I was nine when I read my first adult novel, Jane Eyre. I don’t think I understood much of it but the adults were terribly impressed. The first novels I actually enjoyed were John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday whose brand of pathos probably set me on a course to best liking the rollercoaster reads that dip into darkness, then soar with humour.
Not all the books I list here dip into darkness but they all do reach great funny heights. I wouldn’t even attempt to rate them because I might have a lot of equal firsts, but I have read them all and given them all four or five stars in reviews.
You can leave a message (at the end of this page) if you’d like to recommend a funny book to me and like-minded readers who wander in here.
Funny crime caper from Australia. Black, dry humour. 
Carl Hiaasen .. the bad guys and idiots always get it. US. 
Poignant, uplifting and funny. Sweden. 
Dated (1958) from England but I enjoyed it. 
My first love. US. 
Read it on a beach in 1991. Laughed a lot. US. 
English author. Very funny. 
Written in 1960. Story holds up well. England. 
Quirky and funny. Alaska. 
Always enjoy his weird worlds. US. 
Has its funny moments. English. 
Non-fiction. Love his anecdotes. US/UK. 
I’m still laughing about the fat Labrador. Very English. 
If you read this and laugh you’re probably going to hell. US. 
English humour writer. 
Black humour from Sweden. 
Bit long for me but great storyline. Sweden. 
The novel that launched Northern Ireland funnyman. 
We’re always lucky to find a new Hiaasen. US. 
Medical mystery told with humour. US. 
Irish comedian killing it as an Indie author. 
Laced with humour. US. 
Englishman in France. 
Quirky and funny. US. 
Gritty story told with humour. England/Northern Ireland 
For my money, his funniest. Northern Ireland. 
Carl Hiaasen … hoorah. Florida. 
Medical mystery told with humour. US. 
The weird humour kept drawing me the light like a moth. England. 
Wonderfully poignant and funny. Sweden. 
Funny English writer 
Manic English Writer who had a hand in The Young Ones. 
Funny English writer who churned out books to pay for his extensive list of kids. 
Nice start. Indie writer. US. 
Medical mystery told with humour. US. 
Non-fiction. This newspaper columnists lurched from funny too serious. US. 
I enjoyed this poignant story told with humour. UK/Poland. 
One of the great characters is Mr Rumpole. UK. 
He knew how to weave a story and lace it with humour. US. 
Billed as Scandi-Blanc by a prolific African/Scottish writer. Delicious satire. 
He won’t go away. US 
He’s a very funny writer. US. 
US. Time and time .. 
… again. US. 
Better than the first one IMHO. US. 
Irish. Dated. But I laughed a lot. 
More Irish laughter. 
Funny autobiography. US. 
Weird title, hilarious book. UK 
Funniest travel book ever for me. US. 
Australian classic. Dated, but WTF. 
I laughed and laughed. English classic. 
US Indie writer. Humorous suspense. 
Northern Ireland. 
Part of the Mystery Man series. Northern Ireland. 
This hit a chord. UK. 
Ireland. I like the author’s work. 
Another author who draws me to the weird light. US. 
Northern Ireland funny writer. 
Bateman goes to the US. Northern Ireland. 
Funny. Poignant. UK. 
He like punny titles. Northern Ireland. 
Part of the funny Mystery Man series. Northern Ireland. 
US .Lighter style mystery. 
Bateman goes to Canada. Northern Ireland. 
Indie author. US. 
Northern Ireland. 
English. 
Part of a mega successful series. US. 
US Indie author. Humorous suspense. 
Northern Ireland. 
Northern Ireland. 
US. 
US Indie. 
Northern Ireland 
English satire. 
Part of the funny Mystery Man series. Northern Ireland. 
Irish TV comic tries his hand at novel writing. Character and wit.
JOHN MARTIN 