Release Date: 03/07/14
Publisher: Hutchinson
SYNOPSIS:
This is a gripping debut psychological crime novel about family lies and dark secrets in an isolated community as a series of women go missing. People still whisper about Lucy Dane's mother who vanished years ago from the town of Henbane, deep in the Ozark mountains. When one of Lucy's friends is found murdered, Lucy feels haunted by the two lost women: by the mother she never knew, and the friend she couldn't protect. But her search for answers, in a place where secrets are easily concealed, leads her to a chilling discovery. And with this revelation, she must grapple with the meaning of family, the secrets we keep, and the lengths we will go to protect the ones we love.
REVIEW:
To be honest I think that for a great many people its going to be a marmite book, that is to say, a title that you’re either going to love or hate. For me, I really enjoyed it. I loved the gritty feel, the way that the Lucy, came across, the strength of her difference against the insular philosophy of the culture to which she is raised.
Its definitely something that works very well, for me as the author, Laura, brings it across with ease allowing the reader to not only see but feel how it is to be in a culture such as this. All round, along with sharp prose and gritty realism, the reader is treated to one hell of a story that really doesn’t let up from start to finish so much so that when you get to the heart of the matter (or rather the meat of the story) you’ll discover that some things are never quite what you expect let alone believe. Great writing.
Release Date: 01/03/12
SYNOPSIS:
Sought after for generations. Venerated by the great and the good. Hidden from all mankind. Alexander was one of the greatest leaders of all time. After he died, his tomb was the most renowned and respected shrine in the Roman Empire, the object of veneration by great emperors and leaders the world over. It stood at the heart of the grandest city on earth. And then it disappeared. Centuries later, on a dig in Crete, curator and archaeologist Tom Carr is convinced that he's discovered a vital clue. At his side is a beautiful young artist, Victoria Price. Together, they are prepared to risk everything to find the tomb, and solve one of the most enduring mysteries of our time.
REVIEW:
I love a thriller that takes me on a journey and rather than embarking on a religious search, Sean takes the reader seeking the Tomb of Alexander the Great. What Sean does well is set the sequence and talks a good game, however the delivery fell a little flat for me as a reader as it was a very slow burn to begin with, feeling a little disjointed and when you throw into the mix an ending that was rushed to within a few pages, it was sadly a book that failed to deliver for me as a reader.
All in, the potential was there and the idea for me was a good one. Sadly, in my opinion, the pace was lacking and the characters were a little flat which when added to the disappointment I felt at concluding the tale had me wondering if it would have been better had it had a little longer to develop.
Release Date: 02/06/11
SYNOPSIS:
The first time Annie Sweet sees 43 Stanley Road, the house is so perfect she almost feels as though it has chosen her. She longs to move in, but with her husband seeming more distant, and her daughter wrapped up in her friends and new school, Annie is left alone to mull over the past. Soon she becomes consumed by the house and everyone who has lived there before her, especially a young chorus girl called Lily Painter, a rising star of the music hall whose sparkling performances were the talk of the town. As Annie delves further into Lily's past she begins to unravel a dark episode from Edwardian London, that of two notorious baby farmers, who lured young unmarried mothers with the promise of a better life for their babies. Until Annie solves the mystery at the heart of the scandal, the ghost of Lily Painter will never be able to rest. Based on a real period from London's rich history, Caitlin Davies skillfully blends fact and fiction to bring to life part of our sinister past. Spanning an entire century, from the journals of an Edwardian police inspector to a doomed wartime love affair, The Ghost of Lily Painter is an engrossing and poignant novel from a hugely talented writer.
REVIEW:
If you love a story of investigation and discovery then this could be a title that you’ll love. Whilst many may feel that the title has a supernatural element to it, it is more a literal haunting of the modern cast member than a genuine haunting, where she becomes intrigued as well as fascinated with the occupants of her house from the 1901 census in particular the daughter, Lily Painter.
