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I have only just found this thread. I am not 100% sure if my writing would ever come under this genre, but I do love to read it. My WIP which was started for NaNo, is slightly crime orientated, in that several crimes are committed. But it is not a 'whodunnit', but more of a 'how the hell are they going to get out of THAT mess?'
But, I am a fledgling novelist, and the WIP may never leave the house. Or I may refine it and find that it is crime.
reading Eyes by Joseph Glass - a first novel, an intriguing heroine, a psychiatrist with psychic abilities, looking for a killer who removes his victim's eyes. Nice idea, I thought... good so far. Well written.
A question, as a (now published - well done) crime writer, what do you think about mixing genres?
I am currently scribbling about a crime described by a ghost (not writer) who the crime was commited upon.
Febes,
Like the sound of your WIP - keep going. You never know what twists 'n' turn await as you plough through to the end.
Dorothy,
Not heard of Glass, nor that gruesome idea, but Eye'm (sorry) intrigued.
Hi Gully,
Thanks. Look no further than the mightily successful 'Ghosts of Belfast' by Stuart Neville for proof that mixing genres works in today's market. I'd call it supernatural crime.
Iam a forensic fire investigator with a North East fire service and an ex CSI of 18yrs. I'm keen to write fiction about what I known best, I.e. People doing very bad things to one another...after 210 death investigations, I've seen people do a lot of bad things! But what angle should I come from?
I had toyed with the idea of looking through the eyes of the killer who has some forensic awareness and skill, pursued by a newly promoted Crime Scene Manager (CSI manager) with an overbearing Superintendent adding the layer of inter-personal & professional conflict.
hello Aspers. May i suggest you introduce yourself on the Welcome Writers category so we can all get to greet you? There would be a good place to post this query and get a wider audience than this thread, not everyone reads every thread but practically everyone reads the Welcome ones.
You need to write from the POV that best fits your wild imagination. If you think writing from the killer's POV would capture your reader, then go for it! Sounds like a good one to me.
Hi
I enjoy reading crime, and have tried to start a book with a murder theme, written the first two chapters, will try to do more next year as all the idea`s are there ,mainly in my head, but have done lots of research, like how many pints of blood you loose if you bleed to death, and prostitution today and years ago, as this is the main issue of my story. Has anyone read any John Connelly books , they are sort of detective novels with a twist.I like Val McDermid as well especially the wire in the blood series, have just finished Fever of the Blood,would recomend.
I've read all of John Connelly's Jenny, absolutely love them and his main characters, Charlie Parker, Angel and Louis. I don;t like Val McDermid at all, she doesn't gel with me, nor does Patricia Cornwell.
Hi Dorothy
I have read all of John Connelly as well (twice) I am waiting for his new one to come out in paper back in Feb. Its out in hardback but so expensive. I also read a lot of James Paterson mainly the ones about Alex Cross, not so keen on his co authored books. Karen Slaughter is another author I read a lot and nearly always buy her books when they come out in paper back. Its a shame we cant have a book exchange system in place, as I have shelves full of lovely books that I will probably not read again.
you need to get on Amazon and sell them, check out the question for DorothyD thread!
No, don;t like James Patterson or Karen Slaughter, neither appeal to me on the writing level, before I get to the stories! Mark Billingham I like, Jeffery Deaver is a must, currently reading a lot of Richard Laymon to 'assist' me with the horror writing I have suddenly begin spilling in all directions.
Jeffery Deaver is good ... very good. His books contain an interesting message. I read The Broken Window with awe, it shows how data mining can be used against you, so every time you go on somewhere like comparethemarket.com they sell on the information and someone stores it and eventually ... who knows? I don't use the sites because of that.
Adding: Jeffery Deaver has two kinds of books, his 'stand alone' thrillers and those which feature Lincoln Rhyme, a former detective confined to a wheelchair with almost no movement at all who solves crimes with great ingenuity through his sidekick, the lovely Amelia. Intriguing stuff.
sounds good, will check out the book shelves. you would be surprised what information is known about you. I worked for a company, that had what we could a data centre, and every time you used your store card or loyalty card, the information was sent to it, then decoded and sold back to marketing groups, who would then target you, for instance if you bought a bottle of whiskey every week, they would send you drink offers and other drink related rubish. It is big business.
