Today I'm delighted to welcome
LEIGH RUSSELL
to share her BEST OF CRIME ...
... AUTHORS
Of the many books I’ve read and enjoyed recently, I found
Bill Beverley’s debut novel, Dodgers, really interesting. The book crosses
genres of crime, coming of age, and American road trip, and the writing is very
engaging. It’s deservedly won multiple awards, possibly more than any other
debut novel.
... FILMS/MOVIES
Depending on my mood, my favourite film could be anything
from Silence of the Lambs, with Anthony Hopkins’ memorable portrayal, to the
easy escapism of The Wizard of Oz. You couldn’t think of two more diverse
choices, although both of them examine the conflict between good and evil
characters.
... TV DRAMAS
Breaking Bad is a series I would recommend. The dialogue is
convincing, the cast are superb, and the premise of the series is really
clever. The violence is quite graphic but somehow not disturbing because it’s
never gratuitous. The series examines the destructive nature of hard drugs
through an original and intriguing storyline.
... FICTIONAL KILLERS
Some of the most memorable fictional killers appear in
Shakespeare, whose characters portray different aspects of human nature.
Macbeth’s experience is an exploration of the effects of guilt, showing how
easily a person can become desensitised to killing, at the same time destroying
himself by his own violence to others.
... FICTIONAL DETECTIVES
Sherlock Holmes is justifiably iconic and I find Conan Doyle’s
writing endlessly entertaining. The crime genre has grown so much in recent
years, that there are hundreds of fictional detectives I could mention, from
old school examples Poirot and Miss Marple, to contemporary characters like
Jack Reacher and Roy Grace.
... MURDER WEAPONS
I’ve employed all sorts of murder weapons in my own books:
guns, knives, ropes, poison, fire, water, and falling from a great height, to
mention just a few. They would all be horrific in reality, but in fiction they
are great fun to write about. One of my own more unusual weapons was a Viking
axe. But I am far more interested in the person wielding the weapon than the
instrument itself.
... DEATH SCENES
In one of Ruth Rendell’s novels a character exacts a revenge
killing on a woman responsible for the death of a child, without realising the
woman is already dead. In this unexpected twist, the would be killer was
prevented from actually committing a murder.
... BLOGS/WEBSITES
I don’t use any specific websites. I start with a story, and
use a search engine like Google to research whatever I need to know. It’s not
always possible to find specific information online, but generally the internet
is a really helpful tool for any writer.
... WRITING TIPS
It’s a good idea to stop writing knowing
what is going to happen next in your narrative. That way you will avoid
so-called ‘writer’s block’ because when you return to your work you know what
to write about.
... WRITING SNACKS
Chocolate, nuts, toast, oh, anything
really. I’m a highly skilled procrastinator, and food is one of my favourite
distractions from writing.
About LEIGH RUSSELL
Leigh Russell is the author of the internationally bestselling Geraldine Steel
series: Cut Short, Road Closed, Dead End, Death Bed,
Stop Dead, Fatal Act, Killer Plan, Murder Ring, Deadly Alibi and Class
Murder. The series
has sold over a million copies worldwide. Cut
Short was
shortlisted for the Crime Writers Association (CWA) John Creasey New Blood
Dagger Award, and Leigh has been longlisted for the CWA Dagger in the
Library Award. Her books have been #1 on Amazon Kindle and iTunes
with Stop Dead and Murder
Ring selected
as finalists for The People’s Book Prize. Leigh is chair of the CWA’s Debut
Dagger Award judging panel and is a Royal Literary Fellow. Leigh studied at the
University of Kent, gaining a Masters degree in English and American
Literature. She is married with two daughters and a granddaughter, and lives in
London.
Find Leigh Russell on her website and on Twitter - @LeighRussell
About CLASS MURDER
Publisher's description
With so many potential victims to choose from, there would
be many deaths. He was spoiled for choice, really, but he was determined to take
his time and select his targets carefully. Only by controlling his feelings
could he maintain his success. He smiled to himself. If he was clever, he would
never have to stop. And he was clever. He was very clever. Far too clever to be
caught.
Geraldine Steel is back for her tenth
case. Reunited in York with her former sergeant, Ian Peterson, she discovers
that her tendency to bend the rules has consequences. The tables have turned,
and now he's the boss.
When two people are murdered, their only
connection lies buried in the past. As police search for the elusive killer,
another body is discovered. Pursuing her first investigation in York, Geraldine
Steel struggles to solve the confusing case. How can she expose the killer, and
rescue her shattered reputation, when all the witnesses are being murdered?
Class Murder was published by No Exit Press in ebook on 7 December 2017 and will be published in paperback on 29 March 2018.
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