IT'S A CRIME! (OR A MYSTERY...)

Festive suggestions - 3

This is more for a specialist publisher and a stable of books, rather than one particular book.

Graffeg, based in Cardiff publishes books about Wales.  At the recent Abergavenny Food Festival, I picked up "Food Wales" which is a pictorial tour dipping into the local specialities of the various counties - what and where to buy and where to eat.

I do wish I'd also bought "Landscape Wales" at the time.  The photographs are absolutely beautiful.  How can you look at pictures such as these and not want to pay a visit?

This is Dunraven Bay.

The photograph was taken by Jeremy Moore.

He talks about his work and the area here.

This is Marloes Sands.

The photograph was taken by Andrew Davies.

More information can be found here.

"Landscape Wales" is full of beautiful pictures and is a sight to behold.  Graffeg have a few titles, all of which are worth a look.

Have a laugh in the run up to Christmas...

The Guardian's Digested Read has taken one of the festive celebrityville tomes into its fold.  It ends with the words "The digested read, digested: The bland leading the brand".  If you fancy a laugh, do read the whole thing.  And if you haven't guessed already, it's that book about an extra half inch aimed at imparting advice to women on how to dress.  Hmm.

Event News Just In - Hay on Wye

The Hay Festival Winter Weekend runs from 1 to 3 December and the relevant page including links to the full programme and booking facilities can be found here.

Some highlights:

• Taking crime fiction first, (of course), Andrew Taylor and Phil Rickman can be found at The Drill Hall on Saturday 2 December at 18:30.  £4 will buy you a seat and the chance to listen to both of them talk about their latest novels.
• Earlier on that Saturday, at 13:00 to be precise, Griff Rhys Jones will be talking about his autobiography "Semi-Detached" to the velvety voiced Paul Blezard.  This takes place at V4, The Community Centre, Oxford Road and costs £8.
• There's also some legendary sporting muscle coming to Hay that weekend.  Again on the Saturday, at 14:30 in V4 are Ben Fogle & James Cracknell talking about their Atlantic rowing crossing (£6), with Welsh rubgy hero JPR Williams following on at 16:00 discussing his autobiography "Given the Breaks – My Life in Rugby" with Festival Director Peter Florence (£6).

There's also something wonderful for children:

• "Paige the Pantomime Fairy Workshop 1 Games, making and play with the Rainbow Magic team. All small fairies welcome, if accompanied by a believing adult."
  £3 per child (5-7 years old), The Drill Hall 11:00 on Saturday 2 December.  Fairy Workshop 2 follows at 13:00 and appears to be a repeat of the same.
• Alas, Sunday's all day James Campbell Comedy Workshop aimed at 8-13 year olds is already fully booked, but it looks like those who managed a booking will have lots of  fun!

I know where I'll be on Saturday 2 December...

(And no, not in the Fairy Workshop!)

By Any Name - Katherine John

The novel is called "By Any Name" and the author is one Katherine John, who does go by one other name - that of Catrin Collier.  Collier is the author's name for her Welsh set family saga type novels, with John being the name used for her crime novels.

On the "inspiration" page on her site, John says "Like many other authors, my rejections ran into double figures before I had my first novel accepted in 1990 by Random House. It was a crime book, WITHOUT TRACE written as Katherine John".  The Welsh do love their authors and Collier/John is a bit of a darling in these parts.  Indeed, I bought my copy of "By Any Name" at the book shop in Swansea market back in May and a signed copy it is too.

So what of this novel?

Now published by award winning independent Welsh publisher Accent Press, "By Any Name" was first published by Hodder Headline in 1995 and the Accent edition is "revised and updated by the author".

It's an effort well executed as "By Any Name" is a topical story in today's climate of terrorist threat and it's also a very enjoyable, credible and page turning story.

