That's my problem. The great works we studied in school I never thought were so great. All I learned from J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye was how to swear. I suppose I'm showing my ignorance.

I just bought Stephen King's "On Writing" and if I find any novels to recommend I will. Try looking at Mar Fenech's trilogy starting with Eight-pointed cross. I loved all three of this series and while she did write with detail, I was totally engrossed.