Its been a funny old year, 2008. And not always ha-ha funny, either, with the credit crunch that loomed over the year's end and many retailers and publishers reportedly facing tough times.
But for all of that, there was much that was grand about 2008 as well. Here's just a small selection of why '08 was a thrilling year as well as a brief glimpse into the future to see what the next year should bring our way.
LOOKING BACK
Video Killed the Literary Star
Or not, but it sure did help a few authors to capitalise on their bestselling novels. Jake Arnott started the year with the adaptation of his London Gangland novel, He Kills Coppers, which certainly helped bring more attention back to his books. While Val McDermid - still going strong with the ongoing Robson Green series Wire in the Blood saw her standalone novel, The Distant Echo pull in the viewers and help up her sales.
In more foreign climes, Henning Mankell's series about police detective Kurt Wallander had already been successfully produced for Swedish television, but that well known Thespian Kenneth Branagh managed to translate for the Brits by starring as the introspective detective in the imaginatively titled Wallander for the BBC.
In development deals, it was great to see cult Irish writer Ken Bruen get closer to the silver screen with a slated adaptation of London Boulevard underway and the Brant books getting an airing with director Elliot Lester directing Blitz.
Meanwhile, Robert Harris's rather brilliant political thriller, The Ghost - focussing on a ghost writer hired to help a recently retired PM write his possibly explosive memoirs - is getting the big screen treatment from director Roman Polanski with Pierce Brosnan and Ewan McGregor (in a role I originally heard was slated for Nic Cage) in the starring roles. I love Harris's thrillers, particularly Enigma and
Best of the Fests
One of the best aspects of getting deeper into the world of fandom and publishing itself is attending the yearly crime writing festivals that occur not only here in the UK but also across the world. Each year I try and attend as many as I can including the yearly Harrogate festival (chaired in '09 by Laura Wilson and in '10 by fellow Scot Stuart MacBride) which has a fairly small and intimate atmosphere compared to many of the larger conventions; perhaps something to do with the fact that it's a festival and not a con (there are subtle differences).
Also in the UK, Bristol's Crimefest continues to go from strength to strength, pulling in more authors and fans each year. I have thus far been unable to attend due to scheduling issues, but I love the city and certainly had a grand time when the organising committee first did Left Coast Crime in the city in 2006.
Bouchercon was this year held in Baltimore, Maryland and was one of my absolute favourite festivals. A lot larger than the UK fests, and with a rotating committee, this year's organisers, Ruth Jordan and Judy Bobalik outdid themselves with a fascinating and varied program, a great location and an atmosphere that was instantly welcoming and encompassing. Future organisers have a great deal to live up to, but the next few years in Indianapolis, san Francisco and St Louis have me already trying to scrape together the money for tickets and airfares...
The Big Event(s)
As a bookseller, I'm always excited when author's come to town and its been great to see a lot of thriller writers touring this year. While I never got the chance to see it, David Hewson's perfected a new approach to the author talk by focussing on his locations and history in what sounds a fascinating presentation.
Christopher Brookmyre (sometimes in the company of Mr Mark Billingham) was one of the funniest - and occasionally controversial - acts we've had come through the store. Ask him about a bookshop in Glasgow, a public toilet without a keypad and a cooked chicken... if you dare.
And Jeffrey Deaver came on a rare trip to the UK around the time of the year's Harrogate giving ius a rare insight into the life of a writer and finally confirming why whenever you see a photo of him, you think he looks so familiar: he's been mistaken for John Malkovich by a few people on the streets.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (?)
The apparent fight for mainstream respectability for genre fiction took another twist as Tom Rob Smith's Stalin-era thriller Child 44 found itself listed for not one but two (at least) literary awards. While the book never made it past the longlist for the Booker, the very fact that a genre book was under consideration should be seen as an encouraging sign. And for those of you who loved the novel, check out our looking forward section below.
Its also worth noting that on the first official charts for Sony's E-Reader here in the UK that many of the books were crime and thriller stalwarts: an encouraging sign that, yes, people are reading thrillers. And enjoying them enough to keep coming back.
LOOKING FORWARD
Of course there's a great deal to look forward to in 2009, a year whose shape should be as interesting and tumultuous as any good thriller.
In terms of events, there's all the usual suspects including Harrogate and Bristol and the always intriguing atmosphere of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. And following on Deaver's invasion from America Last year, James Patterson will be coming to the UK in April to promote his "extreme reading" competition designed to get children reading with their fathers. A great idea, and I applaud anything that tries to get people reading.
And then of course, there are those books that will make an impact in '09 including:
Steigg Larsson's The Girl Who Played with Fire which is lined up on my shelves just now. Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was a huge hit here in the UK and I predict the late Larsson's trilogy is only just warming up in terms of sales.
As hinted earlier, Tom Rob Smith will have a second novel out in '09 titled The Secret Speech. Can he replicate the critical success of Child 44? Watch this space.
I'm personally looking forward to John Connolly's The Lovers which should unify the books in his Charlie Parker series and help us seem some kind of grand plan as he stated recently on his blog. Sounds exciting, and for my money Connelly's one of the most intriguing thriller writers out there.
Scots noirist Tony Black will release his second novel Gutted which, by all accounts, eclipses his debut, Paying For it. I adored that debut, so I'm very excited to see what this smart, tough noveillist has up his sleeves next.
And all of that's just for starters.
I'll see you again in 2009. Until then, enjoy the year and if you're looking for a hangover cure after the celebrations on 31st December, I'd recommend either a bottle of Scotland's own Irn Bru (our traditional cure) or some time under the sheets with a fine thriller to take your mind off that thumping drum inside your head.
UK 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. His debut noir novel, THE GOOD SON, is available in the UK and published by Five Leaves Press.
