You might want to skip A PRAYER FOR THE DYING, Loren. That's a killer.
Love Westlake's humor.
Used to be John D. MacDonald and Louis L'Amour but I've read most of their stuff now. Good question. I'm gonna have to think on it.
Patti: Is that "A Prayer for the Dying" the one they made the movie of with Mickey Rourke? If so, didn't know it was a book first and will definitely read it.
My go to guys remain Higgins for crime and Yates for literary (reread Easter Sunday last week, in fact).
No, it's about a doctor during a smallpox epidemic in the 19th Century. It's worth reading if you like great writing though.
The only O'Nan I've read is the one he wrote with Stephen King about the Boston Red Sox. It might be the worst baseball book I've ever read.
Loren Estleman never disappoints. And neither does Bill Crider or James Reasoner.
Three remarkably consistent writers. Where are the ladies? How about Margaret Millar, Patricia Highsmith, Ruth Rendell.
My go-to writers change with the wind, although constants over the past dozen years or so have been Ed Gorman, Bill Crider, Max Allan Collins, Joe R. Lansdale, and Bill Pronzini. For women, Margaret Millar, Helen McCloy, James Tiptree, Jr., Craig Rice, and Marcia Muller are always dependable.
Ross Thomas. I don't know what would be worse, dying before I read all of his books or living knowing there are no more Ross Thomas books to read.
The only book of O'Nan's I've read is one nobody has mentioned, The Circus Fire. It's a non-fiction account of a fire at a circus (obviously) in Hartford in 1944. Very well done and very depressing.
I'm sure someone has already thought of this, but would devotion to his work be O'Nanism?
Very funny!!! I have read only a few Ross Thomas. Need to read more.
Easter Sunday (Yates) is a killer and ELEVEN KINDS OF LONELINESS. His bio is even sadder than his books.
I knew I had mentioned the circus fire book. It's one the Dana Delany post. I thought I was dreaming for a minute. Haven't read it though.
Crider.
Reasoner.
Gischler.
Gillian Flynn (based on scant output).
Lee Goldberg.
Barry Eisler.
Gabriel Hunt (except for Schow's)
Bernard Cornwell.
Lemony Snicket.
Lemony Snickett is a nice touch.
I loved all those Snicket novels and listened to the audio for each. They are good stories and, like Rocky and Bullwinkle, have elements appealing to both kid and adult.
I am familiar with them but haven't read one. I should.
Steve HL: Just don't make that joke on George Kelley's blog. Some folks over there are easily upset by such matters...
Gerard Saylor--so, David Schow's Gabriel Hunt book was subpar by you? Too bad...I usually like his work (but haven't gotten around to the two Hunts I have copies of, yet).
Lawrence Block. I prefer the older novels to the newer ones (perhaps I just like my Matt Scudder miserable) but it's always like a visit from a favorite uncle.
Schow's novel split from the usual Gabriel Hunt formula, I like the formula. I read Schow's Gun Work and liked it.
Christie, Chandler, Stout.
I think I rotate them. Right now it's Lawrence Block. A few weeks ago I thought it was Hemingway but I found The Sun Also Rises wasn't holding up for me. A Farewell to Arms did, happily. And then other times I go back to Stephen King. Duma Key was great, Licey's Story rich. I just re-read Strawberry Spring.
I have many. To name a few: Chandler, Reasoner, Crider, McBain, Gorman, Pronzini, Estleman, Wheeler, Evan Lewis, Stout, Doyle, Spillane, and Joe West.
Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine rarely disappoints me--and, unlike P.D. James (another favorite), she's quite prolific and has a large back catalog. However, I've read most of her books by now, so I tend to look for a book in my go-to genre (British mysteries) rather than a specific author.
Did anyone mention O'Nan's THE GOOD WIFE (not to be confused with the TV show of the same name)? It's about 25 years in the life of a woman whose husband is serving that amount of time in prison. An interesting book, although a bit draggy in parts. I don't know that O'Nan would ever be a go-to writer for me.
Block
Crider
Muller
Margaret Maron
Steven F. Havill
Archer Mayor
Can't believe no one mentioned:
James Sallis
Jeff M.
Thanks, Deb. I knew there was someone who had never let me down, and it's Ruth Rendell.
Any time I'm hungry for something to read but don't know what, I reach for Rex Stout. He hasn't let me down yet.
Erle Stanley Gardner's Lam and Cool series is always entertaining, too. Among current writers, Loren Estleman is the one I can always count on.
Mine changes frequently(like if I discover someone new). Currently, Max Allan Collins(been catching up on his older stuff0, Reasoner(can hardly keep up with current stuff, let alone his back catalog. I'm trying though), always Westlake(working on trying to get all his).
In the past, King has been a mainstay, still is, though he has disappointed a few times in recent years. Alan Dean Foster is still good, though these days he's not the immediate read he has been.
I read all of Rex Stout back in the seventies. I loved every one of them.
Keeping up with Reasoner, Gorman, Crider and Collins can be challenging. They turn up everywhere.
Ruth Rendell has never let me down either. She is such a great plotter, which doesn't always work but she creates great characters too.
Thought I'd better turn up so I could be "everywhere."
Go-tos: Far too many to list here.
Last Night at the Lobster is a fantastic book.
My go-to writer would probably be Roddy Doyle.
Just read one or two of his.
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