My latest Herald on Sunday reviews: IRON HOUSE, LETHAL DELIVERIES, CARTE BLANCHE and THE WRECKAGE

This year I've been asked to provide a monthly crime fiction round-up for the Herald on Sunday, one of New Zealand's most well-known newspapers. I'm very pleased to be able to contribute in my small way to getting crime fiction into the books sections of some local media.

My sixth 'column' was published yesterday, in the new 'Living' magazine supplement to the newspaper. I actually wrote this column a few weeks ago, but a change in the format meant things were delayed for a while - I should be back on a monthly basis from now on, hopefully.

Book Watch

Iron House
By John Hart (John Murray, $34.99)
Lawyer turned author Hart doesn’t write breezy ‘airport thrillers’; his award-winning ‘southern gothic’ tales are multi-layered examinations of human nature, packed with authentic, deeply damaged, characters, throat-grabbing tension, and exquisitely drawn settings. Feared mob enforcer Michael clawed his way up from a traumatic childhood, but is now trying to escape his violence-filled life, for love and his unborn child. Escaping to North Carolina, he finds his long-estranged, mentally disturbed brother is in just as much trouble, and that neither can escape their past. Superior storytelling.

Lethal Deliveries
By Ken Benn (Penguin, $26)
Deservedly shortlisted for the LIANZA Young Adult Fiction Award, this gritty first instalment in Palmerston North teacher Benn’s planned trilogy follows a group of teens facing plenty of tough circumstances and troubling issues; bullying, gangs, drugs, and youth crime. Benn skillfully builds tension as he switches perspectives amongst several intriguing characters, although inline hockey player Rochelle, whose brother Jack is being dragged into his father’s gang, is the main ‘heroine’. Bluntly dealing with realities some Kiwi kids face; a very good read that will leave you on tenterhooks for book two.

Carte Blanche
By Jeffery Deaver (H& S Fiction, $39.99)
This latest 007 novel should please fans of both Ian Fleming and popular psychological thriller writer Deaver, who was tasked with bringing Bond into the 21st century. Intercepted electronic info about an imminent attack that could kill thousands has Bond scrambling from Serbia to Dubai to Cape Town to discover who, what, and where in order to prevent calamity. Packed with pace, action, and intrigue. Deaver brilliantly melds tradition (fast cars, gadgets, repellant villains), modernity (a more reflective Bond, more rounded female characters), and his own twist-filled storytelling style.

The Wreckage
By Michael Robotham (Sphere, $39.99)
Award-winning Australian author Robotham steps away from his usual claustrophobic thrillers to pen a broader tale of global intrigue that intersects the war in Iraq and the global financial crisis. A tale of four people; a journalist who uncovers missing millions in war funding, a US accountant, ex-cop Vincent Ruiz, and a petty thief who stole a notebook from a banker who’s gone missing. Robotham’s most ambitious novel crackles with pithy description, insights and observations in amongst its compelling storyline; he’s added his name to those near the very top of the crime-writing tree.

Craig Sisterson helped establish the inaugural Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel last year, and is a judge for the 2011 Award.  He blogs about crime and thriller fiction at http://goldenglobenominees.blogspot.com/.

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This column was first published in the Herald on Sunday on 31 July 2011, and is reprinted here with permission.


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What do you think of my mini-reviews? Have you read (or do you intend to) any of these titles? What are some of the upcoming titles I should definitely include in future columns? Comments welcome.

Happy Birthday Andrea Jutson

Today is the birthday of Kiwi crime writer Andrea Jutson, who has written two Auckland-set crime novels in recent years; SENSELESS and THE DARKNESS LOOKING BACK. I recently met Jutson at a Writers Lounge event focused on crime fiction - she was on a panel with fellow Auckland crime writer Ben Sanders.

I enjoyed THE DARKNESS LOOKING BACK when I read it a couple of years ago, and I'm looking forward to reading SENSELESS, which I've also heard good things about. SENSELESS (2005) is a psychic-tinged crime thriller, which introduced reluctant medium and English immigrant James Paxton. Paxton finds the body of a man bludgeoned to death, a dead man who then later asks him to track down his killer, for the sake of his daughter. As the backcover blurb states: "Paxton's carefully constructed new world threatens to crumble as he is sucked into the hunt for a predator, while the police snap close at his heels. And the corpses keep on mounting, one by one . . A darkly gripping mystery with an other-worldly twist."

After its release in 2005, SENSELESS received some good reviews, but like many New Zealand crime and thriller titles of that time, wasn't highly publicised or otherwise noticed by the New Zealand book-buying public (which does have a strong appetite for international crime and thriller fiction). Clea Marshall of NZGirl magazine said: "Grisly images aside, I loved how I could visualise every scene from the book and the locations weren’t your average Auckland icons, either... Andrea Jutson writes with authority and compassion ... a strong, thoughtful crime novel that stands out from the crowd." Major newspaper the Sunday Star-Times compared Jutson to Ruth Rendell and Jeffery Deaver.

In 2008 Juston released the follow up to SENSELESS, again featuring Paxton and Detective Constable Andy Stirling. In THE DARKNESS LOOKING BACK, Paxton and Stirling find themselves knee-deep in another murder mystery after a pizza delivery boy stumbles across a body at a house in the Auckland suburbs. Stirling, stumped by the grisly but seemingly motiveless crime, visits Paxton, hoping for ‘unofficial’ help. When another bashed and stabbed body is found by another delivery-person, the case quickly takes a more sinister twist, especially when it becomes apparent a game-playing serial killer is targeting unfaithful women. Then Paxton’s involvement is leaked to the media and public hysteria ensues – complicating both Paxton’s personal life, and an already difficult investigation for Stirling and his NZ Police colleagues.

You can hear Jutson talking about the writing of THE DARKNESS LOOKING BACK in this archived Radio New Zealand interview.

In a review of THE DARKNESS LOOKING BACK I wrote for NZLawyer magazine in 2009, I said: "One of the best things ... is Jutson’s depiction and use of Paxton and his psychic abilities. Neither contrived nor clichéd, Paxton is a fascinating and reasonably complex character - not a cardboard cutout of the average “psychic” tabloid columnist or wannabe TV celebrity... I also enjoyed the ‘piss-taking’ and gallows humour atmosphere amongst Stirling and his police colleagues – realistic team dynamics that some authors avoid. Overall, a well-rendered supporting cast of café owners, headline-hunting journalists, and secrets-keeping suburbanites populates an interesting storyline that largely keeps you on the hook. Topped off nicely by moments of humour and domesticity that provide a breather from the dark deeds, it’s an enjoyable local read for crime fiction fans."

Hopefully we will see Jutson writing some more crime fiction in future. To celebrate her birthday today, I might go home later and start reading SENSELESS.

Have you read any of Andrea Jutson's crime tales? What do you think of crime that blends in psychics or the supernatural? Of Auckland-set crime fiction? Comments welcome.

Whanganui Literary Festival embraces Kiwi crime fiction

Anyone who's a regular reader of this blog will be aware that one of my pet peeves is the way that some people within the New Zealand books community seem to overlook the quality crime writers we have. We have some fantastic crime writers here that can stand alongside their peers from overseas, but for some reason we have been a little reticent when it comes to buying their books (even if they do well overseas, ala Paul Cleave) - although this has improved recently, along with better media coverage - or including them in book festival line-ups and other celebrations of all things reading. The latter is particularly galling.

