BEST OF CRIME with Sam Hurcom

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 

SAM HURCOM

to share his BEST OF CRIME ...

... AUTHORS

Stephen King. I may be starting off on the wrong foot by naming an author who, strictly speaking, isn’t a crime writer, but growing up I read through much of King’s back catalogue. His short story collections and supernatural tales of small-town America have always been an inspiration for my own writing. 

... FILMS/MOVIES

Film noir as a genre is a favorite for me, and Bogart playing Philip Marlowe in The Big Sleep is pretty hard to beat. The more contemporary L.A. Confidential would be a close second. 

... TV DRAMAS

The Wire is without a doubt my favourite TV crime drama, portraying the bleak realities of inner-city drug violence with a superb cast of humorous, diverse and flawed characters. With two British actors in Dominic West and Idris Elba, arguably giving their best on screen performances, the show doesn’t put a foot wrong throughout all five series.

... FICTIONAL KILLERS

This is a hard one, as I don’t tend to focus on killers in crime fiction. Patrick Bateman from American Psycho springs to mind; the psychotic, Manhattan businessman is wholly unhinged, consumed by materialism and the constant competitive world of Wall Street. He idolises Donald Trump as well, which says a lot. 

... FICTIONAL DETECTIVES 

I’m returning to The Wire with Detective Kima Greggs, played brilliantly by Sonja Sohn. A brilliant, complex character, who literally had me sat on the edge of my seat towards the end of series one (without giving away any spoilers, I’ll just say I was very worried for Kima).  

... MURDER WEAPONS

The captive bolt stunner used by Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Menis rather unique, and has the added bonus of being a neat tool to break door locks. 

... DEATH SCENES

Purely for the philosophical headache it caused as I spent an evening rereading and considering it, I’ll have to go with the assassination of General Kaplan in Philip K. Dick’s The Minority Report.Though the scene itself is far from the most shocking anyone will ever read, the questions it raises regarding predeterminism and personal autonomy are brilliant, reflecting the author’s utter genius. 

  

... BLOGS/WEBSITES

There’s not one specific website I rely on too heavily, but as I write historical crime fiction, I try to look for blogs and sites run by former police officers, dedicated to the history of the police force. As a result, I’ve been lucky enough to get in touch with some very kind and knowledgeable people.

... WRITING TIPS

For aspiring writers, particularly writing a first novel, find a manageable, achievable daily word count and stick to it until you type THE END. Some days the words come easy and some days they are hard to find, but an imperfect first draft is far better than a perfect blank page. 

... WRITING SNACKS

I have rather unhealthy snack habits whilst writing, and usually eat far too many sugary treats. I currently have a mild addiction to Cream Eggs.  

About SAM HURCOM

Sam Hurcom was born in Dinas Powys, South Wales in 1991. He studied Philosophy at Cardiff University, attaining both an undergraduate and master’s degree. He has since had several short stories published, and has written and illustrated a number of children’s books. Sam currently lives in the village he was raised in, close to the woodlands that have always inspired his writing. A Shadow on the Lens is Sam’s debut novel, with a sequel due to be released in September 2020.

Find Sam Hurcom on Twitter - @SamHurcom

About A SHADOW ON THE LENS

Publisher's description

1904. Thomas Bexley, one of the first forensic photographers, is called to the sleepy and remote Welsh village of Dinas Powys, several miles down the coast from the thriving port of Cardiff. A young girl by the name of Betsan Tilny has been found murdered in the woodland – her body bound and horribly burnt. But the crime scene appears to have been staged, and worse still: the locals are reluctant to help.

As the strange case unfolds, Thomas senses a growing presence watching him, and try as he may, the villagers seem intent on keeping their secret. Then one night, in the grip of a fever, he develops the photographic plates from the crime scene in a makeshift darkroom in the cellar of his lodgings. There, he finds a face dimly visible in the photographs; a face hovering around the body of the dead girl – the face of Betsan Tilny.

