The Roving Eye Interviews Nick Quantrill

Today's Roving Eye interview is with crime writer, Nick Quantrill. A prolific short story writer, Nick's work has appeared in Volumes Eight and Nine of The Mammoth Book of Best British Crime alongside the genre's most respected names.
His Joe Geraghty crime novels, Broken Dreams (2010), The Late Greats (2012) and The Crooked Beat (2013) are published by Caffeine Nights. His standalone novella, Bang Bang You're Dead (2012) is published by Byker Books.
When not writing fiction, Nick contributes reviews and essays to a variety of football and music websites. He lives in Hull with his wife, daughter, cat and the constant fear Hull City will let him down.

1 - When did you first realise that you wanted to write for a living?

Writing wasn’t something I wanted to do until I turned thirty. Before that I was too preoccupied with football, binge drinking and acting like a directionless idiot. The idea very much crept up on me. I rediscovered my love of reading in my twenties and the idea of giving it a go eventually became irresistible. Once I started, I found I couldn’t stop. An initial short story spawned more and before long I wanted to write a novel. Since then, I’ve written and had published the Joe Geraghty trilogy of Private Investigator novels set in my home city of Hull. In terms of making a living from writing – maybe one day!

2 - What made you chose crime fiction?

I love reading crime fiction. As a kid it was all about The Famous Five and Sherlock Holmes. As an adult it was Ian Rankin’s Rebus novels which captured my imagination. For me, crime is the perfect vehicle for looking the world around you in the eye, but within the structure of an entertaining page-turner. It’s a versatile and innovative genre.

3 - What crime novel would you most like to have written?

I’ve read countless crime novels I’ve loved, but to be honest, I wouldn’t have wanted to write any of them. The aim has to be to find your own voice and tell the story you want to tell. For me at the moment, it’s exploring my home city of Hull.

4 - Who is your favourite author outside of crime fiction and why?

John Steinbeck. No hesitation. His work has everything – great characters, incredible stories, heart, compassion, wisdom. The list goes on. And the variety makes me seethe with jealousy…”The Grapes of Wrath”, “Of Mice and Men”, “The Pearl”, “Cannery Row”…all massively different, yet all brilliant.

5 - Who are you reading right now?

My reading largely consists of crime fiction, but you’ve caught me on one of my rare forays outside of the genre. I’m reading “Whatever Happened to Billy Parks?” by Gareth Roberts. It’s a deceptively simple idea – a washed-up 1970s footballer is given the chance to redeem himself by a sort of footballing Court headed up by Brian Clough, Don Revie, Bill Shankly and Alf Ramsey. If he succeeds in helping England beat Poland in the infamous 1973 World Cup Qualifier, maybe he can make things up to his daughter and grandson. It’s touching and funny, yet also that rare thing, a good football novel.

6 - If you weren’t a writer, what else could you see yourself doing?

I’m only really a writer on certain days of the week. The rest of my time is taking up looking after my daughter. She’s nearly three years old, so it’s a full-time job in itself. Before combining writing with childcare, I worked in an office. I’m in no desperate rush to go back to it. I’m sure the time will come when I need to think about getting a proper job again, but I’d like to do something useful in the community relating to the Arts.

7 – What was the last great book that you read?

I’ve become much more comfortable with the idea of not feeling guilty if I don’t finish a book. Of course, it doesn’t mean they’re bad books, but it has been liberating, as I actively like everything I finish. If pushed, I’d say Eva Dolan’s debut, “Long Way Home”, is a refreshing take on the police novel and it’s setting in Peterborough and focus on social issues is right up my street.

8 - How do you feel about ebooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?

I think it’s great we have the choice, as both readers and writers. I always thought I wasn’t a Kindle type of person, but I love mine now. It’s more circumstance than choice, but it’s often easier for me to buy ebooks than make it to the shops. There’s something fundamentally brilliant about physical books, though, so I couldn’t imagine never buying them. I don’t really understand why physical books don’t come with a download code, like when you buy vinyl. I think the lines are blurring in relation to publishing and there’s room for all. Self-publishing can be done well, maybe giving a voice to writers the larger publisher don’t feel able to give a chance to. I’m published by a small press who rely on changing technology to give themselves an edge. We’ve never had it so good.

