Vote For The Best Crime Book- Ever!!!

[Imladris]

Some people prefer, Edgar Allan Poe, Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie and other famous late nineteenth early twentieth century crime writersa. Some prefer more of the modern ones such as; Ian Rankin, Rendell and Cornwall.

Which crime book, do you think, is the best and why?
My favourite collection is that of Sherlock Holmes (by Sir. A.D. Doyle). I think they are the best in crime due to the fact they have the element of dedection. Not dedection in which it is impossible for the reader to solve the mystery: but detection in which we have only the clues that the sleuth has and, if we possess the logic we can solve ourselves!!

So, begin the voting, the best crime book(s) and author(s), and, why?

[Jadera]

Wow, that's really hard, especially since I like so many crime novels....(what does this say about me, I wonder?)

Conan Doyle is an excellent author, but sometimes the Sherlock Holmes stories can get a little dry. (Not that I don't love 'em!)

I would have to vote for Rex Stout, the creator of Nero Wolfe. In all of his NW books, you can count on a good mystery, humor, drama, and the chemistry between Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. I mean, what other dectective steps out of his house only six times in the series? It's great. :D

[Imladris]

I believe Mycroft Holmes, a rarely seen and as far as I know the only brother of Sherlock Holmes, is a brilliant "armchair detective".
"Surpassing Holmes in logic but not energy."

[Jadera]

True, and it's a shame that Doyle didn't use him more, since there was a lot of tension between Mycroft and Sherlock. But Doyle wrapped him up in government work. ;)

[Imladris]

Does no one like crime; come on have your say in a heated debate! Oops forgot to turn the radiator off!

[IronParrot]

Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep.

Hammett might have invented the stereotypical hard-boiled private eye in The Maltese Falcon with Sam Spade, but the moody first-person narrative of Chandler's Philip Marlowe really set the gold standard for the P.I. novel.

Among "cozies", I prefer Christie over Conan Doyle. And Then There Were None is in all respects a classic, and Murder on the Orient Express was the height of the Poirot series.

[Jadera]

My mom and a friend of mine enjoy Agatha Christie a lot. Well, for my mom that isn't saying much, she reads everything! I always had a hard time reading Christie's books. The Poirot character is great, but I found the books tedious to read for some reason. The movies are great though. ;) Especially the Murder of Roger Ackroyd, because Jamie Bamber was in it. :D

[Khamûl]

I haven't read much crime/mystery, but The Hound of the Baskervilles is by far my favorite Sherlock Holmes story. I love the "supernatural family legend" element of the story.

[TwirlingString]

I say Ceremony in Death by J.D. Robb, it's actually got and ending that you don't geuss immediately.:p

[TwirlingString]

Originally posted by Imladris
Some people prefer, Edgar Allan Poe, Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie and other famous late nineteenth early twentieth century crime writersa. Some prefer more of the modern ones such as; Ian Rankin, Rendell and Cornwall.

Which crime book, do you think, is the best and why?
My favourite collection is that of Sherlock Holmes (by Sir. A.D. Doyle). I think they are the best in crime due to the fact they have the element of dedection. Not dedection in which it is impossible for the reader to solve the mystery: but detection in which we have only the clues that the sleuth has and, if we possess the logic we can solve ourselves!!

So, begin the voting, the best crime book(s) and author(s), and, why?
THat's not exactly true. We only have the clues that watson sees, and Holmes is a lot more observent than Watson. You don't always get all the clues. Well you get them all at the end, but then you want to keep reading, not mull over the clues.:D

[Imladris]

There are always a few exceptions to the rule, I agree, but, in nine and a half out of ten stories (19/20) you always get the only clues that Holmes uses. He does have background information on the criminals but these are the stories in which there are no clues to get, but merely a criminal to catch. For example the idea of the short story called, "The Adventure of the Dying Detective," is to realise that Holmes is faking the illness.

[TwirlingString]

I haven't read all the books so you may be right. But i think i like easy mysteries, like Trixie Beldens.

[Jadera]

Oh my gosh, I didn't know anybody else even knew about Trixie Belden. I found some of those books at a used book store and loved them! I even did a report on one for school I liked it so much. :D Did you notice that the author changes partway through the series?

