Without question, the greatest character-based detective series is John D. McDonald's Travis McGee series. For those of you who have yet to read these great little books, just pick up any of the McDonald novels with a color in the title. Deep Blue Goodbye is the first, from 1964. Lonely Silver Rain the last, from 1985. I've read all 21 more than once, and just finished reading The Quick Red Fox. My favorite is Pale Gray for Guilt, though that is not his tightest or best written. Quick Red Fox may well be the best from a technical standpoint. Taught, bitter, and fun. Perfect summer reading.
3 comments:
For great summer reading, try reading Richard Prather's books about detective Shell Scott. The unintentional comedy if off the charts.
Another one for you. This one is a red-headed Miami PI, Michael Shayne, by "author" Brett Halliday. (These are old school suggestions.)
I'll try those. Also in the PI vein, but funny, is the Archy McNally series by Lawrence Sanders. This Palm Beach PI is glib and moneyed, a switch on the old formula, and the writing is typical Sanders -- very smooth, and often hilarious.
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