Its cleverly devised and whilst there is a trend to have a title set in more than one time period with two lead protagonists, it’s a title that works extremely well to help give the title a great sense of pace as well as allowing the reader to get the full flavour of the Edwardian period. All in the title is clever, haunting in its own respect and when the threads all collide it’s a title that will stay with you long after the final page is turned. Wonderful.
Release Date: 12/05/11
SYNOPSIS:
Orient Express is for busy cooks who want a touch of the light, beautiful cuisine of the eastern Mediterranean. Following her acclaimed Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume , Silvena Rowe turns her focus to the delicious small dishes that you would find in the bustling street markets of Damascus or Istanbul - koftes, falafels and pilafs - as well as delicious puddings such as vanilla baklava, and chocolate and pistachio mousse. In this treasure trove of a book she presents 100 light, enticing new recipes, perfectly balanced for mezze-style summer meals. This is a cuisine both for celebrating and sharing: Ottoman-inspired food, based around stunning combinations of sweet and sour - honey and cinnamon, saffron and sumac - and given a brilliant modern twist by one of the most exciting chefs working in Britain today. Silvena Rowe has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the foods and culinary traditions of the eastern Mediteranean. Her cooking is light and the presentation of her dishes is elegant and sophisticated, while the flavours are powerful and the textures balanced. Her enthusiasm for the food of her heritage is evident on every page.
REVIEW:
Whilst most people would automatically think that this title is a quick and easy way to create Asian dishes, it’s not. It brings the flavour and culture of the eastern Mediterranean to the palette of the western world and whilst some of the dishes may seem quite exotic they have a wonderful taste sensation all of their own.
Taking influences from as far afield as North-Eastern Africa as well as Turkey, it has something for all palettes. It’s accomplished, it’s easy to follow and above all else it will give you a set of flavours that are not matched anywhere else in the world where savoury dishes vie against the sweetness of some of the ingredients. Its creative, it will give you something special for a dinner party and with a quick turn around on their creation, can be something that will wow a surprise party that very few will have experienced before.
Release Date: 10/06/11
SYNOPSIS:
Just as a major environmental summit is about to start in Hamburg, a massive storm hits the city. When the flood waters recede, a headless torso is found washed up. Initially, Jan Fabel of the Murder Commission fears it may be another victim of a serial rapist and murderer who stalks his victims through internet social network sites, then dumps their bodies in waterways around the city. But the truth of the situation is far more complex and even more sinister. Fabel's investigations lead him to a secretive environmental Doomsday cult called 'Pharos', the brainchild of a reclusive, crippled billionaire, Dominik Korn. Fabel's skills as a policeman are tested to their utmost as he finds himself drawn into an unfamiliar, high tech world of cyberspace, where anyone can be anybody or anything they want. And he quickly realises that he is no longer the hunter, but the hunted.
REVIEW:
I love a crime novel that takes me on an adventure that misguides as well as surprises me throughout. What Craig brings to the mix is a title that does all that but also throws in an unusual element to fascinate as well as confuse the reader. Add to this great writing, solid prose and a cracking pace which when wrapped with a mystery that keeps the reader guessing for the majority of the book and the reader will have a blast. Whilst this is the 6th Jan Fabel novel, all can be read as a standalone like the others and is trust me, once started you’ll be hooked.
All in, this is a great read and one that I thoroughly enjoyed, prepare for a late night, prepare for an adventure and prepare for a number of surprises that you won’t see coming which makes Craig a real mystery writer whose machinations create a cog turning world within the reader’s imagination.
Release Date: 06/01/11
SYNOPSIS:
The polar bear is one of the most recognisable animals on the planet. Yet if global warming continues at its present pace, summer sea ice could disappear entirely from the Arctic Ocean by the year 2040. Polar bears could be extinct within a generation.
Ice Bear is the definitive account of an iconic species: its life, its past, and its uncertain future. These beautiful bears are creatures of paradox: Arctic residents whose major problem is not staying warm, but keeping cool. Officially classed as marine mammals, they are the world’s largest land carnivores. They begin life in a snowdrift; at birth they weigh just twenty ounces. Fully grown, they become massive predators that can walk almost silently, ten feet in length and close to 2,000 pounds. Wandering thousands of miles over the course of a year, they are, above all, creatures of the ice. Without sea ice and the life it supports, polar bears cannot survive.
