Michael Connelly talks abour Harry Bosch's return in THE DROP, and the future of the book business

Bookman Beattie shares his thoughts on Michael Connelly's latest Harry Bosch novel

 My fellow Ngaio Marsh Award judge Graham "Bookman" Beattie, deservedly one of the most well-respected figures on the New Zealand books scene, regularly reviews crime novels for Radio New Zealand.

This morning, as part of Kathryn Ryan's popular 'Nine to Noon' show, Beattie reviewed THE DROP, the latest Harry Bosch thriller from Michael Connelly, who both Beattie and I think is one of the very best in the business when it comes to global contemporary crime fiction.

"In my view it's Connelly at his best, and really there aren't many better," says Beattie of THE DROP. He also praised Connelly's touch for underlying themes and ambiquities, as well as noting that he likes the character of Bosch enormously. "I read the book late into the night over the weekend, it is a must read for crime fiction fans." You can listen to Beattie's full 5mins review here, or read a near-transcript of his review at his always-informative blog, Beattie's Book Blog, here.

Are you a Michael Connelly and/or Harry Bosch fan? Have you read THE DROP? Thoughts welcome.

Reviews: THE DROP by Michael Connelly, THE LOCK ARTIST by Steve Hamilton, and TRACES OF RED by Paddy Richardson

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 latest column was published yesterday NZT. As I've said before, these are just 'mini-reviews' of only 100 words or so, so I can't go into great depth about any of the books, but hopefully I provide readers with a little bit of an indication.

Crime Picks

The Drop
By Michael Connelly (Allen & Unwin, $39.99)
Put simply, Michael Connelly is a modern master of crime fiction, and LAPD detective Harry Bosch is one of the genre’s greatest characters. Connelly has an uncanny knack for keeping a long-running series fresh. Now, Bosch is spending his final pre-retirement years working cold cases, including one that threatens the integrity of the new Regional Crime Lab, when he’s hauled into a fresh investigation - the seems-like-suicide death of the son of his long-time nemesis, Councilman Irvin Irving. Readers are given a gripping, high quality ride as Bosch tries to find the truth behind the collision of police and politics.

The Lock Artist
By Steve Hamilton (Orion, $29.99)
Winner of the prestigious Edgar Award, this intriguing tale centres on Michael, who survived a terrible incident as a kid, but has never spoken since. The story switches between two major periods in Michael’s life, including his teenage years where he discovers his uncanny ability to open locks, and a prank gone wrong brings him into contact with a man who will end up changing his life. A mixture of thrills and chills as Michael goes about a rollercoaster criminal career, and an interesting character study of a troubled young man trying to escape from his tough life.

Traces of Red
By Paddy Richardson (Penguin, $30.00)
Acclaimed Dunedin author Richardson once again shows her skill at mixing personal drama and creepy psychological chills in her latest novel. Struggling television journalist Rebecca Thorne needs a big story, and thinks she might have found it when she discovers despised convicted triple murderer Connor Bligh might have a chance at freedom. Richardson excels at evoking the human aspects behind the plotline, as Rebecca struggles with her status and career, her relationships with Bligh’s barrister, a married man, and her interactions with many others as she tries to dig the truth from the past.

Craig Sisterson helped establish the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel. He writes about crime and thriller fiction for several publications here and overseas, and blogs at http://goldenglobenominees.blogspot.com/.

Have you read any of these authors or books? If so, what were your thoughts? Do the reviews make you more or less likely to want to read these three books? What books should I feature next month?

Michael Connelly talks about his upcoming Bosch novel

Harry Bosch is facing the end of the line. He's been put on the DROP - Deferred Retirement Option Plan - three years before his retirement is enforced. Seeing the end of the mission coming, he's anxious for cases. He doesn't have to wait long.


First a cold case gets a DNA hit for a rape and murder which points the finger at a 29-year-old convicted rapist who was only eight at the time of the murder.

Then a city councilman's son is found dead - fallen or pushed from a hotel window - and he insists on Bosch taking the case despite the two men's history of enmity.

The cases are unrelated but they twist around each other like the double helix of a DNA strand. One leads to the discovery of a killer operating in the city for as many as three decades; the other to a deep political conspiracy that reached back into the dark history of the police department.

Released in New Zealand on 31 October.

Ten years on, Connelly and other writers remember 9/11

While the calendar has ticked over, here in New Zealand, overseas it is still September 11 - a date that carries so much more meaning than simply a month and a number. A decade after the tragic events that made the day go down in history, and changed the world forever, commemorations have been held, all around the globe. Although centred on New York and Washington, DC, it was much more than an American tragedy, and it rocked the entire world. Much like my parent's generation can starkly remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard JFK had been assassinated, I think my generation will still be able to recall, well into our dotage, where we were when we heard, or saw, that planes had crashed into the World Trade Center.

In New Zealand, I'd just returned from a university party, and unable to sleep, in the wee small hours of the morning, I turned on my computer to look up some sports news etc. Bizarrely, the CNNSI sports website had a picture of smoke billowing from a skyscraper. Confused, I momentarily thought I'd put in the wrong website address. When I tried again, the same thing. Ditto the ESPN website. It dawned on me that something much bigger than sports had just happened. I raced to the lounge and turned on the TV - and then found myself tranfixed, stuck to the couch, unable to peel myself away over the next few hours. Needless to say, any effects of the earlier party wore off very quickly. I was shocked, and trying to process just what this all meant. I saw the towers come down, live, while many other Kiwis slept. I vaguely knew of a handful of people in New York, friends of friends, and worried for their safety. I was so far away, it wasn't even my country, and it just seemed so unreal, but I still felt so wound up about it, as the story unfolded as reports and more information flooded in over the hours and days ahead.

