IT’S obviously far too late now but at least one of Britain’s top crime solvers needs a name change. Having two of crime fiction’s best with the same surname gives readers one puzzle too many. Is it Helen or Roy who is expected to respond when someone yells “Grace”? Nor is there any easing of the confusion to have them operating within a few miles of each other. Both are on England’s south coast. Roy’s patch is Brighton and its Sussex hinterland. Helen’s manor fans out from Southampton. Less than seventy miles between them. About ninety minutes along the A47… Continue reading
Writing
The past few weeks have been something of a Nordic escape – a binge into a series of crime novels written by Jorn Lier Horst. By my reckoning he’s the new Henning Mankell. He makes a worthy successor to that supreme leader of the Nordic Noir brigade who started really… Continue reading
Twin terror Twins have long provided fertile ground for authors. Especially those who use such relationships to weave tales of murder and mystery. So much intrigue can flow around those whose lives are inextricably linked from the moment of birth. There is no escape. Emotions are heightened, mental ties are… Continue reading
So many books, so little time WITH more hours being expended on reducing the Bedside Reading Pile (BRP) even less time is free to deal with those consigned to the Books For Review (BFR) category. The BRP pile climbs relentlessly higher, while the BFR queue grows longer and longer. Far… Continue reading
Why would anyone want to risk living in the outwardly charming British village of Midsommer? The number of bizarre and sudden deaths that beset its residents must be an estate agent’s nightmare. The ultimate hard sell. Charming 18th century cottage for sale, all bloodstains removed, two previous owners shot, two… Continue reading
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It’s time for members of the BBC’s weekly book discussion group to emerge from Between The Covers and broaden their field of vision. Doing so might change their outdated and somewhat snobbish attitudes to the vast world of crime fiction. Even put some excitement and joy into their studiously serious lives. This tired old viewpoint was well demonstrated in a recent program in which the entire panel expressed little knowledge of crime fiction. They seemed aghast that anyone could even consider it as “serious” writing. Clearly it is not for them. Nor for any “serious” readers. Heaven forbid that works… Continue reading