Want a new read?

I have a number of friends who like the same authors as I do. One of my friends, we'll call him Bill Johnson, was looking for some new authors, so this one's for you Bill. (Beverly, you can read these too,)

Notice, this group all looks for authors not books because we tend to read everything from an author we like. Also, we all tend to read to relax. These authors don't write historically significant literature, they write a good story. Last week I read "Internal Control-Integrated Framework, Guidance for Smaller Public Companies Reporting on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting" by the Comittee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

It didn't relax me. So here are some better options:

By Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

With Special Agent Pendergast
- The Relic
- Still Life with Crows

The Relic started it all and Still Life with Crows is still one of my favorites. Pendergast is a ghoulish Sherlock Holmes style character great for these books. All the other Pendergast books are good, but these two are fabulous. Read Relic first.

Without Special Agent Pendergast
- Riptide
- Thunderhead
- Ice Limit

Unlike other writers with great characters who don't stray too far from the formula, these guys write great books with or without Pendergast. Riptide ranks as one of my all time favorites.

By Lincoln Child
- Utopia

Child hit a winner on his own with Utopia. This theme park based thriller has a few bumps but the scene that is set is just fantastic. You'll overlook any flaws.

By Stephen Hunter
- Point of Impact
- A Time to Hunt
- Pale Horse Coming

Stephen Hunter, ironically enough, writes about snipers. A Time to Hunt ranks as one of my all time favorites but if you've never read Hunter, read Point of Impact first. Stephen's work focuses on 2 main characters, either Earl Swagger in the post WWII era or his son, Bob Lee Swagger (aka, Bob the Nailer) in the Vietnam/Post-Viet era. You have love a guy with a name like Bob the Nailer!

By Nelson DeMille
- Spencerville

I like a lot of DeMille's work but only Spencerville transcends. This is a great book.

By Clive Cussler

- Sahara

Forget the movie. Think of the books as a twinkie for the brain. Turn off your cognitive reasoning, block out all the flaws and just enjoy this one.

By John J. Nance
- Turbulence

Nance is generally OK but this one was really good. Communication gone awry in the air. You may not want to fly again after reading this one.

By Jeffrey Archer
- As the Crow Flies

One of my favorites for years, great story great style.

Everyone who knows me knows that I love Clancy, Grisham and Crichton so this is my extended list. I'm thinking about doing a top 50 list for myself but that's another entry.