Good feature on debutant Kiwi crime writer Ben Sanders (THE FALLEN) in today's Sunday Star-Times

It's been quite a weekend for young Ben Sanders of the North Shore, as he and his debut crime novel THE FALLEN have been featured in both of arguably the two biggest and most influential weekend newspapers in New Zealand; the Weekend Herald and the Sunday Star-Times.

Following on from my review in the Weekend Herald, today's Sunday Star-Times has a good interview-based feature on Sanders in its books section, written by Books Editor Mark Broatch. You can read the feature here.

I was in Borders Queen Street a couple of hours ago, and they had quite a nice stack of THE FALLEN on one of the display tables (they're currently running a big fiction special, so it was only $22.95 too, which is a great price), so hopefully people will give the new kid on the block a try.

Unfortunately neither Whitcoulls Queen Street or Whitcoulls Downtown had any stock on display yet, but hopefully they will rectify that in the next day or so.

Crime Fiction in the news and on the 'Net: Weekly Round-up and PD James special

There's been some more great crime fiction stories on the Web this past week - from newspapers, magazines, and fellow bloggers. Hopefully you will all like finding an interesting article or two linked here, that you enjoy reading.

But before we get into that, the incomparable Phyllis Dorothy James, Baroness James of Holland Park, OBE, FRSA, FRSL turns NINETY this coming week. I was fortunate enough to interview her recently (apparently the only Australian or New Zealand interview she did in the lead-up to her birthday this year), and will share the PD James 9mm interview (which I wove into a larger interview for a feature in the upcoming issue of Good Reading) on Tuesday, her birthday.

In the meantime, I thought I would make this weekly round-up a bit of a PD James special as well, in honour of the Baroness, so I've included several stories (many of them very well-written) about her that have been in the news the past couple of weeks or so, before we get onto a shorter version of the standard weekly round-up...

Crime Watch Round-Up: PD James in the News and on the 'Net

• Carol Memmott in USA Today interviews a "relaxed and ebullient" PD James, who is "in a festive mood" on board the Queen Mary 2.
• PD James "reflects on death, family − and the husband she couldn’t save" to Nigel Farndale of The Telegraph, while noting that she has "lived a very happy and fulfilled life".
• Lauren Mechling of the Wall Street Journal also interviews Baroness James on the Queen Mary 2. opening the Q&A format with "You don’t have a new book out. Why did you decide that you wanted to meet with me?"
• In an article in the Montreal Gazette, Anita Singh of the London Daily Telegraph interviews PD James, who although she uses email and tries to keep apace with the modern world, talks about the "horrifying" pace of technological change brought about by the Internet, and how older people who struggle to use computers are being left behind by society at a time when everything from shopping to booking tickets is being moved online.

Crime Watch Weekly Round-Up: In the News and on the 'Net

• LiveMint.com & the Wall Street Journal ask whether the greatest crime novels of the 21st century will be written by Indians, while taking a look at Vikram Chandra and his 900-page book SACRED GAMES, apparently "a masterpiece of early 21st century literature".
• Helen Carter of The Guardian's book blog takes a deep breath and pitches her crime novel idea to a roomful of "impressive industry names" at the recent Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate.
• The Nidderdale Herald reports on the recent Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, including the awarding of the first-ever outstanding contribution to crime fiction award to Reginald Hill.
• The Inverness Courier says a new breed of Scottish writers like Tony Black are making Tartan Noir an even darker shade.
• The Minneapolis Star-Tribune takes a look at Finnish crime, with Finnish publisher Jouko Sipila moving to the US and making the mystery series by his brother Jarko, a journalist in Helsinki, more widely available.

What do you think of the round-up? Which articles do you find interesting? What are your thoughts on PD James turning 90, and her impact on crime writing? Have you read any of her books? What do you think? Is India going to take over crime writing? I'd love to read what you think.

My TWO articles in the Canvas magazine of today's Weekend Herald (New Zealand's biggest newspaper)

It was certainly a nice way to start what is a lovely blue-skied winter weekend here in Auckland, by popping out to the dairy (our term for a convenience store, for those with a puzzled expression on their faces) to pick up the weekend newspaper.

