First published in the sixties, this series started out strong and pretty much maintained its quality for 21 books, al with a color in the title. It worked right away: the Busted Flush Travis lived on, the locale, the cases, the character of Travis McGee.
Who else makes the list?
14 comments:
Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series. The first book, BOOTLEGGER'S DAUGHTER, virtually swept the awards (including a Best Novel Edgar) that year, and deservedly so.
Others:
Ken Bruen's Jack Taylor (THE GUARDS)
Lee Child's Jack Reacher (KILLING FLOOR)
Lesser known but highly recommended:
James Swain's Tony Valentine (GRIFT SENSE)
Owen Parry's Abel Jones (FADED COAT OF BLUE)
Jeff M.
Donald Westlake writing as "Richard Stark" launched his Parker series with THE HUNTER about a professional thief. The Parker series lasted for decades and 24 books.
Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series.Peter Robinsons Inspector Banks. Ian Rankins Rebus.
Joseph Hansen's Dave Brandstetter series. 12 books over 21 years, all very good.
I considered adding every one of those authors - Westlake, Connelly, Robinson, and Hansen - but wanted to keep the list manageable. Good choices.
Jeff M.
I would add PD James, Colin Dexter, Ruth Rendell, Ross Macdonald, Sara Paretsky
Patti, I think Christie made a strong start by introducing Poirot in THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES as did Erle Stanley Gardener with Perry Mason and Della Street in THE CASE OF THE VELVET CLAWS.
The Travis McGee and Parker books are particularly strong for me.
Ross Macdonald's Lew Archer series had a great start (MOVING TARGET) and so did Robert Crais's Elvis Cole series (THE MONKEY'S RAINCOAT) and can't forget Bill Pronzini's first Nameless THE (STALKER).
Philip Kerr's.
I'm a big fan of Ross Macdonald and Lew Archer though the final in that series suffered a bit due to his declining health. Also Richard Stark's Parker and Wayne D. Dundee's Joe Hannibal series.
Crais and THE MONKEY'S RAINCOAT came to mind right away. Adrian McKinty's THE COLD COLD GROUND is a great start to the excellent, yet brief (three books and counting) Sean Duffy series.
Stephen Greenleaf's 14 John Marshall Tanner novels, and Earl Emerson's Thomas Black series.
Read 'em all, reread one or two every year, still very effective writing. I would add Ross Macdonald, another whose books hold up well, Arthur Lyons, Joseph Hansen, Loren Estleman, Gavin Lyall.
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