Favourite Discoveries 2013 (10)

Today's final instalment of favourite discoveries of 2013 comes from Lynn Harvey who blogs at Little Grey Doll as well as reviewing for Euro Crime.

We began this series of discoveries with one publisher, The British Library, and end with another one, Audible.

Lynn Harvey's Favourite Discovery of 2013

My favourite discovery of 2013 is not so much a particular book but listening to crime fiction via download from Audible.

Sometimes there are just not enough hours in the day to read all those books. Listening to downloads however – whilst travelling, cooking, waiting, whatever – lets you shoehorn in a few more. Of course listening is not the same as reading. I find the main issue is whether or not I like the narration. On the Audible website I can listen to a sample of a book before I buy. And sad to say there are one or two books I would like to hear but I some of the readers' styles are not for me. However some narrations are a joy in themselves. 


Nigel Anthony gives a tour-de-force display of character voices in his readings of Colin Cotterill's funny and magical series featuring Dr Siri Paiboun, the National Coroner of Laos: old, young, male, female … leave alone spirits, he voices them all with skill and variety.

But he displays another side in his narration of Johan Theorin's THE QUARRY (which sent me searching for the previous titles in the series). Some books have a distinctive production as well as the work of the narrator. I enjoyed (once I got used to it) listening to Mons Kallentoft's MIDWINTER SACRIFICE which introduced a different sound quality for voices on the telephone and a distinctive treatment for the Kallentoft trademark “voice of the victim”. 

Meanwhile I catch up with favourites such as Philip Kerr's “Bernie Gunther” series which is narrated by American actor Jeff Harding (which seems to fit with the private-eye-noir element).

Above all “listening” to books has enabled me to discover books I hadn't found time to read. And listening to these has sent me searching out other work by their authors. What more can you get by way of discovery.

Favourite Discoveries 2013 (9)

Today's instalment of favourite discoveries of 2013 comes from Terry Halligan who reviews at Euro Crime.

Terry Halligan's Favourite Discoveries of 2013

My favourite TV discovery of 2013 was The Doctor Blake Mysteries featuring Craig McLachlan as Dr Lucien Blake and set in 1959 Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. The first 10 episodes were shown daily Monday to Friday on BBC One from the 25th November. The stories are really different and very interesting and Dr Blake in an unusual protagonist in being a single Doctor who has inherited his practice from his late father and also works as a Police Surgeon. There are hints that he has been separated from his wife and child since the start of the Second World War, when he was interned as a POW, in a Japanese Camp and when released discovered that his wife and child were missing. I recorded all of the episodes and I'm currently enjoying them and I hope that more episodes will be shown.

Back in early October, I was staying overnight in a hotel in Buffalo, New York State and I saw an episode of Blue Bloods for the first time and now back here I'm able to watch that also on Sky. It is about a family in New York who are either serving police officers, one is commissioner of police (Tom Sellick) and his two sons are a detective and a patrol man and a daughter is an assistant district attorney. It has some very good plot lines.

Looking over the list of books that I've read during 2012, two American authors that I read as alternates to Euro Crime books stand out. The first is the US author Steve Berry who specialises in mystery adventure stories and the first I read was THE TEMPLAR LEGACY which is a much better written and interesting book than THE DA VINCI CODE. The second US author I discovered is Stephen Cannell and and the book is titled THE TIN COLLECTORS. Cannell is a similar author to Michael Connelly and has written many books but has sadly now passed away.

For Euro Crime, an author that I was introduced to this year was Chris Collett who writes really thrilling mysteries with her Birmingham based detective DI Tom Mariner. I've only read one by her for review called BLOOD AND STONE and I would like to read more.


The second author I was introduced to in doing a review for Euro Crime was the Sussex-born author Terry Hayes who wrote one of the best books of the year with his debut one I AM PILGRIM, which has been described as incredibly strong, absorbing and a thrilling story and compared to the sensation that was caused in publishing when Frederick Forsyth's THE DAY OF THE JACKAL was first released. Hayes although born in England, has lived in Australia most of his life and trained as a journalist and worked as a screenwriter on the Mad Max series of movies before turning to writing.

