Book Recommendation.

[pete w]

I'm looking for suggestions for books to buy for my mother's birthday. She enjoys reading fiction along the lines of adventure/mystery/detective stories. She's read all the well known stuff like Agatha Christie, Maeve Binchy, Sue Grafton, Du Maurier etc. and i've about run out of ideas of what to buy her next. So any ideas for little known or long forgotten books/authors would be much appreciated. She's now well into her 80's and doesn't like books with heavy duty swearing or sex scenes. Thanks.

[Eggman]

She might enjoy 'The Moonstone' by Wilkie Collins - reputedly the first modern detective story, but it's a big book.

Alternatively, 'A Child of the Jago' written in 1896 by Arthur Morrison is an interesting (and thrilling) account of a child growing up in the slums of Victorian London. There's no detective, but plenty of crime. 'Tales of Mean Streets' was pretty similar iirc. Arthur Morrison also wrote the 'Martin Hewitt' series of detective stories but I've not read those.

You're unlikely to find anything too shocking in these books because of when they were published; you might come across something like 'D--n you!' but there'll be nothing stronger.

[PaulHogan]

The Reginald Hill books about Dalziel and Pascoe are excellent (and much better than the TV adaptations). Chronological list of them here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalziel_and_Pascoe

[Silver]

Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey

Very old school detective type novel.

[Solitude]

Frankie Boyle's "My ste life so fa..........
Sorry, just re-read O.P.

[pete w]

Thanks all, some good suggestions there.

[JohnnyJones]

I've just read 'The time travellers wife' by Audrey Niffenegger.

Cracking read.

[Flippin' Kipper]

The Suspicions of Mr Whicher by Kate Summerscale? My mum really enjoyed this and forced everyone else to read it too. No sex/drugs/swearing that I remember.

Review by the Times here:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_an...