It really is something I will never forget, and nor should I. 2,977 innocent people lost their lives that day, and many hundreds of thousands more have been directly affected by the events of that day, and the consequences since.

Here in New Zealand we are of course currently hosting one of the biggest sporting events in the world, the Rugby World Cup (reportedly the third biggest sporting event, globally, after the Olympics and FIFA World Cup). It was September 11 yesterday, and the US rugby team was playing their first game. A commemorative church service was held before the game, which the US team attended, and there were also other services and memorials - such as from New Zealand fire fighters, remembering their US colleagues who fell a decade ago, trying to save the lives of others - around the country.

The New York Daily News has spoken to a number of authors, including leading crime writer Michael Connelly, about their feelings, and memories, of 9/11. Connelly had meant to be heading to Paris on 10 Sept, but was grounded in Cincinnati, so woke to the news on American soil. You can read his thoughts, and those of the other authors, in the article here.

Do you remember where you were, ten years ago?

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.

Michael Connelly becomes the seventh member of the Kindle Million Club

While more and more e-books are being sold all the time, the group of authors that have sold one million books on Kindle remains a select one. This past week crime writing maestro Michael Connelly (pictured above with me and Kiwi author Ben Sanders at Connelly's recent Auckland event) became the seventh member of the 'Million Club'.

Interestingly, five of the seven authors who've passed the million mark on Kindle are crime writers (six, if you include Nora Roberts crime-writing persona, JD Robb). The club, so far:

• Stieg Larsson;
• James Patterson;
• Nora Roberts;
• Charlaine Harris;
• Lee Child;
• Suzanne Collins (popular children's author); and
• Michael Connelly.

It's interesting that the likes of JK Rowling, Stephanie Meyer, and Dan Brown haven't yet joined the club - but perhaps that is more to do with their readers not yet embracing e-books to quite the same extent (and that Brown and Rowling's phenomenal sales peaks were a couple or more years ago).

I'm very pleased to see a quality crime writer the likes of Connelly having this kind of e-book success, and the way in which crime fiction readers have embraced e-book technology. With quality New Zealand crime writers who get good reviews of their books by local and international reviewers, readers, and award judges, still struggling to get published in print in the bigger US and UK markets, e-book sales may be one key way in future for Kiwi crime writers to reach a wider audience of readers, who would enjoy their books once they gave them a change (and knew about them in the first place).

What do you think of the growth in e-book sales? Do you have a Kindle, iPad, Kobo or other e-reading device? Do you buy many e-books? If so, do you still buy print books? What do you think of the crime writer dominance in the 'million club'? Thoughts welcomed.

Michael Connelly talks to Radio New Zealand (interesting interview)

Last night Michael Connelly entertained a crowd of around 300 in Auckland during a fantastic evening that combined author talk, audience Q&A, a special New Zealand screening of the film adaptation of THE LINCOLN LAWYER, and a book signing session. He'd made a whistlestop trip to New Zealand as part of a longer Australian tour (he'd appeared at the Sydney Writers Festival and this morning returned to Australia for further events in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Perth) in support of his latest Mickey Haller novel, THE FIFTH WITNESS. It was a terrific night here in Auckland, and I will blog more about this at a later time.

In the meantime, I thought some of you may like to have a listen to a 30-minute interview Connelly had with Kathryn Ryan on Radio New Zealand yesterday morning. The full interview is now available to listen to online - CLICK HERE.

Riding with the Lincoln Lawyer: my large feature article on Michael Connelly in the New Zealand Listener

While I was away in Turkey and Greece, my large feature article based on a recent interview with Michael Connelly, one of the world's most consistently outstanding crime writers and a modern great of the genre, was published in the Arts & Books section of the New Zealand Listener, one of NZ's best magazines. "Riding with the Lincoln Lawyer" is my second large feature for the Listener, following my article on Henning Mankell in April. As of yesterday, you can now read the article in full online.

READ THE FULL VERSION OF MY ARTICLE BY CLICKING HERE.
In the same issue, New Zealand-based thriller writer Neil Cross also wrote a great piece on Connelly's writing ("he’s still the only writer whose novels I buy on the day of publication”).

I particular like Neil's observation that "Connelly’s not a stylist – he’s far too good a writer for that, with too much respect for the reader. But he’s a subtle and fabulously deft craftsman, happy to step back and conceal his guiding hand. This allows his prose to do what only the best prose can do: get out of your way and let you enjoy the book you’re reading by letting you forget you’re reading a book." You can read Neil's article in full here.

Have you read THE FIFTH WITNESS, THE LINCOLN LAWYER, or any of Connelly's other crime novels? What do you think of his writing? Will you be going to one of his upcoming New Zealand, Australian or US events? Comments welcome - on Connelly, my article, or anything else...

My Herald on Sunday reviews: LIVE WIRE, THE FIFTH WITNESS and SHADOW SISTER

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 fourth 'column' was published while I was away in Turkey and Greece, in the 'Detours' lifestyle supplement to the newspaper, so I apologise for the delay in sharing it with you here. Here is my latest column.

Crime picks
Book blogger Craig Sisterson reveals his top picks from his recent reading

Live Wire
By Harlan Coben (Orion, $39.99)
When her musician husband vanishes following internet rumours about her fidelity, a pregnant former tennis starlet turns to sports agent-cum-amateur sleuth Myron Bolitar for help. Meanwhile Bolitar’s dealing with his own family crisis; a dying father and the possible return of his long-lost brother, with trouble close behind. Then things take a deadly turn. Bolitar is a fascinating, at times funny, hero who’s easy to follow. Coben’s storytelling hooks early, then takes us on a twisting ride towards a thrilling conclusion.