9 - What five words best describe your average day?

Tiring, coffee, writing, Alice, potty.

10 - Sum up your latest novel in less than 20 words.

 
When the smuggled cigarettes Geraghty’s brother is looking after are stolen, how far will the PI go to find them?

The Roving Eye Interviews James Oswald

The Roving Eye is back! And today's interview is with crime author James Oswald. After self publishing his first two DI McLean novels, Natural Causes and The Book of Souls, James has gone on to become one of the UK's most celebrated new crime writers, being described as, 'Crime Fictions Next Big Thing' and 'The New Ian Rankin'. The fourth in the DI McLean series, Dead Men's Bones, is out later this year.



 1 - When did you first realise that you wanted to write for a living?

I’ve been telling tall tales since about the time I learned to speak, but I probably started thinking about it as a possible career in the early nineties. I was kicking around Aberdeen looking for a job after graduating from the university there. I’ve been a huge fan of comics since I could first read, and I remember going to a talk by Mark Millar and Grant Morrison in the Central Library. Someone asked a question about how you got started writing comics, and Mark said he’d just sent some scripts to 2000AD, one a day, until they gave in an published some. I went home and started writing Tharg’s Future Shock ideas, sending them off and getting lots of rejections. By the end of that year though, I’d had one published. I thought it would be a great way to make a living, but it’s taken me twenty years to get to the point where I could give up the day job. Ironically, I now have a day job I couldn’t easily give up even if I wanted to!

2 - What made you chose crime fiction?

Again whilst in Aberdeen, I got involved in a fanzine called From the Sublime… (that ellipsis is very important), which was all about fantasy, sf, RPGs, Manga, Anime and anything slightly weird. I met a young artist there by the name of Stuart MacBride. We collaborated on some stories and became good friends. We kept in touch when I moved away from Aberdeen, exchanging manuscripts and giving each other critiques. We both wrote fantasy in various guises at the time, then Stuart wrote Cold Granite, the first of the Logan McRae books. He passed on the advice that had been given to him - to stop writing fantasy and try a contemporary crime thriller.

I had a character - Tony McLean - who had first appeared in a supporting role in one of my early (unpublished) submissions to 2000AD, and again in a collaboration with Stuart. He was an Edinburgh based detective who had the unfortunate ability to see the weird stuff going on in the background that no one else could see. Because I’m inherently lazy, I’d used him in a couple of unpublished contemporary urban fantasy novels as well, and thought it was perhaps time to promote him to a starring role. 

At that point, I knew very little about crime fiction. I’d read most of Ian Rankin’s books because my dad was a fan and I could nick them when he’d finished them. I’d read all of Stuart’s books, often several times as they went through various drafts. I’d also read RD Wingfield’s Frost books, and remembered reading Agatha Christie when I was young, The Hardy Boys when I was even younger. That formed the basis of my first attempt at writing crime fiction, which was a series of six short stories based around DI McLean. The fourth of these, Natural Causes, I extended into a novel of the same name.

 

3 - What crime novel would you most like to have written?

 

I’m really not sure I’d like to have written anyone else’s book. It’s hard enough writing my own.

 

4 - Who is your favourite author outside of crime fiction and why?

 

So many writers and you want just one? Oh, all right then. Terry Pratchett. He has such a splendidly sideways view of the world and is probably one of our greatest living satirists. There’s not many authors make me laugh out loud from time to time, but he’s one.

Interestingly, I find his books much easier to listen to as audiobooks these days. I’m not sure if that’s because he dictates them, or just that Stephen Briggs is a brilliant narrator. The structure of his books - no chapters, just lots and lots of sections stitched seamlessly together - means that to really get the story you need to read the whole thing in a sitting. Alas, I just don’t have the time for that kind of indulgence these days.

 

5 - Who are you reading right now?

 

Craig Robertson’s new book, Last Refuge, set in the Faeroe Islands. I was sent a proof copy - it’s not out yet. It’s shaping up very well indeed. A nice murder mystery with a brilliantly realised setting and deftly painted characters.

 

6 - If you weren’t a writer, what else could you see yourself doing?

