1. Agatha Christie - Nemesis
Ok so all Christie is well worth a read but this Miss Marple is a classic of the Christie cannon. A dead man sends Miss Marple a letter with instructing her to investigate a crime but fails to tell her who, where and when the crime was committed.
2. Alexander McCall Smith - The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency
A captivating read which transports you to a different pace and way of thinking. Precious Ramotswe is Botswana's only female detective. Wayward daughters, curious conmen and philandering partners are her usual fare but this time the case of a missing child proves to be far more sinister.
3. Christopher Brookmyre - Quite Ugly One Morning
A witty, face-paced crime set in Edinburgh and the dialogue is a real joy to read. Journalist Jack Parlabane stumbles over a corpse while nursing a hellish hangover and determines to solve the murder himself.
4. Ira Levin -A Kiss Before Dying
An award winning modern classic, it's a suspenseful tale which is a thrill to read. When Dorothy falls pregnant while still in college, the fear of her family discovering the truth and disinheriting her a very real threat. However, her handsome young beau, has the answer a few pills that would mean no baby - and perhaps no Dorothy either.
5. M.C.Beaton - Death of a Gossip
Well crafted and easy to read, the Hamish Macbeth series make and excellent lazy Sunday read. This is the first in the series and sees Lochdubh's Police Sergeant - Hamish Macbeth try to solve the murder of the town's gossip who was sharing secrets about nearly everyone.
Ms Dewar suggests the Dublin Murder Squad books by Tana French - they're a series but they don't all have the same police in them so they work as stand alones or in any order.
Mrs.Kerr (pupils support) recommends David Baldacci who writes thrillers with a crime element.
Mr.Toman suggests The City and The City by China Miéville which combines weird fiction with a police procedural.
(NB: these are all from the adult fiction section)