Kieran Mulvaney is an expert on the Polar regions who has led three expeditions to the Arctic as well as Project Thin Ice 2006: Save the Polar Bear - the successful first attempt to reach the North Pole in summer and draw attention to the impact of climate change on polar bears. This book blends natural and human history, myth and reality with scientific and personal observation, to tell the story of these remarkable animals, the region in which they dwell, and the rapid changes overtaking planet Earth.
REVIEW:
This is a book that I’ve been looking forward to for the best part of 18 months. Alas due to delays it’s been a long wait and whilst its finally arrived, I’d almost wished that it hadn’t as it’s a wake-up call to the world to help save an endangered species now rather than waiting for its painful demise as the Arctic Ice caps melt. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with this book but when such beautiful creatures are on the verge of disappearing within many peoples memory due to mankind’s selfishness then it’s time to stand up and be counted.
The book is wonderfully written as the author takes the reader on a journey to the Arctic Circle in order to allow us to see this impressive creature (10ft in height and 2000 pounds in weight) in all its glory and whilst we can revel in its majesty we have to remember exactly what these mammals are capable of. Add to this an informed well-spoken voice to help carry this title through which when backed with an almost travel journal vocal style allows the reader easy access to this elusive creature. Let their voices be heard before the we’re only left with an echo as they’ve gone the way of the Dodo.
Release Date: 01/09/10
BOOK BLURB:
In 1997, Tony Blair won the biggest Labour victory in history to sweep the party to power and end eighteen years of Conservative government. He has been one of the most dynamic leaders of modern times; few British prime ministers have shaped the nation's course as profoundly as Blair during his ten years in power, and his achievements and his legacy will be debated for years to come. Now his memoirs reveal in intimate detail this unique political and personal journey, providing an insight into the man, the politician and the statesman, and charting successes, controversies and disappointments with an extraordinary candour. "A Journey" will prove essential and compulsive reading for anyone who wants to understand the complexities of our global world. As an account of the nature and uses of power, it will also have a readership that extends well beyond politics, to all those who want to understand the challenges of leadership today.
REVIEW:
Whilst you may not agree with the politics or choices that Tony Blair made during his time as Prime Minister, here the reader has the opportunity to get to into Blair’s mind and see how he ran the country from his point of view.
It’s well put together and to be honest I found it fascinating to read about things as they were developing at the time, which goes to prove that hindsight is a wonderful thing.
All in, it’s a title that will have people talking, a book that will explain modern historical points and above all else a novel that gives the read a clear view on how events can spiral out of control as well as seeing things without them being coloured or hidden by the media to influence the readers thoughts.
BOOK BLURB:
"The Shakespeare Almanac" is a day by day calendar of Shakespeare's year. It follows the rural farming cycle of lambing to sheep-shearing to harvest home, as they are referred to in Shakespeare's plays and poetry. It lists all the high days and holidays, from Christmas to Easter, Candelmas to Hocktide. Every passing month is supplied with quotations from the plays about changeable weather patterns, or the flowers and plants as they appear, as well as the animals and birds he saw around him. And each day, significant events during Shakespeare's lifetime are recorded. These might be family occasions: the christening of his twins, the marriage of one of his daughters, or the date when he bought his house in Stratford. There are eye-witness accounts of duels and executions, an accident at a bear baiting, a tilt in Westminster, a masque at Whitehall. Some days are accompanied by extracts from influential books of the period. For example on 24 January, reputedly the gloomiest day of the year, there is a piece from Burton's "Anatomy of Melancholia", which is surprisingly funny. There are also accounts of discoveries round the globe, portraits of the Shogun of Japan and the murderous Czar of Russia, of elephant fights with the great Moghul Emperor Akbar. "The Shakespeare Almanac" is a cornucopia of intriguing and wonderful details about the life and times of England's greatest playwright, complete with integrated illustrations. The book has been lovingly compiled by Gregory Doran, Chief Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, described by the 'Sunday Times" as 'one of the great Shakespearians of his generation'.