Favourite Discoveries 2013 (8)

Today's instalment of favourite discoveries of 2013 comes from Raven who blogs and reviews at Raven Crime Reads as well as at Euro Crime.

Raven's Favourite Discovery of 2013

I’m always keen to discover new home-grown crime authors so would like to highlight Hull-based writer Nick Quantrill as my favourite discovery of 2013. Currently the author of three titles featuring private investigator Joe Geraghty - BROKEN DREAMS, THE LATE GREATS and THE CROOKED BEAT - Quantrill perfectly captures not only the past glories of Hull’s history in terms of its importance as a major port, but also how the intervening years have led to an all too familiar story of deprivation and change on a once thriving city. However, despite the underlying darkness of a city’s ruination, Quantrill balances the more positive aspects of Hull and its inhabitants with an affectionate and mildly teasing tone, particularly through the character of Joe Geraghty himself, in this assured and very readable series.

Each book has an entirely believable premise highlighting the less than honest citizens that Geraghty finds himself investigating, all the while tapping into the gritty realism of life in the North, and the inevitable scrapes that Geraghty finds himself in. Unlike some authors, Quantrill does not resort to the lazy imitation of wise-cracking PIs that so many rely on, instead bringing to the reader an entirely more realistic depiction of his investigator’s daily entanglements in each investigation and the ups and downs of Geraghty’s personal life and relationships. A strong series so far, and definitely one for you to discover for yourselves.

Favourite Discoveries 2013 (7)

Today's instalment of favourite discoveries of 2013 comes from reviewer Michelle Peckham who chooses a tv crime series based on Peter Robinson's popular Inspector Banks series.

Michelle Peckham's Favourite Discovery of 2013

My discovery of 2013 is DCI Banks, an ITV series (available on iTunes).

I'd read one or two of the crime novels featuring DCI Banks (by Peter Robinson), but had not watched the ITV series featuring this detective, until an American colleague of mine told me that he'd been watching it back in the USA. He said he'd really enjoyed it, particularly as it is set in Leeds, and he had had fun spotting places he recognised, places he'd seen when visiting me. On a dull rainy evening, I decided to download the TV series (series 1) from iTunes, and immediately became hooked. The stories run over two episodes, were well plotted, and entertaining to watch. Not quite the 'Montalbano' of the North, but with a nice flavour of Leeds and the surrounding countryside. Sadly, this is the only series on iTunes, but I am strongly tempted to buy the DVD for the follow-up series.

Favourite Discoveries 2013 (6)

Today's instalment of favourite discoveries of 2013 comes from me. I've bumped my entry up the list as the book I'm covering is in the Kindle sale until the end of the month.

Karen Meek's Favourite Discovery of 2013

My favourite discovery of the year is THE MANGLE STREET MURDERS by M R C Kasasian. I first heard mention of it on The Readers podcast and put it in my wishlist based on the title alone. I reserved it from the library and read it just before its current 99p promotion on UK Kindle. It's the first in a series and is the author's debut and has Sherlock Holmes echoes about it. It takes the form of a chronicle by March Middleton of a case that happened sixty years earlier in the 1880s.

Young March Middleton has had to leave her family home and come to London to be personal (not private!) detective Sidney Grice's ward. March is a feisty young woman, a smoker and drinker and who has seen a lot by dint of travelling with her army surgeon father. She hides these “vices” from her new guardian but not her ready wit and intelligence. Grice is a vegetarian, non-smoker, non-drinker and works for money rather than a sense of helping his fellow citizens. So when he is approached by a woman whose daughter has been murdered and whose son-in-law has been arrested for the crime, falsely she claims, he turns her down because she has no money. However March steps in with the last of her inheritance to pay Grice to take on the case on the proviso that she, March, can accompany him.

And so the unlikely pairing investigate the case by interviewing the son-in-law, visiting the crime scene and untangling what turns about to be a rather complicated case.

As well as the detective element we also get short diary entries about March's love affair with a soldier.

I really loved reading this book. It is very amusing, with Grice's logical statements and March's witty ripostes to any slurs against womanhood:

“Not much of a place for soppy girls,” one of them said.
“Just as well there are no soppy girls here then, “ I said.

