‘The Maltese Herring’ L C Tyler

Published by Allison & Busby,
18 July 2019.
ISBN: 978-0-74902450-5 (HB)

Attending a reunion dinner at his old college, Ethelred Tressider is both surprised and pleased to find himself elevated to top table where the chairs are comfortable unlike his usual placing at one of the long shiny oak tables with hard benches. However, he realises that he is positioned with the least distinguished of the guests. On one side is the elderly wife of a long dead fellow and on the other Dr Hilary Joyner - neither liked nor respected by his peers, but still determined that his next venture will bring him the recognition he feels he deserves.

When Ethelred had been an undergraduate Hilary Joyner had been a rather natty young don. An historian, since then he had written books that had been overlooked and was currently working on another about the English monasteries. After dessert Joyner turned his attention to Ethelred and explained that he was approaching the subject of his next book with a new angle - an alleged dispute between two monastic houses in Sussex. ‘You mean the ‘buried treasury story’ said Ethelred.  ‘I’m afraid Iris Munnings won’t allow any sort of access to the priory’. His words galvanised Joyner  especially when it emerged that Ethelred lives in West Wittering, the village with the priory. Despite Ethelred’s excuses about the urgency of finishing his next book, and the slightness of his acquaintanceship with Iris Munnings, he finds to his horror that Joyner has decided to stay with him.  As he grapples with this situation his phone beeped with an incoming text from his agent, whom he had just that day emailed ‘that a visit this weekend was out of the question’ announcing ‘coming as planned Friday.’ Elsie xxx

Dr Joyner and Elsie Thirkettle do not actually initially hit it off at once, (which is a fascinating story in itself). But soon all three are in pursuit of the missing Maltese Madonna despite the curse carried by the statue of misfortune and possibly a horrible death to any owner.  Into the mix come Henry Polgreen, chairman of some obscure committee and Tertius Sly, who had for some years aspired to unseat Henry and take over the chairmanship himself.  Eventually they all fetch up at Iris’s where they encounter Professor Cox much to the chagrin of Joyner. But their quest comes to an abrupt halt with Joyner’s death. Not a nice way to go.

Once again Ethelred finds himself sleuthing with Elsie.  The search for both the Maltese Madonna and the murderer carries them into uncharted territory, and we meet more engaging characters along the way, before the killer is found.   Clever, witty and funny. Yes, I loved this book and I am already looking forward to the next adventure of Ethelred and Elsie, even if Ethelred isn’t. Most highly recommended.

 ------

Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett 

L. C. Tyler was born in Southend, Essex, and educated at Southend High School for Boys, Jesus College Oxford and City University London. After university he joined the Civil Service and worked at the Department of the Environment in London and Hong Kong. He then moved to the British Council, where his postings included Malaysia, Thailand, Sudan and Denmark. Since returning to the UK he has lived in Sussex and London and was Chief Executive of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health for eleven years. He is now a full-time writer. His first novel, The Herring Seller's Apprentice, was published by Macmillan in 2007, followed by A Very Persistent Illusion, Ten Little Herrings, The Herring in the Library, Herring on the Nile, Crooked Herring, Cat among the Herrings and Herring in the Smoke. The first book in a new historical series, A Cruel Necessity, was published by Constable and Robinson in November 2014. Since then he has published four further books in this series. The latest being The Bleak Midwinter. His latest Ethelred and Elsie is The Maltese Herring.

http://www.lctyler.com/

‘Murder in the Mill-Race’ by E.C.R. Lorac

Published by The British Library,
6 August 2019.
ISBN 978-0-7123-5268-0 (PB)

The story is set a few years after the end of the Second World War and starts when Dr Raymond Ferens and his wife, Anne, move to the remote Devonshire village of Milham in the Moor. Raymond survived captivity by the Japanese in the war, but the experience effected his health and he has been advised to buy a country practice, away from the dirt and demands of being a doctor in an industrial city. Milham in the Moor seems perfect for their needs, especially when they contrive to rent the ground floor of the beautiful Dower House from Lady Riding, the avaricious lady of the manor.