REVIEW:
As a person who tends to love trivia, its always cracking to find something a little novel and different to the norm. Whats presented here, in the Shakespeare Almanac is a book that gives you something connected to the Bard or one of his plays along with trivia for each day of the year. Its fun, its definitely quirky and if you’re struggling for that something special for a person in your life then this could tip the balance in your favour. A great book and a fun one for each reader as you can guarantee the first thing that they’ll do is look up their own birthday to devour what the author has to say about the great bard.
BOOK BLURB:
Once again, Nigel Cawthorne takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the strange, hidden sexual history of England. The history of sex in Britain has been largely glossed over by 'proper' historians: Nigel Cawthorne has burrowed deep into the archives to reveal exactly what our ancestors got up to in bed (and out of it). There are chapters on the ancient arts of seduction, adultery, brothels, 'the English vice', contraception, defloration, and many more - from the torrid Tudors to the supposedly strait-laced Victorians.
REVIEW:
Readers have always been fascinated with those little bits of what some would see as useless information. Personally I love that sort of thing so when you throw in a bit of sexual relish about the past secrets of our ancestors its going to be something that will grab the reader by the cahones and take them to the book counter to pay.
Unfortunately its not so much sex secrets of the past but scandalisation of our ancestors relationships which whilst still interesting isn’t quite what was promised on the cover. If you like trivia or just a big pub quizzer some of these facts may well soon make their way into it. Still a fun read despite my gripe and definitely a bathroom book for those quick trips.
BOOK BLURB:
Abbreviations, Agriculture, Architecture, Areas of Outstanding Beauty, Art, Astrology and Astronomy - and that's just the letter 'A'! The A TO Z OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND will follow the successful format of the previous titles in the series by treating the main topic areas in alphabetical order. Importantly, the book will cover all five countries in the British Isles, including Ireland, which is neglected by many similar books. Trevor will be as broad-ranging and exhaustive as ever: this will be the first book ever to list all the islands of the British Isles. (There are 6089 cited by the Ordnance Survey: 1082 inhabited, 5007 uninhabited.)
REVIEW:
Days out are always tricky to plan, especially if such as the times are, finances are tight. What can you do and what can you see that won’t cost you the earth yet give you a special day out? Well worry no more, within this offering is a complete list of places that you can go, sorted by county and alphabetically and will hold some surprises on local options that you may not previously have known about. A great book to help with those days out and one that will be well thumbed on those trips out with my nephew.
If there is anyone who has a route into the mind of the Police Detective it's an ex Police Officer, so it might come as a bit of a strange fact that its one of the jobs that Craig Russell held (also an Advertising Copyrighter and Creative Director) before settling on writing. Craigs other great passion was Germany in particular Hamburg, so blending the two together generated perhaps one of the most unique Crime Thriller series to date.
Originally bursting (or perhaps slashing) his way into the publics imagination with Blood Eagle back in 2005, each subsequent novel in the series brings bizarre killers to the light of day. Now expanding to include a new Hero, Lennox, who's set in 1950's Glasgow, he's becoming not only prolific but very successful with his plot devices, his twists and above all a gripping writing style that just refuses to let the public go. As fans, we couldn't believe our luck at getting an interview with him that follows here. Beware the Writer my friends, his words may slash a deeper path to your imagination...Falcata Times: Writing is said to be something that people are afflicted with rather than gifted and that it's something you have to do rather than want. What is your opinion of this statement and how true is it to you?
Craig Russell: I definitely think that writing is something you have to do. Whether it’s an affliction or a gift is hard to say. I once heard about a writer who fastened her leg to her desk with a belt so she had to focus on her writing – I would say that it was an affliction for her. For me, it’s a blessing. I love writing and being a writer. The best way of summing it up is that if I were to win millions on the Lottery and knew I would never have to work again, I would devote my leisure time to doing exactly what I currently do for a living. Just for the love of it. I consider myself a very lucky man and I am eternally grateful to the readers who buy my books or borrow them from a library for allowing me to continue with my work.
