Are there realistic thrillers (books)? Can you recommend something?

[Corvus]

I have read the Gray Man series and enjoyed the books but they do get a little bit McGyver..ish at times. The Matt Bracken Triolgy was good and have just started looking at the Brad Thor series.

[Eli]

I'll second Steven Hunter. Really like his work, especially Hot Springs, perhaps my favorite book of his, although Master Sniper was also excellent. I like Lee Child's Jack Reacher series, but the later ones have been getting a bit.....meh. Larry Correia and Mike Kupari's Dead Six and the sequel Swords of Exodus are also great reads.

I believe my favorite thriller/mystery writer (honestly my favorite writer, period) is John Sandford. His Prey series is consistently great. Every single one of them is as good or better than the last and they are all very realistic (in sometimes very dark ways). I've read each one of the Prey books multiple times, and intend to read each one several times again, they are THAT good.

[butler coach]

Like many I will recommend hunter
And would like to add Robert Parker. The spencer books.

[LHS]

It may not be the spy/crime genre, but I have had many pleasant hours reading Peter Capstick's books about his and others' time in Africa.

[threedogdad]

I like Lee Child's Jack Reacher series, but the later ones have been getting a bit.....meh.

Agreed.

I think the Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series by Robert Crais has remained consistently better over the years than Child's Reacher books.

[MK11]

Good recommendations, I especially like Hunter, Wynne, Pendleton and Sandford. I'd also recommend Ross Thomas, especially the MacCorckle/Paddillo series. The gun stuff is basic but the writing is good. And for a one-off, "Marathon Man" by William Goldman still holds up (and the book is far more vicious and satisfying than the movie, which is pretty good in its own right).


I just read "Task Force Desperate" by Peter Nealen and was very pleasantly surprised. Good writer AND knows the gun stuff. PMCs running around with tricked out M1As, 1911s, etc.

[Eli]

I think the Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series by Robert Crais has remained consistently better over the years than Child's Reacher books.

I've heard that they're good books, but haven't gotten around to reading any of them yet. I'll have to check them out.

[Clyde from Carolina]

Good recommendations, I especially like Hunter, Wynne, Pendleton and Sandford. I'd also recommend Ross Thomas, especially the MacCorckle/Paddillo series. The gun stuff is basic but the writing is good. And for a one-off, "Marathon Man" by William Goldman still holds up (and the book is far more vicious and satisfying than the movie, which is pretty good in its own right).


I just read "Task Force Desperate" by Peter Nealen and was very pleasantly surprised. Good writer AND knows the gun stuff. PMCs running around with tricked out M1As, 1911s, etc.

I concur. An overlooked gem. Six/Three Days of the Condor is another great and classic book/film set from the 70s.

[Dagga Boy]

Big Stephen Hunter fan. Brad Thor is okay, but everytime I see characters based on turds, I flip out.

Love Tom Clancy...real Tom Clancy. Finished Command Authority in a couple days and it was a "fitting end".

[LittleLebowski]

I also really enjoyed Hot Springs by Hunter. The Bob Lee Swagger novels were a little trying for anyone who knows anything about long range shooting.....