BEST OF CRIME with Erin Kelly

Welcome to a new feature on my blog called BEST OF CRIME, looking at crime writers' top picks, from their favourite author and fictional detective to their best writing tip. 

Today I'm delighted to welcome 

ERIN KELLY

to share her BEST OF CRIME... 

... AUTHORS

Ruth Rendell. No one can match her. I love the Wexfords, the standalones, the Barbara Vines: she, more than any other author, is my inspiration and my blueprint.

... FILMS/MOVIES
Alfred Hitchcock’s Marnie. 

... TV DRAMAS
Cracker. I re-watch the box set every few years. It still feels fresh and relevant.

... FICTIONAL KILLERS

Joe Goldberg, the charmingly deranged sociopath narrator of Caroline Kepnes’s novels You and Hidden Bodies.

... FICTIONAL DETECTIVES
The flawed, funny, incredibly human DI Manon Bradshaw, from the fiendish imagination of Susie Steiner. I’ve just finished the second installment in the series, Persons Unknown, and it felt like catching up with a friend.

... MURDER WEAPONS
An icicle, because then you can melt the evidence.

 … DEATH SCENES
I’m very proud of one of my own: the final murder in my debut The Poison Tree. I still get loads of emails about it.

... BLOGS/WEBSITES
I love the Facebook page for the podcast My Favourite Murder. It’s a mash up of true crime and humour – it pushes the boundaries of good taste but it’s so addictive.

... WRITING TIPS
Read widely. Read authors who write like you and authors who don’t. Then re-read them. Read closely. Circle passages you love and think about why they work.

... WRITING SNACKS
When I’m on deadline and can’t be bothered to cook I live off these horrible workout supplements/meal replacements called ProMax – protein bars fortified with caffeine. Then I go to bed completely wired and wonder why I can’t sleep. I don’t recommend it.

First Monday Crime, March 2017

Erin Kelly will be on the First Monday Crime panel on 6 March 2017. Come along and listen to her and three other fantastic authors - Julia Crouch, Daniel Cole and MJ Arlidge - talk about their books and crime writing. The event is held at Browns, St Martins Lane, London at 6.30pm.

Buy your tickets here.

About Erin Kelly

Erin Kelly is best known for The Poison Tree, which was a Richard and Judy bestseller and a major ITV drama. Her new psychological thriller, He Said/She Said, is published in April 2017. It’s about a couple who witness a crime and only doubt their version of events after the trial, with deadly consequences. She has no plans to move into romantic comedy.

Find out more about Erin Kelly on her website and follow Erin on Twitter - @mserinkelly

About He Said/She Said

Publisher's description

In the hushed aftermath of a total eclipse, Laura witnesses a brutal attack.

She and her boyfriend Kit call the police, and in that moment, four lives change forever.

Fifteen years on, Laura and Kit live in fear.

And while Laura knows she was right to speak out, she also knows that you can never see the whole picture: something is always hidden... something she never could have guessed.

He Said/She Said is being published by Hodder & Stoughton on 20 April 2017.

Look out for more BEST OF CRIME features coming soon.

Click here to read more BEST OF CRIME features.

First Monday Crime - what are you waiting for?

I'm very excited to be going to First Monday Crime this Monday!

This brilliant event is held in London EACH MONTH (except August). It's usually the first Monday (giving the event its name) but if there's a bank holiday, it's the second Monday instead. It's a fantastic opportunity to meet other members of the crime fiction community (readers, writers, publishers), share your love of books and hear about the latest crime fiction.

September's looming
This Monday (5th September), you can hear Daily Telegraph Crime Fiction reviewer Jake Kerridge interviewing four talented authors - Sophie Hannah, Rod Reynolds, Tim Weaver and Jane Corry - about their latest books, their writing and their passion for crime fiction/thrillers. You buy their books at the event and get them signed. And even though it's less than two days away, it's not too late - you can still buy tickets here.

I've read both of Rod Reynold's books - The Dark Inside and Black Night Falling - and they're both fantastic. Click below to read my reviews:

The Dark Inside
'A great 'modern classic' thriller. It's written at a fast pace in an authentic 1940s voice, which really brings the book to life. This is a highly atmospheric debut that will keep you guessing until the end.'

Black Night Falling
'This is a book that you won't want to put down. I was so immersed in the plot that I didn't even notice the time and finished it in the early hours. It's a winning formula of intriguing plot, believable characters and fascinating setting.'

I also recently read Sophie Hannah's second Hercule Poirot book, Closed Casket. This whisked me back to my teenage years, when I devoured all of the original Agatha Christie books. Sophie Hannah is truly a master at intrigue and suspense. Closed Casket felt authentic in both language, characters and plot and kept me guessing all the way through. Full review to come.

October isn't too far away!
If you can't make this month, there's always October, with SJ Watson, Stuart Neville, Antonia Hodgson and William Ryan, all being interviewed by Karen Robinson, editor of The Times/Sunday Times Crime Club. Buy your tickets here in advance. It's going to be BIG, so make sure you don't miss out!

About First Monday Crime
First Monday Crime is held in the College Building of City University on St John Street (not far from Angel Tube station). It's a combination of festival-style panel, starting at 6.30, followed by an informal social in the bar up the road.