After a bit of a hiatus, I've started writing author features for the Weekend Herald (the weekend edition of the largest-circulation newspaper in New Zealand) again. In fact, I've got several features coming out over the next few weeks. It's great to see crime fiction getting decent coverage in such an important Kiwi newspaper - UK-based Stephen Jewell also regularly writes some great crime fiction author interviews for the Canvas magazine (the glossy lifestyle etc supplement to the Weekend Herald that includes the books section).

I've also started with a bit of a bang. In this weekend's Canvas, I have TWO articles; a large feature on mystery maestro James Lee Burke (pictured above), and a book review of THE FALLEN, the debut thriller from nascent Kiwi crime writer Ben Sanders, a 20-year-old Auckland engineering student, that is released this coming week.

If you're in the northern part of New Zealand, I hope you grab a copy of the Weekend Herald and have a read. Let me know what you think. It was an absolute privilege to interview James Lee Burke, and I only help my feature, "Philosopher of Crime" does the old master justice.

As for those of you outside of the Herald's distribution area, as I noted recently thanks to the generosity of Linda Herrick, the Books Editor for the Herald, I am now able to republish my Canvas magazine articles on Crime Watch (as its a glossy supplement, the articles usually aren't put online by the Herald). As such, I will republish the full James Lee Burke feature "Philosopher of Crime" here later this week. In the meantime, to give you taste, here's a short snippet from my story:

"Burke’s eighteenth and latest Robicheaux novel, The Glass Rainbow (released in New Zealand next week), is ostensibly the reason for our interview, but just like his rich and layered tales themselves, my conversation with Burke ends up being a bit deeper and more philosophical, and laced with history, politics, social commentary, and literary references.

Throughout, the 73-year-old laughs easily and often, almost explosively at times. He is unfailing polite, yet not at all stuffy or formal. He answers the phone with a jovial “Is this New Zealand calling?” then tells me to call him “Jim”. Down-to-earth and humble, his soft-spoken manner and measured cadence belie some strident opinions when it comes to several things he cares deeply about, including the environment, “people of humble origin”, and the purpose and importance of art."

As for my review of Ben Sanders' debut, THE FALLEN, I really enjoyed his first Sean Devereaux tale. Regardless of his age, it's very slick and well-written crime, with some very nice touches throughout. Hopefully readers here will give it a go; I think they'll be pleased if they do.

You can read a synopsis/blurb for THE FALLEN here.

As with the James Lee Burke feature, I will republish my Weekend Herald review of THE FALLEN online here on Crime Watch later this coming week.

In the meantime, here's my concluding comment from the 500+ word review: "The young man from the North Shore has added to the mounting evidence that New Zealand can produce native, compelling crime fiction to match the international offerings readers buy and enjoy in droves".

Come on - did any of you really expect me to write a review of a well-written Kiwi crime novel for the biggest newspaper in the country (who rarely do such longer reviews of crime titles - usually just doing snippet round-ups) without getting in a comment about the state of the genre here in general? I couldn't resist, especially since it's 100 % true.

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So, what do you think of my double-feature, so to speak, in Canvas/The Weekend Herald today? Are you a James Lee Burke fan? Do you like crime writers who layer in more than just fast-moving plot and action? Do you like the sound of THE FALLEN? Is Kiwi crime really on the rise, or am I just deluded? I'd love to read what you think. Please share your thoughts.

Acclaimed crime novel reimagines Ernest Hemingway's death as a murder mystery

I was tootling around on the Internet today, as you do, when I stumbled across an interesting news story about an Ohio crime writer who re-imagined Ernest Hemingway's famed suicide death for his latest crime novel, PRINT THE LEGEND, which was published earlier this year.

It got me thinking a little about weaving reality into fiction, and the use of real-life characters in crime fiction. Some authors do this, and some completely refrain (even having fictional versions of famous people in minor roles, like the current President in the novel, etc). What do you think of novelists who use reality in their work?

According to the Columbus Dispatch, author Craig McDonald writes crime novels that are really "sardonic examinations of the way history - particularly literary history - is rewritten by the survivors" In PRINT THE LEGEND, McDonald (who was an Edgar and Anthony nominee for his 2007 debut, HEAD GAMES) brings back his protagonist Hector Lassiter, a crime novelist himself, in a re-examination of Hemingway's suicide.

The blurb for PRINT THE LEGEND reads:

"It was the shot heard 'round the world: On July 2, 1961, Ernest Hemingway died from a shotgun blast to the head.

