Need novels set in London to read before my visit

I am heading to London in a few weeks and am looking for some fiction that is set specifically in London.

I have read quite a few British authors but I am really interested in some of the newer authors that may not have crossed the Atlantic. I have already read Nick Hornby, Heather Fielding, Jilly Cooper, Dick Francis, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, PD James, and a few others that are escaping me at the moment. Looking for something that leans a little more towards literature than towards smut, but mysteries are fine too.

Are you looking specifically for contemporary London or historical fiction as well? (I love Hornsby and Fielding, btw.)

Incidentally, if you don’t mind graphic novels (that are of decidedly non-cartoonish nature), Alan Moore (From Hell, V for Vendetta) and Neil Gaiman (the sublime and semi-divine Sandman series, as well as the more conventional novel Neverwhere) are quite good.

I read Gaiman’s Good Omens (Is that the right title?hmm) and laughed my ass off, somehow I didn’t realize he was British.

I don’t generally like graphic novels, I prefer to do my own ‘casting’ and they don’t allow for that. Both modern and historical fiction is fine, I am just looking for some reference points as I do the rounds.

Well, Sherlock Holmes lived on Baker Street, although it’s changed a little since then
William Gibson’s latest is set mostly in London (some in Tokyo) and is bang up to date - it’s called “Pattern Recognition” - I enjoyed it even though it’s a departure from his usual stuff.
There’s also Pepys’s diary - you can buy it or read his entry for the day here:
http://www.pepysdiary.com/

Have fun!

I’m a fan of Edward Rutherford’s “London.” Its’ a historical novel about 7 or so families in the London area over 2000 years. Its’ a bit lengthly, but it does include a map of the city so you’ll be able to understand where he’s writing about and it let’s you learn a llittle about the city.

Peter Ackroyd’s Hawskmoor is pretty good.

Part historical fiction, mostly supernatural thriller, it shifts between London in the 18th century and in the 1980’s.

Architecture, obscure masonic lore, ritual killings, apparent reincarnation and weird karmic traps. It sounds a bit shite but it’s fantastic, really.

Peter Ackroyd’s Hawksmoor is pretty good.

Part historical fiction, mostly supernatural thriller, it shifts between London in the 18th century and in the 1980’s.

Architecture, obscure masonic lore, ritual killings, apparent reincarnation and weird karmic traps. It sounds a bit shite but it’s fantastic, really.

As Sampiro mentioned, Neil Gaiman doesn’t just do graphic novels; his “normal” novel, Neverwhere, is set in the underground of London… and I second the recommendation for it.

There’s also a pretty decent series of mystery novels set in 18th century London, written by Bruce Alexander, and beginning with Blind Justice.

I quite enjoyed White Teeth by Zadie Smith (although it got mixed reviews). It presented a very sprawling, multicultural, contemporary view of London (it does quite a bit of globetrotting while setting the characters backgrounds before the story establishes itself in North London).

Also try Michael Moorcock (esp. Mother London) or Iain Sinclair (White Chappell, Scarlet Tracings) for amazing representations of London’s mass of humanity and history.