This month Russel gets beaten up by a girl, out-bearded by an Aberdonian, put to shame by Andy McNab's work ethic and uncovers a threat to the "special relationship" between UK and US thriller writers from a mysterious group...
Its been a hectic couple of months, you might have gathered from my absence last month. I wish I could say I was travelling the world and doing exciting things, but mainly it was the day job. And the new book (LOST SISTER will be coming out in the UK this October - here endeth the plug) which had to be completed to the satisfaction of my agent and publishers.
Anyway, I'm back, folks, and feeling better than ever. Mostly because, in these troubling times, it's great to see deserving authors still getting the deals to pump out the books.
Anyway, this month I'll let you know what some of those great authors have coming up ahead. And I'll be letting you in on a conspiracy around the "Great British Thriller" that a few brave men (and Jeffery Archer) have decided to tackle head on. So enough of my yakking, let's get it on...
Before the First Strike...
Thriller fans should already be aware of UK author Zoe Sharp, one of the slickest and finest authors working the beat - and if you don't agree, she'll kill you with any one of a thousand household implements. Or failing that, possibly a toe clipping. She's the most dangerous lady in thriller writing, and its criminal that up until some of her earlier novels haven't been available in the US.
Well worry no more, my American compatriots. Top publishing house, Busted Flush Press have come to the rescue and will be releasing three of Ms Sharp's earliest titles to help you get more of a hit of top female bodyguard Charlie Fox.
And if you haven't read Sharp's novels yet?
Get the hell out of the house and down to the bookstore. Trust me, you're gonna be thrilled.
Lazarus Returns
Regular readers will know that I have a soft spot for Scots beard-wearer and thriller writer Stuart MacBride, whose excellent series starring Logan "Lazarus" MacRae are gruesomely funny and often unexpectedly touching.
So it was with great joy that I recently overhead MacBride has been granted a brilliant four book deal with HarperCollins here in the UK. To include two more McRae novels and - even better - two standalones. Having seen what MacBride has done already with the excellent novella Sawbones, I'm excited to see what happens when he gets a larger canvas upon which to play.
And as if that's not enough, working under the subtle pseudonym, Stuart B. MacBride (the B stands for beard, I imagine) the Aberdonian author will also be bringing us his first SF spectacular this November with the release of Half Head.
Just like S.P.E.C.T.R.E.... or possibly T.H.R.U.S.H.
I don't know about you, but I think the British thriller is doing pretty dandy these days. With authors like Simon Kernick, Mark Billingham, Zoe Sharp, David Hewson, Nick Stone, John Connolly and a legion of others turning out a varied and captivating variety of action-packed novels along with newcomers like Matt Hilton and Sean Black, I'd say that we're inundated with some damn fine authors.
But it seems not everyone agrees. The mysterious sounding Curzon group, headed by that arch-mastermind Jeffery Archer believe that, "The great British thrillers of the past had a quirkiness to them, an originality, and a passion for storytelling and writing that is absent from the market right now. All the writers in this group believe in bringing that back."
In all honesty I'm still not convinced. And while I do believe that there is a tendency for certain high concept thrillers to start seems suspiciously samey, I do not blame the Americans or the British individually for this. And I think that the phenomenon is countered by a variety of unique voices the group has overlooked in its slap-dash definition of modern British thrillers.
While voices like Ambler, MacLean, Deighton and Fleming were all unique and wonderful, I think its fair to say that the Britain of today is no longer the Britain it once was.
And I think, as mentioned earlier, we have the diversity of voices to prove it. And yes, not all of those mentioned earlier write about Britain, but they are British thriller writers and they are among the furthest things you could find from the "production line American thriller writers" that seem to have so upset the Curzon group.
There's only one Steig Larrson... isn't there?
Harper Collins imprint, Blue Door have snatched up a Swedish author they believe might just be "the new Steig Larrson" The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler (possibly a pseudonym) is the first of "an eight book sequence" apparently, and finds a hypnotist drafted in to find the truth when a son is the sole survivor of a brutal family murder.
According to Patrick Janson-Smith, who is the one behind the "new Larsson" tag, the publication of the Hypnotist in various territories should be "quite an event."
Andy (Mc)Nabs a 7 book deal
Earlier this month Transworld signed up powerhouse thriller writer Andy McNab for a further seven books. As part of his world domination plan (which are coming close to rivalling those of James Patterson), McNab will write three new Nick Stone thrillers, two standalones and two non fiction fiction titles.