I forgot about 'teen' mysteries, like Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. I always preferred Hardy Boys myself (die hard Frank fan here) but that's probably because I inherited the entire collection from my older brother. :D

[Imladris]

10 more votes needed before I place any statistics!!!
Get voting now!!

[Imladris]

Come on...I'm waiting...

[TwirlingString]

Originally posted by Jadera
Oh my gosh, I didn't know anybody else even knew about Trixie Belden. I found some of those books at a used book store and loved them! I even did a report on one for school I liked it so much. :D Did you notice that the author changes partway through the series?

I forgot about 'teen' mysteries, like Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. I always preferred Hardy Boys myself (die hard Frank fan here) but that's probably because I inherited the entire collection from my older brother. :D

i've read every book in the series. I found them right when my library was selling the entire collection. I got a discount since I bought almost all of them. I didn't realize that the author changed. I love the one when they inadvetently accuse their fav author of murder then find out that not only had they done so, but that he was also the same authors that both Trixie and her brother were constantly arguing about. I don't suppose any one read Mrs. Polifax too? i always like the Hardy boy and Nancy drew combos. They always had fun. Remember when they got Frnks brother in the Lie Detcector when they were on opp. sides of the case? With Hardy senior as the prosecution and nancy's dad as the defense attorney?

[Imladris]

Hello? is nobody replying doesn't anyone else like crime books?
Cxome on...don't be shy.

[IronParrot]

I got a Dashiell Hammett passage on an exam on Thursday, on which I had to write an analytical commentary. That was a gift from above.

[Grey_Wolf]

P D James is my favourite Crime author (I've just begun reading "A Mind To Murder" and have 15 more to go). She truly writes thrilling "who-dunnits".

[TwirlingString]

Originally posted by Imladris
Hello? is nobody replying doesn't anyone else like crime books?
Cxome on...don't be shy.
Well... I like Bobbsey Twins, Clues Brothers, In Death, Emma Victor, One For the Money (etc.), Sherlock Holmes, and that's all I remember right now. (Does Dick Tracy count?)

[Imladris]

POLLS

OK, here they are...correct me if I'm wrong on any of them or you want yours changing...

Sherlock Holmes (collection); Sir A.C.Doyle - 2
Bobbsey Twins - 1
In Death - 1
Emma Victor - 1
One For the Money - 1
Dick Tracy (alright) - 1
A Mind to Murder( minght change); P.D.James - 1
Dashiell Hammett - 1
Trixie Beldens - 2
Hardy Boys - 1
Ceremony In Death; J.D.Robb - 1
Nero Woolfe; Rex Stout - 1
The Big Sleep; Raymond Chandler - 1

OK, here they are. I'll except ten more nominations, I'll change the polls, then you have to vote on what's there, but, your thoughts on other crime books are still accepted(but not by the polls).
BYE!

[IronParrot]

The Big Sleep, not Sheep! :rolleyes:

[Imladris]

AHHHjhhh!!!!!!!! oopS... (crawls away to hide under rock).

[Imladris]

Anyone want to add anything or support an already backed book?

[Elvellon]

Personally, I prefer “The Name of the Rose” of Umberto Eco

[TwirlingString]

I would back another book, but I don't think I've read any of the others

[Imladris]

OK, I've read Murder on the Orient Express and I'd rank it along with the Hopund of the Baskervilles, it's great!!!:) :D

[webwizard333]

Arthur Conan Doyle with his Sherlock Holmes books rank high up on my list of favorite crime novels, especially the Hound of the Baskervilles and the Adventure of the Blue Cabernacle (I also liked the Final Problem, but that doesn't really qualify as a mystery). Agatha Christie was another genius, especially in the Orien Express, And Then There Were None, and the Curtain Falls. The Westinghouse Mystery has always occupied a special place in my list of mysteries, as it was the first I ever got into. For my favorite, I'd choose Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.

[mirial]

Agatha Christie

[Ms. Undomial]

Originally posted by mirial
Agatha Christie

I second ammotion! and my sister third ammotions! She writes really good books!

