The Barbarous Coast by Ross MacDonald
Written in 1956, this Lew Archer mystery is so contemporary in its style and themes you would only need to replace pay-phones with cell phones to pass it off as written today.

Don't Look Back by Karin Fossum
Another wonderful Scandinavian novel, this time set in a village in Norway. Inspector Sejer is a likable detective and the excellent writing and strong psychological flavor of this book make it a winner.

Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason
Set in Reykjavik, Iceland, this thriller is loaded with atmosphere, suspense and memorable characters. Everyone in the group loved this one.

Little Scarlett by Walter Mosley
Not just a great mystery, but simply a great book. Set just after the Watts riots of 1968, this is another terrific installment in the Easy Rawlings series.

The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill
The protagonist of this wonderful book is a septuagenarian physician who is reluctantly recruited by the new communist government to be the chief coroner of Laos. This book has just the right mix of mystery, humor, characters, setting and mysticism.

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

Morality Play by Barry Unsworth

The Black Dove by Steve Hockensmith

Acqua Alta by Donna Leon

The First Casuality by Ben Elton

The Winter Queen by Boris Akunin

Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais