That longlist in full:
 
o The Chemistry of Death by Simon Beckett (Bantam)
o Buried by Mark Billingham (Sphere)
o Christine Falls by Benjamin Black (Picador)
o A Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Black Pencil by Christopher Brookmyre (Abacus)
o Hurting Distance by Sophie Hannah (Hodder & Stoughton)
o Darkness and Light by John Harvey (Arrow Books)
o The Death of Dalziel by Reginald Hill (Harper)
o The Risk of Darkness by Susan Hill (Vintage)
o One Under by Graham Hurley (Orion)
o Not Dead Enough by Peter James (Macmillan)
o Relentless by Simon Kernick (Corgi Books)
o Corn Dolls by Patrick Lennon (Hodder)
o Dying Light by Stuart MacBride (HarperCollins)
o Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith (Abacus)
o The Grave Tattoo by Val McDermid (HarperCollins)
o The Savage Garden by Mark Mills (Harper)
o The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney (Quercus)
o Piece of My Heart by Peter Robinson (Hodder)
o Sovereign by C.J. Sansom (Pan)
o Shifting Skin by Chris Simms (Orion)
 
For more information visit www.harrogate-festival.org.uk/crime or http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/navigate.do?pPageID=1319
 
THE NAME'S FAULKS, SEBASTIAN FAULKS
 
Where would the modern thriller be without James Bond? Despite the death of his creator, Ian Fleming, Bond has been kept alive by a variety of authors down the years. The most recent to take on the task of keeping Bond on the printed page is Sebastian Faulks, whose novel Devil May Care is set in 1967, and sees an older, damaged Bond returning for another shot at glory.
 
But, in spite of the possibly introspective images conjured up by that synopsis and by Faulks's literary background, we can expect the same thrills and excitement for which the Bond books have become known. Speaking in The Observer, Faulks notes:
 
"Bond doesn't have an inner life. There would be moments when I'd think, we need to gather our thoughts here and have a breather, where in another novel you'd slow the pace, have some description and see what Bond feels about this. But Bond doesn't reflect. All you can do is move on to the next bomb or shark or car."
 
He had me at "shark".
 
Devil May Care is released on the 28th May. Want to know more? Visit the official My Space page (http://uk.myspace.com/devilmaycarebook), filled with tidbits, a theme tune (by Cardiff based rockers, Sal) and a few surprises as well.
 
ROLLINS, WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE ROLLINS?
 
Because he's a damn fine thriller writer, that's why. Yes, speaking of tie-ins, I figured it would also be worth mentioning that along with Faulks writing the new adventures of Bond, bestselling thriller writer James Rollins has written the novelisation of the new Indiana Jones Movie: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The movie is out later this month, as is the novel itself. Personally, I can't wait.
 
HUNTER NO LONGER HUNTING
 
Don't know the name Joe Hunter?
 
You soon will. Scooped up for a very cool £80,000, the first novel featuring Joe Hunter looks set to become a series that might give "...Reacher a run for his money" according to Sue Fletcher at Hodder. This debut novel from a Cumbrian police officer has grabbed the headlines, and here at ITW International (Scots division) we're looking forward to our introduction to Joe (or d'you think he prefers Mister Hunter?)
 
I SHALL BE RELEASED
 
Notable and noted new releases for May from British authors...
 
Flesh House By Stuart MacBride, HarperCollins, 978-0007244546  - could this be the most grisly investigation for Logan MacRae and the fine lads and lasses of the Aberdeen Constabulary? Right enough, we can expect the usual deft plotting, dark humour and unsettling violence from one of Scotland's finest.
 
Aftershock by Quintin Jardine, Headline, 978-0755329137  - Bob Skinner, Edinburgh's premiere copper now that Rebus has retired, is back in the latest thriller from bestselling author, Jardine.
 
The Reapers By John Connolly, Hodder and Stoughton, 978-0340936658- following last year's The Unquiet, Connolly's latest Parker thriller is bound to be an unsettling and powerful read.
 
Cry For Help by Steve Mosby, Orion, 978-0752874142  - Mosby's 50/50 Killer struck a chord with readers and his second novel should make them extremely nervous about answering their mobiles or replying to apparently ordinary text messages.
 
And that's all for this month. I've just had a message from M telling me me I have six hours to save the world. If you join me next month, we'll all know I was succesful.
 
Until then, the name's McLean, Russel McLean.
 
Nah, it really doesn't have the ring, does it?

Contributing editor Russel D McLean is a Scottish bookseller working for a national chain. He has run webzines, agonized over reviews for various publications both in print and online, and written several short stories, several of which have been published in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine as well as various other crime and noir markets.