A Shadow on the Lens was published by Orion on 5 September 2019.

Look out for more BEST OF CRIME features coming soon.

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BEST OF CRIME with Mario Theodorou

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 

MARIO THEODOROU

to share his BEST OF CRIME ...

... AUTHORS

Arthur Conan Doyle. I just love the Sherlock set up and the way he launches into each caper without it feeling like we’re being hurried along. Stylistically and tonally, Doyle’s books and short stories are mesmerizing, and they always feel fresh and original regardless of their age or how many times I’ve read them. 

... FILMS/MOVIES

This is tough. I’m a huge film fan and love crime films from every decade. With a gun to my head, I’d have to say Training Day. I love everything about this film. It’s real lesson in how to write memorable characters and tie them to plot. I’ve never wanted a bad guy to win so much in my life. 

... TV DRAMAS

Again, there are a lot of great crime dramas. I’m a fan of the original Prime Suspect, although it’s a bit dated now. I loved The Wire, Breaking Bad and Sherlock, of course. But I’d have to say that the first series of True Detective takes it for me. Very twisty, with great performances, and that edge of discomfort and anticipation throughout.

... FICTIONAL KILLERS

Patrick Bateman. What a revelation. A wealthy, high-flying, perfectionist who kills to alleviate his feelings of inadequacy and self-hatred. He’s so complex. Everything he does is a response to how people make him feel about himself. Even though his crimes are horrific, you always know emotionally where his mind is at before he commits them, which scarily allows you to relate. 

... FICTIONAL DETECTIVES 

I’d have to say Matthew Shardlake. It's not often that the protagonist is a hunchbacked lawyer. Shardlake’s unthreatening demeanour perfectly disguises his incredible mind, which is a set up that really appeals to me. I love that whole series. 

... MURDER WEAPONS

I’m a fan of the elaborate weapons in Greek Mythology and the dual symbolism. The staff of Hermes, entwined with serpents, Kronus’s Scythe, Hade’s Bident… but my favorite has to be the Tunic of Nessus. The poisoned shirt that caused the death of Heracles. It has since come to represent destruction, ruin and misfortune, from which there is no escape. Beats a knife. 

    

... DEATH SCENES

Has to be Game of Thrones. The scene when the Mountain crushes Prince Oberyn’s head like a watermelon. It was absolutely shocking visually, but also emotionally. We are not used to seeing our heroes lose to the bad guy, and not in such a horrific way. The shock value was incredible. I thought about it for days. 

  

... BLOGS/WEBSITES

I like true crime websites and podcasts. I read all the news websites too. Anything about people and what motivates them really, which can come from anywhere. I’m also forever on Wiki, legal websites and The Metropolitan Police’s website, making sure that I know all the procedural elements to an investigation.

... WRITING TIPS
I mostly write for TV and Film and find a lot of the tools available to screenwriters help make writing novels more visual.
In terms of a good writing resource, I like, helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com – I find the character ghost section very useful. 
Top tips would be to make sure your character arcs are meaningful. People care about people in the end, not elaborate plots. If you can do both, then perfect! 
Also, if you feel it’s not working for any reason, step away, go for a walk, figure it out away from the screen and then come back. I solve all my puzzles away from the computer.

... WRITING SNACKS

Anything that gives you energy. I eat lots of almonds and drink lots of green tea.

About MARIO THEODOROU

Mario Theodorou is an award winning, London based writer. He first came to prominence after being discovered by Merman Films who optioned his original comedy series, Conny. A script commission from Sky followed for The Master Forger, before he was selected by the BBC for their prestigious writer's programme. He has since been named in the BBC top emerging talent list and has released The Cyprus Missing, a single drama for BBC Radio 4 and Anonymous, his Soho based short film which picked up numerous awards on the film festival circuit, including a nomination for the Short Film Award at the Academy Award qualifying, Austin Film Festival. 

