In London earlier last week, I, at long last had the chance to catch up with Roger Morris. Roger, as some of you will be well aware, penned the Macmillan New Writing published thriller Taking Comfort before he launched in the historical crime sub-genre with a series that takes Porfiry Petrovich (from Crime and Punishment) into a further set of cases. Writing as R. N. Morris for this series published by Faber, his first novel was A Gentle Axe (The Gentle Axe in the US) and a damn good mystery it was too!
I'm pleased to report that A Vengeful Longing is his second novel in this series and that it is due out in February of next year. It concerns death by poison, for more than one victim - a nasty way to die and a difficult one to investigate.
Where A Gentle Axe was set in winter, A Vengeful Longing is set in the summer. It's all too easy in the west to associate Russia with those hideous winters that we feel lucky to escape, but Roger is not one to subscribe to the tried and tested, the clichés that we've read over and over. No, Roger pushes boundaries with his writing; you only have to read Taking Comfort to work that one out. So here, in the next volume, A Vengeful Longing we have St Petersburg in the summer.
Roger's adoption and adaption of Porfiry Petrovich comes from a source of respect, admiration and fun. He respects and admires the work of Dostoevsky and in that vein wants to have some fun in taking Porfiry Petrovich further. Where the author felt he wanted to know more about this character, the author suspects that others, readers like him would also appreciate that exploration. So here you have it and let R. N. Morris be your guide...
We discussed contracts and it seems that a third PP novel has been commissioned; with Faber making the initial approach, which bodes well. Personally, given Roger's approach, I see at least a quartet in the making (covering all seasons), but who knows?
As a writer and to attract readers, you need something that is new and original when you are a new name. Roger seems to have cottoned on to this in spades; he tempted me out of my comfort zone and had me reading historical crime fiction and enjoying it immensely with A Gentle Axe. He's even had me wanting to read/listen to Crime and Punishment - when time allows.
The next in his series, A Vengeful Longing is not about waiting for the next coffee at Bertorelli's, it's about life in St Petersburg, the stresses and the strains that people experience in the summer in that city. It can lead to poison...
Gemma, thanks for the comment. I have emailed you.
Posted by: crimeficreader | 27 October 2007 at 20:34
Hi there,
I work for Faber and Faber and I was wondering if you would like to receive free
copies of three new crime fiction titles that we are releasing, including A Vengeful Longing!
Please feel free to contact me,
I look forward to hearing from you.
Gemma
Posted by: Gemma | 23 October 2007 at 16:38
Lovely to see Roger doing so well - thanks for the blog!
Hugs
A
xxx
Posted by: Anne Brooke | 15 October 2007 at 07:22