These are modern authors whose first book was published after 1990. This list is not meant to include all authors during
the period, but only those whose books that I have read and enjoyed. Mysteries published prior to 1990 may be found at
British Mystery Novels 1945 - 1990
Rhys Bowen - Rhys Bowen was born in England, and has worked for both BBC and
Australian TV. She has also written children's books under her own name of Janet Quin-Harkin. She now lives in the United States. Her series detective is constable Evan Evans of the Llanfair, Wales police. She
also had a series about Molly Murphy, an Irish immigrant to the United States. Rhys Bowen Web Site.
Deborah Crombie (1952 - ) Ms. Crombie was born in Dallas, Texas, and has been a frequent visitor to England. Her series feature Duncaid Kinkaid of Scotland Yard, and Gemma Jones of the London Police Force. The first book in the series is A Share in Death which was published in 1993. Ms. Crombie has won the Macavity award. For more information, visit her web site
Anthony Eglin - Those who enjoy gardening will like the novels of Eglin. His
detective Lawrence Kingston investigates garden related crimes, and imparts a good bit of garden lore along the way. Anthony Eglin's web site.
Kate Ellis - Modern day police procedurals with a bit of archaeology mixed in. Follow
the investigations of DI Wesley Peterson, and find out more about archaeology investigations in England. The Kate Ellis web site
Christopher Fowler - Fowler's Bryant and May series describes the sleuthing of two of the most eccentric and unusual detectives in the literature. The adventures of the Peculiar Crimes Unit began in the novel The Water Room. More information may be found at Fowler's web site
Ariana Franklin (1933 - 2011) - The pen name of Diana Norman. She was the author of a series of award winning historical mystery novels which describe the exploits of a woman physician Adelia who was trained in the schools of Salerno in the art of examining dead bodies to determine the true manner of their death. She brings these skills to medieval England in the twelfth century. More about Ariana Franklin may be found at her web site
Ann Granger (1939 - ) Ann Granger was employed with the British diplomatic service for a number of years, and was posted to a number of foreign locations before returning to settle in Oxford. Her series characters are Inspector Alan Markby of the Bamford police and his friend Meredith Mitchell, a foreign service
officer temporarily posted to London. For a bibliography of Granger's books, visit the Fantastic Fiction web site.
Patricia Hall - (1940 - ) Hall (real name Maureen O'Connor) was born in Yorkshire and
worked as a journalist. In her novels, police inspector Michael Thackeray and reporter Laura Ackroyd solve crimes in the Yorkshire town
of Bradford. Her novels deal with the political and social problems in modern Britain. Patricia Hall's web site.
Cynthia Harrods-Eagle - Author of the Bill Slider series about a London policeman. Ms Harrolds-Eagle was born in Shepherd's Bush in London. She graduated from the University of Edinburgh and University College of London. She worked at a variety of jobs until 1979 when she took up writing full time. She is also the author of the Morland Dynasty series of novels. Her web site
Jim Kelly - Author of several novels featuring newpaper reporter Philip Dryden. Kelly has worked as a journalist and education correspondent for the Financial Times. His first novel The Water Clock was shortlisted by the Crime Writers Association for best first novel. An interview with Kelly may be found at the
Penguin Books web site.
Morag Joss - Sara Selkirk, a concert cellist living in Bath, solves crimes and has a romance with the local police inspector in these literate novels. Joss has won the CWA Silver Dagger award for her book Half Broken Things. An interview with Ms. Joss is available at
Book Reporter.com. For more information, visit her web site.
G. M. Malliet - Agatha Award winning author of the St. Just mystery series which combines a good sense of humor with the conventional British cozy novel. Her new series features Max Tudor, a retired MI5 agent, who is now a village priest. Take some time to visit her web site.
Stuart Pawson - Pawson is the author of a series of books about Detective Inspector Charlie Priest which are set in the Yorkshire district. Pawson lives in Yorkshire and, at one time, was a probation officer which, he believes, gives him a good insight into the criminal justice system. More information may be found at his web site. Pawson is a member of the Murder Squad which is a group of seven crime writers from the North of England.
Ian Pears (1955 - ). Pears has written a series of art theft mysteries featuring Jonathan Argyll. Argyll lives in Rome where he is affiliated with Flavia de Stefano and General Bottando of the Italian National Art Theft squad. His biography and an interview are at the Barnes and Noble website. A bibliography of his books may be found at the Fantastic Fiction web site.
Ann Purser - Ann was born in Market Harborough and has lived most of her life in villages. She has been a magazine columminist, an art gallery owner, and a clerical assistant in a village school. Her series features Lois Meade who runs a housecleaning service and also helps the local police in an English village. For more information, visit her web site.
Christopher John (C. J.) Sansom - was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was a practising lawyer until he decided to quit and become a novelist. He writes a series whose sleuth is Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer in England in time of Henry VIII. An interview with C. J. Sansom may be found at the Guardian web site.
Veronica Stallwood - Author of a series of novels in which the sleuth is historical novelist Kate Ivory who lives in Oxford. The first book in the series, Death in the Oxford Box, was published in 1993. Stallwood was a librarian at the Bodleian Library in Oxford before becoming a full-time novelist. A bibliography of her books may be found at the Cozy Mystery List.
Charles Todd - Charles Todd is a mother and son writing team. Their series detective is Ian Rutledge who has returned from World War I shell-shocked and accompanied always by the voice in his head of Hamish, a British soldier whom he had executed on the battlefield for refusing to fight. Todd's books
are gripping and well-written looks at England immediately after World War I. Charles Todd Web Site.
Minette Walters (1949 - ) Walters continues to bring new style to the British mystery with an intense
focus on the psychology and motivations of her characters. She has won an Edgar, a Macavity, and several other awards.
Minette Walters Web Site
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