Represented by WME, Mario is currently working on a number of projects, including an original commission for BBC Drama and other original works in development with BBC Studios, Twelve Town, Riff Raff, Sprout Pictures, Tiger Aspect, Vox Pictures, Sevenseas Films, Unstoppable TV and Mainstreet Pictures. 

Felix Grey and the Descendant is Mario’s first novel, and the first in a series of planned works.

Find Mario Theodorou on his website and on Twitter - @MarioTheodorou

About FELIX GREY AND THE DESCENDANT

Publisher's description

1904. Three years since the death of Queen Victoria and the ascension of her son, Edward VII to the throne. In that time, the decline of the British Empire has accelerated, the econ-omy has stuttered, Captain Scott has gone to the South Pole, and Liberal politician, Felix Grey has been parachuted into Number Ten on the crest of a populist wave. The third youngest Prime Minister in history and the son of a Suffragette, Felix is modern and pro-gressive, but also inexperienced, self-deprecating and doubtful. Having taken on the Conservative old guard in the House of Commons, Felix has found his policies continually blocked and his time in power dogged by his inability to affect any real change. However, when a member of the House of Lords is abducted from the East India Club, and a mysterious card is discovered, Felix begins to feel a sense of purpose again. Against his better judgement, and that of his loyal steward, Humphrey, Felix begins to dig into the card and the missing Lord, desperate to be of service to the people he rep-resents. With public approval disappearing under a spate of fatal factory disasters, and the emer-gence of the German and American economies making the front pages, Felix’s premier-ship is suddenly under attack from all sides. When another Lord is abducted, Felix begins to escalate his investigation, determined to uncover the truth. With suspicious links to fel-low members of Parliament and a period synonymous with British history, Felix has to fight off his enemies, unmask the perpetrators, find the missing Lords and solve the case, all whilst protecting his identity and preserving his position as the British Prime Minister.

Felix Grey and the Descendant was published on 11 December 2019.

I proofread this book and loved it, which is why I invited Mario to do Best of Crime. This isn't something I usually do when I proofread books for authors! But Felix Grey is a fabulous protagonist and this book is great fun to read!

Look out for more BEST OF CRIME features coming soon.

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The Way of All Flesh by Ambrose Parry

The Way of All Flesh
By Ambrose Parry
Published by Canongate Books (2 May 2019)
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher

Publisher's description

Edinburgh, 1847. Will Raven is a medical student, apprenticing for the brilliant and renowned Dr Simpson. Sarah Fisher is Simpson's housemaid, and has all of Raven's intelligence but none of his privileges.

As bodies begin to appear across the Old Town, Raven and Sarah find themselves propelled headlong into the darkest shadows of Edinburgh's underworld. And if either of them are to make it out alive, they will have to work together to find out who's responsible for the gruesome deaths.

My verdict
The Way of All Flesh is the first in a new series of historical crime novels. It's chilling, gripping and vivid and took me right into the heart of the darkness of 19th century Edinburgh.

I loved not only the historical background but the medical background too, both twined together by a common thread - the invention of anaesthesia and the rise of early modern scientific techniques. The authors have carefully placed real life characters and events within a largely fictional setting by focusing on a series of gruesome murders. Will Raven and Sarah Fisher make a believable pairing as they work together, somewhat reluctantly at first, to solve these crimes.

The Way of All Flesh is a must-read for all historical crime fiction fans. It was fun, entertaining, fascinating and brutal, with well-developed characters and a well-paced plot. The book features a strong mix of mystery, history of medicine, social history, science, art (photography) and even some romance. I can't wait to read the next one in the series (The Art of Dying), which is being published in hardback in August 2019.

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BEST OF CRIME with Fergus McNeill

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 

FERGUS McNEILL

to share his BEST OF CRIME ...

... AUTHORS

Erin Kelly is one of those authors who just always seems to deliver, and I’ve admired her books ever since her debut The Poison Tree. Some authors tell great stories, and some have a beautiful style of writing, but when you get both together then you have something special. 

