Message in a bottle...
“Just a castaway, an island lost at sea (oh)!” The latest piece of book marketing to arrive reminds me of that famous 1979 Police song, Message in a Bottle. It didn’t arrive via water – that, I would love to see – but it did…
First look: Crime Scene issue 4
Yes, issue four of Crime Scene magazine hits the shelves today. It’s the only glossy magazine we know of that’s devoted to the world of crime fiction and comes out quarterly. It’s £7.99 on the newsstand. The latest issue is going full steam ahead with The Girl…
Competition: I'd know that voice anywhere!
This weekend we have a special treat for lovers of crime fiction TV and movies, and a chance to win seasons one, two and three of Peaky Blinders on DVD or Blu-Ray. First of all, watch the YouTube video above. Well, not so much watch as…
A gazetteer of British crime: The Irish Republic
Welcome to the eighth edition of our gazetteer – e’re half way through our journey around crime fiction locations in the British Isles. After a brief stopover to rest our weary feet, our boots are on again, and we are ready to seek out more regional…
First look: False Hearts by Laura Lam
Feast your eyes on this new book from Macmillan, which hits the shelves on 16 July. In her crime fiction debut, Scotland-based Californian author Laura Lam has come up with a strange and futuristic thriller, which is alluded to in design terms by that brushed…
Interview: Michael Stanley
The South African authors Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip together make up Michael Stanley, and are becoming well-known for creating Botswana Police’s good-natured Detective ‘Kubu’ Bengu. They’ve been universally praised for their crime series, which has been labeled ‘sunshine noir’ by Yrsa Sigurdardottir, while Peter James describe their books…
Agatha Christie: The graphic novel
The independent publisher Self Made Hero is set to release a graphic novel perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, which goes on sale 10 May. Agatha: The Real Life of Agatha Christie begins with the author’s mysterious disappearance in December 1926 and turns into a biographical…
Interview: Chet Williamson
Robert Bloch’s 1959 novel, Psycho, is one of the most influential in crime fiction. It was the basis for Alfred Hitchcock’s seminal film the following year, which not only permeated popular culture but changed how horror movies would be made. Now, Norman Bates is to…