8 September 2020

Murdering bullies prove noir is noir wherever you are

, , , ,

THIS Icelandic journey into the dark side sparked something of a defining moment. Or, more precisely, a desire to have something defined. Better than that, a search for the definition of a definition; one that  entailed going beyond the resources of the OED or Mr Google. The puzzle centres on the proliferation of genres, sub-genres… Continue Reading

8 September 2020

Murdering bullies prove noir is noir wherever you are

, , , ,

THIS Icelandic journey into the dark side sparked something of a defining moment. Or, more precisely, a desire to have something defined. Better than that, a search for the definition of a definition; one that  entailed going beyond the resources of the OED or Mr Google. The puzzle centres on the proliferation of genres, sub-genres… Continue Reading

17 August 2020

When a famous mystery writer becomes her own suspect

, , , , ,

OUR libraries and bookshops offer an intriguing double-whammy for devotees of crime fiction. They can either select a mystery by the enduring and much revered Josephine Tey,   or they can delve into a tale of  much more recent vintage in which the same Josephine Tey is the solver of the crime. To all intents… Continue Reading

12 June 2020

McDermid delivers another twisting tale

, , , ,

IN these uncertain times (I write in the era of Covid-19) there is little better than delving into a book knowing that satisfaction is guaranteed. Plot, characters and dialogue will meld into a teasingly enjoyable story of good fighting evil with at least some measure of justice being served. The good guys will at times… Continue Reading

5 June 2020

Crime rules along the library shelves

, , ,

BRITISH readers’ love affair with all things dark, murderous and mysterious shows no signs of waning. Crime continues to come first choice among public library users, with children’s books a valiant second and daylight to all other genres. Thrillers, mysteries and crime fiction take eight out of the ten top places in the British Library’s… Continue Reading

31 May 2020

Crime or no crime; a book that enthralls

, ,

CRIME fiction is probably the broadest of all literary genres. And nowhere in my recent reading is this better demonstrated than by this beautifully crafted novel. Fine writing from a Grand Prix Litteraire de l’Heroine winner that mystifies and intrigues from the appealing title all the way through to its haunting other worldly conclusion. Whether… Continue Reading

17 May 2020

Some things academia will never learn

, , , ,

WHAT is it about proofreading and editing that academics find so hard to understand? Yet again a university student has requested my help in preparing their thesis for submission. And yet again, and much as I would welcome the work, I have had to say no. There are several reasons for refusal, but the main… Continue Reading

16 April 2020

When a virus spreads, the dictionary swells

, , , , ,

It was only a few days ago that I suggested  many of the words and phrases that have already become lingua franca during the recent global crisis were sure to be well in the running for selection as Word(s) of the Year. Place your bets … Since then we have heard (imagined)  cries of “stop… Continue Reading

9 April 2020

The Perfect Wife weaves a near perfect tale

, , ,

As one who is forever wary of book cover blurbs, I approached this much-praised offering with even more caution than usual. Look at those blasts from high-status reviewers: Mind-bending, Unputdownable, Masterful. Surely hyperbole gone mad. There are six more pages of them inside, all of them in the same OTT vein. An enormous pinch of… Continue Reading

2 April 2020

It may be just a small point to you …

, , , ,

WHAT is it about apostrophes that is so difficult to understand? Yes, I am well aware it’s a question that has been asked hundreds of times before. But we remain none the wiser – certainly not those who scatter them hither and thither like seeds on the wind. Nor those who teach them, either, it… Continue Reading

27 March 2020

Strewth, it’s Strine

, , ,

You’ve gotta love what the Aussies can do to the English language. No time was wasted Down Under in adapting linguistically to the present crisis. A sample of the latest OzSpeak: “Me boss tested posi for the ’Rona so now I’m in iso. Popped down to Woollies for some sanny, but it’s been bloody magpie’d.” Continue Reading

End of content

End of content

Receive my ‘Read. Write. Run. Repeat.’ newsletter

Regular updates of my reviews and commentary direct to your inbox.