The Cruellest Month--News from the UK by Russel McLean
THE CRUELLEST MONTH?
This month Russel goes to the movies with Ken Bruen and Patricia Cornwell, waves Quintin Jardine off on a Scottish road trip and takes a little trip of his own to the world of the Scandinavian crime writers.
Yes, another month has flown by and we're well into the new year here at ITW (UK Division) HQ. Yes, it seems as though there are clouds on the horizon, but as long as there are good books being produced, and people to read and enjoy them, then there is hope.So among all the gloom and despair that seemed to typify the beginning of this new year, there were more than a few moments of good news, and more importantly there were some damn fine books released as well.
And as long as I have good books to hand - preferably thrillers - I feel as though I could face almost anything. So with out of the way, let's move onto this month's report proper:
Irish Eye (brows) Are Smiling
Colin Farrell has successfully managed to freak me out over the years with his impressive caterpillar eyebrows. But as films like In Bruges can attest, he's also a hell of an actor, which is partly why I'm excited for his next project - London Boulevard. The project also features Keira Knightly (probably extremely glad to be escaping a period piece) and is written and directed by the Oscar winning screenwriter of The Departed, William Monaghan.
But more importantly, its based on a novel by one of my favourite Irish authors, the irascible Ken Bruen.
Of course, also heading for the big screen is Bruen's novel Blitz, featuring the compelling character of Inspector Brant, who is to be brought to life on the big screen by Jude Law.
Oz Blackstone is Dead, Long Live Oz
Scottish author Quintin Jardine is on the road again to promote his new book, Inhuman Remains. In what might come as a shock to his regular readers, he starts a new series by killing an old protagonist. Yes, movie star and investigator Oz Blackstone has (according to the back blurb) reupture his aorta. This leaves his ex-wife, Primavera Blackstone to take the limelight in Jardine's latest series.
My sources reliably inform me that Jardine will be in the Dundee branch of Waterstones on the 7th of February for a brief stock signing and in St Andrews at the Byre theatre on the 10th at 7:00pm to talk about his work. For tickets and availability see Waterstones.com or call the St Andrews store on 01334 477893.
The... short... goodbye.
I know I want to keep looking at the positive, but I could hardly ignore this event in January... We barely had time to register as the last UK crime and mystery specialist announced it was to close its door for the last time. Being as I'm all the way up North and barely get down to London (in fact, would it shock you to know I've never been to the English capital!) I never had the chance to visit the near-legendary Murder One, run by the equally legendary Maxim Jakbowski. And now, of course, I will no longer have the chance with the store having finally closed its doors at the end of January.
However, it is sad news that the UK no longer has a specialist crime bookstore, even if the business will be maintaining online trading (two employees have bought the name and the legacy).
Lights, Camera, Scalpel
In the UK, fans of the US superstar author that is Patricia Cornwell might be interested in this latest competition run by Little, Brown in association with the Times. Little, Brown are handing over the creative reigns to the readers by asking for ideas and scripts and filmed segments to advertise Cornwell's latest novel Scarpetta in the cinema. Films stand the chance to win £2,500 while winning scripts will be turned into movies and played on big screens up and down the country.
For more info, head to www.timesonline.co.uk/scarpetta.
Andrew Taylor, at the CWA, with the dagger
Andrew Taylor, author of Bleeding Heart Square, available from Penguin Publishers in the UK, can add another honour to his shelf following his pick by uber-bookclub overlords Richard and Judy a few years back. The Cartier Diamond Dagger is awarded for "sustained excellence in crime writing" by the CWA and is not an honour they bestow lightly.
The award is to be presented to Taylor at the - somewhat appropriately named as a venue for the presentation of a crime fiction award - Gore Hotel in London on the 6th March.
The Swedes Who Came in from the Cold
I didn't make a secret of my love for The Girl Who Played with Fire over at my review website, crimescenescotlandreviews.blogspot.com. In fact, I found it a refreshingly complex thriller unafraid to try and tackle socially complex themes, and with an almost unique central character in the form of Lisbeth Salander. Turns out that, like many readers, I'm just scratching the tip of the Scanadanavian iceberg. According to John Crace in the Guardian, there's a whole troupe of Scandinavian authors out there just waiting to be discovered, and if they're half as good as the impressive books of Stieg Larrson, I think I know what I'll be picking next time I'm a bookstore... Check out the article right here at http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jan/23/scandinavian-crime-fiction, and finally learn to differentiate your Mankell from your Nesbo.