The Fifth Witness
By Michael Connelly (Allen & Unwin, $39.99)
‘Lincoln Lawyer’ Mickey Haller, who’s happy to use a few tricks to help clients facing the might of the state, has been hit hard by the recession; he’s now defending clients more from mortgage foreclosures than criminal charges. But then an outspoken protestor is arrested for murdering a bank CEO, and Haller is back in criminal court, fighting a case that will cause him to reexamine everything. A legal thriller about much more than its plot, Connelly shows once more that he’s right at the top of the crime writing tree.

Shadow Sister
By Simone van der Vlugt (Text Publishing, $39)
Lydia and Elise are twin sisters, identical in appearance but not in personality. Lydia’s an opinionated teacher with a husband, daughter, and relatively settled life. Elise is a photographer: quieter, darker, and troubled. However, it’s Lydia’s life which becomes truly troubled, starting when a student pulls a knife on her, and ending with a violent death. The second novel from ‘Holland’s Queen of Crime’ to be translated into English, this psychological thriller conveys plenty of creepiness and a brooding sense of unease.

Craig Sisterson was one of the judges of the inaugural Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel last year. 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, and is reprinted here with permission.

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What do you think of my mini-reviews? Of having such a regular column in one of New Zealand's major newspapers? 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.

Michael Connelly and THE LINCOLN LAWYER in Auckland - tickets now on sale!

Michael Connelly and “The Lincoln Lawyer”
Tuesday 24 May, 6.00pm
Event Cinemas, Cinema 2, Metro Building 291 - 297 Queen Street

This is mega-star crime writer Michael Connelly’s only appearance in Auckland and we’re very excited to offer you the chance to spend the evening with him on Tuesday 24 May. Michael will talk with crime buff, blogger and Ngaio Marsh Award judge Craig Sisterson about the film and his new book, The Fifth Witness, before you enjoy a private screening of “The Lincoln Lawyer”. He’ll be on hand to sign books after the film - seats are limited, so get in quick!

Running time
6.00pm - 6.40pm Q&A with Michael Connelly
6.40pm - 8.30pm “The Lincoln Lawyer” screening

Please arrive early and be seated to start at 6.00pm sharp

To book phone THE EDGE 09 357 3354. Book online here

Browse more AWRF events

So, who's going?

Michael Connelly talks about visiting the set of the upcoming film THE LINCOLN LAWYER

As I revealed last week, one of the biggest authors in the contemporary crime fiction world will be visiting New Zealand soon, with news breaking that Michael Connelly will be here on 24 May, for a 'one night only' feature event in central Auckland. The event will be tied in to the film adaptation of his book THE LINCOLN LAWYER. More details to come.

I spoke to Michael Connelly about the upcoming film in our interview for the Weekend Herald last year (at the time of the release of THE REVERSAL). It was a terrific interview overall - 90mins of chatting about crime writing and more. Unfortunately of course only about 10-20 % of such an interview can ever make it into the eventual article, because of space constraints. You can read my Weekend Herald feature article here, and some further comments from Connelly about the film adaptation, here.

Now Connelly has written his own very interesting article for the March issue of LA Times Magazine about witnessing the making of the film adaptation, his visits to the film set, his thoughts on the upcoming film, and the inspiration behind the original books. Here's an excerpt:

"I came by myself to watch the filming of what I think is the most important moment in the book and the film—when all of lawyer Mickey Haller’s machinations and scheming come together. It’s a set piece with a lot of choreography of main characters and background movement. In the novel, momentum is the key component. It is so important it’s even announced on the cover with a shot of a blurred Lincoln Town Car speeding by. As I watch the first three takes of the scene, I see that the director, screenwriter, actors and everybody have gotten the point. A momentum builds, an undeniable energy that seems to explode in a stare-down between lawyer and client—McConaughey and Ryan Phillippe. As I watch, I am absolutely ecstatic."

You can read the whole article (recommended) here. The film is released in the United States on 18 March, and elsewhere in the English-speaking world in the coming weeks. I for one am very much looking forward to it - talking to Connelly last year it was clear he was stoked with how this adaptation had gone. He of course has had another novel. BLOOD WORK, adapted for film before - and I definitely got the sense he thinks the screenwriters/actors/director/crew have 'got' THE LINCOLN LAWYER a lot more than their counterparts did with BLOOD WORK (which was a good book, and just an okay/mediocre film, in my opinion).

Have you read THE LINCOLN LAWYER? Will you watch the film (see trailer here)? What do you think? Do you like watching film/TV adaptations of crime novels? What are some of your favourite and least favourite adaptations?

Breaking News: Michael Connelly to visit NZ on 24 May

One of the biggest authors in the contemporary crime fiction world will be visiting New Zealand soon, with news just breaking that Michael Connelly will be here on 24 May, for a 'one night only' feature event in central Auckland.

Last year I was fortunate enough to interview Connelly by phone for an article in the Weekend Herald, New Zealand's biggest newspaper (read "King of crime offers clues to success" here), and it was an absolute pleasure to talk to him for more than an hour about all manner of things. Along with being a top-drawer storyteller, he is a very intelligent and humble guy, generous with his time and insights.

The next couple of months are a pretty busy and exciting time for Connelly and his readers; not only does he have a new book coming out soon, THE FIFTH WITNESS, which continues his 'Mickey Haller series', but the big-screen adaptation of the first Haller book, the acclaimed THE LINCOLN LAWYER, will be hitting cinemas. I understand it is likely that the New Zealand event may be tied to the film release, as well as his books.

