12 great British cities, 12 great UK crime novels
The UK seems to be in turmoil after the EU referendum, with outies fighting with innies across the land. Cat has turned on dog, husband on wife, and fish has turned on frog. There’s been no shortage of online abuse, the atmosphere has been toxic…
1000 free crime books at Bristol libraries
The UK government’s austerity measures have taken their toll on libraries, with closures and service cutbacks galore. However, CrimeFest, the convention held in Bristol starting 19 May, is doing something about it with a move to boost interest in local libraries. The organisers have teamed…
All Through the Night by MP Wright
After first appearing in the 2014 novel Heartman, private detective JT Ellington returns. Born in Barbados where he became a policeman, JT now lives in Bristol and is putting his skills to use. The book is set in the 1960s and JT approached by an austere woman from…
The Missing by CL Taylor
CL Taylor is becoming an important voice in the growing sub-genre of domestic noir. Last year, The Lie rocked the Amazon charts, and was one of our Recommended books. It looked at female relationships, and a woman who had changed her identity entirely. The Missing tackles…
A gazetteer of British crime: The South West
So far, our gazetteer of British crime has covered Scotland and East Anglia, where we’ve met interesting authors and seen – a little bit at least – how the landforms, history and local culture have influenced them. In our third instalment, we head to another…
I Let You Go
This excellent debut is not the work of a novice writer, but of an experienced and established journalist. A clever combination of police procedural and psychologocal thriller, it begins with a scene that will chill every parent’s soul to its core. One momentary lapse of…
The best things about CrimeFest 2015
With its ancient port, the city of Bristol in the West of England used to welcome merchants from all around the world. They came to trade trinkets, wool, corn and cotton and even people. Those days are long gone, but this weekend the city was inviting…