Anne is a warm-hearted and friendly young woman and, at first, she finds the village and its wonderful setting delightful, but soon she discovers a darker and more malicious side to the community. At the heart of this malice is Miss Monica Torrington, usually known as Sister Monica, who for thirty years has run the children’s home, Gramarye. Sister Monica is an exceptionally tall woman who insists on wearing ‘the long dark cloak and veil which hospital nurses had worn as uniform in the early nineteen hundreds.’ At their first meeting, despite her soft voice and gracious manner, Anne notes that she smiles with her lips but it doesn’t reach her eyes. Later, when Anne is invited to have tea with Sister Monica at the orphanage, she is appalled by the Victorian-style iron discipline and is convinced that the children are afraid. Raymond agrees that the orphanage is run on rigid and old-fashioned lines, but the administration of the establishment is nothing to do with him because his predecessor, old Dr Brown, chose to retain care of the inhabitants of the orphanage, even though he sold the rest of the practice.

Anne soon discovers that it is wise to keep her opinion of Sister Monica to herself, as, in the village everyone seems to share Sister Monica’s own view of herself as a wise, wonderful and deeply spiritual woman. Another newcomer to the village warns Anne that Sister Monica either likes you or actively does not, and it soon becomes clear that Sister Monica does not like Anne. Sister Monica’s spite is hard to counter, as her technique is to assure listeners that certain pieces of malicious gossip, which she has started, are untrue, which gives the impression that they really are true, but that Sister Monica is too noble and charitable to confirm them. Sister Monica’s way of dealing with anybody she dislikes seems innocuous, but it can drive people out of the village and destroy careers and relationships.

When the woman who most of the villagers declare is a saint is found dead in the mill stream, Raymond notices that, underneath the platitudes, many people are relieved by her death. It seems that Sister Monica’s determination to know everything that goes on in the village may not be due to simple curiosity but to use her knowledge to gain power over people. The local police, who are not residents of Milham in the Moor, find it impossible to overcome the villager’s reticence and call in Scotland Yard. Detective Chief Inspector Macdonald and Detective Inspector Reeves arrive in the village to investigate Sister Monica’s death and have to contend with the tricks and manipulations of villagers determined to keep their secrets and protect their own people. Despite this the detectives soon discover dark truths in the dead woman’s past that provide motives for murder and may endanger the innocent.

E.C.R. Lorac was a prolific writer of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s and most of her detective stories feature Macdonald as he works his way up the ranks of Scotland Yard. Recently, several of Lorac’s stories have been republished by the British Library and Murder in the Mill-Race is an excellent example of her work. The descriptions of the psychology of a community that will protect its own, and its vulnerability to dominance by a disordered personality, is skilfully portrayed. Lorac is also accomplished at describing various settings and the beauty of the scenery forms an evocative contrast to the dark emotions that are seething in the secret lives of the inhabitants. Lorac has a tendency to create mainly unlikeable characters but, in Murder in the Mill-Race, Anne and Raymond are appealing protagonists and Macdonald’s interaction with Reeves is also lively and enjoyable. Murder in the Mill-Race is a fascinating novel and one which I recommend.

------

Reviewer: Carol Westron

E.C.R. Lorac was a pen name of Edith Caroline Rivett (1894-1958) who was a prolific writer of crime fiction from the 1930s to the 1950s, and a member of the prestigious Detection Club. She lived her last years with her elder sister, Gladys Rivett (1891-1966), in Lonsdale, Lancashire. Edith Rivett died at the Caton Green Nursing Home, Caton-with-Littledale, near Lancaster. Her books have been almost entirely neglected since her death but deserve rediscovery as fine examples of classic British crime fiction in its golden age.

To reads more about E C R Lorac visit https://promotingcrime.blogspot.com/2019/05/ecr-lorac.html

  

Carol Westron is a successful short story writer and a Creative Writing teacher.  She is the moderator for the cosy/historical crime panel, The Deadly Dames.  Her crime novels are set both in contemporary and Victorian times.  The Terminal Velocity of Cats the first in her Scene of Crimes novels, was published July 2013. Carol recently gave an interview to Mystery People. To read the interview click on the link below.

https://promotingcrime.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/carol-westron.html

www.carolwestron.com
http://carolwestron.blogspot.co.uk/

To read a review of Carol latest book Strangers and Angels click on the title.

‘Strange Affairs, Ginger Hairs’ by Arthur Grimestead.

