Tuesday 17 January 2012

Crime Fiction News

Excellent article by Ian Rankin who would like the Government to introduce tax incentives to help new authors. The full article can be read in the Guardian.

Lots of viewers must have heaved a massive sigh of relief when the BBC revealed that there will indeed be a third series of Sherlock. On Sunday night there was a dramatic conclusion to the second series which was only belied by the tweet subsequently sent out by the co-creator Steven Moffat on Twitter "Of course there's going to be a third series - it was commissioned at the same time as the second. Gotcha!" Those of you wondering who on earth Professor Moriarty is might want to read the Blagger’s Guide To …. Professor Moriarty in the Independent. An excellent review of the final episode of series 2 can be found at The Arts Desk by Adam Sweeting.

Congratulations go to Peter Temple for winning the 2012 German International Crime Novel (International Deutscher Krimipreis) with his novel 'Truth'. The 28th German Crime Prize 2012 (National Deutscher Krimipreis) was awarded to 'Wer das Schweigen bricht' (Anyone who Breaks the Silence) (Pendragon) by Mechtild Borrmann.

Having just managed to have a look at the Guardian’s bestselling books of 2011, it is pleasing to note that out of the top 100, 34 were crime novels. Out of the 34, Jo Nesbo and James Patterson are joint top with five books each whilst all three of the late Steig Larsson once again made the list and John Grisham, John Le Carre and Harlan Coben round up the list with two each. All the other crime writers out of the 34 had one book each on the list. The full list (top 100) can be read here.

With the award season up and running the BAFTA nominations were announced this morning. It was in my opinion very pleasing to see the brilliant cold war thriller Tinker, Tailor Solider Spy nominated for 11 awards. They include nominations for Best Film, Outstanding British Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director for Tomas Alfredson and Best Leading Actor for Gary Oldman. Drive, which starred Ryan Gosling, has received a Best Director nomination for Nicolas Winding Refn as well as Best Film and Best Editing. Philip Seymour Hoffmann has also received a best supporting actor nomination for his turn in the American Political drama thriller The Ides of March. The film also received a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. The Irish Film The Guard starring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle has been nominated for Original Screenplay. . The Orange British Academy Film Awards take place on February 12. Read the full list of nominations here.

According to the Bookseller, Waterstones have launched a “book club” promotion under the tagline "Books you will love or your money back". All the books bar one are fiction books. The only crime novel to make the list is of course Before I Go to Sleep by S J Watson (Transworld) each week a book will be chosen as a book of the week.

Orion has acquired a debut speculative thriller novel by A K Benedict, called The Beauty of Murder, which features a time-travelling serial killer. Editorial director Genevieve Pegg bought UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, from a partial on submission from Rupert Heath, and said: "Macabre, suspenseful and hugely inventive, I was spellbound from the start. Once I'd met its compelling characters, I knew I couldn't let go of them." Orion plans to publish in late 2012. German rights have been sold to Droemer.

The Independent’s Invisible Ink: No 106 is on Leslie Charteris the author of the Saint novels and is by Christopher Fowler. The full article can be read here.

Now that we have lost what was essentially Sunday night viewing on television with the last episode of the current series of Sherlock being shown how are we to replace it? BBC 1 have adapted Sebastian Faulks novel Birdsong into a 2 part drama and it is set to be shown on BBC1 on Sunday 22 January. An article in the Guardian can be found here. One of the very first reviews (a preview of it was apparently shown at the BAFTA’s can be found here.

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