Detective novels are best suited for those who like to read books so gripping that it is difficult to put them down at the end of a chapter. When preparing the Kaunas Full of Culture August issue dedicated to detectives, I set out to explore which are our city’s residents’ favorites and turned to two libraries and two bookstores in Kaunas for assistance.
What books do Kaunas residents borrow from the library?
Detective stories and thrillers are among the most-read books in Kaunas Vincas Kudirka Public Library. This is the most sought-after genre in the library’s branches and the summer reading spots in the parks. Apparently, people like puzzles and thrills.
According to the statistics of this library, the people of Kaunas mostly borrow psychological thrillers. The US author of thrillers and detective novels, Sandra Brown’s book Outfox has taken the first place. Although many of S. Brown’s books are on the most-read lists, according to Goodreads reviews, this book is a few steps below the author’s standard. This book is rated 4 out of 5 stars by readers on Goodreads.
Next in line are two books from British crime thriller author Angela Marsons’ detective thriller series about detective Kim Stone. The series consist of twenty books, most of which are rated over 4.4 stars out of 5 by Goodreads readers, with Deadly Cry, the fourteenth book in the series, coming in second. Reader Ugnė writes about this book on Goodreads, “Deadly Cry was my favorite of all books published after the Dying Truth. A really interesting plot, seamlessly connected different investigations, and a tense ending – yet another reminder of why I love Marsons’ detective stories so much.”
The third most-read detective story is Twisted Lies by the same author. 67 percent of Goodreads readers rated it with 5 stars. One reader writes, “This is a dark, intense, and fast-paced read, with short, quick chapters and tension that grips the reader until the very last page. The book’s twists are shockingly unexpected and simply showcase how great a crime writer Marsons is. It’s no coincidence that she has a growing army of fans.”
The library also provided a list of detective novels with the longest reservation queues currently: Kristina Ohlsson’s Dimmed Lights, Anna Johannsen’s The Woman from the North Sea, and Tess Gerritsen’s The Spy Coast.
The choice of books is also determined by the time of year. The staff of the Vincas Kudirka Public Library in Kaunas noticed that although detective stories are always at the top of the most-read books’ list, the latest travel guides and itineraries for family trips or bicycle travelers become more popular as summer approaches. For vacations, readers often choose books recommended by friends and relatives or those they’ve seen reviewed online – these are usually lighter reads and rather compact so that more than one book can fit in a suitcase. As autumn sets in and winter approaches, with the days getting rapidly shorter, there is a greater demand for popular psychology books. Questions about how to live longer and better, never go out of fashion. People also look for spiritual reads to stay grounded in these fast-paced times.
Visitors to the Ąžuolynas Library also choose detective novels in particular psychological thrillers. Irish writer Patricia Gibney’s The Stolen Girls takes the first place. This book is part of the detective thriller series about Detective Lottie Parker and the cases she solves. The book is recommended by most Goodreads readers, with one of them writing, “The chapters are short, and the writing is effortless. When you pick up this book, don’t make any serious plans because it’s very easy to get lost in it for the entire afternoon. Lottie intrigues me greatly, and I can’t wait to see how her character develops as the series continues. This quickly became my new favorite series, and now I eagerly await the third book! Bravo!”
The second most read thriller in the library is What Lies Between Us, written by British author John Marrs, who worked as a journalist in London for over twenty years and now devotes himself fully to writing. It is perfect for readers who enjoy intense psychological thrillers. Lithuanian reviews of this book on Goodreads are very positive, with reader Nora writing, “This is exactly my type of thriller, and I gave it all five stars without hesitation. It intrigued, surprised, and horrified me from beginning to end, making me feel extremely uncomfortable as I tried to understand the characters, their motives, and their actions. This is an unusual story where an uncomfortable psychological thread takes the lead, surprising even the most seasoned readers.”
The third place on the most sought-after books’ list is shared by three books: Dead at First Sight by the bestselling author Peter James, And So It Begins by British psychological thriller author Rachel Abbott, and Vanishing Girls by American author Lisa Regan. All of these books have a rating of over 4 stars on Goodreads. Currently, the most popular books on the library’s waitlist are Mantas Adomėnas’ The Coin and the Labyrinth, Lisa Regan’s Her Mother’s Grave, and Leslie Wolfe’s The Surgeon.
