For his debut column as Kirkus Reviews’ lead blogger in the Mysteries and Thrillers category, he came up with of a list of “'old reliables'—novelists who almost never disappoint," including:Loren D. Estleman: While he’s also made a name for himself writing westerns, Estleman’s biggest claim to fame is Amos Walker. Introduced in Motor City Blue (1980), loner Walker is a Detroit private eye quite content with being a politically incorrect, hard-boiled and grouchy throwback. And at least he gets the job done, subduing crooks and killers with his rapier wit and rougher knuckles. These books aren’t for everyone, but they deserve applause for their tight plotting and wonderfully cynical prose, and Estleman’s love of Detroit shines through each chapter. The 20th and most recent Walker novel was last year’s The Left-Handed Dollar.Read about another novelist on Pierce's list.
--Marshal Zeringue
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