For the past three years I have been back in New Zealand, the Auckland Writers Festival has included only one crime fiction event - one event in three festivals that have included hundreds of writers and events. That was a 'special event' with Michael Connelly earlier this year (outside of the festival proper). That was a terrific event that drew a sold-out crowd, and I commend the organisers, but gee, it would be great to see more crime writers, and particularly more local crime writers, featured in the various books, writing, and arts festivals that are regularly held throughout the country. If we don't promote our own quality writers, then how can we expect overseas writers festivals to invite them, or overseas readers to learn about them?

The team at the Christchurch Writers Festival (and this year, the Christchurch Arts Festival), have of course embraced crime fiction, which can only be a good thing, and hopefully other festivals around the country will start to follow their lead. As such, I'm very pleased to see that the Whanganui Literary Festival, which will be held from 16 to 18 September, has included one of our great Kiwi crime writers in this year's line-up.

Dunedin author Vanda Symon, who's fourth Sam Shephard novel, BOUND, was published to good reviews earlier this year, will be headlining an event on the Sunday of the festival. Here are the details:

Whanganui Literary Festival 2011 — Whodunit?
Spend an hour with New Zealand writer Vanda Symon as she talks crime fiction during Whanganui Literary Festival 2011.

Sunday 18 September, 2011, 11.30am – 12.30pm

Vanda Symon is a rising star of New Zealand crime fiction. Her first novel, Overkill, published in 2007, introduced the series heroine, Sam Shephard. Since then she has written three more gripping novels and has gained international success with a German translation. Vanda also features on Radio New Zealand National as a literary critic. In this session, Vanda sheds some light on exactly whodunit…

Booking essential. Tickets $10. Tickets are available from the Royal Wanganui Opera House.

You can read more about the Whanganui Literary Festival here.

Do you enjoy going to author events? Do you go to literary festivals? How important do you think it is for New Zealand festivals to embrace New Zealand writers, including crime writers? Comments welcome.

Ngaio Marsh Award finalists announced

THE FINALISTS for the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel, which will be presented as part of the upcoming Christchurch Arts Festival, have now been announced today.

The award, now in its second year, is made annually for the best crime, mystery, or thriller novel written by a New Zealand citizen or resident. Its namesake, Dame Ngaio Marsh, is renowned worldwide as one of the four iconic “Queens of Crime” of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. The award was established last year with the blessing of Dame Ngaio’s closest living relatives.

Over the past two months an expert panel consisting of seven local and international judges has been considering the best examples of locally written crime and thriller fiction published in New Zealand during 2010. The judges are now pleased to announce that the finalists are:

• BLOOD MEN by Paul Cleave (Random House);
• CAPTURED by Neil Cross (Simon & Schuster);
• HUNTING BLIND by Paddy Richardson (Penguin); and
• SLAUGHTER FALLS by Alix Bosco (Penguin).

The judges praised BLOOD MEN as “a gruesomely gripping story” told “in clean, sharp prose, with authentically laconic dialogue and flashes of very dark humour”; said CAPTURED was “fascinating”, with “amazing twists and turns” and a “main character who was drawn so well”; rated HUNTING BLIND highly for its “sense of downright creepiness” and “some fascinatingly complex characters”; and were impressed by “the depth and complexity” and “well-executed plot unfolding at a good pace” in SLAUGHTER FALLS.

This year’s winner of the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel will be announced at a ceremony at the conclusion of the “Setting the Stage for Murder” event at the TelstraClear Club in North Hagley Park on the afternoon of Sunday 21 August 2011. New York Times bestselling international crime writers Tess Gerritsen and John Hart will also be appearing at the event. The winner will receive a distinctive handcrafted trophy designed and created by New Zealand sculptor and Unitec art lecturer Gina Ferguson, a set of Ngaio Marsh novels courtesy of HarperCollins, and a cheque for $1,000 provided by the Christchurch Writers Festival Trust.

“The four finalists are a great representation of both the quality and depth of contemporary Kiwi-written crime fiction,” said Judging Convenor Craig Sisterson. “It was a particularly tough decision for the panel this year, as judges were impressed by each of the books on the longlist, and there was a real diversity of storytelling, settings, and styles. There were some very good local crime novels published in 2010 that haven’t become finalists, but that’s a good sign of the growing strength of our own indigenous interpretation of a genre that’s popular around the world.”

Like Dame Ngaio in her heyday, local crime writers are now showing that they can stand shoulder-to-shoulder, quality-wise, with their more well-known international contemporaries, said Sisterson. “We should be proud of our best crime writers, and support and celebrate their success, just like we are justifiably proud of other New Zealanders who achieve great things in their chosen field.”

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For more information, please contact:
Craig Sisterson, Judging Convenor: craigsisterson@hotmail.com

The House of Reprehensibles

john of orange boehner has no control over the wacky tea partiers. our government is a joke. the inmates have finally taken over the asylum.

Review: Luther Season One DVD

Luther Series One DVD (BBC, 2010)
Reviewed by Craig Sisterson

Luther is one of those television shows that divides people, viewers and critics alike. To say the psychological crime drama received a mixed response when its first season, created and written by Wellington-based novelist and screenwriter Neil Cross, debuted in the UK last year, doesn’t do justice to the divergent viewpoints it incited. Some hailed Luther as one of the very best things on TV in years. Others wrote it off as violent, over-the-top nonsense. One prominent UK critic even publicly changed his mind mid-season, backtracking on an earlier negative review – almost unheard of. The show received awards acclaim – including Golden Globe and Emmy Nominations for Best Actor for lead Idris Elba (who plays John Luther) and a prestigious TV writing award for Cross – but first season ratings were so-so.

Given all the above, it was with more than mild curiosity that I recently popped the first disc into my DVD player, and settled in to watch Cross’s creation, and make up my own mind. As the title credits rolled, I wondered, would I love it, or hate it? Or fall somewhere in between.

Luther (Elba, of The Wire fame) is a near-genius detective with an explosive personality. He gets inside the heads of the worst criminals, but his work weighs heavy on him, and his personal life has fractured. In the first episode, Luther returns from extended leave (months earlier a child killer he was pursuing ‘fell’ and is now in a coma) to investigate a brutal killing, a case that introduces him to Alice (Ruth Morgan), a young woman with much going on beneath her cold exterior. His planned reconciliation with estranged wife Zoe flops – she’s met someone else – and he throws himself even more into work, the very thing that’s undone his equilibrium in the past.

Elba is magnetic as Luther, bringing a gravitas to the role that transfixes even when things veer towards theatrical. Whether he was throwing things through windows or sitting quietly alone, I was mesmerised by his portrayal of a troubled man treading a tightrope between intelligence and insanity. But it’s not a one-man show; there are strong performances across the board, from Morgan’s Alice, to Indira Varma as Zoe, Saskia Reeves as Luther’s boss, and Paul McGann as Zoe’s new lover. Each brings emotion and authenticity to the roles, none are caricatures.

Viewers will quickly notice Luther ‘looks’ different to other British TV. It is shot beautifully, giving it a more cinematic than ultra-real ‘police procedural’ look and feel. Each of the six episodes of the first season is exciting in itself, while at the same time ongoing issues bubble away in the background, exploding by the finale, where Luther is accused of a brutal murder and must enlist some unlikely allies to help catch the real killer before his colleagues – who think he’s finally gone off the deep end – catch him.

Overall, I absolutely loved Luther. Was it over-the-top, less than realistic, as some said? Yes. Did it verge on theatrical? Yes. But damn it is good. Very, very good. For me, one of the best TV shows I’ve watched in years. I accept it’s the type of show that not everyone will enjoy – it will ‘click’ or resonate with some, and not others. I’m just glad it works for me, because now I can really look forward to season two, which recently screened in Britain to widespread acclaim, and much higher ratings.

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This article was published in the 29 July 2011 issue of NZLawyer, and is republished here with permission.

