I've recommended Janaet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books before but they really are a 'good' read, also Michael Connelly, Liz Evans ( a sort of British Stephanie Plum) Alex Keegans Kaz Flood series, I agree with RCP about Laurence Block's Matt Scudder, he also writes another series whose hero's name I forget but he's been defrosted from the 1960's! Linda Fairstein another US female crime writer worth a go. But thanks for the list guy's I'm off to the library with a big bag!