Now normally I am not a huge Agatha Christie fan, but I found MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS very satisfying. In the crime area, also DAUGHTER OF TIME and A PLACE OF EXECUTION by Val McDermid.
Although it's a very sad book, I found NEVER LET ME GO, by Ishiguro very satisfying too. He made it about more than the idea of cloning humans. NEMESIS by Philip Roth was a small gem. So too LAST NIGHT AT THE LOBSTER by Stewart O'Nan.
How about you? What book started well and never let up?
16 comments:
Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
The Alice books - Lewis Carrol
Mucho Mojo - Joe R. Lansddale
The Last Detective - Peter Lovesey
I certainly agree with these picks. Magic, every one.
Books by the Three Amigos: Loren Estleman, Bill Pronzini, and Lawrence Block. From start to finish you'll get a great story and plenty of suspense.
Oh, that is a good one, Patti. For me, I think it would be hard to pin down just one book. Guess I'm lucky that way...
Some good choices, Patti. A PLACE OF EXECUTION was definitely a favorite. Some others that come to mind:
James Clavell, SHOGUN
Larry McMurtry, LONESOME DOVE
Pat Conroy, THE PRINCE OF TIDES
Neil Gaiman, NEVERWHERE
Jack Finney, TIME AND AGAIN
Read all but Gaiman and agree.
Too many to mention actually. I can pick about ten or more from my last year's reading alone. Here's a few non-crime fiction novels that have long lingered in my memory of jubilant reading experiences:
LET THE DOG DRIVE - David Bowman
WATCHING TV WITH THE RED CHINESE - Luke Whisnant
SARAH CANARY - Karen Joy Fowler
THE MAN WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH THE MOON - Tom Spanbauer
I listened to the audiobook of LAST NIGHT AT THE LOBSTER without knowing anything about it and I was reeled in almost immediately. Not many people know about that one. It's one of those books where nothing happens throughout, but the reader is still compelled to turn the page (or in my case, keep listening).
Also, LOBSTER proved yet again that a book doesn't have to be 400 pages to be worthwhile or hold your attention.
A Prayer For the Dying by Stewart O'Nan
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
Tapping the Source by Ken Nunn
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester
Pavane by Keith Roberts
True Grit by Charles Portis
The Last Good Kiss by James Crumley
I'm sure there are others but this is off the top of my head.
Love PRAYER FOR THE DYING. And others too.
O'Nan is special, Mike. Although WEST OF HOLLYWOOD eluded me.
RAVELSTEIN by Saul Bellow.
To Tame a Land by Louis L'Amour.
Most of the Parker Novels
Sword in the Storm was the most recent like this I read, by David Gemmell
We were just talking about Bellow today-the novella where a woman accuses a maid of stealing her jewelry.
Love the Parker novels!
David Copperfield comes to mind.
So true. The kind of novel you can sink into.
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