FT: When did you realise that you wanted to be a writer?
CR: I can’t pinpoint an exact moment. For as long as I can remember, from the time I first became aware of what an author was, I wanted to be a writer. I have done other things before becoming a writer, but I was always aware that it was like I was observing the world in preparation for becoming an author. Until I became an author, it was almost as if I was a witness rather than a participator.
FT: It is often said that if you can write a short story you can write anything. How true do you think this is and what have you written that either proves or disproves this POV?
CR: I think this is absolutely 100% right. I still think the short story is the purist form of writing and tests your skills as a writer like no other. Also, a lot of the writing that inspired me as a teenager was in the form of short stories. This kind of goes back to your previous question too: I remember reading The Golden Apples of the Sun anthology by Ray Bradbury when I was about thirteen or fourteen and thinking ‘now that is exactly what I want to do’. From there I went on to read the short stories of Guy de Maupassant, Poe, Gogol, Chekov, Kafka, James Joyce, Sholokov, William Trevor, Heinrich Böll... Some of my favourite pieces are short stories rather than novels. In fact, there are key short stories that I can point to as being more influential than almost anything else I’ve read: The Sound of Thunder by Bradbury, Pale Anna by Böll, Thithyphuth, or my Uncle’s Waiter by Wolfgang Borchert, Metamorphosis by Kafka and The Other Son by Pirandello (which is mentioned in one of the Fabel series, Eternal).
In fact, I had set myself a target of getting a literary short story published before writing a full-length novel. It was, so I did. The short story was called Crab and was the reflections of a put-down teacher who also suffered from synaesthesia. Looking back, it was terribly pretentious and self-important, but it got published and determined me on the course of writing a full-length novel.
FT: If someone were to enter a bookshop, how would you persuade them to try your novel over someone else's and how would you define it?
CR: I would define Lennox as classical noir. Maybe neo-noir.
I would define The Valkyrie Song as being that little bit different to the normal crime output. It explores many serious contemporary themes.
FT: How would you "sell" your book in 20 words or less?
CR: Lennox – classic, intelligent noir page-turner with black, black humour and a charming, violent, cynical protagonist you’re a little ashamed of liking.
The Valkyrie Song – if you like Henning Mankell’s Wallender, then you’ll love this. Sympathetic cops and crimes with roots in recent European history.
FT: Who is a must have on your bookshelf and whose latest release will find you on the bookshops doorstep waiting for it to open?
CR: Chris Brookmyre, Jeff Lindsay, George Pellecanos.
FT: When you sit down and write do you know how the story will end or do you just let the pen take you? ie Do you develop character profiles and outlines for your novels before writing them or do you let your idea's develop as you write?
CR: A little of both. I tend to have a main theme for the book, a core idea and a conclusion. The best way I can describe it is like going on a road trip where you know where you want to end up and the kind of places you want to visit along the way, but you allow yourself the scope and flexibility to take as many detours and excursions from the main route as you feel like – to the extent of maybe ending up at a different destination.
As for characters, they come to life and almost have an independent will. Very often I find that they just won’t do what I had planned for them to do in a certain situation.
FT: What do you do to relax and what have you read recently?
CR: Take my dog, for long, long walks. Paint (pictures, not walls and skirting boards). Cook. Continue my twenty-year long struggle with the German language (I speak it fluently but ungrammatically – life’s too short to master Second Conjuctive Past). Watch classic films in my home cinema. Talk to my kids.
I don’t read when I’m writing, but during my ‘break’ I re-read Room at the Top by John Braine and The Stories of William Trevor. I also revisit Heinrich Böll frequently. I’m slowly beginning to catch up with the 21st Century.
FT: What is your guiltiest pleasure that few know about?
CR: My pleasures aren’t that guilty I’m afraid. Don’t smoke, don’t do drugs, drink only moderately, work out four times a week... My wife has said to me that June Whitfield has a more rock’n’roll lifestyle. Although, I have to say... if I open a bag of liquorice allsorts...