[barrelrider110]

Whodunits are not my favorite genre, and even so I am embarrased to say that what I have read is probably not even close to honorable mention. I did read only one A.C. Doyle and that was long, long ago, and no Christie, and none of the others that could be considered "greatest" but since Imladris is being so kind to indulge a Phillistine like myself I will offer an opinion: My favorite is David Baldacci's Absolute Power although I really don't care for anything else he has written, and athough it was really creepy, I absolutely devoured Silence of the Lambs, no pun intended.

[Mercutio]

No one mentioned Dorothy Sayers :eek:!

But I don't think the main posters in this thread are around anymore :(.

Oh well.

New Results:

Dorothy Sayers - 1
Sherlock Holmes/Sir A.C.Doyle - 2
Bobbsey Twins - 1
"In Death" - 1
Emma Victor - 1
"One For the Money" - 1
Dick Tracy - 1
P.D.James - 1
Dashiell Hammett - 1
Trixie Beldens - 2
Hardy Boys - 1
"Ceremony In Death" / J.D.Robb - 1
Nero Woolfe / Rex Stout - 1
"The Big Sleep" / Raymond Chandler - 1
Father Brown / G.K. Chesterton - 0
"Knights Gambit" / William Faulkner - 1
Agatha Christie - 3
Edgar Allen Poe -
"In Cold Blood" / Truman Capote - 1

Lets keep up the voting for everyone who didn't know this existed! (like me :D).

I got you two.

[brownjenkins]

truman capote's 'in cold blood'

a true classic

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Mercutio
But I don't think the main posters in this thread are around anymore :(.

No. :(

This is not really my favourite genre, but I do happen to like a few authors like Doyle, Poe, etc. I also like some moderns like Cornwell. However, I suppose I would tend towards Poe.

[cee2lee2]

I don't read much "true" crime, but had to read In Cold Blood for school. It was chilling as well as now being a classic.

My favorites include the Trixie Belden series for kids, Dorothy Sayers' and Margaret Maron's books and for their humor, Joan Hess's Claire Malloy and Maggody series.

[cee2lee2]

...and I forgot Sue Henry's series set in Alaska.

I guess i've voted for too many, but can't choose just one. :cool:

[Mercutio]

I added you in, cee2lee2. Vote for as many as you want (just 1 per person/book, though :))

Dorothy Sayers - 2
Sherlock Holmes/Sir A.C.Doyle - 2
Bobbsey Twins - 1
"In Death" - 1
Emma Victor - 1
"One For the Money" - 1
Dick Tracy - 1
P.D.James - 1
Dashiell Hammett - 1
Trixie Beldens - 3
Hardy Boys - 1
"Ceremony In Death" / J.D.Robb - 1
Nero Woolfe / Rex Stout - 1
"The Big Sleep" / Raymond Chandler - 1
Father Brown / G.K. Chesterton - 0
"Knights Gambit" / William Faulkner - 1
Agatha Christie - 4
Edgar Allen Poe - 1
"In Cold Blood" / Truman Capote - 2
Sue Henry - 1
"Clair Malloy" "Maggody"/ Joan Hess - 1

edit: tolkienfan added

[tolkienfan]

Is it too late to vote? I would vote for...Agatha Christie!

[Snowdog]

I have to say I'm partial to Raymond Chandler (http://www.america.net/~davdmock/chandler.htm). Phillip Marlowe is the private dick! I like Farewell My Lovely, and The Big Sleep the best. I just picked up his unfinished Poodle Springs that was finished by Robert Parker. I'll have to see how it goes after the first four Raymond Chandler chapters to judge.

[Lotesse]

Raymond Chandler is absolutely the bomb. Also, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Truman Capote with In Cold Blood is a good call, and of course, the master thriller storyteller Edgar Allen Poe. This is very difficult, to have to choose just one. I guess it'd be a toss-up between Chandler and Poe. God, this is difficult, choosing only one! So many excellent classic writers.

[Earniel]

Doyle's Sherlock Holmes was always enjoyable, even if at least for the small time travel trip back in time, but I never managed to 'solve the mystery' before he did except once.

Agatha Christie's novels were always interesting because they were so diverse. Both in set-ups and characters.

But I'd like to add a new one to the list: Terry Pratchett. A few of his Disc World books are whodunnits (specifically those in the Watch-series) and they always manage to keep me glued to the pages. I particulary loved Feet of Clay in that respect. It was a wonderfully interesting mystery.