For a further feat, he will then go on to make good on his more recent contract for two more teenage titles as well! Clearly his work in the SAS has given him the stamina necessary to make good on such a contract.
And so I notice that its time to end our thrilling round up for this month. As ever, keep those leads and thrilling heads-up coming my way. And I'll be back soon. Best to lock your doors.
Russel D McLean
Thriller fans should already be aware of UK author Zoe Sharp, one of the slickest and finest authors working the beat - and if you don't agree, she'll kill you with any one of a thousand household implements. Or failing that, possibly a toe clipping. She's the most dangerous lady in thriller writing, and its criminal that up until some of her earlier novels haven't been available in the US.Well worry no more, my American compatriots. Top publishing house, Busted Flush Press have come to the rescue and will be releasing three of Ms Sharp's earliest titles to help you get more of a hit of top female bodyguard Charlie Fox.
And if you haven't read Sharp's novels yet?
Get the hell out of the house and down to the bookstore. Trust me, you're gonna be thrilled.
Lazarus Returns
Regular readers will know that I have a soft spot for Scots beard-wearer and thriller writer Stuart MacBride, whose excellent series starring Logan "Lazarus" MacRae are gruesomely funny and often unexpectedly touching.
So it was with great joy that I recently overhead MacBride has been granted a brilliant four book deal with HarperCollins here in the UK. To include two more McRae novels and - even better - two standalones. Having seen what MacBride has done already with the excellent novella Sawbones, I'm excited to see what happens when he gets a larger canvas upon which to play.And as if that's not enough, working under the subtle pseudonym, Stuart B. MacBride (the B stands for beard, I imagine) the Aberdonian author will also be bringing us his first SF spectacular this November with the release of Half Head.
Just like S.P.E.C.T.R.E.... or possibly T.H.R.U.S.H.
I don't know about you, but I think the British thriller is doing pretty dandy these days. With authors like Simon Kernick, Mark Billingham, Zoe Sharp, David Hewson, Nick Stone, John Connolly and a legion of others turning out a varied and captivating variety of action-packed novels along with newcomers like Matt Hilton and Sean Black, I'd say that we're inundated with some damn fine authors.
But it seems not everyone agrees. The mysterious sounding Curzon group, headed by that arch-mastermind Jeffery Archer believe that, "The great British thrillers of the past had a quirkiness to them, an originality, and a passion for storytelling and writing that is absent from the market right now. All the writers in this group believe in bringing that back."
In all honesty I'm still not convinced. And while I do believe that there is a tendency for certain high concept thrillers to start seems suspiciously samey, I do not blame the Americans or the British individually for this. And I think that the phenomenon is countered by a variety of unique voices the group has overlooked in its slap-dash definition of modern British thrillers.
While voices like Ambler, MacLean, Deighton and Fleming were all unique and wonderful, I think its fair to say that the Britain of today is no longer the Britain it once was.
And I think, as mentioned earlier, we have the diversity of voices to prove it. And yes, not all of those mentioned earlier write about Britain, but they are British thriller writers and they are among the furthest things you could find from the "production line American thriller writers" that seem to have so upset the Curzon group.
There's only one Steig Larrson... isn't there?
Harper Collins imprint, Blue Door have snatched up a Swedish author they believe might just be "the new Steig Larrson" The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler (possibly a pseudonym) is the first of "an eight book sequence" apparently, and finds a hypnotist drafted in to find the truth when a son is the sole survivor of a brutal family murder.
According to Patrick Janson-Smith, who is the one behind the "new Larsson" tag, the publication of the Hypnotist in various territories should be "quite an event."
Andy (Mc)Nabs a 7 book dealEarlier this month Transworld signed up powerhouse thriller writer Andy McNab for a further seven books. As part of his world domination plan (which are coming close to rivalling those of James Patterson), McNab will write three new Nick Stone thrillers, two standalones and two non fiction fiction titles.
For a further feat, he will then go on to make good on his more recent contract for two more teenage titles as well! Clearly his work in the SAS has given him the stamina necessary to make good on such a contract.
And so I notice that its time to end our thrilling round up for this month. As ever, keep those leads and thrilling heads-up coming my way. And I'll be back soon. Best to lock your doors.
Russel D McLean