 

Well, in addition to the writing, I also run a livestock farm. So I guess that would be my other choice.

 

7 – What was the last great book that you read?

 

The Copper Promise by Jen Williams. It’s an old school fantasy - lots of adventure, lots of action, swords, magic and a dragon. Jen and I share an agent, and again I read this as an advance proof copy, but it’s still a wonderful book. It reminded me of the fantasy books I loved when I was young, and why I wanted to start writing in the first place.

 

8 - How do you feel about ebooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?

My big breakthrough came from self publishing my first two crime novels as ebooks, so I am of course in favour of them. On the other hand, I couldn’t wait to sign with a professional publisher. Self publishing properly takes an enormous amount of time and effort, which detracts from the writing. I always wanted to be a writer, not a publisher, editor, designer, web-monkey and marketer. That said, my books failed to find a publisher for a very long time as they were just a little too far from the established norm for either fantasy or crime. Self publishing allowed me to prove that there was an audience for that kind of story, and I am enormously grateful to Amazon and all the others for the opportunity they gave me.

You pose the question as this vs. that, but I really don’t see it that way. Ebooks won’t destroy print, but what they have done is made reading easier for a great many people. Self publishing has allowed niche interests to be catered for (sometimes rather unhealthily), and gives writers another means for their work to reach an audience beyond immediate friends and family. Yes, there is a lot of rubbish out there (some of it mine, no doubt), but the net effect is more books being read, which as a writer I have to say is a very good thing. 

9 - What five words best describe your average day?

 

Feed cows, feed sheep, write.

 

10 - Sum up your latest novel in less than 20 words.

 

Investigating a series of seemingly unrelated hangings, DI McLean finds the truth too close to home for comfort.

The Roving Eye Interviews Luke Murphy

Today's Roving Eye Interview is with crime writer, Luke Murphy. Luke lives in Shawville, Quebec with his wife, three daughters and pug. He played six years of professional hockey before retiring in 2006. Since then, he’s held a number of jobs, from sports columnist to radio journalist, before earning his Bachelor of Education degree (Magna Cum Laude).

Murphy`s acclaimed debut novel, Dead Man`s Hand, was released by Imajin Books on October 20, 2012.

When did you first realise that you wanted to write for a living?

Writing is not my full time job. I’ll tell you more about that in question 6.

Actually it happened by accident. Growing up I never thought much about writing, but I was an avid reader. The only time I ever wrote was when my teachers at school made me. I wanted to be an NHL superstar…period.

It was the winter of 2000, my second year of professional hockey, and I was playing in Oklahoma City.  After sustaining a season ending eye injury (one of the scariest moments of my life), I found myself with time on his hands.

My girlfriend at the time, who is now my wife, was attending a French college in Montreal. She received an English assignment to write a short story, and asked me for some help.

I loved the experience—creating vivid characters and generating a wire-taut plot. I sat down at my roommate’s computer and began typing. I wrote a little every day, around my intense rehabilitation schedule and before I knew it I had completed my first manuscript.

I didn’t write with the intention of being published. I wrote for the love of writing.

Thirteen years later, I still write for pleasure—and I still love it! The fact that I am being published is a bonus.

What made you choose crime fiction?

I was always an avid reader. My first books were the Hardy Boys titles, so they are the reason I love mysteries. As an adult, some of my favorite authors are Harlan Coben, Michael Connelly and Greg Iles, so naturally I write what I love to read – mystery/suspense/thriller novels.

What crime novel would you most like to have written?

“Kiss the Girls” by James Patterson was the first adult crime-book I ever read, and I fell in love with the genres. Probably my favorite crime book to date is “The Poet” by Michael Connelly. I would love to write a Harry Bosch novel. What a great character.

Who is your favourite author outside of crime fiction and why?

I don’t know if you count thrillers as in the same class as crime-fiction, I’m assuming you do. My favorite thriller writers are Greg Iles and Harlan Coben. I haven’t read a lot outside of my crime-fiction and thriller genres, so this is a tough question. I’m the kind of guy who likes familiarity and rarely strays from what I know. My wife and I really enjoy the Nicholas Sparks movies, does that count?