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Have you watched Luther? What do you think of the TV show? Did you like it, or not? Thoughts welcome.

Watch this space: 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award finalists

Keep your eyes peeled to Crime Watch and the Facebook page for the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel - the finalists for the 2011 Award will be announced tomorrow (NZT)!

It's been a tough decision for the judges, with eight interesting examples of crime and thriller fiction on the longlist, offering a diverse range of writing styles, settings, protagonists, and storytelling:

• BLOOD MEN by Paul Cleave
• CAPTURED by Neil Cross
• THE CRIME OF HUEY DUNSTAN by James McNeish
• DEATH IN THE KINGDOM by Andrew Grant
• THE FALLEN by Ben Sanders
• HUNTING BLIND by Paddy Richardson
• SLAUGHTER FALLS by Alix Bosco
• SURRENDER by Donna Malane

All eight of the longlisted novels have received praise from the judges, and the decision on the finalists has been a very tough one - tune in tomorrow to find out who has made it.

The 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award will be presented on 21 August in Christchurch, at the conclusion of the "Setting the Stage for Murder" event, which will feature the finalists, along with visiting international crime writers Tess Gerritsen and John Hart. You can read more about that event, and purchase tickets, here.

In the meantime, if you're a crime fiction fan and you're on Facebook, why don't you head over to the Ngaio Marsh Award page, and 'like' it. New Zealand crime fiction and the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel has its own official Facebook presence, where you can comment on the award, potential finalists, discuss New Zealand and other crime fiction, and much more.

Who are you hoping to see on the finalists list tomorrow?

What really goes on in the world of publishing?

As a reader, writer, or reviewer, have you ever wondered how or why certain decisions were made by publishers? Why certain books are published, and others not? What makes a book publishable? How the Internet might change the game for writers, readers, and publishers alike?

Well, for those who are truly interested in learning some of the 'inside secrets' of the world of publshing, and perhaps getting a little invaluable advice for their own budding writing career, there is now a course for you at the Creative Hub in Auckland. Coming up in October, former Penguin New Zealand Publishing Director Geoff Walker z(pictured) will leading a 10-week course entitled "Book Publishing - The Inside Story". Walker was the head of publishing at Penguin when they brought the likes of Vanda Symon, Paddy Richardson, and Alix Bosco on board - so he seems to have something of an appreciation for crime fiction too.

You can read much more about the course, including some FAQs, here.

The Creative Hub provides a variety of writing courses, taught by some of New Zealand’s leading writers and teachers of writing. Located on Auckland's beautiful Princes Wharf, it offers "a stunning location in which to have fun and learn new skills". The Hub's website says it aspires "to the highest standards of excellence, while preserving the sense of fun in exploring your own creativity". Tutors and workshops leaders include well-known authors Tessa Duder, Paula Morris, Graham Reid, Yvonne Van Dongen, Roger Hall, Tina Shaw, John Cranna and former Penguin publisher Geoff Walker. Although there are other writing schools in New Zealand, the Creative Hub touts itself as our country's first writing centre run entirely by professional authors and editors.


There are some other interesting-looking courses on offer too, including courses in fiction writing, screenwriting, and writing for children and teens. So if you're a budding writer in New Zealand, or want to learn more about books industry, head along to this website and take a look.

A sneak peak at Ben Sanders' upcoming crime novel

Currently reading: SHELTER by Harlan Coben

Last night I started the upcoming crime novel from popular bestseller Harlan Coben, who is of course the author of the Myron Bolitar series, along with some award-winning standalones. This upcoming book (released in early September) is a little different though - it's Coben's first young adult thriller.

Here's the backcover blurb:

Mickey Bolitar’s year can’t get much worse. After witnessing his father’s death and sending his mom to rehab, he’s forced to live with his estranged Uncle Myron and switch high schools.

A new school comes with new friends and new enemies, and lucky for Mickey, it also comes with a great new girlfriend, Ashley. For awhile, it seems like Mickey’s train-wreck of a life is finally improving—until Ashley vanishes without a trace. Unwilling to let another person walk out of his life, Mickey follows Ashley’s trail into a seedy underworld that reveals that this seemingly sweet, shy girl isn’t who she claimed to be. And neither was Mickey’s father.

Soon, Mickey learns about a conspiracy so shocking that it makes high school drama seem like a luxury – and leaves him questioning everything about the life he thought he knew.

First introduced to readers in Harlan Coben’s latest adult novel, Live Wire, Mickey Bolitar is as quick-witted and clever as his Uncle Myron, and eager to go to any length to save the people he cares about. With this new series, Coben introduces an entirely new generation of fans to the masterful plotting and wry humor that have made him an award-winning, internationally best-selling, and beloved author.

I am about 3/4 through, and quite enjoying it. The plot is interesting, there is plenty of Coben's classic humour, and the character of Mickey - who as an adult reader, starts as a little bit of a whiny brat - is really growing on me. It's also really interesting seeing Myron through the eyes of a teenager who doesn't exactly love him, and getting a different perspective on some of the things that happened in Coben's latest Myron tale, LIVE WIRE (released earlier this year) - though I wonder what some teen readers will think of Myron (if they haven't read Coben's adult books). He's more an an annoying uncle than a heroic leading man in this one.

Do you like reading teen fiction? What do you think of the increasing number of adult crime fiction writers turning their hands to the teen fiction market (eg Coben, Reichs, Grisham, Patterson, etc)? Which other adult authors would you like to see write teen fiction? Comments welcome.

Exploring the mysteries within: my feature article on Edgar winner John Hart in this week's New Zealand Listener

This week's issue of the New Zealand Listener (July 30-August 5 2011 issue) includes my large feature on double Edgar Award-winning crime writer John Hart, who's latest book THE IRON HOUSE was released earlier this month, and who will be visiting New Zealand for some public events in August.

I really enjoyed talking to Hart, who is one of my favourite 'new to me' author 'finds' of past few years (I first read THE LAST CHILD in 2009 - it was my personal top-ranked crime novel of that year, so I was glad to see it win the Edgar and the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger - a rare double - and I also really enjoyed DOWN RIVER, his other Edgar winner, and IRON HOUSE). Over the course of a very relaxing and good-humoured hour, we discussed everything from the literary merit of crime fiction, to the importance of compelling characters and treating a setting honestly (it's good and bad aspects), to getting gripping drama from 'small-scale' personal stories rather than world-coming-to-an-end plotlines, to the fact we'd both left the law to do something else, something better (hopefully) with our lives. Hart was a really humble, down-to-earth guy, and I'm looking forward to meeting him in person when he visits New Zealand next month.

For those of you in New Zealand, go out and grab a copy of this week's Listener - I think you will enjoy the article. For those overseas, the article will be posted in full online in about three weeks - I'll make sure to link to it from Crime Watch. John Hart will be making two public appearances next month - I hope to see plenty of NZ-based readers at what should be two great events:

Sunday 21 August – CHRISTCHURCH

Setting the Stage for Murder with author Tess Gerritsen and chaired by Graham Beattie
Location: Crystal Palace, Hagley Park
Time: 11am – 12 noon
Tickets: go to www.artsfestival.co.nz/show/106/setting-the-stage-for-murder.aspx
to order tickets.

Tuesday 23 August – AUCKLAND
An evening with John Hart
Location: Takapuna Library, The Strand, Takapuna
Time: 6.00pm for a 6.30pm start.
Tickets: Entry: $5 ($2 Friends of the Library)
RSVP to 486-8469 or helen.woodhouse@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Have you picked up this week's Listener, and perhaps read my article? If so, what do you think? Have you read IRON HOUSE, or do you intend to? Are you a fan of John Hart's literary thrillers? Will you be heading along to the Auckland or Christchurch events? Thoughts and comments welcome.