You can watch a trailer for the film, and read some exclusive comments from Connelly about the making of the film and his thoughts on the adaptation (from my interview last year), here.

You can also read my 9mm interview with Connelly here.

It's been a rough week here in New Zealand, and things are going to stay rough for many people for a long time (help out here). But I must admit, this news of Connelly's upcoming visit has brought a smile to my face this morning.

Do you read Michael Connelly? Do you prefer the Bosch or Haller books? Are you looking forward to the film adaptation of THE LINCOLN LAWYER? If you're a local, will you attend the event? Thoughts and comments welcome.

Michael Connelly reveals his thoughts on the upcoming LINCOLN LAWYER film

As I've said recently, along with all the books I am looking forward to in 2011, there are a also a few films that I can't wait to see. And perhaps the one I am most excited about is THE LINCOLN LAWYER, based on the superb Michael Connelly book of the same name.

You can watch Michael Connelly discuss some aspects of writing the book, and the film adaptation, in a brief but interesting YouTube piece above.

Although book-to-film adaptations don't always go well, and can fall very flat at times, I am hopeful about this film for a number of reasons, including the trailer, the stellar cast, and the fact that when I interviewed him late last year Connelly himself seemed very happy with the script adaptation, and how it was looking (having been on set). So fingers crossed THE LINCOLN LAWYER delivers.

You can watch the first trailer here, and also read some comments from Connelly to me about the movie. You can also read my Weekend Herald feature interview with Connelly here, and his 9mm interview here.

Are you looking forward to THE LINCOLN LAWYER? Have you read the book? What crime novels would you most like to see turned into films?

Reflecting on 2010: my Weekend Herald feature articles

As I said last month when I took a look back at the rapid growth and pleasingly diverse, high quality line-up of 44 (thusfar) terrific author in the 9mm series I launched in 2010, I have been a little late on the traditional 'end of year' reflections. However, as well as looking ahead to all the opportunities, challenges, and excitement to come in 2011 and beyond, I have over the past little while also been reflecting on what has been going on, crime fiction-wise, down this way in the past year. Both for myself, and the wider New Zealand crime fiction community. I think it's a good thing to do, as we look ahead and try to build on what's gone before.

So for the second in a series of 'Reflecting on 2010' posts, I thought I would take a look back on the author and books feature articles I wrote for the Weekend Herald (the weekend edition of the largest-circulation newspaper in New Zealand). After writing three such features in late 2009, I took a bit of a hiatus, before contributing seven articles over a period of less than three months in the second half of last year. It was great to be involved with such a fantastic publication, that is so widely read, and to play a part in ensuring there was some great crime and thriller content in its books pages. Thanks to the Weekend Herald, I also had the opportunity to speak to (and meet, in some cases), some truly terrific authors, including some all-time greats of the genre. On a personal front, those interviews were some of my favourite moments of 2010.

I will be writing some more articles for the Weekend Herald in 2011, and I'm looking forward to some new great moments chatting to great authors. In the meantime, here are my seven Weekend Herald books features/reviews of 2010 (click on the images to read the full article).

"Philosopher of Crime"

Saturday 31 July 2010

James Lee Burke talks to Craig Sisterson about artistry in crime writing, speaking for those with no voice and the central issue of modern times.

Any true artist, whatever their creative medium, needs both humility and vanity, says legendary American novelist James Lee Burke. "Humility is not a virtue in a writer, it is an absolute necessity," he adds, his mild Southern accent reverberating down the phone line from his "property that tries to be a ranch" just outside Missoula, Montana. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.

It was a true pleasure, a complete joy, to interview Burke, who is such a gentleman, but at the same time so passionate and full of interesting opinions, burnished by experience and real-world education, about not only writing, but also many of the issues facing us today, in terms of people and our planet. Just a fantastic interviewee, as well as a fantastic writer.

Book Review: THE FALLEN

Saturday 31 July 2010

A man dazedly regains consciousness, only to find himself handcuffed, feeling like "he's been bathed in something corrosive", and with his head adhered to the carpet by his own clotted blood.

So starts this debut crime thriller from North Shore engineering student and nascent author, Ben Sanders, an adroit barely-20-something being touted as "a major new talent" with a "sophisticated and edgy" writing style. READ FULL REVIEW HERE.

I made my return to the Weekend Herald books pages with a double-billing; both a feature on James Lee Burke and a review of Kiwi debutant crime writer Ben Sanders' THE FALLEN in the 31 July 2010 issue. This was also my first review for the Weekend Herald books pages, and it was nice to have a little more room to play with, word count wise, than I do for some other very good magazines or newspapers for whom I've reviewed crime and thriller fiction.

THE FALLEN is a very good debut novel, and one of several very good crime novels published by New Zealanders in 2010. I was very pleased to be able to share it with a wider New Zealand audience, and also very pleased the Weekend Herald was keen to include some quality New Zealand crime fiction in its books pages. Later in the year THE FALLEN was also included in the prestigious Listener 100 Best Books list, which was great to see.

"Murder in the blood"

Saturday 21 August 2010

Diamond Dagger winner Val McDermid talks to Craig Sisterson about the contaminating effect of violence and the evolution of crime fiction since the so-called Golden Age.

Modern crime fiction has come a long way since the country-house murders, dislikeable victims and detached detectives of the Golden Age, says acclaimed Scottish novelist Val McDermid.

"We've almost completely abandoned the notion of the crossword-puzzle novel, the whodunnit, and we're writing books that are of necessity written in the world we live in." READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.

