But books like that satisfy a particular need. At other times, a reader like me (and many others) wants some pure escapist brain candy like a well written crime thriller. Such books don't pretend to be future classics. No one will be reading them a century from now.
Brain candy novels are the opposite of chic lit and aren't the same as mysteries. They're urgent, fast-paced, smart thrillers with escalating jeopardy and tension featuring ruthless sociopathic antagonists and morally compromised, brilliant protagonists. You often know who the bad guys are and what they're up to long before the central character does, but part of the fun is trying to figure out how the good guy will prevail.
Michael Connelly used to be my go-to writer for escapist brain candy. But then I read every book he's ever written, so I needed another source. John Sandford has more recently filled that role.
But now I've read almost everything Sandford has written and need to find another replacement. Lee Child is a possible alternative, but I don't think he's as strong a writer as Connelly and Sandford.
I guess I'll just have to read some possible new candy suppliers until I find another writer to devour. I'm going to give James Lee Burke, Harlan Coben, and John Connolly (no relation to Michael) each a try.
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