Reminder: get your entries in to win eight Kiwi crime novels

The entries are starting to flow in for the competition to win all eight titles longlisted for the upcoming 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel. One lucky person is going to be getting some pretty great reading that should keep them entertained for a while! Make sure you get your own entry in sometime between now and 18 August.

To refresh your memories: the prize is open worldwide, and is a terrific line-up of crime and thriller fiction, with the eight longlisted titles offering a diverse range of writing styles, settings, protagonists, and storytelling. Early comments from the international judging panel, which has been "impressed" by the calibre of New Zealand crime fiction in the running this year, include "such good books, but all so different", and "NZ is such a rich environment for writing... there should be a way to spread the news about these fine authors".

Now you have a chance to try for yourself the entire line-up that has been impressing the Ngaio Marsh Award judging panel. You can enter the prize draw simply by emailing a photo of yourself reading any New Zealand crime, mystery, or thriller title - contemporary or from days gone by - to ngaiomarshaward@gmail.com. The book in your picture doesn't have to be set in New Zealand, as long as the author is associated with New Zealand (lives in New Zealand, was born or grew up in New Zealand, etc). If you need some inspiration when it comes to finding an eligbile, mystery, or thriller novel to read and photograph, check out this list of more than 80 authors and more than 250 titles here.

Photos will be displayed on the Ngaio Marsh Award Facebook page, which you can visit and 'like' here. The winner of the competition will be randomly drawn from the entered photos on 18 August 2011, and announced prior to the presentation of the Ngaio Marsh Award on 21 August 2011.

Paul Cleave talks about his latest dark thriller, COLLECTING COOPER, and more

Three Seconds by Roslund & Hellström wins CWA International Dagger

The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) has awarded a number of this year’s Daggers during the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, being held this weekend in Harrogate, England. The CWA Dagger Awards are the longest established literary awards in the UK and are internationally recognised as a mark of excellence and achievement. CWA Chair Peter James said: “Crime fiction is today more popular throughout the western world than any other form of fiction writing. This is because through this medium the authors write in depth and with the greatest intelligence about human life, the human condition, and issues that affect the lives of each and every one of us. That is what great writing always has been about and always will be.”

Swedish duo Anders Roslund & Börge Hellström took out the coveted CWA International Dagger for their novel THREE SECONDS. The CWA International Dagger is awarded for crime, thriller, suspense or spy fiction novels which have been translated into English from their original language, for UK publication between June 1 2010 and May 31 2011. Prize money £1000 for the author and £500 for the translator.

The judges said Roslund and Hellström's "usual maverick cop takes a back seat to a riveting exploration of a deniable operation involving an undercover agent deep inside a criminal organisation" and that their new character "doomed to betrayal by political manoeuvring, fights for his life with great intelligence and courage".

I haven't read THREE SECONDS yet, but by all accounts, I should give it a go soon.

Here are the other novels that made the CWA International Dagger shortlist:

• The Wings of the Sphinx by Andrea Camilleri, Tr. Stephen Sartarelli
• Needle in a Haystack by Ernesto Mallo, Tr. Jethro Soutar
• The Saint-Florentin Murders by Jean-François Parot, Tr. Howard Curtis
• River of Shadows by Valerio Varesi, Tr. Joseph Farrell
• Death on a Galician Shore by Domingo Villar, Tr. Sonia Soto

The judges of this year's CWA International Dagger were: award-winning crime writer Ann Cleeves (non-voting Chair), Karen Meek, a library assistant and founder of the Euro Crime website: http://www.eurocrime.co.uk/, Ruth Morse, who teaches English Literature at the University of Paris and is a frequent contributor to the Times Literary Supplement, and bookseller John Murray-Browne.

Have you read THREE SECONDS? What did you think? Do you like translated crime fiction? What have been some of your favourite translated crime novels?

Lee Child scoops Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year for 61 HOURS

A few hours ago, British-born crime writer Lee Child was named the winner of the 2011 Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year for his Jack Reacher novel 61 HOURS, beating out competition including twice-winner Mark Billingham and Scottish 'gore with guffaws' master Stuart MacBride.

The announcement was made on the opening night of the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, being held in Harrogate, England this weekend. It is the first time Child has won the £3,000 prize and handmade, engraved beer barrel trophy provided by the brewery sponsor.

Simon Theakston, judge and T&R Theakston executive director, said: "All the novels on this year's shortlist were of an exceptionally high standard but 61 Hours was a clear winner. The appeal of the eternal wanderer Jack Reacher is hard to resist as he travels the frozen landscape of South Dakota, fighting the good fight. 61 Hours is a great example of Lee Child's immense talent, and we're thrilled to present him with this much deserved award for the first time."

Although I'm a big fan of both Billingham and MacBride, I'm happy to see Child recognised for 61 HOURS, as I really enjoyed that book when I read it last year. You can read my thoughts on this particular Jack Reacher tale at the Reviewing the Evidence website here. Child was also the first-ever participant in Crime Watch's ongoing 9mm interview series - you can (re)read his quickfire interview here.

Now in its seventh year, the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award, in partnership with Asda, and this year in association with the Daily Mirror, was created to celebrate the very best in crime writing and is open to British and Irish authors whose novels were published in paperback between 1st January 2010 and 31st May 2011.

 A special presentation was also made to 91-year-old novelist P D James, the winner of the second Theakstons Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award. Booktrade.info reported that the 91-year-old Baroness was delighted to collect the award: "It is always a satisfaction and an encouragement for a writer to win a prize, but I am particularly proud to be honoured by the Theakstons Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award because it comes from Harrogate, a town which it is always a delight to visit and which is the home of one of the most distinguished and pleasurable English literary festivals."

Theakston added, “We are also hugely honoured and excited to welcome the crime fiction grandmaster P D James to Harrogate this year, to collect her Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award. Few are as prolific as she, dominating the genre for over 50 years. This award acknowledges that immense achievement."

Congratulations to Baroness James - it's terrific to see her honoured in this way. I really, really enjoyed interviewing her prior to her 90th birthday last year - she was an absolute delight to interview - charming, witty, honest, and gracious. She also participated in the 9mm series - you can read her answers here.

Comments welcome.

Game of Thrones Poster

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Reminder: Jeffery Deaver appearing in Takapuna tonight!

Bestselling US thriller writer Jeffery Deaver, who recently penned the new James Bond tale, CARTE BLANCHE, will be in New Zealand for one public event only, tonight on Auckland's North Shore.

The event, held in association with the Herald on Sunday newspaper, will be at the Takapuna Paper Plus on Hurstmere Road. Here are the full details:

Thursday 21 July – AUCKLAND

A Herald on Sunday event with Jeffery Deaver
Location: Takapuna Paper Plus, 20 Hurstmere Road
Time: 5.30pm for a 6pm start.
RSVP to (09) 486 7472 or email takapuna@paperplus.co.nz

For further information please contact Karen McKenzie, publicist Hachette NZ
karenm@hachette.co.nz or 09 477 5591

I was fortunate enough to interview Deaver prior to CARTE BLANCHE hitting the shelves earlier this year. I found him very personable, we had a great chat about all manner of things crime fiction etc, and I'm looking forward to meeting him in person. You can read my feature article for the Sunday Star-Times, based on that interview here. You can read my full NZLawyer review of CARTE BLANCHE, along with a review by NZLawyer editor Darise Bennington of the latest Bond cocktail, created by Deaver for the new book, here.

Hope to see some of the Auckland-based Crime Watch readers there tonight!