Published by Matador,
28 May 2019.
ISBN: 978-1-78901811-0

Ginger Jones is eighteen, unemployed, broke and generally depressed with life. He lives on a council estate in Hull with his parents, both eccentric, dishonest and indifferent toward him. His best pal has turned to crime to live his life in style. Ginger is adamant he wouldn’t follow suit and wants a life free of trouble. This is not to be as a valuable and much wanted item turns up in his fried fish. Then everything changes.

Ginger is pursued by the local gang leader and even his best friend turns on him. He decided to go on the run, leave his achingly lonely life and head for who knows where. Here he meets a spoilt upper-class woman who, using her charm and his naivety, draws him into her life of robbery and violence. More people are now after him and his only way to save himself is to try and turn the tables on his pursuers.

This is fun and witty read, full of colourful characters, farcical situations, many hysterical one-liners, that had me laughing out loud on public transport. It comes highly recommended and is perfect escapism (if you’ll pardon the pun).

------

Reviewer: Linda Regan

Lindareganonline.co.uk

Arthur Grimestead was born in Hull but doesn't blame anyone. He lives with a woman, a dog, and a cat (no order of preference). Strange Affairs, Ginger Hairs is his debut.

Linda Regan is the author of six police procedural crime novels. She is also an actress. She holds a Masters degree in critical writing and journalism, and writes a regular column, including book reviews, for three magazines. She also presents the book-club spot on BBC Radio Kent. She is an avid reader, and welcomes the chance to read new writers. 

  To read a review of Linda's most recent book
Sisterhoods
click on the title. 

www.lindareganonline.co.uk

‘The Other Mrs Miller’ by Allison Dickson

Published by Sphere,
16 July 2019.
ISBN: 978-0-7515-7480-7 (TPB)

When you When you pick up a novel in the crime or thriller fiction genre, it's never a surprise when you encounter a dead body. In that regard, The Other Mrs Miller runs true to form. But in every other way this twisty, unusual psychological thriller is full of surprises – including the identity of that dead body. 

Phoebe Miller is a poor little rich girl. Her billionaire father has recently died (of natural causes in case you were wondering), leaving in his wake a whole raft of lawsuits from women who claim he sexually assaulted them, and consequently a lot of hassle from the press. Phoebe takes comfort in far too much wine and the upmarket version of junk food, and between that and her refusal to continue with IVF after four failed attempts, her marriage to psychotherapist Wyatt begins to fall apart.

Then a new family moves into the neighbourhood, including Jake, an alluring eighteen-year-old son. Phoebe starts a secret affair with him, and also becomes friends with his mother Vicki, who might just possibly be an abused wife – and these new interests almost make her forget the blue car which has parked across the street every day for months, making her wonder if she's being spied on.

And then there's a blackmail note.

It mostly takes place in and around Phoebe and Wyatt's upscale suburban home (quartz worktops in the kitchen, knives costing a thousand dollars) and Vicki's spartan and dilapidated one (folding metal chairs, rotting hoses on the kitchen appliances), with occasional forays into the moneyed surrounding area (Italian cake shops, designer clothes). It's all vivid and colourful, even (or perhaps especially) the one brief trip outside this affluence into poorer agricultural territory. 

As if a great sense of place and a plot with more going on than an episode of EastEnders wasn't enough, Allison Dickson has peopled this scenario with slightly larger than life characters who would be quite at home in a soap opera. Jake could be a young Jason Donovan. Martine McCutcheon could play histrionic-prone Vicki, with Ross Kemp as his combustible dad. Phoebe herself might have stepped out of Dynasty.  

And then there's Nadia. Did I mention Nadia? She's the one who turns everything on its head...

If I haven't tempted you to read this novel yet, let me have one more try. There's a massive twist, and I challenge the most experienced thriller reader to see it coming. No, it's not another attempt at Gone Girl. The Other Mrs Miller plays by its own rules. I loved it. So will you. 

-------

Reviewer: Lynne Patrick

Allison M. Dickson is the author of several well-reviewed independently published novels and short stories covering everything from horror and sci-fi to suspense. Her major debut thriller, The Other Mrs. Miller, was published by Putnam on 7/16/19Allison M. Dickson is the author of several well-reviewed independently published novels and short stories covering everything from horror and sci-fi to suspense. Her major debut thriller, The Other Mrs. Miller, was published by Putnam on 16 July 2019.

