Discovering the truth with CJ Carver

1, Where did you first hear about the Ngaio Marsh Awards? I heard about the awards through word of mouth at a writer’s event, CrimeFest, in Bristol. I wasn't aware I could enter until Craig Sisterson, the organiser, spotted my kiwi heritage and when he discovered I have a full NZ passport, encouraged me to …

Sutton based author speaks at Crime Cafe

Trevor Negus, former Nottinghamshire policeman, based his first book around the 1984 Miners' Strike, of which he spent twelve months of his 30 year career at the forefront of before returning to work at Mansfield. He states that it was this period which he kept going back to in his writing and it was his …

Death in the Stars – A Frances Brody Exclusive

Chapter One The Letter Southampton 8 June 1927 (In transit – Off to New York!) Mrs Kate Shackleton Detective Batswing Wood Lodge Headingley Leeds Dear Mrs Shackleton Please forgive this hasty and confidential courtesy note. We met in Wakefield while you were undertaking certain investigations of a delicate nature. I was performing there at the …

Spare me the Truth – I’m a reviewer

  First before I write this review I must thank Craig Sisterson and all the other organisers of the Ngaio Marsh awards for working with Zaffre publishings and Bolinda Publishing PTY Ltd to get me a free Audio reviewer copy of C J Carvers Spare me the Truth in order that I can review the …

Ngaio Marsh founder Craig Sisterson’s insight into how and why he started this award. (Part 2)

Ngaio Marsh founder Craig Sisterson’s insight into how and why he started this award. (Part 1)     4. Given the expanding audio market and the fact that the bigger festivals haven’t recognised this as a category in its own right, would you consider adding one? Candidly, it's not something that's on the immediate agenda …

Ngaio Marsh founder Craig Sisterson’s insight into how and why he started this award. (Part 1)

  1. How and why did you found the Ngaio Marsh Awards? There's a long and a short answer to this question. For the sake of space, here's a shorter one. I've always enjoyed reading crime fiction, from when I was a kid (started with Hardy Boys). While doing a yearlong world trip in 2007/2008, …

Sherlock in space – subverting the form

In the week that Netflix is to launch the new Star Trek series I find depictions of my favourite characters everywhere. But is it right that famous characters like Sherlock should be constantly changed to suit the modern taste, or should we stick to the canon of the original Conan Doyle stories? Data's depiction of …

Distractions of a reviewer – Ian Rankin’s views on The Islanders

When you are ill with a cold and can't really concentrate properly on what you are reading. It is quite interesting. This is something I listened to as a distraction. My carer happened to notice that this programme was being repeated last night and so I had a listen to it via the BBC's playback …

Ngaio Marsh Shortlist (Ben Sanders)

Auckland author Ben Sanders has been shortlisted for the Ngaio Marsh Best Crime Novel, for his fifth novel Marshall's Law. The award is due to be announced and given out in Christchurch on the 28th of October. In preparation for this I've been asked to join the Ngaio Marsh Blog tour and so I read …

Has crime changed? (Dr Foster and psychological thrillers)

Twenty five minutes after the 3rd episode of Dr Foster has finished, as a great crime fan I believe the age of murder mystery is coming to an end.  These days it is not about procedurals and detection, it is more about normal life put together with a horrible psychological turn, see Claire Mackintosh's - …