Euro Crime is dedicated to the promotion of British and European crime writers, be it terms of bibliographies and upcoming releases or the weekly review selection.
I do receive books that fall outside the remit of Euro Crime from time to time so I thought I'd try and lay out what is and isn't likely to be reviewed.
Qualifies
1) If the author is British/European (irrespective or where the book is set) eg Lee Child, Ann Cleeves, Martin Edwards, Matt Hilton.
2) If the setting is British/European (irrespective of where the author was born) eg Elizabeth George, Donna Leon
3) If the book is translated (irrespective of whether it's European or not - this category is of particular interest to me as I'm currently one of the judges for the CWA International Dagger.) eg Deon Meyer.
Unabridged talking books and e-books in the above categories can be considered on a case by case basis as not all reviewers have or want the relevant technology.
Doesn't Qualify
1) If both the author and setting is not British/European and is not a translation eg. Daniel Depp, Tess Gerritson
2) True-Crime.
Wiggle Room
Books from the smaller book markets eg Australia, Africa will be considered on a case by case basis. eg Peter Temple, Michael Stanley. Please email me before sending the book: karen at eurocrime dot co dot uk.
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Background Info
I would prefer to direct review copies from publishers straight to the review team. However where books come to me first I send out an email, roughly weekly, listing books received and then send on the books requested to the reviewers. This is a bit costly* and time-consuming and delays the books getting to the hands of the reviewer, however perhaps with the rise in popularity of e-readers, the availability of e-galleys will increase.
*I am a library assistant so am not terribly confident of having a job in a year's time, in which case this policy will have to be reviewed.
We try and review as many books as possible, six new reviews are uploaded most weekends. Please note that the reviewers are crime fiction enthusiasts offering their honest opinions and that a review cannot be guaranteed.
I never sell arcs or review copies, any spare finished copies are added to my library's collection or given to charity shops.
Excellent, clear policy, Karen. I hope it proves effective.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if other Euro Crime reviewers, like me, sometimes get offered books directly from publishers who are also offering them to you at EC HQ? Either way, it makes more sense for the publishers to send any you don't want to read directly to the reviewers, to save on postage and packing costs, and the environment generally.
Why would you consider Peter Temple under books from Africa? He has been an Australian citizen for more than thirty years and has set ONE chapter in nine novels in South Africa.
ReplyDeleteHi Hugo - I actually wrote "Books from the smaller book markets eg Australia, Africa" and I mentioned examples from Australia, Africa - Peter Temple, Michael Stanley whose books we have reviewed in the past though neither is European.
ReplyDeleteTemple was born in South Africa and as we see so often, there are often competing claims for authors born in one country and living/writing in another for which one he or she "belongs" to.
ReplyDeleteThe book Hugo refers to is In The Evil Day, by the way, which is largely set in Europe ;-)
Thanks Maxine - I should have chosen an example with a less complicated life :). I didn't know he was born in SA.
ReplyDeleteWell I hope I am right - I am only going on what other bloggers and reviewers have written about him. I think he's lived most of his life in Australia.
ReplyDeleteIf I sent you a PDF version of the Noir Nation No.1 eBook journal would you be willing to review it? It has Irish, British and Czech writers. They are literary quality crime stories and i very much would like to have at least a third of issue No. 2 be European writers. More info at http://noirnation.com my contact is alan@noirnation.com (Eastern Hemisphere Editor)
ReplyDeleteGreat photo of you, Karen, on what look like the Malvern Hills!
ReplyDeleteOur daughter used to live in a house jammed up against North Hill.All very inspiring...
I would also like to know if you would review PDF versions of eBooks
ReplyDeleteMarcia
Hi Marcia,
ReplyDeleteyes we do occasionally.
Karen