In a nutshell: A bloodstained and half naked man runs down a motorway at night avoiding traffic and capture by the police.  Eventually he is caught and it is quickly obvious that the man is suffering from trauma induced amnesia.  Initially admitted to hospital, he comes under the care of psychiatrist Dr Elizabeth Santer.  He has no idea who he is or what his background is, but he does appear to know, and in detail, various weaponry and military techniques.  His two armed army guards are murdered and he escapes, taking Santer with him as a hostage.  But who is he?  A terrorist?  A military man, and if so, of what army?  Within the bitter and unforgiving winter of the Brecon Beacons, the chase is on for both his capture and his memory...

What's most impressive about this novel is its credibility.  It has a lot of army references and all are made with confident portrayal.  Hypnotherapy and hypnosis are often brought to screen with glaring misconceptions and misrepresentation, but not so here.  The passages on hypnosis have to be the most accurate fictional accounts I've come across.  (And on that particular issue I have some authority, as I'm currently studying it.)

Following on, our beleaguered nameless victim carries a big question mark.  Is he really a hero or a terrorist?  Santer is a character with whom it is easy to sympathise, but is her open mind really an error of judgement?  Will either have the chance of a safe recovery given the aggression exhibited by the forces employed?

Finally, coming back to the other beauty of crime fiction as a mirror on society today, this novel makes you think.  Can a suspected terrorist ever be the recipient of the standard "innocent until proven guilty"?

"By Any Name" is a damn good read.

John's latest crime novel "Murder of a Dead Man" is out soon on 20 November, with another following in early 2007 so I'm told.  I, for one will be reading more from this author and I suggest you give her a try if you haven't already.

Last but not least, and because it's gorgeous, I leave you with a picture of the Brecon Beacons taken from a point near Storey Arms.  Imagine this in the middle of that unforgiving and bitter winter and you get a feel for the later setting in "By Any Name".  It's harsh and hard to survive when you have little more than the clothes on your back and a couple of blankets.

A little bit of Welsh focus...

In the run up to Christmas, I've decided to focus on some Welsh authors or Wales related authors, as I'm writing from a Wales base.  (Lovely it is too.  You should try it.  Wales has some very beautiful places to explore, when not adhered to a PC...)

The first of these was Lindsay Ashford's "Strange Blood".  Published by Honno, an independent Welsh publisher, Ashford's "Strange Blood" featured in the shortlist for the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival's Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award this year.

A couple more will follow, the first being Katherine John, aka Catrin Collier whose crime novels are published by another Welsh independent Accent Press.

Where the Scots have "tartan noir", I think the Welsh have a case of "tapestry tension".  It's so good to find that crime fiction writers in and from Wales are as competitive and rewarding as the better known.  Now it's time to open the closet door and let them out.

I hope you'll join me in the "outing".  It would be a shame to miss anything really good, wouldn't it?

Festive Suggestions 2 - all sorts of wonderful things but no "celebrity" drivel

I've not read these non crime fiction books, but they are books that I think would make good presents, or books I'd be happy to receive.

Griff Rhys Jones, now in his early 50s recounts his childhood and adolescence in "Semi-Detached".   He's had success as a comedian, an actor, an author, a TV presenter and is currently most associated with the BBC programme and campaign "Restoration".  BBC Wales viewers are able to see his own experience of restoration in a series that follows his own efforts in Pembrokeshire.

Those of a similar age or similar feeling of "semi-detachment" may appreciate his words and recollections.

Last year, I was the very happy recipient of Oliver's "Jamie's Italy".  The book itself, let alone the content, was absolutely beautiful.  It was a tome to protect from sunlight let alone flour and eggs and all the other messy stuff you need to clear up in the kitchen after a valiant effort.

Here, Jamie wants to guide us all into being better cooks.

I'd love to receive this.  And if I could be a better cook as result (much room for improvement, I admit) then I'd be grateful and laughing.

Boozers, Ballcocks and Bail from Steve Smith is a wonderful recollection of life as a local solicitor up north, along the lines of James Herriot's veterinary series and Gervaise Phinn's education inspector series.

I have read some of this when taking a dip out from crime fiction.  I think it would suit someone who loves old fashioned values and experiences and who hates the current climate of political correctness.

LOL stuff!

I'll be back later this week with more suggestions.

The Inaugural Dylan Thomas Prize 2006

This went to Rachel Trezise, 28 years old, who was awarded the £60,000 prize for her collection of short stories, "Fresh Apples".