... FILMS/MOVIES

There are so many to choose from, but I’m going to pick the original Dirty Harry movie. For me, it’s almost perfect – a wonderfully bleak anti-hero, a crazy-creepy villain, and a story that just keeps on raising the stakes. It even has a classic 70s soundtrack. I think the only thing wrong with it is the BRIGHT RED fake blood that those old films used. It looks like someone spilled a bottle of ketchup…

... TV DRAMAS

I love The Bridge, Columbo, Morse/Endeavour, Jeremy Brett’s Sherlock Holmes and Joan Hickson’s Miss Marple… but my favourite TV drama must be Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy with Alec Guinness. Though not strictly crime, it’s very much a detective story, and I honestly can’t think of a better-made series.

... FICTIONAL KILLERS

A truly delicious villain from a darkly entertaining book is Mr Hemming from A Pleasure And A Calling. Mr Hemming is an estate agent who, over the years, has sold almost every house in the small town where he’s based… oh, and he’s kept a copy of EVERY key.

... FICTIONAL DETECTIVES 

I think I have to go with Inspector Morse. Although there are obvious differences between the book and TV adaptations, he’s always a compelling character, absolutely certain of his hunches even though he’s prone to making mistakes. Despite the unlikable manner, there’s something very honest and very human about him.

... MURDER WEAPONS

One of the cleverest murder weapons I ever read about was the sniper rifle from Day Of The Jackal by Frederick Forsyth. What made it so special (spoiler alert) was the way the gun disassembled into a series of pieces which could be hidden inside a wounded war veteran’s crutches. This allowed the assassin to smuggle it through a tight security perimeter, and make his shot.

    

... DEATH SCENES

I wouldn’t say I have a “favourite” death scene, as I’m far too squeamish to enjoy the gruesome ones properly. But the death of Ratchett in Murder On The Orient Express has always been memorable – there’s something grimly satisfying about a wicked man meeting his end at the hands of those whose lives he ruined.

  

... BLOGS/WEBSITES

I like to know the places I’m writing about, so I often use Google Streetview. Parts of my most recent book are set in the Swiss city of Bern and I’d spent so much time walking the virtual streets that, when I finally went there for real, I had the most uncanny sense of déjà vu.

... WRITING TIPS

Getting started always seems the most difficult part of a day’s writing. To combat this, I’ve found that it helps to sketch out the action in a series of bullet points first, listing what each character will do and say. This is a quick and easy way to capture ideas and plan the rhythm of a scene. It also makes it less painful to discard things if they’re not working! Once I have my bullet points, I go through again, filling in any dialogue and noting any key bits of narrative. From there, it’s a lot easier to write up the draft text.

... WRITING SNACKS

Coffee, coffee, and more coffee. And, if I’m working in a nice café, a good cinnamon Danish always helps.

About FERGUS McNEILL

Fergus McNeill has been creating computer games since the early eighties, writing his first interactive fiction titles while still at school. Over the years he has designed, directed and illustrated games for all sorts of systems, from consoles to iPhones.

A keen photographer and digital artist, Fergus lives in Hampshire with his wife and their very large cat. He is the author of the Detective Harland series (EYE CONTACT, KNIFE EDGE and CUT OUT) and the new thriller ASHES OF AMERICA.

Find Fergus McNeill on his website, on his Facebook page and on Twitter - @fergusmcneill

About ASHES OF AMERICA

Publisher's description

‘What if the past came back to haunt you... but it wasn't the past you remembered?’

It’s 1953, and an optimistic America is shaking off the hurt of World War II. Russia is defeated and Germany is now an ally.

Former soldier Frank Rye is a small-town cop in rural Missouri, but the war has left him cynical and selfish. When his actions lead to the murder of a fellow officer, guilt drives him into a vengeful hunt for justice.

His search for the killer will drag him deep into his own past… to the wartime summer of 1944, when he was stationed in neutral Switzerland… to a clandestine world of love and lies.

To unmask the killer, he must uncover the truth about the war… and about himself.