Lynne Patrick has been a writer ever since she could pick up a pen, and has enjoyed success with short stories, reviews and feature journalism, but never, alas, with a novel. She crossed to the dark side to become a publisher for a few years, and is proud to have launched several careers which are now burgeoning. She lives on the edge of rural Derbyshire in a house groaning with books, about half of them crime fiction.

‘Ungentlemanly Warfare’ by Howard Linskey

Published by No Exit Press,
6 June 2019.
ISBN: 978-0-85730-320-2 (PBO)

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare was how Winston Churchill described the Special Operations Executive, a collection of mavericks who were dropped behind enemy lines to offer help to resistance fighters during the Second World War. It provides fiction writers with a rich seam to mine; its operatives worked 'off the books', and getting results was deemed far more important than playing by the rules – especially since Hitler rewrote the rules to suit himself – so it's easy to invent missions for them.

Howard Linskey's protagonist Captain Harry Walsh is one of those mavericks. Promoted on the battlefield, gentleman he certainly is not, though he has his own code of honour, which includes short shrift for bureaucracy and the kind of authority that has an inflated sense of the importance of having attended the right school. Harry is prepared to break every rule in a library of books when he is sent into France to assassinate a German scientist who has come far too close to perfecting a secret weapon which might make a difference to the outcome of the war.

Linskey creates a scenario which is totally alien to most people: a motley bunch of resistance fighters or Maquisards with varying degrees of skill, holed up in squalid conditions and determined to make life as difficult as possible for the occupying forces. He uses documented history to add colour and realism, and though some of the characters are instantly recognizable from a hundred war movies, they still emerge as genuine people.

Harry Walsh himself is a troubled soul: a survivor of what amounted to a massacre at Dunkirk, a marriage that's pedestrian at best but with no chance of escape, a self-important boss who regards him with contempt. As if that wasn't enough, he's hopelessly in love with feisty fellow operative Emma Stirling, who appears unexpectedly shortly after his own arrival in France.

It all adds up to a pacy, dramatic adventure behind enemy lines, complete with explosions, bombed bridges and railway lines, kidnapping and shoot-outs. There's even a generous sprinkle of name-dropping: real-life people like Ian Fleming and Kim Philby, whose association with SOE is well documented.

Will Harry complete his mission? What will become of him and Emma? Will the Allies win the war? We know the answer to one of those questions. For the other two you'll have to read the book.  And it's well worth reading.-----Reviewer: Lynne Patrick

Howard Linskey has worked as a barman, journalist, catering manager and marketing manager for a celebrity chef, as well as in a variety of sales and account management jobs. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites on a number of subjects. The Drop was Howard’s debut novel, published by ‘No Exit’ in 2011.Originally from Ferryhill in County Durham, he now lives in Hertfordshire with his wife Alison and daughter Erin.

Lynne Patrick has been a writer ever since she could pick up a pen, and has enjoyed success with short stories, reviews and feature journalism, but never, alas, with a novel. She crossed to the dark side to become a publisher for a few years, and is proud to have launched several careers which are now burgeoning. She lives on the edge of rural Derbyshire in a house groaning with books, about half of them crime fiction.

‘Born Bad’ by Heather Burnside

Published by Head of Zeus,
4 April 2019.
ISBN 978-1-78954184-7 (PB)

Born Bad is the first book of a trilogy set in downtown Manchester.  Over three periods, 1973/4,1979/80 and 1983/4, we are given a graphic account of the slow deterioration of the lives of two siblings, Adele and Peter, starting when Peter was ten and Adele a year or so older. With an alcoholic and violent father, Tommy, who resents his children’s existence, and a docile, increasing depressed mother, Shirley, the children have a very uncomfortable home life. Shirley becomes increasing dependent on pills and makes little effort to clean the house or feed her family as she not only accepts, but also defends, the constant physical and verbal abuse handed down from her husband.

Adele is a clever child. She helps her mother as much as she can whilst simultaneously trying to keep up with the schoolwork that she believes will eventually provide her with the means to escape from her horrible life.  She also tries to protect Peter who at the age of ten is already showing signs of becoming a sadistic tear-away. There is, not surprisingly, a strong survival bond between the brother and sister as they look out for and lie for each other.  The only bright point in their lives is Grandma Joyce, Shirley’s mother.  She sees what is happening, but other than providing a little love, kind words and occasional small treats for the children, there is little she can do to relieve their misery.  When she becomes ill, even that solace is removed.

