Recently I was casting about for reading material. There are many web sites with such recommendations, but SIGforum members have more interests in common than members of the general public, so I took a look at the “What have you been reading?” thread here in The Lair.

Some posts had descriptive suggestions (sigfreund’s, for example), but many were similar to these:

“The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson.”

“Paused Columbine to read The Attack by Kurt Schlicter.”

“The Edge by David Baldacci.
I would suggest you read the 6:20 Man, first book in this series.”

Such posts didn’t help me find a new read because I had no idea about the nature of those books.

So I’m starting this thread hoping to see posts describing a book that the poster is not merely reading, but has read through, AND enjoyed enough to recommend to other members, and provide sufficient description of it that members will have a good idea of its nature.

And I suggest that posts adhere to this format:
Type: “book” or “series” (nothing else)
Title: title of book (or series descriptor)
Author: author name
Genre: (e.g., detective, history, humor, intrigue, etc.)
A free form description of the book (or series)

Enter the title name carefully. The nifty SIGforum “Find” utility can be used to find other posts about that particular book (if any).

The description can be long or short. Your own composition or something found on the web, with proper attribution (quotes and link).

And please, READING material only. Books available for purchase or library loan, whether ebook or paper. No films, video, or podcasts. Those can be recommended in some other thread.

For starters, here’s my book recommendation:

Type: book
Title: The Thin Man
Author: Dashiel Hammett
Genre: detective story (prohibition era)

This story is set in NYC. Nick Charles, the protagonist, had once been a private detective in NYC, respected by the police and underworld denizens alike. He’s since left that profession and moved to San Francisco after marrying the vivacious and wealthy Nora.

As the story opens Nick and Nora have returned to NYC on a Christmas holiday. An old acquaintance, Clyde Wynant (the thin man), has disappeared, and Clyde’s employee (and mistress) has been murdered. The police like Clyde for the murder.

In a speakeasy, Nick and Nora learn of Clyde’s disappearance from his airhead daughter, who wants Nick to find her father. Nick is reluctant to get involved, but events draw him into the fray. Underworld, police, and high society characters make for an interesting and well-told story, and the plot is credible too.

A brief note about the author:
‘Hammett is regarded as one of the very best mystery writers. In his obituary in The New York Times, he was described as "the dean of the 'hard-boiled' school of detective fiction."
……
Hammett was first published in 1922 in the magazine The Smart Set. Known for the authenticity and realism of his writing, he drew on his experiences as a Pinkerton operative. …’
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashiell_Hammett

I absolutely agree with all this.

There are so many books and even series that despite how much I read myself, there is no way for me to know what most of the titles or authors mentioned refer to.

If you're trying to do a favor for other forum members, please take an extra few minutes to describe what you're reading and why.

Book series - Lewis Cole
Various titles. First is: Dead Sand
Brendan DuBois
Mystery/drama

Set on the short coast of New Hampshire, Lewis Cole is an ex government analyst/writer who witnessed a gov mistake that took out his team during an exercise in the desert. He survived and made a deal to keep quiet about it. They found him a "job" as the writer, doing special segments about the New England coast.

Lewis finds himself in a series of incidents, murders mostly and takes to investigating them often with the help of ex mafia friend, Feliz, from the north end of Boston. He has off and on relationships, but one stuck for a while with a columnist from the local paper.

His past is kept secret, but slowly townspeople begin to figure him out a bit. The gov also got him a quaint little cottage to live right on the coast, where a lot of scenes take place.

Dubois does a good job with these stories and keeps one engaged. These were earlier in his career and his writing improves. I believe he's ghost written some books for Patterson...to give an idea of his talent.

 
The Robert Crais series of books, about Elvis Cole, PI, and his partner Joe Pike
 
The OrphanX series of books, Greg Hurwitz author, about orphans taken by the government and turned into assassins. Evan Smoak is the lead character, trying to break free from the program but still using his considerable skills to help others.

Mark Dawson wrote a lot of books about Group 15, yet another sub rosa team of assassins, this time British. The main hero is John Milton, but also Beatrix Rose. Beatrix is a real kick-ass operative, Milton a bit more subtle but just as dangerous.
 
Ace Atkins was picked to continue the Spenser PI series by Robert Parker, after Parker passed. Of all the "take-over" authors, Atkins is the only one I have read that captures the original author's characters authentically. Hawk is a great supporting character. Atkins also wrote some good novels about his native Mississippi.
 
Stephen Hunter, of course, for his books about the Swagger father and son. Good action and very accurate on firearms use and descriptions.
 
I continue to enjoy the Daniel Silva series about Gabriel Allon, Mossad assassin and all-round brilliant agent. Despite some criticism about his later books being too "woke", I do not see it, or I am just overlooking it while I enjoy a good read.
 
Christopher Reich's series about Simon Riske, an operative whose spare time is spent in his shop restoring older Ferraris and other vintage autos.
 
C. J. Box, author of an excellent series centered around Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett. An interesting supporting character is Nate Romanowski, former special ops and current falconer.
 
I could go on, but enough for now.
 

^^^^^
Thanks for the recommendations Henry. However, I wish that you’d adhere to the format suggested in the OP. And maybe only one recommendation per post.

Type: book
Title: Topper
Author: Thorne Smith
Genre: ghost story (humorous)

When I was a kid my family enjoyed the weekly TV show, “Topper”, which we watched on our 16” Admiral B&W set. That show was based on this book.

“Thorne Smith is a master of urbane wit and sophisticated repartee. Topper, his best-known work, is the hilarious, ribald comedy on which the hit television show and movie (starring Cary Grant) were based.

It all begins when Cosmo Topper, a law-abiding, mild-mannered bank manager, decides to buy a secondhand car, only to find it haunted by the ghosts of its previous owners--the reckless, feckless, frivolous couple who met their untimely demise when the car careened into an oak tree. The ghosts, George and Marion Kerby, make it their mission to rescue Topper from the drab "summer of suburban Sundays" that is his life--and they commence a series of madcap adventures that leave Topper, and anyone else who crosses their path, in a whirlwind of discomfiture and delight.

As enchanting today as it was when first published in 1926, Topper has set the standard in American pop culture for such mischievous apparitions as those seen in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Heaven Can Wait, Beetlejuice, and Bewitched.”

https://www.amazon.com/Topper-...-Smith/dp/0375753052