Just back from a holiday in the Lake District. Its beauty alone makes it a great setting for fiction. Then the lack of mobile coverage in many places is an absolute bonus if you’re writing crime. Your heroine doesn’t need to run low on battery to stop her calling for backup… It’s where Anna, the … More The Lakes, Catherine Ryan Howard, and WordPress.com websites…
I had a lovely time with a selection of mysteries over the Christmas break, from the classic (Sherlock Holmes and Maigret), to the modern, in the form of Evonne Wareham’s gripping romantic suspense novel, Never Coming Home. Then, to top the whole thing off, I immersed myself in The Arvon Book of Crime and Thriller … More New Year, New Writing Manual
Recently I’ve been indulging in some extensive comfort reading; returning to authors from whom I know exactly what to expect, and re-reading old favourites. One novelist that fits right into this category is Donna Leon. I find it faintly worrying that a murder mystery series seems comforting; particularly since some of her books have pretty … More The Joys of Comfort Reading
I had a lovely lazy breakfast on Sunday, reading the latest issue of Mslexia. I’ve blogged about this magazine for women writers before. For a taste of what’s in the latest issue, click here. Inspiration is a regular section, which currently includes a series of articles on basic elements of fiction. The format is a … More Hooks in Fiction – Five of the Best
I recently followed a link circulating on Twitter to an article by Ian Rankin in The Daily Mail. Rankin was giving ten tips on crime writing, and since he’s one of my favourite authors, I thought they’d be well worth a look. I was interested to learn that Rankin never set out to be a … More Crime Fiction – how important is the puzzle?
Following on from last week’s post on creating a sense of place in fiction, I felt the urge to recommend five of my favourite novels that combine evocative descriptions with involving plots: The Sea House by Esther Freud. For me reading this book was like diving under water and immersing myself in another world. … More A Sense of Place in Fiction: Five of the Best
Reading and ironing are never a great mix, but I found Tideline the sort of book you’re compelled to apply yourself to without pause, whilst walking downstairs, chopping vegetables and so on. After a minor burn I realised I’d just have to abandon everything else until I’d finished the story. Tideline is a thriller which … More Extreme Reading – Tideline by Penny Hancock