Beyond Stieg: two of the world's best crime commentators discuss Scandinavian crime fiction

Back in mid 2009 I wrote a large feature on the rise of Swedish crime writing for Good Reading, a great books-focused magazine in Australia. Entitled "Hot Crime Writing in a Cold Land" (first two pages pictured right), it looked at the history and evolution of Swedish crime fiction, beyond the Stieg Larsson phenomena that was sweeping the world at the time (and has continued to do so, seemingly unabated since).

In the article I noted that while Larsson had topped the the 2008/2009 Wischenbart survey (which analysed bestselling authors of all types across seven major European markets), beating out the likes of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series, he was only the tip of the Swedish crime iceberg; six other Swedish crime writers were in the Top 40, and many others were hovering. The surveyors, who conduct various analyses for the global publishing industry, even specifically noted the “predominance of Swedish (crime) fiction which has been out competing any other flavour or origin of fictional writing”. Not just out-competing any other type of crime writing - out competing any other type of fiction altogether.

It's funny - at the time I thought that I was a bit late on the piece, but since then more and more and more and more publications around the world have jumped on the Swedish crime bandwagon, and the train shows no real signs of slowing - although there are some signs of Scandinavian crime fatigue (or Larsson fatigue, at least) in some quarters.

 Now acclaimed British reviewer and crime fiction commentator Barry Forshaw is working on a book, Death in a Cold Climate: Scandinavian Crime Fiction, due for release next year. For those who don't know, Forshaw is one of the UK's best known crime critics, editor of Crime Time magazine and former Vice-Chair of the Crime Writers' Association, and has penned several crime fiction-related books, including British Crime Writing: An Encyclopaedia, and The Rough Guide to Crime Fiction. I for one am curious at to what such an esteemed researcher, critic and commentator has to say about the rise of Scandinavian crime - apparently it will be quite the authoritative survey of the sub-genre.

But you don't have to wait until next year to get some taste of what Forshaw thinks - in a recent Kirkus Reviews interview with US crime critic Jeff K. Pierce, editor of January Magazine and The Rap Sheet, Forshaw shares some of his thoughts on crime fiction's insights into Scandinavian society, the history of Nordic crime writing, the Swedish dominance, and more.

You can read Forshaw's Kirkus Reviews interview with Jeff Pierce here, and also some further discussion between the pair on the topic at The Rap Sheet, here. In relation to the social commentary often threaded throughout Nordic crime, Forshaw says: "The analysis of society freighted into the novels is more forensic and detailed than in the crime fiction of virtually any other country, even within the orbit of such mordant social critics as the writers James Lee Burke [in America] and Val McDermid [in Britain]."

Do you agree? Have you read any Nordic crime fiction? Who are your favourite Scandinavian crime writers? Is there something special about the sub-genre, or has it become merely a marketing/popularity snowball?

Remembering Natalie Wood

natalie wood 7/20/1938 - 11/29/1981

Tickets now on sale for the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award presentation

Tickets are now on sale for "Setting the Stage for Murder", a great event in Christchurch on 21 August that incorporates the presentation of the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel.

The event is being held at 11am at the TelstraClear Club in Hagley Park, in association with the Christchurch Writers Festival Trust, and as part of the 2011 Christchurch Arts Festival (which runs from 12 August to 2 October).

It's terrific to have both organisations (the Arts Festival and the Writers' Festival) behind the Ngaio Marsh Award. Here's the spiel for the event from the Arts Festival website:

SETIING THE STAGE FOR MURDER

The International Stage

Two of America’s top crime writers join forces in a gripping session. Best-selling author Tess Gerritsen and award-winner John Hart, author of three New York Times bestsellers, will discuss their latest novels — The Silent Girl and The Iron House respectively. Chaired by crime afcionado and reviewer Graham Beattie, this riveting event will have you on the edge of your seat.

The New Zealand Stage
Christchurch s again proud to host the prestigious Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel. A panel of local and international judges has been considering the best locally written crime and thriller fction published in New Zealand in 2010. The three fnalists will discuss their books with Craig Sisterson, one of the country’s most knowledgeable crime readers, before the winner is announced.
Presented by Christchurch Writers Festival.

It should be a terrific way to spend a late winter Sunday. Hopefully we will see some of you there. You can purchase tickets through the Arts Festival website here.

Literary Events To Reinvigorate The 'Quake-ravaged Christchurch Audience

Following the cancellation of two proposed festivals, The Press Christchurch Writers’ Festival is determined that local audiences won’t miss out on hearing the words of some of our best writers - just because the earthquakes ravaged the city.

In July, August and September the festival is bringing some entertaining, challenging and thrilling literary events to Christchurch.

Read Aloud: Tuesday 26 July. As part of Kidsfest the festival presents Margaret Mahy, Ben Brown, Helen Taylor and James Norcliffe telling their tales from their own stories in the Events Dome in Hagley Park.

The Silence Beyond: Wednesday 27 July. Rachael King and Lloyd Jones in conversation about The Silence Beyond: Selected Writings of Michael King. In this new book, Rachael has assembled a collection of her father’s wide-ranging, often personal and some previously unpublished essays, talks and eulogies highlighting the full scope of talents of one of New Zealand’s greatest modern thinkers.

The Larnachs. Sunday 7 August. Owen Marshall talks to broadcaster Ruth Todd, about his subtle and compelling new novel, The Larnachs, which draws on the family history of James Ludie Lanarch - the politician and self-made man who built the famous 'castle' on the Otago peninsula. A memorable piece of fiction, from one of our most talented authors, it tells a tale of intrigue, morality, judgement and scandal.

Setting the Stage for Murder: Sunday 21 August. Two award-winning American crime writers, Tess Gerritsen and John Hart discuss their latest novels in a riveting session. This will be followed by the presentation of the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel by a New Zealand writer in 2010, with the finalists all reading excerpts from their thrilling tales.

Presented as part of Christchurch Arts Festival

Putting Words to the Feelings: Sunday 18 September. Five writers with strong Canterbury links – Fiona Farrell, Joanna Preston, Tusiata Avia, Carl Nixon and Charlotte Randall – reflect on their experiences of the Christchurch earthquake and how the reimagined landscape of the city and its surroundings will emerge within their writing.

Presented as part of Christchurch Arts Festival

What’s For Pudding? Wednesday 31 August. Alexa Johnston talks to Kate Fraser, food editor of The Press, about her new collection of old tried and true recipes, the best selection of sweet treats that have graced New Zealand tables for generations. Following on from the success of Alexa Johnston’s best-selling “Ladies a Plate”, the choice of hot and cold puddings reflect the changing social habits in a century of cooking in New Zealand.

Read Aloud – Tuesday 26 July, 930am and 11.00am Child $5, Family $10 – door sales only

The Silence Beyond – Wednesday 27 July, 6.30pm -Cashmere Club - $15 http://www.dashtickets.co.nz/

The Larnachs – Sunday 7 August, 1.00pm - Cashmere Club - $15 http://www.dashtickets.co.nz/

Setting the Stage for Murder – Sunday 21 August, 11.00am - TelstraClear Club, Hagley Park $20 – http://www.artsfestival.co.nz/

Putting Words to the Feelings – Sunday 18 September, 1.00pm - TelstraClear Club, Hagley Park - $5 – http://www.artsfestival.co.nz/

What’s for Pudding? – Wednesday 31 August, 2.30pm The George Hotel - $25 http://www.dashtickets.co.nz/

Hope to see some of Crime Watch's New Zealand-based readers at the Setting the Stage for Murder event!

Idris Elba nominated for Emmy for lead role in Neil Cross's 'Luther' series

I am very pleased to share the news that Idris Elba has been nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie at the primetime Emmy Awards, a terrific acknowledgement for what is a great character and a great performance. Nomination announcement day got even better for Elba though, as he also received an Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Emmy nomination for his guest spot in 'The Big C'.