Who are you reading right now?

I’m currently reading Blood Memory by Greg Iles. These days I don’t read as much as I’d like, because I have so much going on.

If you weren’t a writer, what else could you see yourself doing?

I always say I write because I can’t sing or dance (LOL). Writing isn’t my full time job, I would have starved long ago if it was.

I’m an elementary school teacher, I tutor Math and English part time and I’m a husband and father. So as you can see, I only write when I find time.

My dream was to play in the NHL. I ended up only playing 4 games for the Florida Panthers in 1999, then injuries and age took over. But it was a fun journey and a wild ride while it lasted.

My dream job today would be to write full time. To make enough money, be able to stay home and write what and when I wanted would certainly be my ultimate goal.

Playing on tour in the PGA wouldn’t be bad either. J

What was the last great book that you read?

Man, I’ve read so many great books by so many talented writers. The last book I read that actually had one of those “wow” factors was “Pied Piper” by Ridley Pearson.

How do you feel about ebooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?

Guilty as charged, okay, I admit it, I don’t have an ereader. There is just something about holding a book in my hands, the smell and the feel. I can’t explain it but for me I love holding an actual book. That being said, I sell a ton more ebooks than I do paperback, so I appreciate where society is taking us into a paperless future. As for publishing, I’ve always been a traditional kind of guy, but I realize times have changed, and more writers are gaining an opportunity, exposure and a chance to get their books in front of readers though self-publishing and PODs. I think I just enjoy the challenge of being evaluated by my peers, and I think that it is more fulfilling when you realize that a publisher wants to take a chance on your work, rather than you paying to have it done. But I have heard very positive things about self-publishing. It’s different for everyone.

What five words best describe your average day?

 

Normally “writing” would be in there, but since baby #3 arrived in May, I haven’t written a thing. So these are the 5 words that sum up my current days:

Fathering

Loving

Teaching

Learning

Promoting

Sum up your latest novel in less than 20 words.

DEAD MAN’S HAND takes readers inside the head of Vegas debt-collector Calvin Watters, one-time football star, now murder suspect.

And, lastly, just for fun..

Have you read or would you ever consider reading 50 Shades of Grey?

I have never read 50 Shades of Grey (don’t know if I’d admit it if I had J ), and I probably never will. I heard all about it though. I can totally understand the allure of the content, but I’ve also heard that it is very poorly written, and I probably would get fed up and frustrated half-way through the first chapter. But I do respect the author and what she accomplished with those books. I would certainly like to be as successful as she has become from that series. I’ve actually written a blog post about the book, and if it would have been as well received had a man written it.

 

For more information on Luke and his books, visit: www.authorlukemurphy.com

 

The Roving Eye Interviews Eva Hudson

Today's Roving Eye interview is with crime writer, Eva Hudson. Eva grew up in south London and now splits time between the Sussex countryside and central London where she writes full time. Her three novels, The Senior Moment, The Loyal Servant (which won the inaugural Lucy Cavendish fiction prize in 2011) and current novel, The Third Estate are all available via Amazon.



When did you first realise that you wanted to write for a living?

When I was eleven my English teacher asked the class to write a short account of what we wanted to be when we grew up. I plumped for barrister or author (I think maybe Rumpole of the Bailey must have been on TV at the time!). Given I've never even set eyes on a law book, let alone studied the subject at any level, I think my authorial ambitions have well and truly trumped my legal ones.

What made you chose crime fiction?

When I started out I decided I only wanted to write books that I would like to read. And I do enjoy a good mystery. I love stories with great plots, interesting characters and proper endings. You can't beat crime fiction when it comes to ticking those boxes.

What crime novel would you most like to have written?

The Secret History by Donna Tartt. More of a 'why-on-earth-dunnit' rather than a whodunnit, it's a compelling novel that stays with you long after you read the last page and close the book.

Who is your favourite author outside of crime fiction and why?

Hilary Mantel. I know she's won every prize going and it's almost a cliche to admit being a fan, but her prose is so crisp and her characterisation so deep it's hard not to be totally charmed.

What’s the earliest memory you have of writing a story?