Like with Burke, it was a great pleasure to interview the indomnitable Val McDermid. As an added bonus, I also got to meet her (twice) when she visited New Zealand soon after our telephone interview. McDermid is just so much fun, mixing strong will and strong opinions with a real zest for life, and a passion for writing and stories. Just a very cool person, as well as being one of the best writers of contemporary crime fiction. You can read more about some of the highlights of McDermid's event at the Women's Bookstore here.

"A tale of two Peters"

Saturday 28 August 2010

Two big names in British thriller writing visit New Zealand next week. Craig Sisterson talks to Peter James and Peter Robinson.

When publisher Macmillan approached Peter James in 2001 and asked the already bestselling British author whether he had considered writing a crime novel, the answer was simple. "It was what I'd always wanted to do," says James, on the phone from Nevada, where he's doing research for his next book before heading here to promote his latest, Dead Like You. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.

Not only did I really enjoy interviewing both Peter James and Peter Robinson - who are each polite, passionate, fascinating guys as well as being top notch crime writers - but I also enjoyed the challenge of writing an article about two different writers, mixing fun anecdotes and quotes from each while at the same time uncovering some interesting (to me, at least) contrasts and comparisons.

"A capital crime novel"

Saturday 25 September 2010

When a cop arrives at the door of missing persons specialist Diane Rowe to tell her a body found that morning was someone she knew, she is stunned - like anyone would be. But this death, not to mention the cop, make this notification a little different. Not only is the latter her ex-husband, but the news itself leaves her anything but sad. The body found in Cuba St belongs to "Snow", a recidivist low-life Diane suspects brutally murdered her troubled younger sister Niki a year before. READ FULL REVIEW HERE.

Rather than an author feature, this Weekend Herald piece was a longer review of acclaimed TV screenwriter and NZSA Pindar Publishing Prize-winning author Donna Malane's debut adult crime thriller, SURRENDER.

SURRENDER ended up (deservedly) receiving some other great reviews, and was included in the Listener 100 Best Books list for 2010. In a year that saw some very, very good New Zealand crime fiction being published, SURRENDER was a welcome addition to the pleasantly-growing local canon. I look forward to seeing what Donna Malane comes up with next - hopefully another Diane Rowe story.

"Ghostwriter haunted by his characters"

Saturday 2 October 2010

Australian thriller writer Michael Robotham talks to Craig Sisterson about the importance of making characters seem real.

There is a moment of truth in writing, when you hear the voice of the main character in your head, they become real, and then everything you do is in that voice, says Michael Robotham. The Sydney-based author, who has twice won the Ned Kelly Award for best Australian crime novel (his latest, Bleed For Me, was also a finalist for this year's award), hears that voice as he writes his psychological thrillers. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.

Like Burke, McDermid, James, and Robinson, Robotham was a fascinating interviewee (don't I have a great hobby/job, getting to interview all these terrific authors who despite their success are so down-to-earth and fun?). I also appreciated the fact that he was very enthusiastic and complimentary about our local efforts in setting up a crime fiction award, and generously gave some great advice about crime fiction awards and organisations, rather than just wanting to talk about his own books and writing.

After talking to Robotham for more than an hour about crime fiction and all manner of things, I was very much looking forward to meeting him in person last year; however this was curtailed when the Canterbury earthquake led to the cancellation of the Christchurch Writers' Festival, where he was to appear. In some very good news, I understand that he may 'cross the Ditch' to do some New Zealand events in 2011, which would be fantastic.

"King of crime offers clues to success"

Saturday 9 October 2010

American author Michael Connelly talks to Craig Sisterson about chronicling contemporary LA

TWO UNPUBLISHED manuscripts that are gathering dust “in a box somewhere” in Michael Connelly’s Tampa home deserve a slice of credit for the creation of one of the most compelling characters in contemporary crime fiction, even if the acclaimed author says his earliest efforts “got the fate they deserved”. For it was in the process of those first attempts at writing full-length fiction that Connelly, then a newspaper reporter, had a revelation. “I learned that, at least for me, the books I write were going to live and die with character,” he says, his measured voice resonating down the line from Florida. “The protagonist was what they were going to be about, not a tricky plot.” READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.

As if the lineup of authors I'd interviewed for the Weekend Herald wasn't already prestigious enough, I finished my little flurry of feature and review activity last year by getting to chat to Michael Connelly, the creator of the magnificent Harry Bosch series, as well as some stunning standalones and the Mickey Haller books. Wow. Due to a time-difference miscommunication, I actually ended up talking to Connelly for an hour and half, spread over two separate phone calls on two separate days. He, like the others above, was very generous with his time and answers, and gave me so much fantastic material, quotes, and anecdotes.

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In the end, the only downside of getting to talk to great authors like those above, is that I often have these terrific conversations with them, but then only get to use about 10-20 per cent of what we talk about in the eventual features. So I kind of feel bad that I've had this terrific experience discussing and debating things, and can't always share all of that with more people.

Also, I don't know whether it's a crime writer thing, but they have all been a real pleasure to chat to; humble, passionate, and interesting. Some successful people in other arenas aren't always the same way. But for some reason, all the crime writers I've spoken to have been really genuine, and down-to-earth, regardless of the massive success some of them have achieved.

It's kind of bizarre when you have someone like James Lee Burke thanking you for calling and talking to him, or someone like Michael Connelly asking you to call him back the next day so you can chat more (after already talking for 45 mins). All these authors (and other crime writers I've been fortunate enough to meet or interview) just have a real passion for not only writing and storytelling, but life. Just good people.

I have a great job/hobby, and I'm grateful.

Which of the features did you enjoy? Which authors have you read? What do you think of the Weekend Herald including more crime fiction content in its book pages? Who would you like to see featured in 2011? Comments and suggestions appreciated.

