Comet Holmes Grows a Tail. Credit & Copyright: Vicent Peris and José Luis Lamadrid (astrofoto.es)
A Tiny Window on the Universe of Information that is the Internet
(A base from which to search some of the 'Best-of-the-Best' WWW sites, simply and efficiently.)
 
Approach conceived and executed by Hugh McGrory.
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Books
I created this page for people who, like me, prefer to read books that are part of a series, in the order they were written (and for those who, like me, have annoyed themselves by buying the same book twice ...)

To use this page, go first to the bottom section to see if your favourite author is listed.
It's quite likely that he/she will not be ... in which case,
return here and use this Common Search Window to search the many book sources below:

 Enter your search parameter(s) above, choose the appropriate radio button below, then click GO. If you don't find what you want, return to this page, and select another source.

Find and buy now, if you wish:                
 Bookfinder about ... A one-stop e-commerce search engine that searches over 150 million books for sale - new, used, rare, out-of-print, and textbooks. Searches every major catalog online, and allows you to compare which booksellers are offering the best prices and selection. You can then buy immediately from the original seller - with no markup for the service.
Search Search by Author, Title or ISBN Number.

Or buy directly from:                
   
chapters.indigo.ca about ...  Canada - biggest Canadian Site.
amazon.ca about ...  Canada - Amazon's Canadian site.
amazon.com about ...  USA - the pioneer online bookseller.
amazon.uk about ...  UK - Amazon's UK site.
Blackwell about ...  UK - over 3 million books in database.

Or search the many sources below:                
   
Blog Search about ... Find blogs on book topics.
Book Search about ... Search the full text of books.
Catalogs about ... Search and browse mail-order catalogs.
Directory about ... Browse the web by topic.
Froogle about ... Shop for items to buy online and at local stores.
Groups about ... Allows groups of people to communicate using email and the Web.
Images about ... Search for images on the web.
News about ... Search thousands of news stories.
Scholar about ... Search scholarly papers.
Video about ... "The world's first open online video marketplace".
   

Some Favourite Authors, their Bios, and their Book Lists by Character:                 
National Flags - Credit and Copyright: Jacorre Design Studio.                 
   
