Thriller author Dan Brown is known for his bestselling Robert Langdon series, which includes the wildly popular book The Da Vinci Code. Unfortunately for Dan Brown fans, the fifth book in the Robert Langdon series, Origin, is not due to be published until September 2017. While we await more art, history, and symbol decoding, here are seven authors like Dan Brown to read next.
John P. Marquand
Photo: Wikipedia
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author is best known for his Mr. Moto spy novels, which follow the adventures of the titular Japanese secret agent and detective. Apart from his popular detective novels, Marquand also gained acclaim for his literary fiction—including his Pulitzer Prize winner: The Late George Apley. Those looking for fast-paced international fiction will enjoy the Mr. Moto series, along with Marquand’s other stand-alone crime novels.
Recommended Reads:
Your Turn, Mr. Moto (The Mr. Moto Novels – #1), by John P. Marquand
The Mr. Moto Novels, by John P. Marquand
Randy Wayne White
Photo: Courtesy of Open Road Media
Author Randy Wayne White has several thrilling mystery series, including: Hawker, Hannah Smith, and Doc Ford. Like the Robert Langdon series, each follows a character thrown into an exciting, but dangerous, situation. White is an adventurer at heart, and has written for Outside and National Geographic.
Recommended Reads:
Florida Firefight (Hawker series), by Randy Wayne White
L.A. Wars (Hawker series), by Randy Wayne White
Bone Deep (A Doc Ford Novel), by Randy Wayne White
Geoffrey Household
Photo: Courtesy of Alchetron
This author is best known for his 1939 novel, Rogue Male—in which an unnamed protagonist is on the run after possibly attempting to assassinate an unnamed European dictator. Apart from many thrillers, Geoffrey Household’s bibliography also includes four young adult novels and seven short story collections. As in Dan Brown novels, the European backdrop of these books plays an important role in the story.
Recommended Reads:
Dance of the Dwarfs, by Geoffrey Household
Rogue Male, by Geoffrey Household
Rogue Justice, by Geoffrey Household
J.D. Robb
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
J.D. Robb is actually the pseudonym for Nora Roberts, the bestselling romance author. Robb took the alias in 1995 to begin the In Death series—which is a detective novel that revolves around Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her husband Roarke. Like Dan Brown, Robb mixes some romantic suspense with her thrillers. Right now, there are 54 books in the In Death series—with number 55 to be published in February 2017.
Recommended Reads:
Naked in Death, by J.D. Robb
Glory in Death, by J.D. Robb
Survivor in Death, by J.D. Robb
Kathleen McGowan
Photo: Courtesy of Kathleen McGowan
Kathleen McGowan’s first book actually has a lot to do with the plot of The Da Vinci Code. Her series of books, The Magdalene Line, follows both fictitious and historical characters she believes were misrepresented in history. The first book in the series, The Expected One, focuses on Mary Magdalene and a hidden Gospel she wrote about the life of Jesus from her point of view.
Recommended Reads:
The Expected One, by Kathleen McGowan
The Book of Love, by Kathleen McGowan
The Poet Prince, by Kathleen McGowan
David Baldacci
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
A former lawyer, Baldacci’s novels are mostly political thrillers. His first novel, Absolute Power, which was later turned into a film starring Clint Eastwood, follows a burglar on the run after the President’s Secret Service blame frame him for murder. His novels tend to deal with conspiracies, which fans of Dan Brown are sure to enjoy.
Recommended Reads:
Absolute Power, by David Baldacci
The Guilty, by David Baldacci
The Camel Club, by David Baldacci
John Grisham
Photo: J. Countess / Getty Images
John Grisham is known for his engrossing legal thrillers, including The Firm and The Pelican Brief—both of which became films. Grisham was a lawyer and Representative for the state of Mississippi before becoming a novelist. The testimony of a young girl is what inspired his first novel, A Time to Kill. Like Brown, Grisham’s books are extremely detailed—pulling you into the novel’s place and time.
Recommended Reads:
A Time to Kill, by John Grisham
The Runaway Jury, by John Grisham
The Testament, by John Grisham
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Featured Still from "The Da Vinci Code" via Columbia Pictures