Apologies I've not been around for a while. Life's so time-consuming, innit? ;)
This may interest you. As some of you know I've been doing punchy reviews of crime shorts on my blog, and I was recently asked to choose my top five of 2010. Tricky, considering I read hundreds while editing Thrillers, Killers 'n' Chillers. Anyway, two fellow Talkbackers made my cut...
Wrote a long post and then the blooming thing logged me out.
Anyway here goes. I just discovered this thread. There's a number of authors I like. Simon Kernick is great, but wasn't too keen on the ending of his 3rd DS Milne book.
Read Andrew Pyper's first Lost Girls and loved it. Now have 2 more of his.
Suzi, I read Shattered by Michael Rowbotham and loved it. Think his best was the Drowning Man. A cop wakes up with a bullet in his leg and no idea of what happened. Very Bourne Identity, but in a criminal way.
Stuart MacBride is fantastic if you like your crime with a bit of humour. So is Craig Russell, another Scot, who does the Jan Fabel series about a German police officer and now also private eye Lennox.
I've mever been a big fan of Ian Rankin as his books are too dark for me.
Aspers, why don't you create a character based on yourself? Have a fire investigator who helps the police investigate fire related deaths. Off the top of head I can't think of any crime series like that.
Publishers are looking for a unique perspective on things. I also find (this won't apply to everyone) but reading books through the eyes of the bad guys puts me off if they are the main character.
seems that way. I was doing all right with his book until he made the stupid mistakes, 1) ignoring a character completely he had gone to a lot of trouble to write in and 2) insisting the the tracking devices were so tiny no one could find them, and then the heroine is tearing them out of the bag and throwing them out the window as she drove... don't know where his editor was with that one ... on holiday on the proceeds of his books, I guess!
Do you know, I can't even remember the title?? I remember the nonsense but not the title.
Just had a look on Amazon, it might have been Relentless, the cover looks familiar.
Col, and other crime fans - do you know Tom Bale? He wrote Terror's Reach and Skin and Bone. He lives in Brighton and seems a totally sound guy. He's doing a talk at the New Eastbourne Writers' meeting next Thursday (31st March). Looking forward to hearing what he has to say.
I love Simon Kernick's books. Not very happy with last one, though.
Currently reading Andrew Pyper's 2nd about a writers' circle. Puts you off ever joining one.
Still working away on my crime novel. One of my characters has a Mike Hammer fixation, so I've got the first three books. Spillane has fantastic dialogue that just jumps off the page. Can't believe I've just discovered him. He is so darn good.
Dorothy, I enjoyed relentless, it was, er... relentless. Don't recall those pointers you made in it though.
Lily, I'll watch out for Tom Bale, but Brighton's way too far for me. I know a friend of Peter James, who also writes crime 'n' lives down there, so I'll give him the heads up for that date.
Jen, Good luck with the crime novel. Look forward to reading it when it hits the bookshelves. ;)
I wonder if someone enjoys a book they aren't aware of the flaws, as it were, but if you are irritated by the book (I recall I was, style and everything was annoying the hell out of me and I almost gave up half way through, then wished I had thrown it) you are looking critically at it and see the flaws. Might not have been Relentless, it was one of his one word title thingys, or are they all one word? Whatever, like Patricia Cornwell books, they won't be read ever again by me. There is also the problem that as an editor with about 17 years' experience now, I tend to read critically and it is a rare book that I get deeply involved in and can ignore any loose writing or the occasional typo. Currently immersed in the Dark Tower series to the point of turning out the light to go to sleep and then turning it back on again to read a bit more. That is a very rare occurrence indeed.
Taking a break from that to read Mythago Wood and can already see that will have the same effect. The Dark Tower series I read some years ago, Mythago Wood I read quite a lot of years ago, still holding my attention. So many modern books don't.
I've read some Peter James, he doesn't hold my attention. Mark Billingham does. Lee Child does. Given up on James Patterson, repetitive and getting rather silly. IMO.
