Kings and Queens of Crime

Dyah Subagyo
Jun 9, 2015
6 min read

Hi! It's been some time since the last post. So many things have happened since. I had my hands full for some moments, had it empty for some others, same went with my head.

I just think that it'd be lovely to list some of my favorite writers, especially crime writers. I will focus mainly on 21th century authors who have had their works published in English. Enjoy, and let's swap favorite titles!

1. Camilla Läckberg

She is the lady who writes my gateway books to Scandinavian crime novels. Most people's gateway books are maybe Stieg Larsson's famous trilogy. Not mine. I did not remember exactly how I was introduced to her novels, but I fell in love instantly with The Gallows Bird, one of the book in the string of Hedstrom-Falck crime-solving duo novels (and one of the most fucked-up). It is not the first book in the series, but luckily it did not affect my enjoyment of the other installments. I immediately got The Ice Princess (original title Isinprinsessan and it looks and sounds sooo pretty for me) and it established the series place in my heart. And thanks for her books, I started looking for more European, particularly Scandinavian, crime books and got badly addicted to them.

I have always liked crime books with mixture of domesticity, and her Hedstrom books are perfect. But I have to honestly admit that there are too many babies lately in the novels and it started to swerve towards domesticity imbued with crime solving instead of crime solving spiced with domestic problems. I am fine with crime solving with a touch of personal anecdotes about characters' lives scattered here and there, but I am no okay with the opposite. It is okay to read the character's doubts and worries about commitment, work, and family, but it is too much to read discomfort from relative's visit on several pages. Hate it.

I am sorry, but it is out of love. I cannot let you ruin the series I like so much.

And she lately focuses too much on Erica. It is understandable, seeing how Erica is probably the fictional version of Läckberg, albeit with bloodier and more adrenaline-filled life. But remember, it should be more about Hedstrom and his investigations. And it starts to feel that Patrik Hedstrom relies too much on hunch and luck than clues obtained and gleaned from crime scenes, victims, and suspects. Steer back to the track, Läckberg! From one of your Indonesian fans (dunno if there is any other - so far haven't met any other Indonesian who enjoys her works!).

2. Liza Marklund

Introducing you to Annika Bengtzon

Ahhh, premises! I was immediately baited with the line, 'independent female reporter Annika Bengtzon'.

She is all of those and something else. She is... very temperamental.

I was able to enjoy the first book. The second book, however, made me frowned. A man, with stable, albeit a little boring life, willingly underwent an affair with a woman he barely knew? Well, he knew her, yes, but he just knew her for a few days!

That cannot be right.

On top of it, add sex without protection that caused the woman - the mistress, to make it clear - pregnant. Holy shit. Both were not uneducated teenagers, they were adults with jobs and reputation, for God's sake.

Cannot stand Bengtzon afterwards, and I hopped straight to another book.

This series is not without any merit. It gives an insight into crime solving from someone outside the legitimate government institution dedicated for it - the police. The cases are sufficiently complex and interesting enough.

It is the reporter I cannot bear with.

3. Alan Bradley

Oh oh oh.

I instantly fell in love with Flavia de Luce and her eccentric family and her exquisite surroundings in Bishop's Lacey. I am a SUCKER for cases set in small villages/ cities. I have a weak spot for Christie-esque cases. I have a ridiculous love for royal-sounding name. And I have a soft spot for book covers with nice design.

de Luce series feels like personally crafted for me.

We follow the journey of our young heroine, Flavia de Luce. Flavia is spunky and classy, and that is why I LOOOVE her. She loves chemistry, especially the practical aspects, and by practical I mean the stuff that can be useful in forensics, fireworks-making, older-sisters-pranking. Flavia for the WIN!

The story telling is good, pace-wise and content-wise.

Still... there is one thing I am unable to comprehend. How does Flavia's family tree look like? Because both her father and mother shared the same surname, de Luce. Did her father change his surname or what? Or is this adorable family a product of slight inbreeding? I never know. However, a very enjoyable series, as a whole.

