Tuesday, 11 July 2017

BEST OF CRIME with Gillian McAllister

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 

GILLIAN MCALLISTER

to share her BEST OF CRIME ... 


  


... AUTHORS
Susie Steiner wins this for me. I don’t think a book has ever affected me so much. Rich in tone and humour, empathetic characterization, a true police procedural. It is a masterclass in how to write a smart and classy thriller.


... FILMS/MOVIES
I love a closed-set thriller and so I am going to go for Captain Phillips. I love the single aim of it (survival) and the single location, told almost in real-time. I’m a sucker for films like that.


... TV DRAMAS
The Fall was pretty much perfect, to me, especially the earlier seasons. I loved the reverse-perspective, from the villain’s point of view, and I loved the depth of Gillian Anderson’s character. Not a cliché in sight.


... FICTIONAL KILLERS
Perhaps Joe Goldberg from Caroline Kepnes’ series, beginning with YOU. His voice is so very distinctive, full of intelligent literary references, angst, disordered but really quite charming thoughts.


... FICTIONAL DETECTIVES
Sorry for the repetition, but Manon Bradshaw of Missing, Presumed and Persons Unknown takes this prize for me.


... MURDER WEAPONS
My friend G X Todd wrote a book called Defender where the weapon (and the apocalypse) comes from within, in the form of voices. That was pretty perfect.
    

... DEATH SCENES
The denoument in Into the Darkest Corner was one of the best I have ever read. No spoilers, so I’ll leave it there.


... BLOGS/WEBSITES
Interesting! I mostly use people to be honest. The author Neil White is of huge assistance to me!


... WRITING TIPS
  • Write most days, and be a tough boss: don’t let yourself phone it in too often.
  • Have a brief outline if you’re a newbie
  • Forgive yourself a rubbish first draft
  • Write a book. Sounds obvious, but aspiring writers are often looking for a way around this unavoidable fact: if you want to write a book, you must simply go through the mind-numbingly tedious, terrifying and arduous process of writing a book. 

... WRITING SNACKS
Tea, endless streams of cups of tea. And sharing bags of chocolates, shared with nobody.


About GILLIAN MCALLISTER

Gillian McAllister wrote the Sunday Times bestseller Everything But The Truth. She is a lawyer by day. She enjoys writing while it's raining outside, and the moment where you think 'what if...' and a novel idea is born. 

Find Gillian McAllister on her website, FB page and on Twitter - @GillianMAuthor

About EVERYTHING BUT THE TRUTH




Publisher's description
Do you ever check your partner's phone? 
Should you? 
Are you prepared for the consequences?
Everything but the Truth is Gillian McAllister's stunning breakthrough thriller about deceit, betrayal and one woman's compulsive need to uncover the truth
It all started with the email.
Rachel didn't even mean to look. She loves Jack and she's pregnant with their child. She trusts him.
But now she's seen it, she can't undo that moment. Or the chain of events it has set in motion.
Why has Jack been lying about his past? Just what exactly is he hiding? And doesn't Rachel have a right to know the truth at any cost? 

Everything but the Truth was published by Penguin on 9 March 2017.


Look out for more BEST OF CRIME features coming soon.

Click here to read more BEST OF CRIME features.

2 comments:

  1. I really need to watch The Fall!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me too. Come over here and we'll have a The Fall Fest!

      Delete