It's 1965: two men have come to Idaho to confront the widow Hemingway—men who have doubts about the true circumstances of Hemingway's death. One is crime novelist Hector Lassiter, the oldest and best of Hem's friends...the last man standing of the Lost Generation. Hector has heard intimations of some surviving Hemingway manuscripts: a "lost" chapter of A Moveable Feast and a full-length manuscript written by a deluded Hemingway that Hector fears might compromise or harm his own reputation. What Hector finds are pieces of his own, long-ago stolen writings, now in danger of being foisted upon an unsuspecting public as Ernest Hemingway's work.

The other man is scholar Richard Paulson, a man with a dark agenda who sets out to prove that Mary Hemingway murdered Papa. Paulson and his young, pregnant wife Hannah, herself an aspiring writer, travel to Idaho to interview Mrs. Hemingway who believes Paulson has come to write her hagiography. As Hector digs into the mystery of his and Hemingway's lost writings, he uncovers an audacious, decades-long conspiracy tied to J. Edgar Hoover's FBI.

A literary thriller about Hemingway's death and the patina that perceived suicide lends the author's legend...an exploration of the sinister shadow play and co-dependence that binds authors and their academics...a novel that could forever change how readers regard the death of Ernest Hemingway. When legend becomes fact, print the legend."

You can read an excerpt from PRINT THE LEGEND here.

You can see a YouTube trailer about the book here:



I hadn't even heard of McDonald before today, but he's got some great praise from writers like Michael Connelly and Laura Lippman, among many others. And it's an intriguing premise.

Cool song in the YoutTube video too. Might have to try to dig out who it's by... update: I believe the song is The Sun is Rising (Help Me Son) by Mickey Newbury.

What do you think of authors weaving fact and fiction together in this way? Have you read PRINT THE LEGEND or any of Craig McDonald's other Hector Lassiter books? Do you like the idea of a Hemingway-tinged crime novel? Thoughts and comments welcome.

9mm: An interview with Faye Kellerman

Welcome to the latest instalment in Crime Watch's ongoing series of quickfire author interviews; 9mm - 9 MurderMystery questions put to a variety of New Zealand and international crime, thriller, and mystery authors. I hope you're enjoying the series. Thanks to all of the authors who've generously given their time, allowing us to have such a magnificent and ever-expanding line-up of fantastic participants.

Thanks also to all of you Crime Watch readers who took the time to place some feedback about the series as a whole. Feel free to place more comments and give more suggestions - I'm always open to hearing what the readers of this blog want to read about.

For the 26th instalment in the 9mm series, Crime Watch is featuring popular international bestseller Faye Kellerman, matriarch of the high-achieving Kellerman family of writers, and creator of a series starring Jewish couple Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus. Faye Kellerman debuted back in 1986 with THE RITUAL BATH, which won the Macavity Award for the Best First Novel from the Mystery Readers of America. There have been another 17 books in the Decker/Lazarus series since, along with several other standalone novels (including two co-written with her husband, fellow bestseller Jonathan Kellerman).

Faye is also the mother of authors Jesse Kellerman (SUNSTROKE, THE EXECUTOR etc) and Aliza Kellerman (PRISM). What a remarkable family! I was fortunate enough to interview both Faye and Jonathan (by phone from their LA home) late last year for an article that appeared in the February 2010 issue of Good Reading magazine. Despite their massive success and remarkable achievements, both were completely down-to-earth, generous with their time, laughed easily, and were a lot of fun to chat to. I could feel a real passion for books, writing, and life in general, coming down the phone line.

Hopefully we will see Faye (and perhaps some of the rest of her family too) back down here in New Zealand for a tour at some stage in the future - it has been a while since she has visited. But for now, Faye Kellerman stares down the barrel of 9mm.

The Crime Watch 9mm Author Interview: Faye Kellerman

Who is your favourite recurring crime fiction hero/detective?
Besides Alex Delaware who is my absolute favorite I love Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone and James Lee Burke – Dave Robicheaux

What was the very first book you remember reading and really loving, and why?
The first book I remember reading as a very young child was Blueberries for Sal - A picture book that I now read to my granddaughter.

The first real book I remember reading were the Laura Ingalls Wilder series – Little House in the Big Woods.

