SATURDAY MORNING AFTER A LATE NIGHT/EARLY MORNING FOR SOME.
9am and it was with Elly Griffiths being interviewed by Joe Haddow. Mick Herron claimed not to be a storyteller as I have blogged previously and it became clear that Elly is a very verbal storyteller. Verbose and entertaining. The comparison between the two and how they reacted to the interviewer was so different.
Elly Griffiths knows how to talk! Perhaps it’s the gender than can make the difference. Whatever, for that is not the issue for the two different authors entertained us in their own way.
Elly Griffiths and her writing has stood the test of time with 13 books in the series with Dr Ruth Galloway set in Norfolk where the remains are unearthed and examined. I have enjoyed several of these and ones from the Brighton Series too. Her recently published Ruth Galloway I have reviewed and after 40 pages I read no more. This is not a slight on her writing or ability. It was not for me at that moment.
This was an in depth chat about herself and her books and skilfully dealt with by Joe Haddow who, it is said, is the brains behind the Radio 2 Book Club. If only he could stop twirling that pen!
I also noted that she is writing the fourth one in a series for children. Ones to look out for.
VAL McDERMID’S NEW BLOOD
At noon we sat enthralled with Val McDermid’s New Blood. This has been the best hour spent in previous years and today was no exception. In fact the conversation went along the lines - it could have gone on for another 30 minutes. We would have loved to know more about all four of the newbies.
What was very nice for Joss and Michelle that they knew Lara Thompson from their days living in Cornwall and now she is a published author. The other good bit was that both of them met the young bloods late on Friday evening where a few memories were shared with Lara and the other authors chatted with them. This is one of Harrogate’s strong points for it is a place to socialise and talk about books; talk with writers and talk with anybody and everybody. Everyone without exception has time for everyone else.
Lara’s, OneNight, New York, and set in the 1930’s may seem an odd location for a lecturer in film and who has lived in Cornwall. Apparently her next one is set in that county and she has said that we may know some of her characters. I can think of several that could fit any crime novel without stretching anyone’s imagination that far. We will look forward to checking on that and, of course, reading it.
The others we did not know. Sixteen Horses is a strange title and it is ‘apparently hauntingly un-nerving’. Greg Buchanan is the author. I will give it a go as I like to grab books that are different. Tall Bones by Anna Bailey is set in very small town America where she has used her knowledge of having lived in both Texas and Colorado. It is referred to as ‘compellingly claustrophobic’ and if it is anywhere close to the effects of Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri then I am going to enjoy it. Am I expecting too much? Well, we’ll see.
The last of the four The Colours of Death by Patricia Marquess is set in Lisbon and of the four it appeal to me the least. We talked afterwards about how we decide what to read and can be easily influenced one way or the other. I can comment it is usually best to only decide when a book has been given the once over.
All four authors have chosen their locations for a reason and, as always, locations are as important as any character.
The blurb in the programme says ‘Val McDermid’s ability to spot the future stars of the genre has made this the most anticipated panel of the weekend’. That sums it up and, for me, Val has nailed it again.
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