Col, If you like Kernick you'll love Jeff Abbott and Gregg Hurwitz (sometimes he adds Andrew as a middle name). They're both very high octane authors. My kind of writing in fact. Linwood Barclay's good too - bad things happening to ordinary people. Two of my favourite authors are fellow Scots Stuart MacBride and Craig Russell (he now does the Lennox books, but his Jan Fabel books were great too once you got used to the long German names for things).
Dorothy, I have to try and switch off my editor brain when I'm reading. Otherwise I notice too much and feel like getting out my red pen. Not a fan of Patterson either. Starting to get too forumulatic, almost like he's got someone else writing the books. Love Billingham though.
I've just finished the very creepy Real World, the third Natsuo Kirino novel to be translated into English. Her novels are very dark, but are getting me in the mood to add to my violent revenge thriller. My partner is very scared, especially when I ask him things like 'would a garlic press on your dangle bag hurt?'
Jenthom, Dorothyd, re: James Patterson, I think he's the one that has a 'pool' of writers that do the bulk of the writing. He writes the basic outline, the others fill in the blanks. I'm over Patricia Cornwell too, used to love her books. Read one a few years ago (can't remember the name), but it seemed to rehash what was in the previous book, then when the action started it was finished. It really put me off.
Thanks Lily. The publisher said to go to town on the violence, so I have been very creative. It's for their revenge thriller series where someone who's been treated like rubbish goes to the town on those who have wronged them.
Comments
Comments welcome!
A not to be missed radio interview with debut novelist, Richard Godwin.
http://colburysnewcrimefiction.blogspot.com/2010/12/richard-godwins-first-novel-apostle.html
Currently reading two debut novels:
BOLT ACTION by Charlie Charters, and
BROKEN DREAMS by Nick Quantrill.
Will review both on my blog when I'm done.
But, I am a fledgling novelist, and the WIP may never leave the house. Or I may refine it and find that it is crime.
We will see.
I thank you for "re-booting" this thread.
A question, as a (now published - well done) crime writer, what do you think about mixing genres?
I am currently scribbling about a crime described by a ghost (not writer) who the crime was commited upon.
Like the sound of your WIP - keep going. You never know what twists 'n' turn await as you plough through to the end.
Dorothy,
Not heard of Glass, nor that gruesome idea, but Eye'm (sorry) intrigued.
Hi Gully,
Thanks. Look no further than the mightily successful 'Ghosts of Belfast' by Stuart Neville for proof that mixing genres works in today's market. I'd call it supernatural crime.
Merry Christmas to all.
Iam a forensic fire investigator with a North East fire service and an ex CSI of 18yrs. I'm keen to write fiction about what I known best, I.e. People doing very bad things to one another...after 210 death investigations, I've seen people do a lot of bad things! But what angle should I come from?
I had toyed with the idea of looking through the eyes of the killer who has some forensic awareness and skill, pursued by a newly promoted Crime Scene Manager (CSI manager) with an overbearing Superintendent adding the layer of inter-personal & professional conflict.
Any observations or advice is warmly appreciated.
Thanks
Aspers
You need to write from the POV that best fits your wild imagination. If you think writing from the killer's POV would capture your reader, then go for it! Sounds like a good one to me.
I enjoy reading crime, and have tried to start a book with a murder theme, written the first two chapters, will try to do more next year as all the idea`s are there ,mainly in my head, but have done lots of research, like how many pints of blood you loose if you bleed to death, and prostitution today and years ago, as this is the main issue of my story. Has anyone read any John Connelly books , they are sort of detective novels with a twist.I like Val McDermid as well especially the wire in the blood series, have just finished Fever of the Blood,would recomend.
I have read all of John Connelly as well (twice) I am waiting for his new one to come out in paper back in Feb. Its out in hardback but so expensive. I also read a lot of James Paterson mainly the ones about Alex Cross, not so keen on his co authored books. Karen Slaughter is another author I read a lot and nearly always buy her books when they come out in paper back. Its a shame we cant have a book exchange system in place, as I have shelves full of lovely books that I will probably not read again.