“This has been such an amazing morning for me! I am extremely honored to be nominated in two categories,” Elba said in a statement. “Luther’has been such a passion project for me and working on The Big C was a great time. Also, my daughter told me I am going to be as famous as the guy from Twilight."

I've been reading and hearing about Luther for two years now, since I first interviewed Neil Cross back in mid 2009 for an article in Australian-based Good Reading magazine, and he told me a little about the show he was in the process of creating and writing at the time. Until this week, I hadn't seen it for myself, however - the first season, which got positive if somewhat mixed reviews (some critics and viewers thought it was the best thing on British TV in ages, others weren't keen at all) screened on Sky TV in New Zealand (I don't have a subscription) earlier this year, and the second season recently screened to rather more widespread acclaim and higher viewer numbers in UK recently. Earlier this year Neil Cross also won a prestigious Edgar Award for his writing of the series.

My Luther DVD finally arrived on Wednesday, so at last I can give my own opinion, rather than just sharing comments from others. I watched all six episodes yesterday, and absolutely loved it. Was it a little over-the-top, as some critics said? Yes. Was it less-than-realistic at times? Yes. Did the acting verge on theatrical, rather than 'police procedural' at times? Yes.

But god-damned it is good. Very, very, very good. I was quite ready to love it, hate it, or fall somewhere in between, but I was blown away from the opening episode, and the first season just got better as it went on. The acting performances (led by Elba, but ably supported by three great female actors/characters and a couple of great turns from other male cop characters too, as well as Paul McGann as Luther's ex-wife's lover) were riveting, and full of subtle layers amongst the emotion. The storylines were exciting, with more to them than it may appear to those just looking at the surface. Just all-around a great series. Honestly, I was ready to be disappointed or dislike it, given some reviews I've read, but I just really, really loved it. One of the best TV shows I've watched in years. I sat down yesterday, played the first episode, and then watched all six back-to-back-to-back. Clearly I am one of the viewers Cross had in mind, that 'got', what he and the cast were trying to do. I accept not everyone will fall into that category, but I'm glad I do, and I'm really looking forward to season two when it's released on DVD.

It's a shame the show itself wasn't  nominated for an Emmy (it's not the only Emmy oversight - Entourage is a top quality, multi-layered show that's been ignored the past couple of years as other lesser shows have become favoured by Emmy voters), but great to see Elba's very fine performance as John Luther being hailed. I was also very pleased to see Timothy Olyphant get a nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Drama, for his role in Justified, which has recently started screening in New Zealand.

Currently reading: GOOD AS DEAD by Mark Billingham

Regular readers of Crime Watch will be aware that English author Mark Billingham is one of my favourite crime writers, and that I really enjoy the consistency and quality of his award-winning series starring London copper Tom Thorne. So it was with great pleasure that I got to work this morning to find a copy of Billingham's upcoming Thorne tale, his tenth, GOOD AS DEAD, waiting for me on my desk.

Other books I've been reading have immediately been put on hold, and I've already dived into GOOD AS DEAD on my lunch break. Here's the backcover blurb:

The Hostage
Police officer Helen Weeks walks into her local newsagent's on her way to work. Little does she know that this simple daily ritual will change her life forever. It's the last place she expects to be met with violence, but as she waits innocently at the till, she comes face to face with a gunman.

The Demand
The crazed hostage-taker is desperate to know what really happened to his beloved son, who died a year before in youth custody. By holding a police officer at gunpoint, he will force the one man who knows more about the case than any other to re-investigate his son's death. That man is DI Tom Thorne.

The Twist
While Helen fights to stay alive and the body-count rises,Thorne must race against time if he is to bring a killer to justice and save a young mother's life.

You can read my 9mm interview with Mark Billingham here.

Have you read any of Billingham's Tom Thorne novels, or his acclaimed standalone IN THE DARK? Have you watched the TV series starring David Morrissey as Thorne? Thoughts welcome.

Win a set of the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award longlisted novels!

Crime fiction readers around the world now have the chance to go into the draw to win a full set of all EIGHT crime, mystery, and thriller novels longlisted for the upcoming 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award.

This prize is open worldwide, and is a terrific line-up of crime and thriller fiction, with the eight longlisted titles offering a diverse range of writing styles, settings, protagonists, and storytelling. Early comments from the international judging panel, which has been "impressed" by the calibre of New Zealand crime fiction in the running this year, include "such good books, but all so different", and "NZ is such a rich environment for writing... there should be a way to spread the news about these fine authors".

Now you have a chance to try for yourself the entire line-up that has been impressing the Ngaio Marsh Award judging panel. You can enter the prize draw simply by emailing a photo of yourself reading any New Zealand crime, mystery, or thriller title - contemporary or from days gone by - to ngaiomarshaward@gmail.com. The book in your picture doesn't have to be set in New Zealand, as long as the author is associated with New Zealand (lives in New Zealand, was born or grew up in New Zealand, etc).

So whether it's a well-loved copy of a Ngaio Marsh, Laurie Mantell, or Paul Thomas novel that's been sitting on your bookshelf for years, or a brand new New Zealand crime novel you've recently picked up from a bookstore or library, grab your camera, take a smiling photo of yourself with the book, and send it to ngaiomarshaward@gmail.com.

If you need some inspiration when it comes to finding an eligbile, mystery, or thriller novel to read and photograph, check out this list of more than 80 authors and more than 250 titles here.

Photos will be displayed on the Ngaio Marsh Award Facebook page, which you can visit and 'like' here.

The winner of the competition will be randomly drawn from the entered photos, and announced just prior to the presentation of the Ngaio Marsh Award on 21 August 2011.

Best of luck, and happy snapping.

Reminder: one chance only to see Jeffery Deaver in New Zealand next Thursday

Bestselling US thriller writer Jeffery Deaver, who recently penned the new James Bond tale, CARTE BLANCHE, will be in New Zealand for one public event only, next Thursday, 21 July 2011.

The event, held in association with the Herald on Sunday newspaper, will be at the Takapuna Paper Plus on Hurstmere Road. Here are the full details:

Thursday 21 July – AUCKLAND

A Herald on Sunday event with Jeffery Deaver
Location: Takapuna Paper Plus, 20 Hurstmere Road
Time: 5.30pm for a 6pm start.
RSVP to (09) 486 7472 or email takapuna@paperplus.co.nz

For further information please contact Karen McKenzie, publicist Hachette NZ
karenm@hachette.co.nz or 09 477 5591

I was fortunate enough to interview Deaver prior to CARTE BLANCHE hitting the shelves earlier this year. I found him very personable, we had a great chat about all manner of things crime fiction etc, and I'm looking forward to meeting him in person next week. You can read my feature article for the Sunday Star-Times, based on that interview here.
 
Like many, I had a few questions, even doubts, when I heard a year or so ago that Deaver had been signed up to write a new James Bond novel. Not because of Deaver's writing - I really enjoy his psychological thrillers, and particularly his short stories in collections like TWISTED and MORE TWISTED, but just because having another writer try to pen a Bond novel seemed problematic to me (I hadn't heard great things about Sebastian Faulk's effort, and Faulks is of course a very good writer too). But as I discovered when I got my copy before interviewing Deaver, I needn't have worried.
 
As I said in a review of CARTE BLANCHE for NZLawyer magazine:
 
"Deaver delivers a thoroughly modern version of Bond, bringing 007 firmly into the 21st century while also retaining key traditions: fast cars, memorable female characters, fun gadgets, globe-trotting action, repellent villains, and plenty of peril ... At the same time, Deaver brings his own trademark touches to bear; readers are taken on a pacy roller-coaster storyline that twists in unexpected ways, not just in terms of plot but also action, characters and reader expectations and assumptions. Deaver’s Bond is a touch more sensitive and self-reflective than Fleming’s Cold War spy, but that suits our modern times, and 007 remains a man of action at heart ... In short, it’s a hell of a fun read."