This international biennial prize is to be awarded to writers in English under 30 and is one of the world's largest literary prizes.

Here is Rachel with her prize along with Aeronwy Thomas, daughter of Dylan Thomas and patron of the prize, who made the presentation of the award and who looks remarkably like her mother, Caitlin.

Andrew Davies, a renowned scriptwriter whose television adaptations include Bleak House and Pride and Prejudice was the judging panel chair and he said the final choice had been "fiercely fought over.  What I was looking for particularly was a real individual young voice, somebody whose work said 'this is the new generation - watch out,' somebody who's not quite like anything else we'd quite seen before."

On this occasion that was Rachel Trezise from the Rhondda.  Many congratulations to her!  And what an achievement!

The physical assault on author Nadine Gordimer, 83

It was in the news this week that celebrated author Nadine Gordimer, 83 years of age, had been assaulted.  Now, she has made a statement and how enlightening it is too (from the BBC's website).

"Gordimer told the UK's Guardian newspaper that young people turned to crime in South Africa because they were given no other opportunities.

The 83-year-old author is well-known for her anti-apartheid works.

Describing her ordeal, she said that one of the men had grabbed her and had his arm across her body.

'It was a muscular, smooth arm and I thought: "Shouldn't there be a better use for these hands, this arm, than robbing an old woman?"   What a waste of four young men.  They should have jobs.'"

What a remarkable woman.  She's 83 and the first words she chooses to use in public refer to the economic situation of her attackers and not her own fear, invasion of her privacy or her own loss.

New TV Series on BBC - The State Within

An interesting one this - and I'm definitely watching next week.

But had it not been for the BBC site's synopsis of episode one, I'd be more than a little lost.  I think I can see the main plot, but I'm not sure about the "curve ball" scenes and where they fit into the whole thing.  No doubt episode two will move it on and provide the crystal clear reality that I hope my reading specs will also facilitate when they arrive.

Anyway, The State Within is a glossy production and it's brought to us from the pens of Lizzie Mickery and Daniel Percival, who also wrote Dirty War.  Mickery is also responsible for writing most, if not all of the TV "Messiah" series, starring Ken Stott, once they moved on from the original Boris Starling novel that kicked off the series.  The production is a joint effort from the BBC in the UK and BBC America.

In this six parter, the focus was on the British Ambassador to Washington in the first episode, one Sir Mark Brydon played by Jason Isaacs, (who has a Harry Potter film credit).  I'm not familiar with Isaacs (seen above), but in certain angles he looks remarkably like a young Christopher Plummer.  However, singing "Edelweiss" is never going to be on the cards here; Brydon clearly has empathy and dedication, but what else?

Some opening scenes were ground breaking for TV in our current climate and they were shot with what I can only imagine is immense realism.  A plane took off from Dulles airport and it was not in the air for long before a bomb exploded above the car in which Brydon was travelling.  The scenes of devastation and the immediate outcome came across as very realistic.  Brydon was immediately vaulted into two-sided character mode as we saw the professional and the empathetic, where he tried to save a woman crying for help.  He failed and Brydon himself was saved by the more reserved and considered actions of his right hand man, the Counsellor External Affairs, Nicholas Brocklehurst, as played by Ben Daniels.

Sharon Gless, who has nowhere near as sympathetic a character here as she played in "Cagney and Lacey" came up trumps in her role as Lynne Warner, US Secretary of Defense.  Warner has lost her only child, a son  to the conflict in Iraq.  The jutting resolute chin in the trailer made for a resolute Defense Secretary within the wider picture.  When Brydon unexpectedly manoeuvres her into a press call for the launch of the "book of condolences", she only just fell short of spitting at him.  And that's the start of the main plot here - there's a wedge, a crack, a crater in relations between the US and UK, as the man who pushed the button to activate the bomb in the plane was from the UK.