Anticipation building for THE LINCOLN LAWYER film

Well, along with all the books I am looking forward to in 2011, there are a also a few films that I can't wait to see. And perhaps the one I am most excited about is THE LINCOLN LAWYER, based on the superb Michael Connelly book of the same name. And it seems I'm not the only one - film critics are already starting to list it on must-see or most promising movies of 2011 lists.

Although book-to-film adaptations don't always go well, and can fall very flat at times, I am hopeful about this film for a number of reasons, including the trailer, the stellar cast, and the fact that when I interviewed him late last year Connelly himself seemed very happy with the script adaptation, and how it was looking (having been on set). So fingers crossed THE LINCOLN LAWYER delivers.

You can watch the first trailer here, and also read some comments from Connelly to me about the movie. You can read my NZ Herald article on Connelly here, and his 9mm interview here.

Are you looking forward to THE LINCOLN LAWYER? Have you read the book? What crime novels would you most like to see turned into films?

Local and international crime featured in the New Zealand Listener's 100 Best Books of 2010

Last year, you might recall, I was a little disappointed at the relative lack of crime, mystery or thriller fiction titles, New Zealand or international, in the annual 100 Best Books list put out by the New Zealand Listener magazine. Especially as there were several very good crime novels that came out, and despite its literary leanings, the Listener had listed crime novels, including New Zealand crime novels, in the past, such as those of Paul Cleave and Vanda Symon.

As I said last year, the New Zealand Listener has long been considered one of our premier magazines. It is a weekly current affairs and entertainment magazine, renowned for having one of the best books sections around. Near the end of each year the Listener has a “100 Best Books of the Year” issue, where its reviewers compile their list of best novels, short stories, poetry, biography, memoir, and other non-fiction (eg history, science, journalism and essays, art, and food and drink) books of the year.

Well, this week the 2010 100 Best Books List has been published (in the issue pictured), and I am very pleased to say that there are several crime fiction titles amongst the 'best books' of the year, according to the reviewing team of the Listener. The crime fiction titles on the list are:

• BLACKLANDS by Belinda Bauer
• BLOOD MEN by Paul Cleave
• THE FALLEN by Ben Sanders
• HUNTING BLIND by Paddy Richardson
• THE REVERSAL by Michael Connelly
• SURRENDER by Donna Malane

Some cracking books there, and hopefully more Kiwi readers might give some of them a go, after reading about them in this week's issue of the Listener. Congratulations to the Kiwi crime writers who made the list.

Have you read any of the crime novels mentioned? If so, what did you think? If not, which ones catch your eye? Thoughts and comments welcome.

The Lincoln Lawyer film trailer, plus exclusive comments from Michael Connelly about the film and his next book

Well, I don't know about you, but to me this is looking very, very promising. A truly terrific supporting cast (I was just going 'wow' with all those quality names - really good actors rather than vapid stars), and personally I think Matthew McConaughey will do really, really well as Mickey Haller. I know a lot of people associate him with some sappy, crappy rom-coms, but I've always liked his performances in more dramatic films like A Time to Kill, and especially Frailty, so I am really looking forward to seeing his portrayal of Haller.

I spoke to Michael Connelly about the upcoming film in our recent interview for the Weekend Herald. It was a terrific interview overall actually - 90mins of chatting about crime writing and more. Unfortunately of course only about 10-20 % of such an interview can ever make it into the eventual article, because of space constraints.

You can read the Weekend Herald feature article here.

But in terms of the upcoming film, here's what Michael Connelly had to say (direct from the interview transcript):

I understand they’re working on a film of THE LINCOLN LAWYER with Matthew McConaughey in the lead. Can you tell us more?
Yeah, we started filming in early July, and it will be done in two weeks. I’m going out this weekend to visit the set for a couple of days. I’ve already been out a couple of times in July, and the script’s really good, I’m very happy with the casting, and also I saw some of the very important scenes… and I’m just so excited. I think that McConaughey, when I wrote these books I never imagined McConaughey, but I think he’s really nailed the character, he is Mickey - and I’m not just this guy who’s trying to promote a movie that’s bad, I wouldn’t do that. I didn’t do that for Blood Work, and if this movie when it’s all put together is bad, I will [stay] away from it. But as of right now I’m riding the wave of excitement because you know it all starts with the script. And the script started out as a so-so script and it kept getting better in rewrites - and I didn’t write it so I’m not tooting my own horn here - but it’s just all come together. It’s got a fabulous cast, at least ten deep, it’s got great people in it.

… [McConaughey's] got that Haller thing [dark edge with smile and humour], and he kind of established himself and then went down that road with romantic comedies, and I think at least with this movie he’s trying to swing things back a little more towards more serious stuff. And I’m very happy he’s playing Mickey.

The film is scheduled to hit US cinemas in March 2011, and when I spoke to Connelly he mentioned that his publishers had recently moved up the release date of his next title to coincide with the movie's release - so great news for readers as well as film fans. The next Connelly book (as of when I spoke to him) has the working title of THE FIFTH WITNESS, and is another Mickey Haller book, with Harry Bosch only making a cameo appearance. It is scheduled for release at the start of April 2011. Here's what Connelly had to say about the upcoming book in our recent interview:

Are you able to tell us anything about the book you’re working on at the moment?
The working title is THE FIFTH WITNESS, which is a reference to a witness taking the fifth amendment because they don’t want to answer questions that could incriminate them. It’s a Mickey Haller book, Harry Bosch is not in it - well he’s in it for a page, he makes a cameo appearance - it’s definitely a straight Mickey Haller book. And it involves a defence - in my country because of the sliding economy there’s a national epidemic on foreclosures, and there’s all kinds of fraud involved in that on both sides of the equation, and it’s something that is fascinating to me. It’s the subject matter of the book - Mickey defends a woman who is charged with the murder of a banker who is foreclosing on her home. And through this case and the trial that ensues, I hope to examine what is a pretty epidemic size issue in the United States.

