This month we, get stoked for a tenth anniversary, British (and Irish) writers win awards, and Russel celebrates a naughty word with a whole caboodle of more talented writers. Oh, and we’ve got some more British thriller releases for you, too.
I don’t know about you, but recently I’ve been putting up bows, getting out the wrapping paper and dusting off my tinsel covered top-hat. Actually, since the retail world starts preparing for Christmas sometime in June (its getting closer to January every year) I’ve been indulging in this sort of behaviour for months. Its no wonder retailers get more cynical as we close in to the end of the year.
Luckily, cynicism is the perfect attitude for a crime fiction bookseller, so I’ve been more than happy pottering around my books, getting ready to recommend that people stuff their family’s stockings with murder, mayhem and violence when the holiday season begins.
STOKED
Barrington Stoke – an Edinburgh based publisher who specialises in books for younger and emerging readers – is ten years old in 2008. Now, some of you may be wondering what this has to do with thriller writing, but Stoke has recently been recruiting crime writers to write novellas for reluctant and emerging adult readers, an idea that has to be applauded. The novellas that have so far been brought to my attention include Allan Guthrie’s pleasantly titled Kill Clock (featuring that loveably reluctant Edinburgh thug, Pearce) and a novella by Stuart MacBride called Sawbones that includes, apparently, “optional scenes of shootouts, dismemberments and castration”
What is to be applauded about Stoke’s publishing plan is that these novellas are still written for an adult readership. Dealing with adult themes and situations. The only real criteria seems to be that they are written in a more straightforward fashion to appeal and engage reluctant and emerging readers.
THANKING THE ACADEMY…
As backslappingly fraternal as Eddie Muller (writing in the San Francisco Chronicle on October 21st) might believe crime awards to be, it was still gratifying to see Irish crime/thriller writer Ken Bruen deservedly walk away with a couple of awards at this year’s Bouchercon. These included the Barry for Best British novel (where he beat out Stuart MacBride, a fellow Scot, leaving me naturally a little conflicted when it comes to national pride). And again, Bruen won a Shamus for Best Hardcover with The Dramatist. He’s got to be running out of shelf space (unless he buys another shelf, of course).
Also winning a Shamus was another Irish writer, the supremely talented Declan Hughes whose two Ed Loy novels (The Wrong Kind of Blood and The Colour of Blood) move the American PI format to modern Ireland, managing to reinvigorate what many believe to be a tired formula. I genuinely love the work of both these writers, so would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to the pair of them, even if they did manage to pip a few Scots writers to the post!
But even if, as Muller argues, these awards mean little outside of the industry and fans, I don’t know if that matters. To be recognised – even among your peers – has got to be an encouragement. And while some of these awards don’t add zeroes on to the end of a paycheque on their own, I figure they’re a sign that someone, somewhere’s doing something right. {mospagebreak}
GET F*D
Maybe it says something that a number of contributors to Jennifer Jordan’s new dark crime anthology, Expletive Deleted (formerly known as F Noir) are British. The idea behind this anthology is a celebration of everyone’s favourite four letter word, and everyone involved – British and American – takes to the theme with a reckless and beautiful abandon. Maybe I have to say that, of course, because somehow I lucked into getting my own story in there, but it’s a pleasure to be among such top talent as Ken Bruen (Cross) John Rickards (The Darkness Inside), Kevin Wignall (Who is Conrad Hirst?) and Ray Banks (Donkey Punch). Of course, the Americans put in a hell of a lineup too including Laura Lippman (What the Dead Know), Reed Farrell Coleman (The James Deans) and Jason Starr (The Follower). And the introduction is written by one of my favourite British crime writers, Mark Billingham. So I’m honoured to be hidden amongst such distinguished – and hugely talented – company.
The book – published by Bleak House books in the US – is not for the faint hearted, but features a brave theme and incredibly talented authors (excepting maybe the nyaffy wee Scots bookseller) from both sides of the Atlantic. It’s available, I believe, from November 20th. Just in time to make an ideal stocking filler. But probably not for your knitting-obsessed, cat loving granny.
New thriller releases for November…
The Hunt for Atlantis by Andy McDermott (978-0755339112) Debut thriller from a British author that looks like its going to appeal to fans of Clive Cussler and the like with its high octane thrills.
One Step to Danger by John Gubert (978-1906221355) The mafia, international banking chicanery and danger combine for this thriller from Matador books.
The Silver Swan By Benjamin Black (978-0330454032) Working under a pseudonym, Irish novelist John Banville writes a thriller set in the 1950s, with the synopsis promising “a twilight world of drug addiction, sexual obsession, blackmail and murder”. That alone has already sold me.
Crossfire by Andy McNab (978-0593055595) The tenth Nick Stone novel (the character bearing no relation to the author of King of Swords, I’m sure) sees our hero involved in a kidnapping on the war torn streets of Basra. As usual, except fast-paced and brutal action from a bestselling author who really knows his audience.
Falling by John Connor (978-0752876375) A psychological procedural thriller set in Yorkshire, sees DC Karen Sharpe pushed to the edge of sanity as she tries to escape her tortured past.
Jumping the Cracks by Victoria Blake (978-0752874623) Oxford is more famous for Morse, but Blake’s series explores the darker side of the university town through her PI hero Sam Falconer, an investigator who probably has a few dark secrets of her own.
And so, another month draws to a close. As ever, feel free to contact me through the ITW address. I don’t bite… usually…