As a teenager Peter indulges in petty crimes. After he does a spell in a young offender’s unit his father throws Peter out. He gradually becomes a hardened and fully-fledged criminal, running his own gang and earning a good living from serious and sometimes violent crime.  Adele’s A-level grades are not good enough to get into university, but she joins a solicitor’s office, carries on with her education and sets up house with a partner.  Now and then we see that Adele has inherited her father’s temper, but for the most part she continues to improve her lot and support her mother. With very different lifestyles the brother and sister drift apart.

Eventually something happens that turns all their lives upside down and brings Adele and Peter together again, but you would need to read the book to discover what that is.

Born Bad is well written and is delightfully easy to read.   The descriptions of places and people are grimly realistic, and not always as depressing as the story might lead you to think.  I found the book unusual in that its main purpose seemed to be to provide background and to develop the characters for the next two parts of the story which I haven’t read. However, if you read part one of this trilogy, such is the strength of Heather Burnside’s characters, I think it is more than likely that you will be drawn into reading parts two and three of the trilogy to see what becomes of Adele and Peter in the next decade of their lives. 

 ------

Reviewer Angela Crowther

Heather Burnside has been writing since the late 90s when she returned to work following a career break to raise a family. Heather formerly worked in credit control and became a graduate Member of the Institute of Credit Management, but she decided on a complete career change.  After enrolling with the Writers Bureau in Manchester, she gained a writing diploma and had articles published in several popular UK magazines. Heather then set up a writing services company, providing copywriting and proofreading to a range of clients, and ghostwriting a number of non-fiction books.

https://heatherburnside.com

Angela Crowther is a retired scientist.  She has published many scientific papers but, as yet, no crime fiction.  In her spare time Angela belongs to a Handbell Ringing group, goes country dancing and enjoys listening to music, particularly the operas of Verdi and Wagner.

‘Indian Summer’ by Sara Sheridan

Published by Constable,
9 May 20919.
ISBN: 978-1-47212-711-2 (PBO)

In this, the 7^th book in this popular series, Mirabelle Bevan is still living and working in Brighton.  She is brooding over the behaviour of her lover, Superintendent Alan McGregor, and finds herself attracted to the police doctor, Chris Williams.  But, even with work and personal matters to ponder on, she still notices the young girl sitting on the beach.

Mirabelle discovers that Lali is recuperating at a local convalescent home for children with respiratory complaints.  As they talk, Father Grogan, a priest attached to the home, comes looking for the girl and takes her back.  The following morning, however, Lali is sitting opposite Mirabelle’s flat.  Mirabelle decides to walk her to the home and there meets a few of the nurses, including Uma, who looks after Lali.  When Father Grogan is murdered shortly after this, Mirabelle is drawn into the puzzle of what is going on at the home.

The more she finds out, the more concerned she becomes and, following a spate of deaths, she realises that the convalescent home holds the key.  The strands of the investigation put her in danger and she spends a frightening few days’ lost in Brighton’s sewers, before the solution becomes apparent, with consequences for other aspects of her life.

This story has a good sense of place and the atmosphere of the time.  Mirabelle and Vesta, her assistant, are strong, independent and interesting characters and the plot is complex without being overworked.  This is another strong novel and one that her fans will enjoy.  It’s always great for find a new series and the newcomer might like to follow Mirabelle’s story from the beginning, though the book itself  works as a stand-alone

----Reviewer: Jo Hesslewood 

Other books in this series:  Brighton Belle, London Calling, England Expects, British Bulldog, Operation Goodwood, Russian Roulette. 

 Sara Sheridan was born in Edinburgh and studied at Trinity College, Dublin. She works in a wide range of media and genres. Tipped in Company and GQ magazines, she has been nominated for a Young Achiever Award. She has also received a Scottish Library Award and was shortlisted for the Saltire Book Prize. She sits on the committee for the Society of Authors in Scotland (where she lives) and on the board of '26' the campaign for the importance of words. She's taken part in 3 '26 Treasures' exhibitions at the V&A, London, The National Museum of Scotland and the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green. She occasionally blogs on the Guardian site about her writing life and puts her hand up to being a 'twitter evangelist'. From time to time she appears on radio, most recently reporting for BBC Radio 4's From Our Own Correspondent. Sara is a member of the Historical Writers Association and the Crime Writers Association. A self-confessed 'word nerd' her favourite book is 'Water Music' by TC Boyle. 

http://www.sarasheridan.com/ 

Jo Hesslewood.  Crime fiction has been my favourite reading material since as a teenager I first spotted Agatha Christie on the library bookshelves.  For twenty-five years the commute to and from London provided plenty of reading time.  I am fortunate to live in Cambridge, where my local crime fiction book club, Crimecrackers, meets at Heffers Bookshop .  I enjoy attending crime fiction events and currently organise events for the Margery Allingham Society.