Ashes of America is published on 19 February 2019.

Look out for more BEST OF CRIME features coming soon.

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Blood & Sugar by Laura Shepherd-Robinson

Blood & Sugar
By Laura Shepherd-Robinson
Published by Mantle (24 January 2019)

Publisher's description

June, 1781. An unidentified body hangs upon a hook at Deptford Dock – horribly tortured and branded with a slaver’s mark. 

Some days later, Captain Harry Corsham – a war hero embarking upon a promising parliamentary career – is visited by the sister of an old friend. Her brother, passionate abolitionist Tad Archer, had been about to expose a secret that he believed could cause irreparable damage to the British slaving industry. He’d said people were trying to kill him, and now he is missing . . .

To discover what happened to Tad, Harry is forced to pick up the threads of his friend’s investigation, delving into the heart of the conspiracy Tad had unearthed. His investigation will threaten his political prospects, his family’s happiness, and force a reckoning with his past, risking the revelation of secrets that have the power to destroy him.

And that is only if he can survive the mortal dangers awaiting him in Deptford . . .

My verdict
Blood & Sugar is a compelling historical crime thriller, delving into the darkness and horrors of the slave trade and the rise of the abolitionist movement in the late 18th century.

The book is well researched and feels authentic, bringing to life an array of strong characters and the colours, sights and sounds of the Deptford setting. I savoured all of the tiny details - from the opulence of the wealthy to the grime of the dockside slums. Author Laura Shepherd-Robinson gets right into the hearts of her characters, as well as their heads. Protagonist Harry Corsham is easy to like, with his strong sense of duty and determination, not afraid to dive into danger in search of the truth.

The complex plot is unpredictable, dark and twisty, filled with murders and abuse, secrets and lies, conspiracies and corruption. It's brutal and gruesome, yet also handled with sensitivity. There's a underlying sadness, as the slave trade casts its shadow on to so many people's lives.

Blood & Sugar is an impressive page-turning debut - a beautifully written, honest look at the social and political unrest of this period in history. I can easily see this book transferring to the screen - big or small. I also enjoyed reading the historical note at the end of the book, providing some of the factual background that influenced the plot.

BEST OF CRIME with Alex Reeve

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 

ALEX REEVE

to share his BEST OF CRIME ...

... AUTHORS

Gosh, it’s so hard to pick just one! If you asked me tomorrow, I might have a different answer, but today I’ll say Sarah Waters for Fingersmith. She writes with huge compassion and authenticity, and was an inspiration for The House on Half Moon Street. She also shows why crime writers shouldn’t set out to write formulaic crime novels; we should create engaging characters, settings and plots that happen to involve a crime.

... FILMS/MOVIES

Fargo, directed by the Coen brothers, is a movie I can watch again and again. Marge Gunderson (Francis McDormand) is a heavily pregnant police officer in frozen Minnesota investigating a bungled homicide. The story works like clockwork and everything that happens, however awful and horrifying, is driven by the fears, desires and flaws of the characters.

... TV DRAMAS

I’m a massive fan of police procedurals, but I’m still going to pick Breaking Bad. I love the relentless descent of Walter White (Bryan Cranston) from mild and desperate to utterly ruthless. I believe that a propensity for violence was always within him, but it needed the right trigger, making him a great example of why ‘because he’s evil’ never works as character motivation. We all have the capability to do good and bad things. 

... FICTIONAL KILLERS

Steerpike from Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast trilogy is charming, manipulative and callous. The world in which he lives is rigidly hierarchical, and no-one understands its intricacies better than Steerpike.  He is its natural product, and so feels entirely organic within the fantastical setting. He shows how crime stories can stretch into any genre or style.

... FICTIONAL DETECTIVES 

Easy Rawlins from Walter Mosley’s novels is one of the all-time greats. He shares features of other hard-boiled detectives such as Philp Marlowe and Sam Spade, but his combination of weary humour and duty to his neighbours is unique. The Los Angeles setting, social complexity and sense of time passing make the characters feel like real people. And, of course, Easy has one of literature’s most appealing (and terrifying) sidekicks in Mouse, who can insert random violence into any situation.

