I'm a huge suspense/thriller/mystery lover, and am down to only three books in my TBR pile!  My favorites are Lee Child, Harlan Coben, and David Baldacci (in that order), but I've read nearly everything they've written.  Started reading some Michael Connolly (Harry Boesch series) and like him too, although perhaps slightly less than the top three. 

What I like about these authors:  the keep-it-going pace of the stories; surprising plot twists; suspenseful cliffhangers that make me unable to put them down; not a huge amount of superfluous romance in them (if any); great character development. 

Any recommendations?

Thanks!

Thanks, I"ve read quite a lot of Kellerman, Grisham, Cook, Patterson and lots of others.  I think I'm gravitating toward an author that has a series (like Jack Reacher (Child), Myron Bolitar (Coben), Camel Club (Baldacci), Harry Boesch (Connolly). 

I haven't read them, but my dh is a BIG fan of Ian Rankin and Steven Booth (and he likes the author's you read).

Wow, LeeAnne & Marla, thanks for the nice list of author names!  I'm definitely going to check into them!  Will post an update once I get to read some of their stuff.

The only name that I don't see mentioned yet is James Grippando.  Really enjoyed his stuff.

thanks, Melani!

I highly recommend the following:

Brian Freeman books featuring Lt. Jonathon Stride:     Immoral,  Stripped, and Stalked so far.

The Monkeewrench series by P.J. Tracy:  Monkeewrench, Live Bait, Dead Run and Snow Blind so far.

Both are authors that have never let me down.

I was going to recommend the Monkeewrench series as well.  I have Snow Blind to read and it's on the top of the TBR pile!  It was one of the few series that I was able to read Monkeewrench and then Live Bait without going stale.

Something you might try is the Cold Case Squad series by Edna Buchanan.

Ice Maiden, Cold Case Squad, Shadows and Love Kills are the books I've read so far.  I was really into her Britt Montero series and then it just didn't hold my attention that much.  Darn, I just thought of something.  The indroduction of the Cold Case Squad might be in The Garden of Eden, a Britt Montero book that introduces K C Riley, the leader of the Squad.  I know Britt Montero is back in Love Kills more as a secondary player.

Have you tried the John Sandford Lucas Davenport series yet?  And, though he doesn't write a series I love Ken Follett's books!  The last one I read was Whiteout.  He covers a variety of subjects.  From WWII to a bit in the future without being SF.

Meg Gardiner(I bought her because Stephen King recommended her books on the front cover)--and she tells a good story.  Some of them do get a bit gory, but plotwise and action wise they are very well done.  The characters are interestig, too. 

You might like Sue Grafton, too.

These are excellent recommendations, thanks!!

I have a friend who loves John Sandford "Davenport' books too.  Yup, I've tried Sue Grafton and do like her stuff too.  I just ordered a Gruen and a Grippando.  Will give those a try first and then go down this wonderful new list of "try it you like it". 

I'm so glad for this forum.  I just knew that other passionate readers would know just what I should look out for!

You might want to give Robert Crais a try.

I was wondering about Jeffery Deaver and Karin Slaughter, too. 

Hello!  Tony Hillerman and Kirk Mitchell are EXCELLENT!  In fact, I've read all five Kirk Mitchell mysteries (the main character is a Comanche BIA investigator, Emmett Parker) in the past month.  And I'm on the 15th book (out of 18) in the Jim Chee/Joe Leaphorn series by Hillerman.  There is some romance in these books, but it is appropriate and there are not any (thankfully) graphic 'romantic' scenes.

Hope this is helpful.

Yes, everyone has been extremely helpful, thanks so much!! 

id say robert b. parker

I really like Jeffrey Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme series and karin Slaughter's Grant County are good as well even though I hated the ending of the last one.  I also like Dennis Lehane's series with Angela & Patrick.  Alex Kava has a good (short) series featurng Maggie O'Dell.  P.J. Tracy is great!  Linda Fairstein has the Alexandra Cooper series, they are really good too.

Grrrrr, didn't you just want to smack her, Crystal?!  (K. Slaughter, I mean)  She has a new book coming out, but I can't remember if it is the Grant Co. series or the other one.  She has got a lot to make up for, so if it is Grant Co. it better be damn good!

Genesis by Karin Slaughter, the seventh in the Grant County series, is set to be released on July 21. I have heard that Genesis will reveal what happens three years later after the shocker in Beyond Reach.

Thanks, Anna!  I forgot to go look after typing my message.  Y'all are so helpful!  And besides, with dial-up it's faster when someone else does the work!

Some I haven't seen mentioned (along the same lines as Lee Child and David Baldacci's books):

Brad Thor

Alex Berenson

Daniel Silva's "The Marching Season" and "Mark of the Assassin"

Ted Bell

Nelson DeMille's "The Charm School" and the John Corey series

Robert Ludlum (most of his are very good - although there are a few that missed the mark)

Christopher Reich

UPDATE:  Got some new books based on these recommendations...  Just finished "Last To Die" by James Grippando and LOVED it.  I think the lead character "Jack Swyteck" is a series, and am looking forward to reading more by this author.

just started "Deadly Double" by Adrianne Byrd, and am only 2 chapters in and can't put it down!  I'm at work right now, and can't wait to get home to pick it up again.