4. Jussi Adler Olsen

Finally, a Dane among the Swedes! Adler Olsen has written several books of Department Q series with its fine, albeit grumpy protagonist, Carl Morck. Morck, he has some baggage from the past but Adler Olsen never lets it interfere too much with the case Morck has in his hands (unless he is solving that very case from the past, of course). That's what makes it enjoyable.

Morck's characterization is a little bit cliche, since he is depicted as a drinker, grumpy, just pile all policeman stereotype here. But I don't know. Somehow, it works for me. Right amount of messed-upness is good, too much makes you want to throw the book out of the window.

I like his sidekick, Assad, as well. This is the first Scandinavian crime series I have ever read that features a member of minority society as the detective's sidekick. I dislike Rose - girl, why were you so unreasonable? I love Mona Ibsen and Lis.

All of his cases were sufficiently twisty, messed-up, and freaky enough. Yeah!

I mean, poor Morck, dealing with those things that are not meant for anyone! (evil grin)

5. Lars Kepler

I fall in love with Joona Linna, Kepler's creation. His surname reminds me of two things which feel good for me. First, binomial nomenclature creator, Carolus Linnaeus. Second, wood, especially teak. It is because Linna reminds me of Ligna which sells wooden furniture which gets its name from lignin, a substance found in hardwoods.

He is cool-headed and rarely shows any emotion. AND HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE, which is a welcome rarity. Well, technically he doesn't have any before the first book; afterwardsm he has one. He is not alcoholic, if I recall correctly. He is charismatic, he is not misogynist, he is a perfect gentleman who is endearing to me.

Kepler's first book features a nice twist - a good work. I am unable to recall Joona Linna's books storyline in detail, some time has been passed since I read them for the first time. I am going to re-read them again soon.

6. JD Robb

At last, an American in the middle of Nordic onslaught. Another identity of Nora Roberts, Robb has been a prolific writer. She cranks out at least a title per year, but she manages to make them all interesting. They are all careful, balanced mixes of CSI works, action, and romance. The unique thing about these books is all of them are set in the future! Far future! After... the Third World War.

Ahem. It is awesome and a little tragic, then.

We got a glimpse about future as envisioned by Robb the year she started writing the series (1995). She predicted a future with automatic kitchen, dubbed AutoChef, cars that can move both horizontally AND vertically, no need of gloves for CSI because there will be sealant invented, and scarcity of coffee and chocolate (THIS IS TRAGIC. Especially the chocolate part). Some of her predictions are a bit off, but not far. She predicts the widespread use of smartphones and tablets, but she does not call them smartphones and tablets. She still uses discs heavily in her books instead of flashdiscs, but she gets the part of 'heavily digitized future' right. Pretty awesome job.

Too bad for me, with dollars skyrocketed, another book about the crime-solving, kicking-ass detective Eve Dallas eradicates crime and finds justice seems very far, far, far away.

Stupid exchange rate.

7. Kerry Greenwood

Greenwood is responsible for the existence of one of the most charming lady detective in this world, the Hon. Phryne Fisher. A stylish, sassy, brave, strong, charming, and polyamorous woman who fell into her title by mere chance, Phryne was a wonderful anomaly. She was a willing courtesan of a Chinese merchant, but she was financially independent and kept a throng of lovers who were at her beck and call almost all the time.

Her stories were set in my favorite period - end of 1920's, the time when exciting things happened. Phryne resided in Australia, so the Prohibition didn't affect her at all, while the exciting things kept on happening. Greenwood presented all her cases in detail and interestingly. All of them were captivating enough to make you pull an all-nighter just to finish them all.

I haven't been managed to get ahold of Greenwood's Women of Mythology - something like that - series. I am verily interested, but it is highly unlikely to happen in near future. Anyway, try this series! The covers are pretty as well X)