Welcome to my latest BEST OF CRIME feature, looking at crime writers' top picks, from their favourite author and fictional detective to their best writing tip.
Today I'm delighted to welcome
TAMMY COHEN
to share her BEST OF CRIME ...
... AUTHORS
I’ve loved
both of Liz Nugent’s books because they’re so fresh and different. Belinda Bauer’s
originality makes her stand out in the crowded terrain of psychological
thrillers. I’ve always loved Lisa Jewell’s writing, but her more recent venture
into psychological suspense has given her books a darker edge, but still with
her trademark focus on totally rounded, utterly believable characters, which is
an unbeatable combination. Recently I’ve loved The Dry by Jane Harper, set in
the parched outback in Australia. You can feel the relentless heat coming off
the page.
... FILMS/MOVIES
Strangers
on a Train is still the ultimate crime movie for me. The central concept of the
Patricia Highsmith novel on which it is based – two random strangers swap
murders - is so neat and perfectly self-contained. And the character of Bruno
Anthony is such a brilliant psychological study. Oh, and all the most crucial
action takes place in an amusement park, ending in an out-of-control carousel
ride. Who could resist?
... TV DRAMAS
Like
millions of others, our household was hooked on the first two series of Narcos
where two DEA officers try to bring Colombian drug baron Pablo Escobar to
justice. It’s the combination of a powerhouse central performance from Wagner
Moura which shows the violence and cruelty of Escobar, who went from nothing to
being one of the richest men in the world, and at the same time his
vulnerability. But also the psychological interplay between the DEA agents and
their quarry, and between Escobar and his various key henchmen. And all set
against the breathtaking backdrop of Colombia itself.
... FICTIONAL KILLERS
As soon as
I read Caroline Kepnes’ brilliant psychological thriller ‘You’, I fell a little
bit in love with Joe Goldberg, a charming, witty, razor-smart New York
bookseller, who just happens to be a stalker. And a psychopath. But somehow
that doesn’t stop the reader from secretly willing him on. Genius.
... FICTIONAL DETECTIVES
Commandant
Camille Verhoeven, the invention of French crime writer Pierre Lemaitre is a
brilliant creation. At just four foot eleven (due to his mother’s heavy smoking
during pregnancy), what he lacks in height he makes up for in intellect and
determination and old-fashioned nobility. His own tragic past, which involved
the murder of his beloved wife, has made him more intuitive to evil, but also
to love.
... MURDER WEAPONS
I’m such a total
wuss, I can’t read or watch very graphic violence. However, Robert Harris’s Mason
Verger being fed to his own beloved pet pigs whom he has been cultivating
purely for the pleasure of seeing them eat his nemesis Hannibal Lecter, has
stuck in my mind.
... BLOGS/WEBSITES
I’m a big
believer in the old adage ‘the truth is stranger than fiction’ and when I’m at
a loose end for plot ideas, I’ll invariably end up googling ‘weirdest real life
crimes’ or some variant thereof and then spending the rest of the day lost down
the wormhole of bizarre human behavior. Although all too often I’ll get
enthused about an idea before ruling it out on the basis that if I tried to put
it in a novel, readers would claim it was too far-fetched.
... WRITING TIPS
Don’t show
your first draft to anyone – unless you want to find yourself pulled in a
myriad of conflicting directions.
If your
interest is flagging, chances are your readers’ will be too. Think about the
most shocking thing that might happen at this point. And then write it. You
might not end up keeping it in, but at least it might have re-energised you.
Accept that
some people won’t like what you write. That’s fine. Most of my favourite books
have a low to average rating on Amazon. That’s because the writer hasn’t played
safe. Which, conversely, is why those are my favourite books!
... WRITING SNACKS
I drink a
lot of coffee and green tea (not together, that would be weird), so the ideal
writing snack has to be one that is eminently dunkable. I’m going to sound very
dull here, but I favour the plain, simple, noble digestive. Please don’t stop
buying my books now I’ve shared that.
About TAMMY COHEN
Tammy Cohen wrote three dark contemporary novels (The Mistress’s Revenge, The War of the
Wives, Someone Else’s Wedding) under the name Tamar Cohen, before deciding
to move into crime, principally because crime writers always seemed to be
having the most fun. Her psychological thrillers The Broken, First One Missing, Dying For Christmas, When She was Bad
and They All Fall Down, have all been
published internationally and When She
Was Bad has been optioned for television. Tammy’s first historical novel, A Dangerous Crossing, written under the
pseudonym Rachel Rhys, came out in March 2017 and has been shortlisted for the
2017 HWA Golden Crown Award. A Dangerous Crossing is one of Richard & Judy's Autumn 2017 Book Club Selection. As well as writing fiction, Tammy has worked as a
journalist for over twenty years, writing for newspapers such as The Times, The Telegraph and magazines
including Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan and
Woman & Home.
About THEY ALL FALL DOWN
Publisher's description
Orange
is the New Black
meets One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. They All Fall Down is set
in a private psychiatric clinic for women at high risk of self harm where
Hannah Lovell is a patient. From the outset it’s clear she’s done something
shocking, but we don’t know what. When two of Hannah’s fellow patients die in
quick succession, suicide is the obvious assumption. Only Hannah is convinced
there's a serial killer at large in the unit, preying on her friends. But who
will believe she's telling the truth when she's proved so expert in lying to
herself?
They All Fall Down was published by Transworld on 13 July 2017.
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