... MURDER WEAPONS

Spoiler alert! In Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, the murder weapon is the ink in a book of Aristotle’s Poetics. Victims are killed when they lick their fingers to turn the pages – punished for their philosophical curiosity. It provides the perfect example of a weapon connecting both to the motivation of the murderer and a key theme of the novel. 

    

... DEATH SCENES

The movie Reservoir Dogs directed by Quentin Tarantino contains a killing shocking for its contrariness. In a famous scene, a police officer is tortured and doused with petrol, but at the last second, his tormentor is shot. The audience, having rooted for the police officer, is relieved and expects him to be freed, but moments later he is dismissively murdered by another character. The scene disrupts the comfort of narrative flow. It tells the audience that anything can happen.

  

... BLOGS/WEBSITES

My absolute favourite is www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk, which contains thousands of archived newspapers. It’s the best place to get contemporaneous accounts of Victorian history, and also get a feel for the phrasing and intonations of that time. Many are brilliantly written, putting much of today’s journalism to shame, and some are hilarious. It’s a wonderfully human connection, I think, to laugh out loud while reading an article written in 1880.

... WRITING TIPS

Write, write and then write some more. Write headlong and free, with no brake or throttle. And then edit brutally with your reader in mind. 

... WRITING SNACKS

A strong cup of Yorkshire Gold tea with milk – absolutely not the awful ‘Biscuit Brew’ flavour, which is a crime greater than anything I could think up.

About ALEX REEVE

Alex Reeve lives in Buckinghamshire and is a university lecturer, working on a PhD. The House on Half Moon Street is his debut, and the first in a series of books featuring Leo Stanhope.

Find Alex Reeve on Twitter - @storyjoy

About THE HOUSE ON HALF MOON STREET

Publisher's description

Everyone has a secret... Only some lead to murder. Introducing Leo Stanhope: a Victorian transgender coroner's assistant who must uncover a killer without risking his own future

When the body of a young woman is wheeled into the hospital where Leo Stanhope works, his life is thrown into chaos. Maria, the woman he loves, has been murdered and it is not long before the finger of suspicion is turned on him, threatening to expose his lifelong secret.

For Leo Stanhope was born Charlotte, the daughter of a respectable reverend. Knowing he was meant to be a man - despite the evidence of his body - and unable to cope with living a lie any longer, he fled his family home at just fifteen and has been living as Leo ever since: his secret known to only a few trusted people. 

Desperate to find Maria's killer and thrown into gaol, he stands to lose not just his freedom, but ultimately his life.

The House on Half Moon Street was published in paperback by Raven Books on 27 December 2018.

Look out for more BEST OF CRIME features coming soon.

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The Murder of Harriet Monckton by Elizabeth Haynes

The Murder of Harriet Monckton
By Elizabeth Haynes
Published by Myriad Editions (27 September 2018)
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher


Publisher's description

On 7th November 1843, Harriet Monckton, 23 years old and a woman of respectable parentage and religious habits, is found murdered in the privy behind the chapel she regularly attended in Bromley, Kent.

The community is appalled by her death, apparently as a result of swallowing a fatal dose of prussic acid, and even more so when the surgeon reports that Harriet was around six months pregnant.

Drawing on the coroner’s reports and witness testimonies, Elizabeth Haynes builds a compelling picture of Harriet’s final hours through the eyes of those closest to her and the last people to see her alive. Her fellow teacher and companion, her would-be fiancé, her seducer, her former lover—all are suspects; each has a reason to want her dead.

My verdict
The Murder of Harriet Monckton is exquisite - a haunting and compelling historical whodunnit. It's based on a Victorian crime, using original research materials to explore what happened to a young woman, Harriet Monckton, who was murdered with her unborn son.