Bloody Scotland 20-22 September 2019

BLOODY SCOTLAND REVEALS THEIR ‘CRIME IN THE SPOTLIGHT’ WRITERS WHO WILL BE APPEARING ON STAGE WITH SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES AT THE 2019 FESTIVAL 

Bloody Scotland will again be supporting new writers by pairing established authors with ‘support’ acts just starting out on their crime writing career.

Graeme Macrae Burnet, author of His Bloody Project was famously ‘In the Spotlight’ as a support act for Ian Rankin before it was shortlisted for the Man Booker and the initiative has been praised on Open Book, BBC Radio 4 for being innovative and breaking the boundaries of traditional book festivals.

Authors ‘In the Spotlight’ this year include Judith O’Reilly, a former producer for Newsnight and Channel 4 News who is paired with David Baldacci straight from leading the torchlight procession; Jackie McLean, who volunteered at Bloody Scotland now makes her way on to the main stage herself with Chris Brookmyre and Michael Robotham; Gordon Kerr, who as Head of Marketing at Waterstones selected Alexander McCall Smith as Book of the Month and will now share the stage with the much loved international star and Noelle Holten, better known to everyone in the crime fiction world as the power blogger Crime Book Junkie, who will be on stage with the even more powerful Ian Rankin.

The full list includes authors published by Scottish and English independents, large London conglomerates and some self-published authors with a mix of male and female crime writers. One of last years authors ‘in the spotlight’, Claire Askew who last year took to the stage with Ann Cleeves and Louise Penny has this year been shortlisted for both the debut and the main McIlvanney Prize. The finalists will be revealed on 6 September.

THE FESTIVAL:
Bloody Scotland is Scotland’s International Crime Writing Festival, providing a showcase for the best crime writing from Scotland and the world, unique in that it was set up by a group of Scottish crime writers in 2012. The festival uses a number of atmospheric, historic venues in Stirling’s Old Town setting it apart from other literary festivals.
Full information & sponsor information at www.bloodyscotland.com

Tickets are available from www.bloodyscotland.com or at the Box Office in the Tolbooth Stirling or in the Albert Halls. Free standby tickets are available to the unemployed or those on a low income on the day of the event if there is good availability. Proof of eligibility is required and tickets are limited to one person. A 10% discount is available to people residing in the Stirling Council area. You must give your address at the time of booking.
Visit www.bloodyscotland.com/localdiscount for details.

42 Days to Capital Crime

Weekend Passes £150

Day Passes £80
But hurry, they're selling fast!

Thanks to our sponsors and people who’ve already bought tickets we’ve been able to reduce ticket prices to £150 for a weekend pass and £80 for a day pass. These represent incredible value for money and make Capital Crime a truly mass participation, accessible event. We’re also still offering discounted tickets for librarians and people on low income.
At these new prices, tickets are selling very fast. Our spectacular venue, the Grand Connaught Rooms, has strict rules on capacity, so if you don’t have a ticket, you won’t be able to come – not even to hang out at our amazing bar

So don’t miss out. If you want to be certain of being part of our amazing festival, you need to book your tickets today.

Click here to visit www.capitalcrime.org and book now. 

See you at the festival.
Best wishes
David & Adam

PS. Existing customers will be refunded the difference between the new ticket prices and their purchase price, so it's a win for everyone.

Crime Fiction: A Reader's Guide by Barry Forshaw

Are you a lover of crime fiction looking for new discoveries or hoping to rediscover old favourites?
Then look no further.

There are few contemporary crime fiction guides that cover everything from the golden age to current bestselling writers from America, Britain and all across the world, but the award-winning Barry Forshaw, one of the UK's leading experts in the field, has provided a truly comprehensive survey with definitive coverage in this expanded new edition of the much admired
Rough Guide to Crime Fiction.