What do you think of the film trailer? Do you think you will go to see it? Have you read THE LINCOLN LAWYER? Do you like Connelly's legal thrillers as well as his Bosch books? What do you think of the sound of his next Haller novel? Thoughts and comments appreciated.

9mm: An interview with Michael Connelly

Welcome to the latest instalment in Crime Watch's ongoing series of author interviews; 9mm - 9 Murder Mystery questions put to a variety of New Zealand and international crime, thriller, and mystery authors.

I am hoping to share some more 9mm interviews with New Zealand-based authors with you soon, but today, for the 42nd instalment in our ongoing series, I have another fantastic international author for you; one of the true giants of the genre worldwide, and the modern maestro of contemporary LA crime fiction, Michael Connelly.

I was fortunate enough to interview Connelly by phone recently for an article in the Weekend Herald, New Zealand's biggest newspaper (read "King of crime offers clues to success" here), and it was an absolute pleasure to talk to him for more than an hour about all manner of things. Along with being a top-drawer storyteller, he is a very intelligent and humble guy, generous with his time and insights. Another highlight in a year of highlights, for me.

You can read more about Michael Connelly in my lengthy Crime Fiction Alphabet post (he was my 'C' author in Kerrie from Mysteries in Paradise's fantastic series) here, and at his own website here. But for now, he stares down the barrel of 9mm.

The Crime Watch 9mm Author Interview: Michael Connelly

Who is your favourite recurring crime fiction hero/detective?
I would have to say Phillip Marlowe. Not only the writing involved, but it was also reading the Marlowe books that made me want to become a writer, so I guess that’s what you’d call, I don’t know, a sentimental connection. If I hadn’t read the Marlowe books I might not have become a writer, so there’s that. But also I write about Los Angeles and Marlowe is a denizen of Los Angeles, and his hopeful cynicism ... I think is akin to what I’m trying to do with Harry Bosch. I know that sounds like a contradiction, but just hopeful cynicism for a place that has everything, all these possibilities, but most often falls short. That was captured in Philip Marlowe’s view, and hopefully I’m getting close to that, or every now and then I hit that, with Harry Bosch.

What was the very first book you remember reading and really loving, and why?
I read TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD when I was 13, so it wasn’t an easy read because I wasn’t a great reader, but it was one that I was not assigned at school - I’d gone to a library and a librarian told me I should read it. It was a library I would visit almost every day in the summer, so I’d read it and put it back on the shelf, and then come back [the next day] and find my spot and read it again, and not only is it a tremendous story that has echoed in my work, especially the Mickey Haller stuff, but it was the start of me reading for myself, which you know is a key thing in any writer’s evolution. When you start reading for yourself and you start looking for the stuff that inspires you, you’re on the road, and for me my road started with TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.

Before your debut crime novel, what else had you written (if anything); unpublished manuscripts, short stories, articles?
No short stories, but I had written two novels that were never sent out, and they shouldn’t have been sent out - you know, they were learning processes and you know the second one was much better than the first one, and then the third one was the BLACK ECHO, which I felt should be sent out. In a way I look at it all as the process of my first book, but I did write two full novels before I wrote the one that got published.

Bosch wasn’t in them. They were private detective novels. I grew up in Fort Lauderdale, which is pretty much a tourist destination, and it was a place that at least in the ‘70s when I was growing up that a lot of runaways went to, it was like Spring Break, and anyway, it was a place that lured runaways. And I worked in beach restaurants as dishwashers and all these menial jobs and I knew many people who worked these same sorts of jobs who didn’t go home - they had no home, they were runaways, they lived on the street, or lived in daily motels or weekly motels. And that was where that influence came from, and both of those first two novels were about a private detective who specialised in finding runaway teenagers.

They were very helpful to me, they helped me to learn how to write a novel, and so I don’t look at them as failures in any regard. They were things that I needed to do. In that process is where I learned that, at least for me, the books I write were going to live and die with character. The protagonist was going to be what they were about, not a nice plot or a [tricky] plot, they were going to be about the protagonist. And these books didn’t have that, it wasn’t there yet. They were strong on plot, short on character, and that was the real learning process there. So therefore I wouldn’t want to put them out there, they’re not what I do - they were things that I learned from and like I said, they’re in a box somewhere, and that’s where they belong.

Outside of writing, and touring and promotional commitments, what do you really like to do, leisure and activity-wise?
Well I live in Florida, I live by the water, I like to fish, but I look at fishing as a form of writing because once you get the line in the water there’s not a whole lot to do, and what I find is that if I’m in a difficult spot with writing, or I’m trying to build up my inspiration and energy and thinking about what I want to write, then fishing is really good. So it’s a leisure activity, and it’s a part of my process. I have found the thing that really takes me out of writing - that I can just go and not think about writing - is the sport of golf, because there’s just so many things going on that if I really feel like not thinking about writing, I’ll go out and play golf.

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?
I would pick LA, and to me, something I do, I go out there a lot, and I’m still on Eastern Time so I wake up early, and one thing I do is go out on the boardwalk, the strand that runs along all the beach cities for some 20-something miles. I don’t walk the whole 20 miles, but I take long walks in the morning before the city wakes up, and it’s very dark and you see a lot of homeless people sleeping and encampments and all that, and you see the city from a different angle from what most people ever see it, and I’ve always enjoyed that.