Until next month, my friends, I hope you have a thrilling time...
Russel McLean
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.
Colin Farrell has successfully managed to freak me out over the years with his impressive caterpillar eyebrows. But as films like In Bruges can attest, he's also a hell of an actor, which is partly why I'm excited for his next project - London Boulevard. The project also features Keira Knightly (probably extremely glad to be escaping a period piece) and is written and directed by the Oscar winning screenwriter of The Departed, William Monaghan.But more importantly, its based on a novel by one of my favourite Irish authors, the irascible Ken Bruen.
Of course, also heading for the big screen is Bruen's novel Blitz, featuring the compelling character of Inspector Brant, who is to be brought to life on the big screen by Jude Law.
Oz Blackstone is Dead, Long Live Oz
Scottish author Quintin Jardine is on the road again to promote his new book, Inhuman Remains. In what might come as a shock to his regular readers, he starts a new series by killing an old protagonist. Yes, movie star and investigator Oz Blackstone has (according to the back blurb) reupture his aorta. This leaves his ex-wife, Primavera Blackstone to take the limelight in Jardine's latest series.
My sources reliably inform me that Jardine will be in the Dundee branch of Waterstones on the 7th of February for a brief stock signing and in St Andrews at the Byre theatre on the 10th at 7:00pm to talk about his work. For tickets and availability see Waterstones.com or call the St Andrews store on 01334 477893.
The... short... goodbye.
I know I want to keep looking at the positive, but I could hardly ignore this event in January... We barely had time to register as the last UK crime and mystery specialist announced it was to close its door for the last time. Being as I'm all the way up North and barely get down to London (in fact, would it shock you to know I've never been to the English capital!) I never had the chance to visit the near-legendary Murder One, run by the equally legendary Maxim Jakbowski. And now, of course, I will no longer have the chance with the store having finally closed its doors at the end of January.
However, it is sad news that the UK no longer has a specialist crime bookstore, even if the business will be maintaining online trading (two employees have bought the name and the legacy).
Lights, Camera, Scalpel
In the UK, fans of the US superstar author that is Patricia Cornwell might be interested in this latest competition run by Little, Brown in association with the Times. Little, Brown are handing over the creative reigns to the readers by asking for ideas and scripts and filmed segments to advertise Cornwell's latest novel Scarpetta in the cinema. Films stand the chance to win £2,500 while winning scripts will be turned into movies and played on big screens up and down the country.
For more info, head to www.timesonline.co.uk/scarpetta.
Andrew Taylor, at the CWA, with the dagger
Andrew Taylor, author of Bleeding Heart Square, available from Penguin Publishers in the UK, can add another honour to his shelf following his pick by uber-bookclub overlords Richard and Judy a few years back. The Cartier Diamond Dagger is awarded for "sustained excellence in crime writing" by the CWA and is not an honour they bestow lightly. The award is to be presented to Taylor at the - somewhat appropriately named as a venue for the presentation of a crime fiction award - Gore Hotel in London on the 6th March.
The Swedes Who Came in from the Cold
I didn't make a secret of my love for The Girl Who Played with Fire over at my review website, crimescenescotlandreviews.blogspot.com. In fact, I found it a refreshingly complex thriller unafraid to try and tackle socially complex themes, and with an almost unique central character in the form of Lisbeth Salander. Turns out that, like many readers, I'm just scratching the tip of the Scanadanavian iceberg. According to John Crace in the Guardian, there's a whole troupe of Scandinavian authors out there just waiting to be discovered, and if they're half as good as the impressive books of Stieg Larrson, I think I know what I'll be picking next time I'm a bookstore... Check out the article right here at http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jan/23/scandinavian-crime-fiction, and finally learn to differentiate your Mankell from your Nesbo.
Until next month, my friends, I hope you have a thrilling time...
Russel McLean
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.
ThrillerFest
ITW's annual celebration of the thriller world is the largest event of its kind, a meeting place for authors, readers, budding writers, and publishing industry professionals.
For 2011, we’ll be back in the heart of New York in July with the ThrillerFest conference including CraftFest and AgentFest.
ThrillerFest VI will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City.
The dates will be July 6-9, 2011.
More information to follow.
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