No, don;t like James Patterson or Karen Slaughter, neither appeal to me on the writing level, before I get to the stories! Mark Billingham I like, Jeffery Deaver is a must, currently reading a lot of Richard Laymon to 'assist' me with the horror writing I have suddenly begin spilling in all directions.
I have read Richard Layman, but no Jeffery Deaver, will look out for him.
Adding: Jeffery Deaver has two kinds of books, his 'stand alone' thrillers and those which feature Lincoln Rhyme, a former detective confined to a wheelchair with almost no movement at all who solves crimes with great ingenuity through his sidekick, the lovely Amelia. Intriguing stuff.
This may interest you. As some of you know I've been doing punchy reviews of crime shorts on my blog, and I was recently asked to choose my top five of 2010. Tricky, considering I read hundreds while editing Thrillers, Killers 'n' Chillers. Anyway, two fellow Talkbackers made my cut...
http://colburysnewcrimefiction.blogspot.com/2011/01/col-burys-crime-fiction-choice-with.html
http://colburysnewcrimefiction.blogspot.com/2011/01/guests-crime-fiction-choice-chris.html
http://nigelpbird.blogspot.com/2011/01/dancing-with-myself-mark-billingham.html#comments
http://colburysnewcrimefiction.blogspot.com/2011/03/col-burys-crime-fiction-choice.html
Anyway here goes. I just discovered this thread. There's a number of authors I like. Simon Kernick is great, but wasn't too keen on the ending of his 3rd DS Milne book.
Read Andrew Pyper's first Lost Girls and loved it. Now have 2 more of his.
Suzi, I read Shattered by Michael Rowbotham and loved it. Think his best was the Drowning Man. A cop wakes up with a bullet in his leg and no idea of what happened. Very Bourne Identity, but in a criminal way.
Stuart MacBride is fantastic if you like your crime with a bit of humour. So is Craig Russell, another Scot, who does the Jan Fabel series about a German police officer and now also private eye Lennox.
I've mever been a big fan of Ian Rankin as his books are too dark for me.
Publishers are looking for a unique perspective on things. I also find (this won't apply to everyone) but reading books through the eyes of the bad guys puts me off if they are the main character.
I don't like Simon Kernick, read one which was SO stupid in places it put me off him completely forever! Michael Rowbotham is good, very good.
Pity, we could have done with his knowledge.
Dorothy, I think Kernick's one you either love or hate.
Dorothy, which Kernick book was that in?
Just had a look on Amazon, it might have been Relentless, the cover looks familiar.
Currently reading Andrew Pyper's 2nd about a writers' circle. Puts you off ever joining one.
Still working away on my crime novel. One of my characters has a Mike Hammer fixation, so I've got the first three books. Spillane has fantastic dialogue that just jumps off the page. Can't believe I've just discovered him. He is so darn good.
Lily, I'll watch out for Tom Bale, but Brighton's way too far for me. I know a friend of Peter James, who also writes crime 'n' lives down there, so I'll give him the heads up for that date.
Jen, Good luck with the crime novel. Look forward to reading it when it hits the bookshelves. ;)
Taking a break from that to read Mythago Wood and can already see that will have the same effect. The Dark Tower series I read some years ago, Mythago Wood I read quite a lot of years ago, still holding my attention. So many modern books don't.
I've read some Peter James, he doesn't hold my attention. Mark Billingham does. Lee Child does. Given up on James Patterson, repetitive and getting rather silly. IMO.
Dorothy, I have to try and switch off my editor brain when I'm reading. Otherwise I notice too much and feel like getting out my red pen. Not a fan of Patterson either. Starting to get too forumulatic, almost like he's got someone else writing the books. Love Billingham though.
I'm currently reading 'The Twelve' (aka 'The Ghost of Belfast') by Stuart Neville - hooked from the first page!
Ps. Cracking short crime story reviewed by a 'guest' on my blog...
http://colburysnewcrimefiction.blogspot.com/2011/04/guests-crime-fiction-choice-anonymous-9.html
Hilarious! I want to read your book Jen. :)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jul/05/crime-novel-co-written-26-authors
Not sure about it though...