One I properly remember was for a local authority competition. Everyone in my class was entered, as was every other ten-year-old in Southwark. We had a choice of titles and I chose 'The Haunted House'. Maybe I should be writing horror! Mind you, from what I remember of the plot, I set it in a fun fair and I think there was some sort of crime involved (in a Secret Seven kind of way).

How do you balance your working life with your writing life?

At the moment I'm writing full time. It's a wonderful luxury. Previously, when I tried to work full time and write I didn't manage to balance anything at all!

What is your least favourite part of the writing process?

In these times of author platform and social media, marketing has effectively become part of a writer's responsibility. And it is definitely not something I enjoy. Everything else, from coming up with the idea, through character development, plotting, drafting, editing, right through to proofing, I absolutely love.

One record and one book to a desert island, what would you take?

Hounds of Love by Kate Bush and Lofty Wiseman's SAS Survival Guide.

Having successfully navigated the world of self publishing, what advice would you give those thinking of treading the same path?

I feel like I'm still navigating, but I think Lofty's wisdom could be applied to self-publishing too. Two bits of advice that I need reminding of regularly: 1) don't compare yourself to anyone else and 2) be patient.

Sum up your latest novel in less than 20 words.

A thirty-year-old mystery haunts the mother of a missing child

And lastly, just for fun, have you read, or would you consider reading Fifty Shades of Grey?

I haven't and I won't. I can't get past the clunky prose and apparently the sex scenes aren't all that either.

The Roving Eye Interviews Jane Casey

Today's Roving Eye interview is with crime writer Jane Casey. Born and brought up in Dublin, Casey has been twice short-listed for the Irish Crime Novel of the Year Award. She is the author of The Missing and two previous Maeve Kerrigan novels The Burning and The Reckoning.You can follow Jane on on Twitter, here - @JaneCaseyAuthor

  
When did you first realise that you wanted to write for a living?

I decided I wanted to be a writer fairly early on, without having much of an idea of what I should write! I would love to say that I was the kind of child who was always writing, but actually I spent my childhood, teens and twenties reading everything and wishing I knew what I should write myself. It took me a long time to shake off the fear of letting other people read and judge my work. 

What made you chose crime fiction?

I tried and failed to interest myself in writing literary fiction. It took me a remarkably long time to realize you should always write for yourself. I had a very academic background. For some reason I thought people would expect me to write a Great Irish Novel. I just didn’t have it in me. What I loved, and love to this day, is the toe-curling thrill of good crime writing. I’ve never been snobby about it as a genre but I still never thought I could write a crime novel until I had the idea for my first, THE MISSING. I wrote that one in my head, before I finally admitted defeat, sat down and started typing it out.

What crime novel would you most like to have written?

I know this is a massive cliché for authors in their thirties but I was bowled over by THE SECRET HISTORY when I read it as a teen. I must have read it a hundred times. I’ve never attempted to recreate it but to me it’s the perfect blend of humour, poetic imagery, brilliant characterization and the purest tragedy. I love the inevitability of it, and the way the characters come to appreciate the horror of their actions. There are so many books out there that got tagged with ‘the new SECRET HISTORY’ and just weren’t that. I would be very wary of trying to do my own. But beautiful, wealthy, murderous college students was a great subject and Donna Tartt wrote the hell out it.

Who is your favourite author outside of crime fiction and why?

I don’t think I can get away with saying Graham Greene because the books I really enjoy are his crime novels . . . I love Maggie Stiefvater’s YA novels, which are miles ahead of the rest of the paranormal field. She has a beautiful narrative voice, a gift for understated romance that is wholly believable, and she is utterly fearless in her subject matter.

Who are you reading right now?

Sharon Bolton’s LIKE THIS FOR EVER. The things she does to her series characters . . . No one is safe! I’m reading it through my fingers, mainly.

If you weren’t a writer, what else could you see yourself doing?

I used to be a children’s books editor and I would go back tomorrow if I wasn’t writing anymore. I loved it. I concentrated on the older end – twelve-year-olds and upwards. There is a wealth of fantastic writing for that age-range, and very inventive it is too. It’s an exciting area of publishing, and a growing one. This year I sneaked back into that part of the world by writing my own YA novel, HOW TO FALL, the first in a new series featuring a nosy teenager named Jess Tennant. The subject matter isn’t all that different from my novels for grown-ups – murder, suicide, that sort of thing – but the books are much less swear-y and a lot of fun.