You can read my full NZLawyer review of CARTE BLANCHE, along with a review by NZLawyer editor Darise Bennington of the latest Bond cocktail, created by Deaver for the new book, here.

Favourite female sleuth novels: Tess Gerritsen gives her picks

Bestselling crime writer Tess Gerritsen, who will be visiting New Zealand next month to appear at the Ngaio Marsh Award presentation in Christchurch, and headline the Romance Writers of New Zealand (RWNZ) Annual Conference, Love & Other Crimes (where she will teach a workshop on thrillers, and give a talk on how to build emotion into one's writing), has recently shared with The Week her six all-time favourite crime novels starring female sleuths.

Gerritsen, who was a doctor before becoming the author of the best-selling Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles crime novels, recommends the following slate of female sleuth-starring thrillers:

• BLIND DESCENT by Nevada Barr: National park ranger Anna Pigeon "is so smart and resourceful that any man would feel safer with her at his side", says Gerritsen
• GRAVE GOODS by Ariana Franklin: Adelia Aguilar is a doctor sent to Glastonbury by King Henry II in 1176 to investigate two skeletons that may be the remains of Arthur and Guinevere.
• THE STRANGE FILES OF FREEMONT JONES by Diane Day: Fremont Jones is an independent-minded woman who offers secretarial services in 1905 San Francisco.
• IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER by Julia Spencer-Fleming: the Reverend Clare Fergusson is an Episcopal priest in a small New Hampshire town.
• THE INFORMATIONIST by Taylor Stevens: "Vanessa Munroe is more than just a sleuth —she’s an unstoppable force of nature", says Gerritsen.
• THE NANCY DREW MYSTERIES by Carolyn Keene: "Quick-witted and courageous, Nancy demonstrated to girls of my generation that we could accomplish anything."

You can read the full article, with more comments from Gerritsen on each book and heroine, here.
 
It got me thinking about my own personal favourite female sleuths, or thrillers starring female heroines. Regrettably, I have only read one of the above sleuths (Nancy Drew - although I was always much more of a Hardy Boys fan growing up, I did read one or two Nancy Drew books too). I have heard good things about Nevada Barr's writing, and as I enjoy thrillers set in rural/wilderness areas, I will have to at some point get my hands on some of her Anna Pigeon books.
 
To be honest, my all-time favourite long-running sleuths are all guys (Harry Bosch, Tom Thorne, Dave Robicheaux), but I have read plenty of female-starring crime novels that I've really loved too. Back in high school I really enjoyed Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta novels, although I think the series has tailed off in more recent times. I've also read plenty of Kathy Reichs's Tempe Brennan series, and Vanda Symon's Sam Shephard series is a recent favourite - Shephard is a terrific character that I really look forward to reading. I haven't yet got into Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich or Sarah Paretsky's long-running series, although I have some of each of their books on my TBR bookshelf at home. I recently enjoyed reading RED WOLF by Liza Marklund, but I'm not sure about how I feel about the main character, Annika Bengtzon - I might like Marklund's writing despite Bengzton, rather than because of her. Similarly I thought Gillian Flynn's DARK PLACES was a terrific novel, but her female lead (which isn't intended to be a recurring character anyway) was highly dislikeable - as are almost all of the characters in that intriguing novel. However, I quite like the DI Tina Boyd character in Simon Kernick's books (eg THE LAST 10 SECONDS, PAYBACK). And I really enjoyed Leah Giarratano's BLACK ICE last year, starring DS Jill Jackson - I'd like to read more of her.
 

In terms of Gerritsen's own heroines, Boston detective Jane Rizzoli and pathologist Maura Isles, I am really enjoying THE SILENT GIRL, which I am currently reading - although I'm not such a fan of Isles. I read THE KILLING PLACE earlier this year, and had a similar vibe (I think I am enjoying this one more because it, so far, is less Isles-centric than THE KILLING PLACE). Rizzoli is played by Angie Harmon in the recent TV adaptation of the novels (pictured left), while Isles is played by Sasha Alexander.
 
On the local front, as well as Shephard, I have enjoyed the two 'Anna Markunas' books by Alix Bosco, particularly the first, CUT & RUN (which won the inaugural Ngaio Marsh Award), and I'm looking forward to seeing how Markunas develops further as an intriguing character in future books. Donna Malane's heroine, missing person's expert Diane Rowe, was also a fresh and interesting heroine in SURRENDER - and hopefully Malane may continue the character in future books. She really grew on me throughout that debut novel, and has a distinct narrative voice.
 
Looking at the first 50 books I read in 2011, of the 44 crime novels, only nine starred female leads or co-leads, which is probably a sign that I need to read more female-centric crime fiction. I'm currently contemplating my own 'top female sleuth' thrillers, which I will share with you in due course.
 
In the meantime, what do you think of Gerritsen's picks? Who are your own personal favourite female sleuths? Would Gerritsen's Rizzoli and Isles feature amongst your faves? What other female sleuths would you suggest? I'd love to read your suggestions.

Z is for Zirk Van Den Berg's NOBODY DIES

Well after more than six months of fantastic alphabetically inspired posts from some great crime fiction bloggers in several countries, we’ve finally come to the end of the road for the Crime Fiction Alphabet, version 2.011. Z-Day, so to speak.

So, for this final week of our crime fiction sojourn, I’ve decided to feature NOBODY DIES, a 2004 novel from Namibian-born Zirk Van Den Berg, who moved to New Zealand in 1998. NOBODY DIES was Van Den Berg’s first story published in English - he published fiction and screenplays in Afrikaans while living in South Africa prior to emigrating to New Zealand. Interestingly, Van Den Berg told Iain Sharp of the Sunday Star-Times in 2004 that he moved his family from South Africa partially because of the violent crime there, and then he later ended up writing a crime novel set back there.

Published by Black Swan Crime (a division of Random House), NOBODY DIES is a gripping thriller that opens with a bang; a renegade female detective executes a man in her custody. Here’s the backcover blurb:

“Erica van der Linde has found the perfect way to make sure the witnesses in her police protection programme in Cape Town stay hidden. She kills them. As the criminals turned state witnesses have exited one life and not yet started another, there’s nobody to look for them.

But she hasn’t encountered anyone like Daniel Enslin before.

You’d hardly call him a criminal. An apathetic loner in a nothing job, Daniel gets his kicks by associating with Frank Redelinghuys, a dealer in all kinds of merchandise, unfettered by the normal rules of morality. But when Daniel witnesses Frank commit a murder, he feels compelled to do something about it.

He betrays Frank to his arch enemy, policeman Nic Acker, even though this puts his own life in danger. When the case against Frank collapses, Acker has no option but to put Daniel into the witness protection programme. With Erica to set up a new life for him, Daniel will be safe, at least...”

It certainly sounds like an intriguing premise. Until recently, the book was unavailable other than from libraries and secondhand stores (you might have stumbled across a copy or two squirrelled away in a bookstore somewhere, if you were incredibly lucky). However, van den Berg has now made the book available online, at Smashwords for just US$1.99. Complete with a new cover image (see left).

I've got my hands on a copy of the book, and from everything I've heard, you definitely should consider doing so too. NOBODY DIES inspired the New Zealand Listener to ask in 2004 whether Van Den Berg was "the best thriller writer in New Zealand", and the book was also rated one of the top 5 thrillers (internationally) of 2004, globally, by the New Zealand Herald.

