Recommended non-English mystery/crime/detective novels?

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Re: Recommended non-English mystery/crime/detective novels?

Postby Ogrim » Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:46 am

In French: George Simenon has already been mentioned, but you also have the stories about Arsène Lupin, the gentleman thief, created by Maurice Leblanc. By the way, Netflix recently launched a French series inspired in the stories about Arsène Lupin. I haven't watched it yet, but will certainly do so.

In Spanish: The writer Eduardo Mendoza has written several crime/mystery novels based in Barcelona. The "hero" of many of his novels is a nameless detective who lives in a psychiatric institution. I find them quite entertaining.

There is also the work of Arturo Pérez Reverte, in particular a few of his earlier novels are mystery/crime novels, like La tabla de Flandes (one of my favourites), El club Dumas, La piel del tambor and El maestro de esgrima. Reverte's later work is more in the adventure genre, especially the works about Capitán Alatriste.
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Re: Recommended non-English mystery/crime/detective novels?

Postby jeff_lindqvist » Wed Jan 20, 2021 10:57 am

Nogon wrote:Here are lists of Krimis published January - March 2014, April - June 2014 and October - December 2013.


Thanks for the links! Even if I couldn't find the book cover I was looking for, I now know more about Crime literature in German. I found authors with apparent Swedish names - no, pseudonyms. Come on... Angelika Svensson. And her other identity Svea Jenssen. :D I noticed a new genre - Sylt-Krimi. I recognized a fair amount of Swedish authors whose titles I know in Swedish. But in German I have no idea which book is which (at least not from the titles alone).
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Re: Recommended non-English mystery/crime/detective novels?

Postby Lemus » Thu Jan 21, 2021 1:26 am

I've really enjoyed Juan Gomez Jurado's Reina Roja trilogy, or at least the first two parts of it (the third one just came out).

She's a super genius who is difficult to work with, he's an experienced cop who is paired with her as punishment. Can they put aside their differences to catch the killers? A little formulaic maybe but very enjoyable and bestsellers in Spain from what I hear.
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Re: Recommended non-English mystery/crime/detective novels?

Postby Kraut » Thu Jan 21, 2021 1:33 am

Doitsujin wrote:
Edgar Wallace: 50 Novels

Edgar Wallace was an English Pulp Fiction writer who was hugely popular in Germany in his heyday. Since the translations are less than 100 years old, you won't find many outdated expressions in them. Also, you shouldn't have any problems following the plots, since most of them are pretty straightforward with only a handful of twists.
.


The Edgar Wallace series and films were extremely successful at the time:

Der Frosch mit der Maske 1959

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x220exm

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Frosc ... aske_(Film)
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Re: Recommended non-English mystery/crime/detective novels?

Postby Janus » Sun Feb 14, 2021 12:32 pm

In Spanish, I'd suggest reading the Catalan author Andreu Martin, if you are looking for classic detective novels, with some reminiscences of psychological thrillers. However, if you want something beyond that, a detective novel that also explores how societies work and human beings are, I'd strongly recommend the Cuban author Leonardo Padura. He has a series of books (la serie Mario Conde), that would astonish anyone with a taste for literature.
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Re: Recommended non-English mystery/crime/detective novels?

Postby finknottles » Wed Feb 17, 2021 9:07 pm

Another recommendation in Spanish - The Inspector Mascarell series by Jordi Sierra i Fabra. Just finished the first book, Cuatro días de enero, and I really enjoyed it. The series revolves around a police inspector in France-era Barcelona and has a lot of great historical context and an enjoyable (not too heavy) writing style. I believe there are 11 books so far, and I'm looking forward to diving in!
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Re: Recommended non-English mystery/crime/detective novels?

Postby lusan » Wed Feb 17, 2021 11:43 pm

For French I love/recommend
J-C Grangé,
Bernard Minier
Viveca Sten.
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Re: Recommended non-English mystery/crime/detective novels?

Postby Nogon » Thu Feb 18, 2021 9:56 am

lusan wrote:For French I love/recommend
J-C Grangé,
Bernard Minier
Viveca Sten.

Viveca Sten is a Swedish author though. ;)
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Re: Recommended non-English mystery/crime/detective novels?

Postby lusan » Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:14 pm

Nogon wrote:
lusan wrote:For French I love/recommend
J-C Grangé,
Bernard Minier
Viveca Sten.

Viveca Sten is a Swedish author though. ;)


Oops.... I forgot. But the book was pretty good.

Any Italian writers?.... Any alternative to HP series?
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Re: Recommended non-English mystery/crime/detective novels?

Postby Lycopersicon » Thu Feb 18, 2021 4:55 pm

Jean-François Parot wrote the Enquêtes de Nicolas le Floch. Those are set in 18th century France. There's also a TV series.
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