FT: Lots of writers tend to have pets. What do you have and what are their key traits (and do they appear in your novel in certain character attributes?)
CR: I have a labradoodle who’s probably got a higher IQ than mine, two cats, one of whom has a serious catnip habit. I don’t mention them or base any canine or feline characters on them. I worry that, if I did, they would get an agent and a lawyer and claim a cut of the royalties.
FT: Which character within your latest book was the most fun to write and why?
CR: In Lennox, I’m ashamed to say it’s Twinkletoes McBride. He’s a friendly, chatty sort of fellow who, despite not being an intellectual giant, is very focussed on self-improvement: mainly by reading the Reader’s Digest. I try not to let the fact that he is also psychopathically violent to order and earned his nickname as a torturer for a gang lord (it involves boltcutters, taking off his conversational partner’s socks and shoes and reciting “this little piggy...”)
In the Fabel novels, Jan Fabel himself, or feisty Anna Wolff.
FT: How similar to your principle protagonist are you?
CR: Well, I have two principal protagonists: Lennox for the Lennox novels and Jan Fabel for the Fabel series. I have to say that I am much more like Fabel than Lennox (I hope!)
FT: What hobbies do you have and how do they influence your work?
CR: Painting, cooking, reading (of course), keeping fit, watching good film. They influence my work insofar as they allow me much-needed downtime. Sometimes ideas pop out of the air when I’m preparing a meal or on the cross-trainer.
FT: Where do you get your ideas from?
CR: Everywhere. I research constantly and sometimes, when I’m on the trail of something to do with the book I’m working on, a completely irrelevant fact will emerge that sparks off a completely new idea.
FT: Do you ever encounter writers block and if so how do you overcome it?
CR: Not really. But if I’m going through a sticky patch, I tend to work through it: I just keep on writing, even if I have to throw out what I write. It’s all about keeping your brain running.
FT: Certain authors are renowned for writing at what many would call uncivilised times. When do you write and how do the others in your household feel about it?
CR: I work from about 8.30am until 6pm. When I’m well into a book, I’ll write in the evenings and weekends, but I always find time for the kids.
FT: Sometimes pieces of music seem to influence certain scenes within novels, do you have a soundtrack for your tale or is it a case of writing in silence with perhaps the odd musical break in-between scenes?
CR: I definitely write to a soundtrack and it’s always relevant to the book: Herbert Groenemeyer, Annette Louisan, Mia, BAP, Wolfgang Haffner, Lars Danielson, theEsbjörn Svensson Trio and countless other German and Scandinavian acts when writing Fabel (we share the same music tastes); Mel Tormé, Julie London, Edmundo Ros, Nat King Cole, Benny Goodman, etc. when I’m writing Lennox.
FT: What misconceptions, if any, did you have about the writing and publishing field when you were first getting started?
CR: I don’t think I had any. I had been a freelance writer for twelve years before becoming a novelist and I was pretty much in the know. Maybe I would have to say that one of the surprises is how much fun it is: the people you deal with, editors, publicists, agents, booksellers, librarians... they’re not like other ‘business’ people. You are still dealing with ‘book people’ – they’re in it because they love books and literature.
FT: If music be the food of love, what do you think writing is and please explain your answer?
CR: Truth is, I think writing is two things: self-psychotherapy and a workout for the brain. I think I write partly to sort out who I am and where I am in the world. Each book I write leaves me a slightly different person. I also like to think I learn more about the world and people with every book I research and write.
20) What can you tell us about the next novel?
CR: The Valkyrie Song is published on 6th August. It involves Jan Fabel in the desperate race to track down a highly-trained professional assassin: a woman known only as the Valkyrie. At the same time, there is a spate of murders of male customers in Hamburg’s red light district, and the press begin to claim that the ‘Angle of St Pauli’, a much feared female serial killer who disappeared from view ten years before, has reappeared.
I am currently working on The Long Glasgow Kiss, the sequel to Lennox, in which a big-league bookie meets a sticky end and Lennox gets dragged into finding out who did it. And into the world of illegal bare-knuckle fighting and worse.