  Eric Ambler                      English author.  Bio.
Novels:   One of the pioneers of politically sophisticated thrillers - "Topkapi".
  Lin Anderson                    Scottish author.  Bio.
Novels:   Forensic Scientist Rhona MacLeod solves murders around Scotland.
  Isaac Asimov                    Russian-born American author.  Bio.
Novels:   One of the most prolific SF writers of all time - "I, Robot".
  David Baldacci                  American author.  Bio.
Characters:   Oliver Stone and the Camel Club - "Absolute Power".
  Linwood Barclay              Canadian author.  Bio.
Novels:   Ontario author whose mystery novels are very popular in the UK.
  Clive Barker                     English author.  Bio.
Novels:   Contemporary horror/fantasy, from pure horror to epic modern-day fantasy.
  Jack Batten                      Canadian author.  Bio.
Novels:   Subjects include Toronto, crime fiction, law, biography and sports.
  M.C. Beaton                     Scottish-born author, lives in the English Cotswolds.  Bio.
Hamish MacBeth   Series on which the Scottish TV show with Robert Carlyle was based.
  Simon Beckett                  English author.  Bio.
Dr. David Hunter   A forensic expert solves crimes in Britain.
  Giles Blunt                        Canadian author.  Bio.
Novels:   Detective John Cardinal investigates homicides in Northern Ontario.
  Christopher Brookmyre   Scottish author.  Bio.
Jack Parlabane   Scottish investigative journalist catches white-collar, upper-crust crooks.
  Dan Brown                        American author.  Bio.
Novels:   Thriller fiction writer, best known for the bestseller "The Da Vinci Code".
  John Buchan                     Scottish author.  Bio.
Novels:   Scottish author, Governal-General of Canada - "The Thirty Nine Steps".
  Chelsea Cain                    American author.  Bio.
Gretchen Lowell   Female serial killer ...
  Raymond Chandler          American author.  Bio.
Philip Marlowe   The archetypical hardboiled L.A. private eye - "The Big Sleep".
  Agatha Christie                English author.  Bio.
Miss Marples   "There is a great deal of wickedness in village life."
Hercule Poirot   "I admit freely and without hypocrisy that I am a great man."
  Tom Clancy                      American author.  Bio.
Jack Ryan   Political thrillers - technically detailed espionage and military science.
  Arthur C Clarke               English author, lives in Sri Lanka.  Bio.
Novels:   British SF author, inventor, and futurist - "2001 A Space Odyssey".
  Michael Connelly             American author.  Bio.
Harry Bosch   Veteran LA homicide detective frequently in conflict with authority.
  Bernard Cornwell             English author.  Bio.
Sharpe   Promoted from the ranks of the British Army during the Napoleonic wars.
  Patrica Cornwell              American author.  Bio.
Kay Scarpetta   A U.S. forensic pathologist investigates murders.
  Michael Crichton              American author.  Bio.
Novels:   US doctor/author, creator of the TV show "ER" - "Jurassic Park".
  Clive Cussler                    American author.  Bio.
Characters:   Dirk Pitt and Kurt Austin.
  Jeffery Deaver                 American author.  Bio.
Lincoln Rhyme   Mystery/crime novels with a twist - "The Bone Collector".
  Len Deighton                    English author.  Bio.
Characters:   Spy fiction and historical novels - Bernard Samson - "The Ipcress File".
  Colin Dexter                     English author.  Bio.
Inspector Morse   Upper-middle-class, prickly, Oxford detective (played on TV by John Thaw).
  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle   English author.  Bio.
Sherlock Holmes   One of the most famous literary characters of all time.
  James Ellroy                     American author.  Bio.
L.A. Quartet   L.A. noir ...
  Howard Engel                   Canadian author.  Bio.
Benny Cooperman   Detective stories set in the Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada.
  Ian Fleming                       English author.  Bio.
James Bond   One of the world's best known fictional secret agents.
  Ken Follett                        Welsh author.  Bio.
Novels:   "The Eye of the Needle" and many more exciting original thrillers.
  Karin Fossum                    Norwegian author.  Bio.
Inspector Sejer   Crime novels featuring Oslo detective by the "Norwegian Queen of Crime."
  Barbara Fradkin               Canadian author.  Bio.
Inspector Michael Green    Impetuous Ottawa Police Inspector who often neglects police protocol.
  Dick Francis                      English author.  Bio.
Characters:   Sid Halley and Kit Fielding.
  Elizabeth George             American author.  Bio.
Inspector Lynley   See also  Basis for the popular English TV series.
  Tess Gerritsen                 American author.  Bio.