Every major writer is included, along with many other more esoteric choices. Focusing on a key book (or books) by each writer, and with essays on key crime genres, Crime Fiction: A Reader's Guide is designed to be both a crime fan's shopping list and a pithy, opinionated but unstuffy reference tool and history. Most judgements are generous (though not uncritical), and there is a host of entertaining, informed entries on related films and TV.

Foreword by Ian Rankin; available to pre-order from Amazon @ £14.99

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crime-Fiction-Readers-Ian-Rankin/dp/085730335X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Crime+Fiction%3A+A+Reader%27s+Guide&qid=1565709938&s=gateway&sr=8-1

‘Council’ by Snorri Kristjansson

Published by Jo Fletcher Books,
16 May 2019.
ISBN: 978 1 78429 8104 (TPB)

As with earlier novels by the same author this one, a masterful thriller, has the Viking world at the core of the story. And what a story.  Helga Finnsdottir, who featured in Kin, the first in this murder mystery series, has gained a reputation as a highly regarded healer and herbalist and when several slayings occur in mysterious circumstances that couldn’t possibly be accidental, it is she who suspects foul play and makes it her business to track down and nail the killer.  

Helga is now living in Uppsala and King Eirik has summoned a Council to which the chieftains of various tribes have been invited.   A ruthless character from Helga’s past takes centre stage but Helga feels confident the hostility of this woman can be ably managed because, in a relationship with a hunk, true love has given Helga wings.

  Helga is a natural and shrewd observer of humankind, knows when to speak up and when to keep her own counsel. Grundle, her proud mare with long-lashed eyes, is the confidante who keeps her grounded and there is a palpable symbiosis between them.

Delegations arrive from every corner of the country, the mood becomes dark and tempers reach boiling point. An attack by rivals is rumoured to be imminent, it is evident   that a traitor stalks the land and the stakes have never been higher. 

The author brings the Viking age vividly to life, the plot is skillfully crafted,  the characters fleshed out and entirely believable and the story is enthralling, original and well paced.  It would make a hugely enjoyable TV mini-series as it contains all the elements of an unusual and intriguing drama.

------

Reviewer: Serena Fairfax

Snorri Kristjansson was born in Reykjavik in 1974. He has since lived in Norway, London and now Edinburgh with his wife, where he dabbles in classical acting and stand-up comedy while teaching English.  His fantasy series, The Valhalla Saga, and his crime series, Kin and Council, are published by Jo Fletcher Books. They both have Vikings in, so expect moderate cursing and beards,

http://www.snorrikristjansson.com

Serena Fairfax spent her childhood in India, qualified as a lawyer in England and practised in London for many years. She began writing by contributing feature articles to legal periodicals   then turned her hand to fiction. Having published nine novels all, bar one, hardwired with a romantic theme, she has also written short stories and accounts of her explorations off the beaten track that feature on her blog. A tenth, distinctly unromantic, novel is a work in progress. Thrillers, crime and mystery narratives, collecting old masks and singing are a few of her favourite things.

www.serenafairfax.com

DHH LITERARY AGENCY NEW VOICES AWARD

Could you be the next Martina Cole,
Lynda La Plante or Ian Rankin?

Capital Crime and the DHH Literary Agency have launched an innovative new competition for aspiring crime and thriller authors.

To enter, all you need to do is visit 

http://www.capitalcrime.org/new-voices-awards-entry/
 and upload the first three chapters of your unpublished novel.

Everyone who buys a ticket to attend Capital Crime will be able to read your entry and vote for their favourite. The authors of the ten highest placed entries will be revealed on Thursday 19th September and the winner, judged by the Capital Crime team from the top ten entries, will be announced at Capital Crime’s opening night cocktail party on Thursday 26th September to the readers, agents and publishers in attendance.

The competition costs £10 to enter and entries close at midnight on Wednesday 18^th September 2019. The names of the ten most popular entrants will be announced the next day. The overall winner will be announced on the 26^th September and will receive a trophy and a prize of £250.

Good luck!

Enter Now

Stephen Booth - His new book published today.

‘Drowned Lives by Stephen Booth

Published by Sphere, 

15 August 29019.
ISBN: 978-0-7515-7628-3 (HB)

When the author of a favourite series turns his hand to something different, there are sure to be mixed reactions. But fans of Stephen Booth's Cooper and Fry need have no qualms: his sideways move to the canals of the south midlands is up there with the best of the Peak District series.