Reading this book felt like reading the script of an Agatha Christie movie. The chapters switch from one character to the next and then back again, building up their layers, turning them into well-rounded and very real individuals. Elizabeth Haynes brings each character to life - Harriet's friends, family and other locals - exploring their possible motives, all being potential suspects with something to hide.

I loved the format of the book, with each character telling their own part of the story as if they were on centre stage, creating a vivid picture of Harriet's last living moments. When I heard Harriet's own voice, I could feel the swell of emotions as finally Harriet had her say.

The Murder of Harriet Monckton is more than just a true crime murder mystery. It's a 'me too' story of the 1840s, a disturbing insight into the social expectations, naivety of young women and the importance of religion within communities. The story felt authentic from start to finish, thanks to meticulous research providing specific details in the descriptions of the characters, setting and social interactions of that era.

I didn't want this book to end - and was sorry to finally let go. It feels like a suitable memorial to a young woman and her unborn child - gone but, thanks to Elizabeth Haynes, certainly not forgotten.

BEST OF CRIME with A J MacKenzie

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 

A J MACKENZIE

(Marilyn Livingstone and Morgen Witzel)

to share their BEST OF CRIME ...

... AUTHORS

ML:  So many to choose from, but I've decided upon Lawrence Block, who was introduced to me by David Torrens of No Alibis Bookshop in Belfast.  Block writes a range of series from the comic to the very hard boiled, and most are imbued with the soul of New York. Reading his novels awakened a real interest both in harder edged crime fiction and in the city where they are set.

MW: Almost impossible to choose with so much talent out there, but Donna Leon hits the spot for me. The stories are simple but subtle, the characters are great, and they’re set in Venice. What more could you ask?

... FILMS/MOVIES

ML: Rear Window. Not only is it a wonderful film with terrific performances by James Stewart and Grace Kelly and the ever-fabulous Thelma Ritter, but it is also an excellent mystery.  The audience is invited to join the film’s characters in their attempts to solve the puzzle of the Thorwalds and become co-voyeurs.

MW: Key Largo, with Humphrey Bogart and the great Edward G. Robinson. It’s about a gang of criminals, rather than a murder mystery per se, but the writing is terrific. Nothing much happens, but it always feels like something is just about to happen.

... TV DRAMAS

ML:  I have happy memories of watching James Garner as Rockford with my mother as a child; more recently, I have really enjoyed Foyle's War; the final post-war series was particularly well done. 

MW: Sherlock. Great stories, great villains, great plots and inspired casting. Nuff said.

... FICTIONAL KILLERS

ML: For meticulous planning (although not for strong morale fibre) it is hard to beat Lawrence Block’s hit man, Keller who is the anti-hero of 4 collections of short stories and one novel.

MW: this is a toughie, because killers in most crime fiction are either rather weak or rather unpleasant or both. So I’m going for a rather obscure one:  Ivan Dragomiloff, played by Oliver Reed in the film The Assassination Bureau. Stylish and deadly, he even accepts a contract that names himself as the target to be killed. Okay, some people would say The Assassination Bureau is a thriller, not a crime story. But it does have ‘assassination’ in the title. Surely that’s not cheating?

... FICTIONAL DETECTIVES 

ML:  VI Warshawski. She is brave, with a complex character and interesting back story. The books are different in nature and there is a development of VI's character over time.  They are intense reads, but with a leaven of humour.

MW: Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes is up there, but top of the list for me comes Marcus Didius Falco from Lindsay Davis’s excellent series set in Rome in the time of Vespasian. He’s a man of action but also very human, cocky and self-deprecating, arrogant and fallible, constantly fighting with both his family and the Roman bureaucracy, and not always winning. He has some great one-liners, too. 

... MURDER WEAPONS

ML:  The one that really intrigued me the first time I read it was in Dorothy L Sayers

Unnatural Death was the use of an tiny air bubble as a murder weapon, which I learned later was not possible (at least not with small bubble). A warning to all crime writers to check before using an ingenious method to kill someone off!