Other strands of plot were present:

• Jane Lavery, played by Eva Berthistle,  is the new Human Rights Lawyer assigned to the case of Luke Gardner, played by Lennie James.  Gardner is British and faces the death penalty.  Who?  What?  Why?  But by the end of episode one, Gardner sees the face of the bomber on TV and that produces a very violent and unexpected reaction from him.  Link made, more in episode two, I hope.
• Brits in military uniform are on night-time assignment somewhere in the world and one gets shot.  The one in charge appears to take a knife and dig the bullet out of him.  Then he sees to disposal of the body, trying to make it unrecognisable.  Who?  What?  Where?  Why?  I'm still not sure, but it's a loose end to tie up later.
• Various surveillance operations being filmed or re-run.  I haven't got a clue!  But it makes Brocklehurst look like a baddie, or the goodie.  I don't know.  How does this fit?
• A fleeting meeting at the airport with lots of connections between the various main characters, with lots of secrets there.  It sets a scene, but I'm not sure where that's going either.

So, a recognisable and nasty piece of terrorism grabs and hooks you, when innocent lives are lost.  A secondary layer of plot allows you to see a link before the end of episode one, so you'll buy into episode two.  A tertiary layer of plot chucks in a lot of loose ends that make you wonder what they mean or where they can lead.

This is a very multi-layered political and espionage thriller from the BBC.  I'm hooked and watching.  But I also think I'll have to rely on that weekly episode synopsis from the BBC in order to follow it.

Good to see Neil Pearson on the screen too!  He plays Phil Lonsdale, Deputy Head of Mission, which seems to mean number two at the Embassy.  Previously loved for his role in the comedy series "Drop the Dead Donkey", many crime fans remember him best for his role in "Between The Lines".  As Lonsdale's a character with thwarted ambitions, it will be interesting to see what happens to him over the next five episodes.

This is one to watch and make sense of, in more ways than one.

Festive Season Suggestions Part 1 - some crime & thriller reading

From books released in 2006, widely available in the UK, and which I have read, try these:

Raven Black from Ann Cleeves for someone who likes a bit of the classic type of crime and mystery novel.  Not too much of a police procedural - investigating officers are present - but this is chiefly about human relationships and what lies behind the masks presented in a small closed community, in this case on the Shetland Islands.  There's a bit of historical back story here, so I think it will appeal greatly to the over 40 age group and those with an interest in recent history.  Readers of Minette Walters might like this novel for its psychological suspense element.  Raven Black is out now in paperback and is still available in hard cover.  Cleeves won the CWA's inaugural Duncan Lawrie Dagger for this novel and I think it was well deserved.

The Hidden Assassins from Robert Wilson for someone who likes a mix of police work; foreign climes (mainly set in Seville);  contemporary setting and plot, including terrorism; some acute psychology; a dip into espionage and a rather appealing protagonist.  The final listed item there quickly leads me on to say that the lovers of Wilson's Falcón series that I've come across have all been women.  Not that I think that's exclusive - I just don't get out enough, perhaps...  This is a big book and a densely packed thriller.  Still only in hard cover; you have to wait until April 2007 for the paperback.

Taking Comfort from Roger Morris for someone who likes something thrilling but different, and who enjoys a fast paced life, or aspires to one.  Also for someone who appreciates quality book production - this comes with its own lovely blue ribbon marker.  It's about a marketing man who finds himself in the wrong place, time and time again.  As he tumbles down a spiral of ever increasing destruction, the reader is gasping for breath when turning the pages.  That's the writing style and it's quite unique.  Excellent for those seeking to work in a corporate office environment; you get no better feel for it in fiction than here.  Hard cover only at present.  It's not crime per se, but it does push the boundaries and it is thrilling.

Echo Park from Michael Connelly for someone who likes a US based crime novel revolving around a police investigation.  I dare say that UK aficionados will already have a copy.  Connelly seems to have been "writing at the top of his game" since he moved from journalism into fiction and excels with each new novel.    If your present recipient has not mentioned Connelly, get him/her to try this one and introduce another reader to Harry Bosch.  This is about the resolution of a previously unsolved crime and there's no way of knowing where it's going to go next - a really gripping read!  Hard cover only at the moment, the paper back is due in March 2007.

Back with more later, possibly next week.