If your life was a movie, which actor could you see playing you?
You know what, you’ve finally asked me a question that’s never been asked before… let me think about that for a second. I tempted to say Steve McQueen, but he wouldn’t take the part. I’d say James Gandolfini. Not because he looks like me or anything, but because - and maybe it’s because I like Tony Soprano or something - but he has a certain overconfidence and lack of confidence in certain things. And I’ve watched The Sopranos over the years, and I kind of recognise something about that in me - and also I’m on the spot here and I’m trying not to pick a pretty boy actor, because I don’t think that would be the proper way to go.

Of your books, which is your favourite, and why?
I would probably say THE LAST COYOTE, and it was probably wasn’t my best book because it was like my fourth book and I’ve written like 15 since then, but it’s probably my favourite because of a few reasons. One is that in my life it was the first book I wrote as a fulltime novelist, I was able in the months before I started writing it to retire from journalism, and so the year I was writing THE LAST COYOTE I was just amazed that I was a fulltime novelist, and I kind of revelled in that. And I also saw, I could quite clearly see, that the writing had improved because it was my only focus, and I wasn’t writing at night and then going to the newspaper during the day. It had my undivided attention and I could see improvements almost every day. That was very exciting to me. And the last part was that it’s the case of Harry’s life, it’s about his mother, and so it’s very meaningful on a character level to write that story. Obviously it was my fourth book and I had no idea that Harry Bosch would be around for at least another 15 years, but I was getting the idea that he had some longevity, and that I was going to be writing more about him. And to write more about him I had to kind of … this is a kind of foundation story of what he’s about.

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?
I’m not very outwardly demonstrative, but it was a very solemn and fulfilling moment, because I was 36 years old, and I was 20 when I said I wanted to write crime novels. And it wasn’t a hard 16 years, it was a fun 16 years, working a great job at a newspaper, different newspapers, so it wasn’t like a brutal and difficult journey, but it was a journey, and a long journey, to hold the book. You know it comes in the mail, you open it up and hold it, and it’s just very hard to describe. And you know, here you are, I’m a writer and supposed to be a master of words, but you know that was one of the times in my life that I had no words to describe it. You know there were other things going in my life - my father had passed away before, he knew I was going to be published but he passed away before I actually could show him a book, so there’s like a bittersweetness in that because my father was very influential in helping me to get on that journey, and he was the one who had the idea of ‘why don’t you become a journalist, and you can treat it as research for the books you want to write’, and he really kind of came up with what appears now to be like a master plan, but was really like ‘well, maybe this will work - what can we do to get you in position to be able to write these novels that you feel you want to do’. So it was sad because he was very much a part of that. It was good that he knew, and I was able to tell him when he was sick, ‘hey, I just sold the book and it’s going to be published in a year’, and he didn’t make it that year, but he knew and he was proud, and so there’s that little kind of sadness mixed in with such a fulfilling and proud moment.

What is the strangest or most unusual experience you have ever had at a book signing, author event, or literary festival?
Um, one time I was doing an event at a bookstore in Charlotte and there was a guy dressed up as Davey Crockett, with the hat, and he would not stop asking questions, and I soon realised there was something a little off about him, and he would not stop following me, and eventually two people in the store had to hold him while I left in my car, without him being able to follow me. And that was quite strange.

Thank you Michael Connelly. We really 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 THE REVERSAL, or any of Michael Connelly's other books? Have you met Connelly at any author events? What do you think? Are you looking forward to the film adaptation of THE LINCOLN LAWYER? Who should play Harry Bosch if those stories ever make it to the big screen? I'd love to read your comments. Please share your thoughts.

Gregg Hurwitz interviews Michael Connelly

Like many who couldn't attend the fantastic Bouchercon festival in San Francisco last weekend, I have been following along various great blogs and reports from people who were there - the likes of Ruth and Jon Jordan of Crimespree magazine, J. Kingston Pierce of The Rap Sheet, Peter Rozovsky of Detectives Beyond Borders, and Janet Rudolph of Mystery Readers International.

It looks like it was a terrific few days, filled with lots of great events. One event that was highlighted by Ruth Jordan on the Crimespree blog yesterday particularly made me groan (that I'd missed it) - Gregg Hurwitz interviewing Michael Connelly. That would have been very cool.

Both are terrific writers who set their novels in Los Angeles, and their conversation would have been something to see. As Jordan said on her blog, "Last weekend in an overcrowded room fans of both Special Guest Michael Connelly and Hurwitz himself got to watch a young man talk to one of his hero's. They spoke of character, crimes and setting. Two animated men speaking with passion about that they love most, the construction of the best in fiction set in a City full of both promise and dread. L.A. is a very special town. With more facets than the world's brightest diamonds there are no limitations to what the writer can find within the county limits. Both Connelly and Hurwitz continue to find something new and brighter with each outing."

Fortunately someone has put some snippets of the conversation online today, which you can watch below (hat tip to Janet Rudolph for the heads-up):




I am fortunate enough to have interviewed both Hurwitz and Connelly in the past year and a bit. Hurwitz was here in New Zealand late last year, touring in support of OR SHE DIES (the UK/Aust/NZ title for THEY'RE WATCHING - for some reason it was released here a year before it was in the USA), and I met him at an event in Auckland, and had lunch with him and his publicist. He's a terrific guy, and a very good thriller writer. You can read my later 9mm interview with him here as well.

Of course I also recently interviewed Michael Connelly about his latest novel THE REVERSAL too, for an article in the Weekend Herald (read here). Two terrific guys - intelligent, interesting, and generous with their time. Top notch crime writers too.