FT: What are the last five internet sites that you've visited?
CR: www.allaboutjazz.com
www.leo.org (a German language site with on-line dictionaries and fora on the German language)
http://news.bbc.co.uk
http://www.hamburg.de/onlinewache (the website of the Hamburg Police)
http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/
and, of course...
http://members.lycos.co.uk/falcatatimes/
FT: Did you ever take any writing classes or specific instructions to learn the craft? If so please let us know which ones.
CR: No. I’ve never gone to writing classes. For me, writing is like bodybuilding: the only way to really improve your form is to work at it every day. Just write and write and write.
FT: How did you get past the initial barriers of criticism and rejection?
CR: I feel almost embarrassed to say that I was enormously lucky and didn’t have to go through the soul-destroying rounds and rounds of submission and rejection. The Fabel series sold almost instantly in the UK and Germany, with auctions in both markets, and then very quickly into 23 languages. Almost all of the criticism I’ve had has been positive and being nominated for the CWA Gold Dagger and winning the Dagger in the Library was a real boost. It’s perhaps a cowardly thing to say and do, but if I’m alerted to particularly negative reviews or comments, I don’t read them. I was advised by a very experienced author to ignore such comments as there’s usually some other agenda behind the remarks.
FT: In your opinion, what are the best and worst aspects of writing for a living?
CR: To be honest, for me there is no downside to it. The best aspects are the act of writing and creation itself, where you can immerse yourself in a completely different world, as well as that moment when someone comes up to you and tells you that they’ve really enjoyed reading your book – that, for me, is what it is all about.
I suppose the one thing I don’t really relish is big author events when the books come out. I am naturally quite a quiet person, not overly reserved, just quite quiet. I really enjoy bookshop events where you have genuinely interested readers and you can really get to talk to them – I’ve even used one of these events as a sort of ‘focus group’ to discuss elements in my writing. But I don’t want to be a ‘showman’ writer.
BOOK BLURB:
'The heavens are stained with the blood of men, As the Valkyries sing their song.' Njal's Saga Jan Fabel is a troubled man. His relationships with the women in his life are becoming increasingly complicated: his partner, Susanne, is looking for a deeper commitment. His daughter is considering joining the police and his ex-wife holds him responsible. If that weren't enough, after a gap of ten years, a female serial killer - the Angel of St Pauli - again makes the headlines when an English pop star is found in Hamburg's red-light district, dying of the most savage knife wounds. Links emerge with a series of apparently unrelated events. A journalist murdered in Norway. The death of a Serbian gangster. And a long-forgotten project by East Germany's Stasi conceived at the height of the Cold War, involving a highly-trained group of female assassins, known by the codename Valkyrie. Fabel's hunt for the truth will bring him up against the most terrifyingly efficient professional killer. The ultimate avenging angel. Fabel soon realizes the real danger he faces in hunting the Valkyrie ...That he might just catch up with her.
REVIEW:
As many people know I’m a huge fan of Craig Russell and his crime series set in Hamburg. The characters are fascinating and with each novel containing crimes that really do take a lot for the reader to figure out it’s the pure unpredictability on the life expectancy of the characters within that grip the reader to the last page. Methodology is key and with some of the most twisted tales to come out of a crime writers mind generously smothering the pages of his writing it makes his work a pure treat for me.
They’re unpredictable and you’ll be changing your mind as to who’s who throughout the novel and then flitting from one page to another just to check if your theories hold water. What is presented in Craig’s latest is a tale that I really couldn’t put down and ended up with me taking an unscheduled day off purely because of the late night I had reading this offering. There aren’t many authors who can do that to readers but I’m fairly sure that once you try Craig he’ll become a firm favourite on your list too.
Beautifully written, engrossing characters and a series that really is difficult to put down. Whilst you can read this novel as a stand alone you’ll be glad when you start from the original novel (Blood Eagle) just so you can get established with the characters and the twisted world of the Murder Investigation Squad, a real treat for holiday reading especially if your going to Hamburg. Great Stuff Craig.