Apart from cracking good plots, Booth's novels seem to specialize in two things: repairing damaged souls, and bringing locations to such realistic life that you feel as if you're there. In Drowned Lives, his protagonist Chris Buckley drinks too much and has lost his sense of adventure after a repressed childhood and a succession of personal misfortunes and disappointments. So, when he is approached by an elderly man seeking help in mending an old family feud, his first reaction is to back away.

But fate intervenes, and Chris finds himself not only looking into the historical origins of the feud but also trying to solve a murder which the police have written off as a hit-and-run accident. Needless to say, things prove very complicated, in the past as well as the present, and both help and hindrance come from some unexpected quarters.

Booth assembles as varied a cast of characters as in any of the Peak District series, and some turn out to be quite different from the initial image they present. I especially enjoyed the spiky relationships between Chris Buckley and the opposite sex, mainly (but far from exclusively) his assertive neighbour Rachel and snooty Caroline Longden. Even minor players, like slightly smarmy MP Lindley Simpson and DC Hanlon with her detective's suspicious mind, leave a lasting impression.

For readers familiar with Stephen Booth's vivid evocation of the Peak District, his equally detailed conjuring of the canals around Lichfield and the unique juxtaposition of ancient and modern in the city itself will come as no surprise. This almost tactile background, with its narrowboats, overgrown banks and wealth of history, gives the novel a richness and texture that raises it far above the mainstream of crime fiction.

The underlying mystery and the moments of high drama place the novel firmly in the crime genre, but the mix of ingredients adds up to far more. There are elements of history, a romance strand, even a touch of coming-of-age (even though Chris Buckley is in his thirties!). Drowned Lives is Stephen Booth at the top of his game. 

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Reviewer: Lynne Patrick 

Stephen Booth was born in the English Pennine mill town of Burnley. He was brought up on the Lancashire coast at Blackpool, where he attended Arnold School. He began his career in journalism by editing his school magazine, and wrote his first novel at the age of 12. After graduating from City of Birmingham Polytechnic (now Birmingham University), Stephen moved to Manchester to train as a teacher, but escaped from the profession after a terrifying spell as a trainee teacher in a big city comprehensive school.  Starting work on his first newspaper in Wilmslow, Cheshire, in 1974, Stephen was a specialist rugby union reporter, as well as working night shifts as a sub-editor on the Daily Express and The Guardian. This was followed by periods with local newspapers in Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. He was at various times Production Editor of the Farming Guardian magazine, Regional Secretary of the British Guild of Editors, and one of the UK's first qualified assessors for the NVQ in Production Journalism.  Freelance work began with rugby reports for national newspapers and local radio stations. Stephen has also had articles and photographs published in a wide range of specialist magazines, from Scottish Memories to Country lovers Magazine, from Cat World to Canal and Riverboat, and one short story broadcast on BBC radio. In 1999, his writing career changed direction when, in rapid succession, he was shortlisted for the Dundee Bool Prize and the Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger competition for new writers, then won the £5,000 Lichfield Prize for his unpublished novel The Only Dead Thing, and signed a two-book contract with HarperCollins for a series of crime novels.  In 2000, Stephen's first published novel, Black Dog, marked the arrival in print of his best-known creations - two young Derbyshire police detectives, DC Ben Cooper and DS Diane Fry. Black Dog was the named by the London Evening Standard as one of the six best crime novels of the year - the only book on their list written by a British author. In the USA, it won the Barry Award for Best British Crime Novel and was nominated for an Anthony Award for Best First Mystery. The second Cooper & Fry novel, Dancing with the Virgins, was shortlisted for the UK's top crime writing award, the Gold Dagger, and went on to win Stephen a Barry Award for the second year running.  The publication of Blind to the Bones that year resulted in Stephen winning the Crime Writers' Association's 'Dagger in the Library' Award, presented to the author whose books have given readers most pleasure. There are now 18 books in the series. All are set in England's beautiful and atmospheric Peak District.

www.stephen-booth.com

Lynne Patrick has been a writer ever since she could pick up a pen, and has enjoyed success with short stories, reviews and feature journalism, but never, alas, with a novel. She crossed to the dark side to become a publisher for a few years, and is proud to have launched several careers which are now burgeoning. She lives on the edge of rural Derbyshire in a house groaning with books, about half of them crime fiction.