Jane Rizzoli & Maura Isles   A homicide detective and a medical examiner solve crimes in Boston.
  Sue Grafton                      American author.  Bio.
Kinsey Milhone   A tough, nature-hating, fast-food loving female American P.I.
  Caroline Graham             English author.  Bio.
Inspector Barnaby   Midsomer Murders (basis for TV Series).
  Alex Gray                         Scottish author.  Bio.
DCI Lorimer   Tartan Noir crime fiction set in the streets, parks and art galleries of Glasgow.
  Graham Greene               English author.  Bio.
Novels:   World politics, spying, and Catholic religious themes - "The Third Man".
  Ely Griffiths                     English author.  Bio.
Ruth Galloway    Archaeological crime novels set in the coastal marshlands of Norfolk".
  John Grisham                   American author.  Bio.
Speciality:   Modern legal thrillers set in USA - "The Pelican Brief".
  H Rider Haggard              English author.  Bio.
Novels:   Adventures set in Africa - "King Solomon's Mines".
  M R Hall                           English author.  Bio.
Novels:   Jenny Cooper - a coroner who suffers from anxiety and panic attacks.
  Lyn Hamilton                    Canadian author.  Bio.
Lara McClintoch   Archeology, travel and murder ...
  Dashiell Hammett            American author.  Bio.
Characters:   The Continental Op., Sam Spade, The Thin Man - "The Maltese Falcon".
Novels:   Adventures set in Africa - "King Solomon's Mines".
  Robert Harris                   English author.  Bio.
Novels:   Historically-based suspense/thrillers - "Enigma".
  Erin Hart                          Irish author.  Bio.
Nora Gavin/Cormac Maguire   Forensics, history and archaeology in contemporary Ireland.
  Robert A Heinlein            American author.  Bio.
Novels:   A founding father of the hard SF tradition - "Starship Troopers".
  Jack Higgins                     Northern Irish author.  Bio.
Characters:   Liam Devlin, Sean Dillon - "The Eagle has Landed".
  Tami Hoag                        American author.  Bio.
Novels:   A successful author of romances who turned to suspense/mystery novels.
  Arnaldur Indriðason         English author.  Bio.
Inspector Erlendur   Macabre thrillers set in Reykjavík, starring his gloomy Icelandic detective.
  Hammond Innes                English author.  Bio.
Novels:   Fast moving, well-researched adventure stories, often featuring the sea.
  Donald James                   English author.  Bio.
Inspector Vadim   Thrillers set in Russia or occupied France.
  Quintin Jardine                Scottish author.  Bio.
DCC Bob Skinner   Edinburgh's fictional Deputy Chief Constable, 'Britain's toughest cop'.
Oz Blackstone   A Scottish movie actor trying to forget that he was ever a P.I.
  Joseph Kanon                   American author.  Bio.
Novels:   Thriller and spy novels set in the period immediately after World War II.
  Jonathan Kellerman         American author.  Bio.
Alex Delaware   A child psychologist in Los Angeles who solves mysteries.
  Stephen King                    American author.  Bio.
Novels:   American author of bestselling horror and fantasy novels.
  Alanna Knight                   English author.  Bio.
Novels:   Crime fiction, historical and gothic novels set in Scotland.
  Dean Koontz                     American author.  Bio.
Novels:   Psychologically complex thrillers, mystery, suspense, horror, science fiction.
  Linda La Plante                English author.  Bio.
Jane Tennyson   "Prime Suspect" author.
  Stieg Larsson                    Swedish author.  Bio.
Lisbeth Salander:   Crime novels set in Sweden.
  John le Carré                    English author.  Bio.
George Smiley   Quiet, mild-mannered, middle-aged, and a British master-spy
  Elmore Leonard               English author.  Bio.
Chili Palmer   Westerns, mysteries, crime - gritty realism and strong characters and dialogue.
  Douglas Lindsay               Scottish author.  Bio.
Barney Thomson   Crime, black humour, set in Scotland.
  Robert Ludlum                 American author.  Bio.
Jason Bourne   Each of his 21 thrillers, was a NY Times besteller - "The Bourne Identity".
  Stuart MacBride              Scottish author.  Bio.
Logan McRae   Tartan Noir police procedurals set in The Granite City, Aberdeen.
  John D MacDonald           American author.  Bio.
Travis McGee   Salvage consultant and ladies' man trying to clean up Florida.
  Ross Macdonald               American author.  Bio.
Lew Archer   The California private eye with a sensitive side.
  Alastair MacLean            Scottish author.  Bio.
Novels:   Scottish adventure novels - "HMS Ulysses", "The Guns of Navarone".
  Henning Mankell              Swedish author.  Bio.
Character:   Police Inspector Kurt Wallander investigates murders in Ystad, Sweden.
  Archer Mayor                   American author.  Bio.
Character:   Detective Joe Gunther - police procedurals set in Vermont.