The mystery is intriguing and twisty, you really feel like you're in Victorian London and there is much more to know about Grice and March in future books. I just wish the second book was already available!

Favourite Discoveries 2013 (5)

Today's instalment of favourite discoveries of 2013 comes from reviewer Susan White who chooses a new tv crime series which is now available on DVD (if you missed it in its day-time slot).

Susan White's Favourite Discovery of 2013

My discovery of 2013 is The Doctor Blake Mysteries - an Australian series premiered in 2013 and shown on BBC1 in the afternoons - a real gem.

Official blurb:

Doctor Blake, a keeper of secrets, a solver of mysteries. 

The Doctor Blake Mysteries is an original, period murder mystery series, starring Craig McLachlan as the maverick town doctor Lucien Blake - a risk-taker, he's impulsive and not afraid to upset the status quo.

Doctor Lucien Blake left Ballarat as a young man. But now, he finds himself returning, to take over his dead father's medical practice. And one of the unwanted duties his father left him is the on-call role of police surgeon.

Set in the old gothic gold rush town of Ballarat in 1959. The wealth that built its grand architecture long gone - but not the mysteries, murder and deceit that linger beneath the surface of its faded glory.

Favourite Discoveries 2013 (4)

Today's instalment of favourite discoveries of 2013 comes from reviewer Geoff Jones, who has two authors he wants to mention.

Geoff Jones' Favourite Discoveries of 2013

Michael Russell has written two books and it is the second one that I’ve read, THE CITY OF STRANGERS. Set in Ireland and New York just before the commencement of the Second World War. Very well-written, atmospheric, well researched including some real people such as a Catholic priest who preached against America joining the war. The hero is a Garda sergeant, Stefan Gillespie, who on an assignment to bring a murder suspect back to Ireland from America, gets involved in helping a beautiful Irish woman and her sister. I haven’t yet read the author's first novel THE CITY OF STRANGERS but will remedy that soon. He is married and living in West Wicklow, Ireland. Previous career highlights include writing scripts for Midsummer Murders and Emmerdale.

Read Geoff's whole review of THE CITY OF STRANGERS.

Elly Griffiths lives in Brighton with her husband, children and two cats; she was born in London but sets her books in the wild desolate Norfolk countryside. Her husband trained to be an Archaeologist and this lead her to writing books featuring the Ruth Galloway character. I initially picked the book for my Lincolnshire village book group. I wasn’t around when it was reviewed but as it seemed to be well received I eventually read THE CROSSING PLACES - a good and interesting read.

She has written a further five Ruth Galloway books and I’ve downloaded THE JANUS STONE to read next. She brings alive the haunting Norfolk coastline. 

Elly Griffiths's Euro Crime bibliography with reviews is here.

Favourite Discoveries 2013 (3)

Today's instalment of favourite discoveries of 2013 comes from Amanda Gillies who also blogs and reviews at Old Dogs and New Tricks as well as at Euro Crime.

Amanda Gillies' Favourite Discovery of 2013

PERFUME, the story of a murderer.

One of my students recommended this nasty tale to me this year and I was very taken with it. I saw the film but also have the book, written by the German author Patrick Suskind and translated by John E. Woods, on my ‘to be read’ pile. The film was made in 2006, so it is very far from new, but it was new to me. Directed by Tom Tykwer, and starring Ben Whishaw, Alan Rickman and Dustin Hoffman, it is the story of a serial killer who has a superhuman sense of smell and is seeking to mix the perfect aroma and make it into the most exquisite perfume ever.

The killer, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, is born beneath a fish stall in a market and left for dead. His mother, who has had four other children and left them in similar ways, is found guilty of multiple infanticide and is hanged, so he ends up in an orphanage and then scratches out a living working as an apprentice for a tanner. His sense of smell is highly developed and he is able to use it to navigate his way in the dark. One day he comes across a most magnificent aroma – that of a young virgin – and in attempting to smell her properly he accidentally smothers her. This is the beginning of his search for the perfect scent. He soon becomes an apprentice to a famous perfumer but this is not enough for him as he wants to learn how to extract the scents from new and different objects. To fulfill his desire he travels to the city of Grasse, where he meets with extremely talented perfumers and starts to create the most perfect scent ever.