What was the last great book that you read?

I just read Belinda Bauer’s RUBBERNECKER and Erin Kelly’s THE BURNING AIR and I completely adored them both in very different ways. Belinda’s book is razor-sharp and darkly hilarious – a real departure in the crime genre too. I’ve told everyone I know to buy THE BURNING AIR for their holidays. The twists are so much better than the ones in GONE GIRL, and it is the definition of page-turning. Lovely writing too.

How do you feel about ebooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?

I stick to print – when I read, I like the full tactile experience of sitting down with a book. I spend enough time staring at screens and pressing buttons. Reading print is relaxing; ebooks remind me of work. Having said that, I do love the way you can buy an author’s book instantly and start reading it as soon as you’ve read a review or a recommendation, rather than standing in a bookshop months later, scanning the shelves for a name to jog your memory. As an author, I feel ebooks can only be good for backlist sales. As a reader, I would be saddened beyond words if my nearest bookshops closed. Browsing is a joy. The internet is not the same.

I am a big fan of alternative publishing, but I do think most people underestimate the work put in by publishing houses. They more than earn their share of the cover price of a book. I would probably never have the energy or organizational skill to publish anything myself, and those who make a success of self-publishing have to work very hard indeed.

There is an issue of quality with self-publishing, and I don’t mean this to sound snobby at all, but the reality is that writing is hard. Most people don’t do it very well, and the kicker is that they don’t know they don’t write well – you can’t judge your own writing any more than you can be objective about your own children. Being rejected makes you try harder and write better. That’s not to say that there aren’t very talented writers out there who deserve a break. In ten years of reading unsolicited, unagented manuscripts, I bought and published one – but it went on to win awards. If you can find a readership, though, and keep them coming back for more, however you do it, more power to you.

What five words best describe your average day?

Minding children while imagining murders. (You may decide whether the two things are related.)

Sum up your latest novel in less than 20 words.

THE STRANGER YOU KNOW
When a serial killer’s crimes echo a twenty-year-old murder, police have one suspect: Maeve Kerrigan’s irascible inspector Josh Derwent.

And, lastly, just for fun..

Have you read or would you ever consider reading 50 Shades of Grey?

I am so glad 50 Shades of Grey exists, because I have wept with laughter when reading outraged critiques of it on various blogs. I haven’t read the book itself but I’ve read enough extracts from it to know it’s not for me. I do think it has tremendous innocence, in an S&M-themed way, and I can’t bring myself to feel anything but admiration for E. L. James – and maybe a bit of sympathy too. It can’t be easy being the porn J. K. Rowling. Anyway, as a Random House author I’m aware she’s bankrolling us all . . . 

The Roving Eye Interviews William Ryan

Today's Roving Eye interview is with crime writer, William Ryan. Educated at Trinity College, Dublin and the University of St Andrews he worked as a lawyer before taking up writing full-time. His first novel, The Holy Theif, was short-listed for the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year, The Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award, The CWA John Creasy New Blood Dagger and a Barry Award. His second novel, The Bloody Meadow, was short-listed for the Ireland AM Irish Crime Novel of the Year.

 When did you first realise that you wanted to write for a living?

 

Certainly when I was at school - I was lucky enough to know people who made their living from writing when I was growing up so it always seemed possible to me. But I think writing isn't always something you're ready to do earlier in life. I had a brief go at writing screenplays professionally in my early thirties but it wasn't until I was nearly forty that I was able to produce anything decent. Or maybe I was just a slow developer.

What made you chose crime fiction?

 

Ithink it's all about moral choices - and that's interesting for most writers. And I like reading crime fiction, so it's good to be writing something you're enjoying reading at the same time.

What crime novel would you most like to have written?

 

Very difficult - but almost everything Georges Simenon wrote was brilliant.

Who is your favourite author outside of crime fiction and why?

