As chosen by Joe Lofgreen from Joe’s Detective Pages
One of the very first contributors to this site, Joe Lofgreen graciously allowed me to reprint this list way, way back in 1998, taken right from his own, now sadly defunct, Joe’s Detective Pages.
Joe prefaced his selection by stating, “I’m not big on lists, especially top ten lists. But I get a lot a requests for a listing of my favorite detective novels. So here it goes… The only ones I’m real sure of are the top three. To add more variety, I’ve limited it to one entry per author. I have no idea what you’ll want to do with this information.”
At the time, I urged readers to head on over to Joe’s web site for his illuminating explanation of his choices, and the complete, annotated list. And yes, even back then, both Joe and I knew that they weren’t all private eye novels. But who cares, when they’re this good?
By the way, Joe wasn’t just a user —he was also a dealer. He wrote a 1997 “cyber-novel,” As Easy as Speed, featuring private eye Auggie West.
Joe’s Top Ten Faves
- A Dance at the Slaughterhouse (1992) by Lawrence Block (Matt Scudder)
- Called by a Panther (1992) by Michael Z. Lewin (Albert Samson)
- You Get What You Pay For (1988) by Larry Beinhart (Tony Cassella)
- Killer on the Road (1990) by James Ellroy
- Heaven’s Prisoners (1988) by James Lee Burke (Dave Robicheaux)
- Eyes of Prey (1992) by John Sandford (Lucas Davenport)
- Drowned Hopes (1990) by Donald Westlake (Dortmunder)
- Strega (1994) by Andrew Vachss (Burke)
- La Brava (1983) by Elmore Leonard (Joseph LaBrava)
- A Catskill Eagle (1985), by Robert B. Parker (Spenser)
Joe’s Top 5 Classic Influences
- Lady in the Lake (1943) by Raymond Chandler (Philip Marlowe)
- The Maltese Falcon (1930) by Dashiell Hammett (Sam Spade)
- The Blue Hammer (1976) by Ross MacDonald (Lew Archer)
- The Green Ripper (1979) by John D. MacDonald (Travis McGee)
- The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934), by James M. Cain
Joe’s Next 10 Faves
- New Hope For The Dead (1985) by Charles Willeford (Hoke Moseley)
- Tony’s Justice (1993) by Eugene Izzi
- Flame (1990) by John Lutz (Fred Carver)
- The Silence of the Lambs (1988) by Thomas Harris
- Half Nelson (1994) by Jerome Doolittle (Tom Bethany)
- Alice in La-La Land (1987) by Robert Campbell (Whistler)
- Skinwalkers (1990) by Tony Hillerman (Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn)
- Chain of Fools (1996) by Steven Womack (Harry James Denton)
- Skin Tight (1990) by Carl Hiaasen (Mick Stranahan)
- Blue Bayou (1992) by Dick Lochte (Terry Manion)
FURTHER INVESTIGATION
- Internet Archive’s Way Back Machine
I thought both Joe’s novel and his most excellent web site were long gone, but loyal follower Steve Johnson reports that at least some of Joe’s Detective Pages, and a chapter of As Easy as Speed, were findable as of August 14, 2025, at the Internet Archive’s Way Back Machine. Thanks, Steve.
Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith. Thanks, Joe, wherever you are.
That is one solid-ass list, and very discerning to include Called By a Panther. I’d probably pick Looking for Rachel Wallace as my Spenser pick, but it’s a subjective call based on what you love most about the series — Catskill Eagle definitely is a prime pick. Can’t argue about Dance At the Slaughterhouse, though to me, When The Sacred Ginmill Closes is the Scudder epic, again subjectively cause I thought the writing was some of the best I’d read since The Long Goodbye. I paused at Dortmunder, but Drowned Hopes has some essential genre notes, even in a lighter vein. I feel a contemporary list might include a Stephen Greenleaf, but again…😉🙂