Miss Marple, as mentioned before. She might seem like an ordinary old lady at first glance, but she has an uncanny ability to pick up on the smallest details that others miss and use them to crack the case.
Kinsey Millhone from Sue Grafton's 'Alphabet' series. She's a private investigator with a no - nonsense attitude. She's independent and tenacious in her pursuit of the truth in the various cases she takes on.
In the Victorian era, Sherlock Holmes stands out. He's a symbol of the era's fascination with scientific thinking and rational deduction. Moving on to the early to mid - 20th century, Hercule Poirot was extremely popular. His cases often took place in glamorous European settings. And then in the mid - 20th century in America, we had Philip Marlowe, who was more of a hard - boiled detective dealing with the seedy underbelly of urban life.
Agatha Christie is a classic author in the crime genre. Her books often feature strong female characters and intricate plots. For example, Miss Marple is one of her most famous creations. Karin Slaughter is another contemporary author. Her novels are gritty and often deal with tough topics. Her female characters are strong and complex, such as in her Grant County series. Sue Grafton was also well - loved for her 'alphabet' series which had a female private investigator as the main character.
In many of these books, female detectives are often highly observant. For instance, like Miss Marple, they can pick up on the smallest details that might seem insignificant at first but are actually crucial to solving the case. They also tend to be very empathetic. This allows them to understand the motives and feelings of the people involved in the mystery, as seen with Precious Ramotswe in 'The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency'.
John Grisham. His 'A Time to Kill' was published in 1987. He is well - known for his legal thrillers which often have elements of crime and justice.
Don Winslow. He wrote some great crime works in 2016. His writing often has a gritty and realistic feel, delving deep into the criminal underworld and the characters involved.
There's also Tess Monaghan in Laura Lippman's series. Tess is a private investigator in Baltimore. She is smart, tenacious, and has to navigate the seedy underbelly of the city in her investigations, often getting into dangerous situations as she uncovers the truth.
Mario Puzo is a very famous writer known for mafia crime novels. His 'The Godfather' is a classic in this genre. It delved deep into the world of the mafia, exploring family, power, and loyalty within the criminal underworld.
Yes, there are some. 'The Da Vinci Code' by Dan Brown is a famous novel that involves certain fictional interpretations related to Jesus. However, it has also been highly controversial as it challenges some traditional beliefs.
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway also touches on war crimes in a way. Set during the Spanish Civil War, it shows the brutalities of war, such as the killing of unarmed civilians and prisoners. Hemingway's vivid descriptions of the violence and the moral ambiguities of war bring to light the concept of war crimes within the context of this particular conflict.
Laurell K. Hamilton is quite well - known for her 'Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter' series. Her books blend vampire themes with crime and other supernatural elements.