 

I don't have a favourite author as such - but I certainly love writers like Kazuo Ishiguro, Hilary Mantel and George MacDonald Fraser. I like books that entertain me basically - and keep my mind working at the same time.

What’s the earliest memory you have of writing a story?

I remember writing short stories at primary school - but I'm pleased to say none of them have survived to this day. I can't remember what they were about but I suspect they featured cowboys and knights and so on. Maybe I'll find one in the attic one day and be pleasantly surprised, but I doubt it.

   

If you weren’t a writer, what else could you see yourself doing?

 

I'd do whatever I had to, I suppose. I had a lot of dodgy jobs when I was a student - including being a bathroom attendant in a New York nightclub. In fact, I wouldn't mind doing that again - the tips weren't bad and I met some very curious people ...

 

What is your least favorite part of the writing process?

 

I find the time around publication to be pretty stressful. You hope your book will do well but you never know how people receive it until it's out there. The Twelfth Department is coming out on 23rd of May, so I'm a little nervous in the run up.

One record and one book to a desert island, what would you take?

 

It's another tricky one - I'd take the Encyclopaedia Britannica, if that wasn't cheating (and if it still existed) - otherwise the risk of taking a much-loved book and ending up hating it would be quite high, I think. But maybe Anna Karenina - that's a book you could read over and over, I think. As for one record? Maybe Henry Purcell's Rondo from Abdelazar - I'd play it as I made my way down to the beach for my morning swim.

With the rise of ebooks and self publishing, what are your thoughts concerning the current state of the literary world?

 

I'd imagine you get some fairly long and detailed answers to this but I'm afraid all I can say is that, despite all the doom and gloom, I'm optimistic that the publishing industry, which includes indie writers as much as anyone else, will start selling books at price levels which bear some relationship to common sense.

Sum up your latest novel in less than 20 words.

 

A Soviet detective finds himself caught between rival branches of State Security, with his son's life the price of failure.

And, lastly, just for fun..

Have you read or would you ever consider reading 50 Shades of Grey

 

It's not my sort of thing - but I'm not going to judge it. Anyone who manages to finish a novel gets a pat on the back from me. And if they manage to sell as many as EL James has, then I'm delighted for them.

The Roving Eye Reviews The Wicked Girls.

The Wicked Girls - Alex Marwood. 

5/5

I’m going to start this review with a word of warning (which really should be highlighted on the book jacket) and that is, if you chose to read The Wicked Girls, then make sure that all other plans are put firmly on hold, because if ever there was a case for a ‘one sitting’ novel, then you’d have to go a long way to beat this.

The Wicked Girls

Every once in a while a novel comes along that revitalises a genre. In the same way that J.K Rowling did fifteen years ago with Harry Potter and, more recently, Justin Cronin with his horror epic The Passage, Alex Marwood’s story of the death of a young child and the resulting lives of her killers, is currently doing the same for the crime genre.

In 1986 we meet Jade and Annabel, two eleven year old girls from very different walks of life and with very little in common, who are thrown together for one fateful day in which they are responsible for the death of four year old girl. Imprisoned for their crimes and rehabilitated separately, they are finally released on licence with new identities and able to begin new lives.

Skip forward to the present day and we are introduced to the rag bag cast of characters of the Funnland amusement park in the seaside town of Whitmouth. In the grips of a series of vicious attacks on young women, the town has become the focal point for the country’s media and freelance journalist Kirsty Lindsay arrives to report on the case. It is then that her life is turned upside down when a brief encounter with fairground cleaner Amber Gordon threatens to shatter a 25 year secret that both women have tried desperately to protect.

For me, the true strength of this novel comes from Marwood’s expert characterisation. Each and every one, major and minor alike, fizzes from the page jaded and trapped against the backdrop of the shabby glamour of the British seaside in recession hit Britain.  

With the secret of the two main characters being no secret to the reader, and with no real mystery to solve, this in no way detracts from the novel’s power, in fact, it heightens it. The continuing daily struggle that our protagonists face in keeping their terrible secret from family, friends and colleagues as they are unexpectedly thrown together is expertly crafted. Intersperse this with an hour-by-hour account of the happenings on the day the girls met, and you have the makings of a gripping, thought provoking and wonderfully unsettling novel.