This movie looks at the many emotions that can be associated with smells and also the morality of the human spirit. It is quite disturbing – especially in terms of how you feel about Grenouille; who murders women for their scent yet you end up liking him! I am very keen to read the book as I am told it is even better than the film. If, like me, you enjoy movies that are a bit twisted and make you think, then you will love this one as much as I did!

Favourite Discoveries 2013 (2)

Today's instalment of favourite discoveries of 2013 comes from Norman Price who blogs and reviews at Crime Scraps as well as at Euro Crime.

Norman Price's Favourite Discovery of 2013

My discovery of the year was Summertime, All The Cats Are Bored by Philippe Georget translated by Steve Rendall. This was a excellent debut novel with an intriguing title - a direct translation of the original French. One of the reasons I enjoyed it was that most French crime novels feature Parisian cops who may occasionally venture out into the provinces, while Summertime is located in Perpignan, a city situated on the Mediterranean coast with a cosmopolitan dual Catalan/French culture.

The intuitive detective Gilles Sebag, the main protagonist, is married to the beautiful Claire and they have two teenage children, Severine and Leo. It is all very French with Gilles unsure of Claire, and their relationship almost as important to the plot as the hunt for the perpetrator of crimes against young Dutch women.

I can't imagine Madame Maigret swimming naked with Jules, like Claire and Gilles in Summertime, but this is Perpignan not Paris and that was another simpler time.

I am looking forward to more novels about Gilles, his lovely wife Claire, his boss Castello and his colleague Jacques Molina.

Read Norman's full review of Summertime, All The Cats are Bored over at Crime Scraps.

Favourite Discoveries 2013 (I)

As usual I have asked my fellow Euro Crime reviewers to come up with their top 5 reads of 2013 - these will be collated and announced in early January. Like the previous two years, I have also asked them what their favourite crime fiction discovery of the past year - be it book, film or tv series - has been.

The first entry comes from Rich Westwood who has chosen a publisher.

Rich Westwood's Favourite Discovery of 2013

My favourite discovery of 2013 isn't an author, a book, or a TV show, but a publisher.

The British Library began publishing crime fiction taken from its archives last year, and has really gone for it this year, with a few choice selections. Both the texts and their production values are high quality. The books have excellent covers (THE SANTA KLAUS MURDER is possibly the most striking), and also feel much nicer than most publishers' paperbacks - dense yet flexible.

Charles Warren Adams' THE NOTTING HILL MYSTERY is usually regarded as the first detective novel - it was published in 1862. Its narrator, the perplexed detective Ralph Henderson, is forced to blame a mesmerist for an impossible crime, even though he refuses to believe in mesmerism.

They have also unearthed the earliest female protagonists in crime fiction.

William Stephens Hayward's REVELATIONS OF A LADY DETECTIVE was one of my books of the year - a wildly Victorian romp full of disguises and moustache-twirling villains.

Andrew Forrester's THE FEMALE DETECTIVE feels like a more serious contender for a place in the canon. Miss Gladden, our heroine (Gladden’s not her real name, and her friends think she is a dressmaker) shares a collection of tales from different stages of her career as a detective.

MR BAZALGETTE'S AGENT is an easy-to-read Victorian novel, although difficult to categorise as crime fiction (it's actually more like chick lit). Leonard Merrick was a respected Victorian novelist who hated, this, his first book, to the extent that he would buy up and destroy copies. I liked it a lot.

And to cap it all, back in January the Library also staged a lovely little exhibition of crime fiction. Amongst other treasures I saw Conan Doyle’s original manuscript of ‘The Adventure of the Retired Colourman’ (extremely neat writing), Walter Eberhart’s 1933 THE JIG-SAW PUZZLE MURDER (complete with jigsaw), and a 'crime dossier’ created by Dennis ‘The Devil Rides Out’ Wheatley. This featured included real clues, including a lock of human hair, used ticket stubs, and fag ends in little cellophane pockets.

Rich Westwood