And just last year Stephen Stratford, the head of judges for the literary-fiction focused NZ Post Book Awards (our Kiwi equivalent of the Booker Prize or Australia's Miles Franklin Award), said in an article by Mark Broatch in the Sunday Star-Times that he was "still waiting for a new novel from Zirk van den Berg whose outstanding Nobody Dies came out in 2004".

Have you been part of the Crime Fiction Alphabet? Which of my NZ inspired posts have been your favourites? Do you like the sound of NOBODY DIES? Of a thriller involving corrupt cops and the secret intricacies of witness protection? Have you read any South African set crime fiction? Comments welcome.

THE REVERSAL named winner of The Strand Magazine Critics Choice Award for Best Novel

Thanks to one of the best book blogs on the Internet, The Rap Sheet (a must-read for any crime fiction fan), I've ltoday learned that Michael Connelly's excellent crime novel THE REVERSAL, which brought Mickey Haller and Harry Bosch together to 'solve' a case, was this week named the winner of the Critics Awards, organised by Strand Magazine. I'm pleased to see THE REVERSAL get this recognition, as it was one of my very favourite reads of 2010 (out of 70-plus crime novels), and Connelly remains one of my all-time favourite crime writers.

You can read my 2010 Weekend Herald article based on an interview with Connelly about THE REVERSAL, here.

It was the second win in a row for Connelly, as he also won the Critics Choice Award last year for NINE DRAGONS, a tale that takes Harry Bosch to Hong Kong. Debutant author Paul Doiron won Best First Novel for THE POACHER'S SON.

Recognising excellence in the field of mystery fiction, the Critics Awards were judged by a select group of book critics and journalists, including Dennis Drabelle (The Washington Post), Dick Lochte (Los Angeles Times), Jordan Foster (Publishers Weekly), Jack Batten (Toronto Star), Jeff Ayers (Associated Press), Mary Ann Gwinn (Seattle Times), Jeff Johnson (Chicago Sun Times), Sarah Weinman (Los Angeles Times), and Larry Gandle (Tampa Tribune). In the Best Novel category Connelly had been up against:

• Faithful Place by Tana French (Viking)
• The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson (Knopf)
• Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane (William Morrow)
• I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman (William Morrow)

"This was a great group of nominees," said Andrew F. Gulli, the managing editor of The Strand. "Connelly’s win is a true testament to his talents as a crime writer and Paul Doiron is a writer who has a great future."

Read my recent New Zealand Listener article on Connelly, about his latest novel THE FIFTH WITNESS and the film version of THE LINCOLN LAWYER, here. You can also read 2010 Ngaio Marsh Award finalist Neil Cross's interesting piece on Connelly from the same issue of the Listener, here.

26 crime writers, one story: genius or madness?

A few days ago I came across an interesting story about a new crime novel hitting shelves; NO REST FOR THE DEAD. What makes this crime novel unique is the author, or should I say, authors. There are 26 of them.

I've read crime novels written by two authors before (co-written ala James Patterson and his offsiders or a writing team who pen thrillers under a pseudonym, eg Michael Stanley, Jefferson Bass, Casey Hill, etc), but never one story written by 26 distinct authors. It's like a short story collection full of bestsellers and lesser-known talents, except they've all contributed to one continuous story rather than thematically-linked but unique short tales of their completely own devising.

As has been reported over the past few week or so, Strand Magazine's Andrew Gulli came up with the idea for a plot and initially invited 12 writers to contribute chapters of their own. "I had an idea about a woman who was executed for a crime she didn't commit," said Gulli. "So I wrote a prologue and handed it to the first author and he and the others started to write."


What Gulli got back was not enough to make a coherent novel, so he invited more writers and ended up with a total of 26. The list includes novelist Jeffery Deaver, best known for his Lincoln Rhyme series and now the latest authorized James Bond sequel, Alexander McCall Smith, Kathy Reichs, and many other bestselling authors. Like many of those short story collections, it's an interesting mix of some 'household name' crime writers, along with several other talented writers that are fairly well-known to hardcore crime fiction fans, but not so much to the average 'man or woman on the street'.

"If you add up the group of writers who have taken part in this book, you'll find they have sales of hundreds of millions of books," Gulli told Reuters. "In the history of publishing nothing like this has ever occurred."

NO REST FOR THE DEAD centers around Jon Nunn, a detective who helped convict a woman for murdering her husband, the curator at a San Francisco museum. But 10 years later he is convinced he got the wrong woman, although it is too late to save Rosemary - she was executed.

Nunn plans to gather everyone who was there the night Christopher Thomas died, and uncover what really happened, suspect by suspect. "But this is not another Agatha Christie, or her creation Hercule Poirot, where the group is gathered and the detective details the case and points the finger at the story's end," Gulli said of the novel. "There are flashbacks, and a policeman's life has been ruined. It is a tale of redemption after he made a huge mistake, and there is a real twist."

The project took Gulli four years, and his greatest challenges were finding authors willing to contribute for a nominal fee as well as keeping the style and story constant enough for it to be readable. "I think it's a very entertaining read," he said. "When we re-read it, we thought it had the best of all possible worlds in that you can still see the different styles." Here's the full line-up of contributing crime writers:

• David Baldacci (Introduction)
• Jeff Abbott
• Lori Armstrong
• Sandra Brown
• Thomas Cook
• Jeffery Deaver
• Diana Gabaldon
• Tess Gerritsen
• Andrew F. Gulli
• Peter James
• J.A. Jance
• Faye Kellerman
• Raymond Khoury
• John Lescroart
• Jeff Lindsay
• Gayle Lynds
• Philip Margolin
• Alexander McCall Smith
• Michael Palmer
• T. Jefferson Parker
• Matthew Pearl
• Kathy Reichs
• Marcus Sakey
• Jonathan Santlofer
• Lisa Scottoline
• R.L. Stine
• Marcia Talley

I've read seven of those authors, and have another half-dozen or so on my bookshelves at home, waiting to be read. Quite a diverse bunch. It certainly sounds like an intriguing project, and in another 'plus', all proceeds will reportedly go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. after Gulli and his sister, who helped edit NO REST FOR THE DEAD, lost their mother to the disease in 1997.


The Guardian reported that Peter James, chair of the Crime Writers' Association, contributed a crucial chapter to the novel, in which a decade-old diary is discovered, providing vital clues. "The hard thing was not knowing what any of the characters were like – none of us saw what the others had written," James told The Guardian. "I'm a very detailed plotter. A big part of my writing technique is seeding things into each chapter, and it was hard to not have that flexibility – I was writing it in a complete void. In a way it was harder than I thought, but in a way it was liberating."


Given that many of the publicity reports about NO REST FOR THE DEAD promote a big twist ending, I'm intrigued as to how well this will have been set up throughout the novel, given that reportedly each writer didn't know what the others had written (although they were provided with an outline for their chapter - perhaps Gulli made it clear what red herrings, foreshadowing, clues and other things needed to be woven it?)

The Telegraph noted that "There are precedents for this kind of chain-thriller. HarperCollins has recently reissued The Floating Admiral (1931), a collaboration between Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, GK Chesterton and such less well-remembered names as Canon Victor L Whitchurch, creator of the "vegetarian railway detective" Thorpe Hazell. (Which of today's literary Ozymandiases will have been forgotten, I wonder, when No Rest for the Dead is reissued in 80 years' time?)".

Perhaps I'll have to keep an eye out for THE FLOATING ADMIRAL as well.

What do you think of the concept behind NO REST FOR THE DEAD? Does the 26-name author list make you more or less likely to give the crime novel a go? What have been some of your favourite author collaborations in the past? Comments welcome.