MW: I’ve just finished re-reading Robert van Gulik’s The Chinese Maze Murders and can’t stop thinking about a writing brush that, when heated, releases a small compressed gas capsule, which in turn shoots a poisoned knife into the victim’s throat. We’re going to have to steal that at some point, that is simply too good.

    

... DEATH SCENES

ML: both of my favourites involve wine. The first is in Vintage Murder by Ngaio Marsh where the victim is killed by a jeroboam of champagne descending onto his head. The second is in an episode of Midsomer Murders where the victim is staked out on the ground and killed by bottles of wine being launched at him.

MW: the killing of the Roman spy Anacrites by Falco and his friend Petronius at the end of Nemesis. I like the subtlety; the killing takes place in a dark alley, and is described using only a few sounds, no visual images at all. And yet, if you have followed the series, there is such satisfaction in knowing Anacrites is dead. Why Falco didn’t rub him out a long time before is beyond me.

  

... BLOGS/WEBSITES

ML:   https://www.kent.ac.uk/english/ladys-magazine/index.html The University of Kent’s The Lady’s Magazine (1770-1818): Understanding the Emergence of a Genre project has been a great help in providing at guide to a superb resource for the lives and interests of women in the late 18th century.  The free availability of the relevant years of the journal for our Hardcastle & Chaytor mysteries has also be very useful, but the Project’s index has saved a great deal of time (although browsing through the journal is always a temptation...)

MW: www.timeanddate.com enables you to know the day of the week and the phase of the moon at any time in the past. From the phases of the moon you can also work out tide times. Our novels are set on the coast of Romney Marsh in the 1790s, and it’s great to be able to get these details right.

... WRITING TIPS

ML: I like a bit of public writing, either on laptop or tablet or with pen and notebook.  Years of working in noisy records offices (yes, really, the can be very noisy places) has made me very comfortable working amongst the busyness of others.  Sometimes I spend a day with an antiques dealer friend as she buys in auctions rooms.  They always have good chairs and I get a lot done!

MW: Everyone writes differently. Find out what recipe – location, type of chair, music on or off, etc – works for you and then stick to it. Don’t worry about what other people are doing or how they write; do what enables you to write and be happy.

... WRITING SNACKS

ML: Tea, lots of tea.  On particularly cold days (we have a draughty old house) hot chocolate is required.  Also, the excellent cake made by Helen, a local friend and farmer’s wife who makes the best coffee cake in the world.

MW: Chocolate hobnobs are the fuel that keeps the AJ MacKenzie writing machine turning over.  Dark chocolate ones for preference, the milk chocolate ones are too sweet.

About A J MACKENZIE

A J MacKenzie is the pseudonym of Marilyn Livingstone and Morgen Witzel, an Anglo-Canadian husband-and-wife team of writers and historians. They write non-fiction history and management books under their own names, but 'become' A J MacKenzie when writing fiction.

Find A J MacKenzie on their website, on their Facebook page and on Twitter - @AJMacKnovels

About THE BODY IN THE ICE

Publisher's description

On the frozen fields of Romney Marsh stands New Hall; silent, lifeless, deserted. In its grounds lies an unexpected Christmas offering: a corpse, frozen into the ice of a horse pond.

It falls to the Reverend Hardcastle, justice of the peace in St Mary in the Marsh, to investigate. But with the victim's identity unknown, no murder weapon and no known motive, it seems like an impossible task. Working along with his trusted friend, Amelia Chaytor, and new arrival Captain Edward Austen, Hardcastle soon discovers there is more to the mystery than there first appeared. 

With the arrival of an American family torn apart by war and desperate to reclaim their ancestral home, a French spy returning to the scene of his crimes, ancient loyalties and new vengeance combine to make Hardcastle and Mrs Chaytor's attempts to discover the secret of New Hall all the more dangerous.

A Body in the Ice was published by Zaffre in paperback on 2 October 2017.

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