The Ąžuolynas Library staff also identifies seasonal trends: in warmer months, during spring and summer, people tend to look for lighter, more cheerful, and optimistic reads. Romance novels, adventure stories, travel descriptions, and light fiction become popular during these seasons. In the cold season, readers often choose more complex and profound literature: detective novels, thrillers, science fiction, and classical literature.
What books do Kaunas residents buy?
Those who can’t wait to read the latest detective stories and don’t want to wait in long library lines, choose to hunt in bookstores. We find Mantas Adomėnas’ The Coin and the Labyrinth, which became a bestseller and was chosen as the Book of the Year in 2023, at the top of the most anticipated publications in the Ąžuolynas Library as well as in the central bookstore of Kaunas. Both parts of this book are also at the top of the best-selling detective stories this year.
Readers’ opinions about the first book found on Goodreads differ. Reader Justė writes, “Instead of the promised spy novel, I got a memoir full of philosophizing and mysticism.” Greek myths and antiquity, many inserted Latin words and phrases were the attributes she disliked the most. Another reader has the opposite opinion about the book, “I’ll be honest – I was really surprised by the multi-layeredness of this work. My hopes for a debut piece were limited to much more modest criteria, but how wrong I was. … It has so many threads of conspiracy, deception within deception, that might make one seriously dizzy.” When reviewing the second book, the readers say that it is similar to the first part in many ways, but it is easy to read.
The Maidens by a British-Cypriot author Alex Michaelides is the second best-selling book. It examines a murder mystery at Cambridge University. Readers on Goodreads usually rate the book three or four stars, but the most popular reviews for this book are negative, for example, “… I would call this the biggest disappointment of the year. The book did not work for me almost from the beginning, there are so many flaws that I am shocked that the same author wrote The Silent Patient.” The idea of a secret maiden society is intriguing. The intersection of psychology and Greek mythology and tragedy is definitely enticing and could have been brutally engaging and darkly entertaining, but unfortunately Michaelides took things in a completely different direction.”
Sandra Brown’s Overkill can be found in the third place. Readers recommend this book as a light read for a lazy Sunday or when you want to “bring something to the beach that lets you keep one eye on your kid who, for some reason, LOVES to eat sand.” The staff of the Central bookstore say that readers most often seek psychological thrillers or detective stories with a historical twist. Readers enjoy detective novels that create a sense of surprise, have plenty of action, and, of course, involve a struggle between good and evil.
If you don’t want to read books by popular authors, you can choose the Kolibris bookstore on K. Donelaičio Street as an alternative to chain bookstores. Here, you will find books from small publishers, printed in small editions. The bookstore’s employee Indrė Gaučienė says that it would be difficult to track statistics on the most popular detective novels because they sell only a few copies per month. You won’t find a separate section dedicated to crime fiction here, but Indrė Gaučienė has a few suggestions. She chooses two thrillers written by Bernardas Gailius – who is presented in this issue of the magazine – The Scent of Blood and The Agent.
The Scent of Blood is classified by readers on Goodreads as more of a historical novel than a thriller, but the plot of this book is intriguing. Reader Dovilė writes about the spy novel The Agent, “I have been haunted by spies and interwar period Kaunas for three days because of this thing! I think this happens when you fall into a book as you would fall into a well and splash about joyfully, and how irritating it is when it all ends!” Both of these books are available for purchase in Kolibris bookstore. The third book is Scottish author Christopher Brookmyre’s debut Quite Ugly One Morning, which had received Critics’ First Blood Award in 1996 as the best crime novel of the year. One reader writes about this book, “I devoured the book. … I’ll probably dive into Brookmyre’s work again whenever I’m in the mood for light entertainment.”
Thus, detective novels and thrillers are extremely popular among the people of Kaunas. They often choose books that have an intriguing plot, unexpected twists and deep psychological aspects. Books by authors like Sandra Brown, Angela Marsons, Patricia Gibney or John Marrs don’t usually collect dust on the bookshelves, but there are so many variations and authors of detective stories that it’s impossible to compile a single ranking – different readers, like different writing styles. And if you haven’t yet discovered your favorite author or crime fiction sub-genre, perhaps now is the time to visit the library or bookstore and immerse yourself in one of these stories.