Before your debut crime novel, what else had you written (if anything;) unpublished manuscripts, short stories, articles?
I was a math major and have a DDS in Dentistry. Writing came later.

Outside of writing, and touring and promotional commitments, what do you really like to do, leisure and activity-wise?
I love to garden. Growing things is great because it takes time, effort and patience – but not too much patience especially if you do starts. I also love puzzles and I love to go hear live music. Lately, Jonathan and I have began with formal dance lessons. We both really enjoy that.

What is one thing that visitors to your hometown should do, that isn't in the tourist brochures, or perhaps they wouldn’t initially consider?
LA has some great gardens . Things are always in season here and it’s well worth the visit to check them out. We also have wonderful canyons and mountain hiking trails. And of course, we have the Pacific Ocean. We also have the typical bars and clubs for more of a night life.

If your life was a movie, which actor could you see playing you?
No one. And that’s the honest truth. I’m not much of a movie person to begin with. I do like the smaller or independent movie. We’re in Santa Fe at current and the city has two independent movies theaters. They always play interesting stuff. Sometimes it’s terrible, but more often the films are different and thought provoking.

Of your books, which is your favourite, and why?
I honestly don’t have a favorite. It’s like asking which of your children do you like the most.

What was your initial reaction, and how did you celebrate, when you were first accepted for publication? Or when you first saw your debut story in book form on a bookseller’s shelf?
Golly, that was a long time ago,. I don’t even remember exactly what we did, but I will tell you that when I’m done with a book, I still get a charge out of it. The commercial part is nice but it is very much associated with work and stock signings. My favorite thing is fan feedback. I appreciate each and every one who enjoys my books.

What is the strangest or most unusual experience you have had at a book signing, author event, or literary festival?
Usually they’re really pretty straight-forward. The fans are just great, God bless each and every one of them. I do remember a signing I had at a fan festival in Germany. Beforehand they had a trivia quiz on my books. The people who played the game knew WAY more about my books than I did. It was weird having a jeopardy of things you made up.

I also remember speaking in Dallas, having to hurry things along because a massive storm was about to hit. I also remember being driven in a tropical storm/hurricane where there were just sheets of rain banging down at the windshield of the car. You could not see an inch in front of you. The driver was completely stoic.

Thank you Faye Kellerman. We appreciate you taking the time to talk with Crime Watch.

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So what do you think of this 9mm interview? Have you read Faye Kellerman's Decker and Lazarus series? Or any of her (or her husband, son, or daughter's) other novels? What do you think? Do you enjoy the way she weaves her Jewish culture into her crime tales? What do you think of a family of four successful writers? Please share your thoughts...

Currently Reading: SLAUGHTER FALLS by Alix Bosco

After reading quite a few international titles recently, I've turned my attention back home to locally-based writers in the past few days. Over the weekend I read DEATH IN THE KINGDOM by Andrew Grant. I really enjoyed it (review will follow soon), and was very tempted to immediately go onto the next in the Daniel Swann series, SINGAPORE SLING SHOT - which looks equally enthralling - when Alix Bosco's upcoming SLAUGHTER FALLS arrived on my desk.

I couldn't resist starting this upcoming book immediately, so right now I'm reading the second in Bosco's Anna Markunas series. As I've noted before here on Crime Watch, Alix Bosco is a pseudonym for a "successful writer in other media", reportedly based in Auckland.

In SLAUGHTER FALLS, "when Anna Markunas comes to Brisbane to watch a rugby test, two members of her tour party die sudden, violent deaths. Anna tries to track down the elusive family of one man, but each discovery about his past leads her further into the dark world of Queensland's corrupt underbelly. Soon Anna is running for her life – she has discovered the secrets of those who will stop at nothing to silence her."

I enjoyed Bosco's debut, CUT & RUN, last year. You can read my review here.

I've been in touch with Bosco's publicist, and hope to be able to bring you an interview with her soon. She hasn't really done any/many media interviews yet (wanting to keep her privacy behind the pseudonym), but I'm hoping she'll agree to an email interview, to be published on Crime Watch. So keep an eye out for that potential exclusive.

Did you read CUT & RUN? Are you looking forward to giving SLAUGHTER FALLS a go? What do you think of Bosco's Kiwi-set crime thrillers? Thoughts and comments welcome.