  Ann McCaffery                American author.  Bio.
Novels:   American science fiction author known for her Dragonriders of Pern series.
  Val McDermid                  Scottish author.  Bio.
Characters:   Tony Hill/Carol Jordan, Kate Brannigan - "The Wire in the Blood".
  Larry McMurtry              American author.  Bio.
Characters:   Woodrow Call, Gus McCrae - "Lonesome Dove".
  Denise Mina                      Scottish author.  Bio.
Paddy Meehan   Bright, inquisitive, young woman journalist in the men's world of Glasgow.
  Nicholas Montsarrat        English author.  Bio.
Novels:   A UK novelist best known today for his sea stories - "The Cruel Sea".
  Jo Nesbo                           Norwegian author.  Bio.
Harry Hole   An alcoholic Oslo homicide detective with a heart.
  Sara Paretsky                   American author.  Bio.
V I Warshawski   The sexy, streetwise and tough Chicago private eye.
  Robert B Parker              American author.  Bio.
Characters:   Spenser, Jesse Stone, Sunny Randall (and many movies).
  T. Jefferson Parker         American author.  Bio.
Merci Rayborn   Crime, life and death in sunny Southern California.
  James Patterson               American author.  Bio.
Alex Cross   A police psychologist in Homicide and Major Crimes in Washington, D.C.
Maximum Ride   An action-adventure/fantasy series for teens.
The Women's Murder Club   Lindsay Boxer and girl friends solve crimes in San Francisco. (TV series)
  Iain Pears                          English author.  Bio.
Jonathan Argyll   An art historian solves art history mysteries in Italy.
  George Pelecanos           American author.  Bio.
D.C Quartet   More than a dozen novels of detective fiction set in Washington D.C>.
  Louise Penny                    Canadian author.  Bio.
Chief Inspector Gamache    Head of the homicide department of the Sûreté du Québec.
  Ellis Peters                       English author.  Bio.
Brother Caedfel   A herbalist monk solves mysteries in a Welsh abbey TV series.
  Ian Rankin                        Scottish author.  Bio.
Inspector Rebus   An untidy, alcoholic, policeman in the seedy under-belly of Edinburgh.
as Jack Harvey   A few books by Rankin before the Rebus series took off.
  Christopher Reich            American author.  Bio.
Novels:    Often deal with espionage and international finance.
  Kathy Reichs                    American author.  Bio.
Temperance Brennan   The forensic anthropologist character on which the TV series Bones is based.
  Stella Rimington               English author.  Bio.
Liz Carlyle   Spy novels by the former Director-General of MI5, 1992 to 1996.
  J.D. Robb(Nora Roberts)American author.  Bio.
Eve Dallas   Police procedural/murder/suspense/romance - in a futurisitic New York City.
  Peter Robinson                 English author.  Bio.
DCI Alan Banks   Crime novels set in the Yorkshire Dales, by author who now lives in Canada.
  Karin Slaughter                American author.  Bio.
Novels:   American crime writer - Grant County, Atlanta series.
  Alexander McCall Smith Zimbabwean author.  Bio.
No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency   Precious Ramotswe, the first female private detective in Botswana.
  Martin Cruz Smith           American author.  Bio.
Arkady Renko   His Russian investigator hero - "Gorky Park".
  Mickey Spillane                American author.  Bio.
Mike Hammer   A real pulp fiction P.I. - "I, The Jury".
  Rex Stout                          American author.  Bio.
Nero Wolfe   Almost never leaves his New York home - sidekick Archie Goodwin does ...
  Peter Temple                    South African born Australian.  Bio.
Jack Irish   Melbourne-based criminal lawyer/gambler-on-horses who solves crimes.
  Johan Theorin                  Swedish author.  Bio.
Novels:   Crime novels set in Sweden.
  Nigel Tranter                    Scottish author.  Bio.
Novels   Historical novels and factual books about Scotland and the Scots.
  Maurice Walsh                 Irish author.  Bio.
Novels   Set in Scotland or North Kerry, Ireland - "The Quiet Man".
  Donald E. Westlake         American author.  Bio.
Parker   Prolific write of crime stories, often comic ...
  Charles Willeford             American author.  Bio.
Hoke Moseley   Quirky, hard-boiled crime stories, comic and noir ...
  R.D. Wingfield                  English author.  Bio.
D.I. Jack Frost   TV's "A Touch of Frost".

Other Resources:                
   
Booklist   Find your favourites here.
Cozy Mystery List   Another site to find your favourites.
The Crime Library   A collection of over 600 nonfiction stories on major crimes.
Fantastic Fiction   Bibliographies for over 10,000 authors; information on over 210,000 books.
The Write Stuff   Modern Scottish Writers.
Thrilling Detective   Private Eyes & Other Tough Guys.