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

April 2011 Book PR

A couple of publicists from Felidae Associates stopped by earlier today.  They dropped off the proofs for some publicity campaigns for various crime novels during April.  Sir Humphrey Ratcatcher would like to know what you think and, as a test of his creative talent, asks if you can match the posters to the correct novels.  No prizes, but answers on Saturday evening for those who may experience a little difficulty.  First, the posters:

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And now for the novels:

Miss Marple rebooted by Disney

Some news travels fast and jaws may drop just as quickly.  Breaking today was the fact that Disney has done a deal and will 'reboot' the Miss Marple franchise.  This involves the casting of Hollywood actress Jennifer Garner in the main role.  And yes, it is the role of Miss Jane Marple to which I refer.

But the casting is not the main issue (as today's Daily Telegraph attests).  It's the concept.  For the Disney rebooted Miss Marple is a Marple revisited and redrawn.

• It's to be her younger self. Well that's OK then; sometimes the younger, formative self works well, see The Young Indiana Jones. (But it's also worth remembering that 'young' versions often follow massively successful originals and are simply made to extend the money-spinning bandwagon journey.)  PLUS
• It's to be modern day. Again, this can work: think the BBC's recent and hugely successful Sherlock.  PLUS
• It's to be set in America.  Sorry, I can't think of one mitigating offering for this.  It's like mangoes turning into olives.  Taking such a big attribute of the stories is to change their nature completely.

And taking all three together is simply a step too far.  It's like taking a step too far and walking over a cliff into the ocean, or stepping from solid ground into quicksand.  It's just not recognisably the same.

Finally, back to that first point; it's to be a younger Marple.  Surely the magic of Marple lies in the fact she's a wise old woman, a keen observer of humankind with many years of quiet practice behind her?

Debut Author in the Spotlight: Elizabeth Haynes

You may have noticed Elizabeth Haynes and her debut novel Into the Darkest Corner recently.  There’s been quite a buzz on twitter and the novel was featured by Amazon in its Rising Stars programme.  A lot of people love this novel.  As one of the judges for the CWA’s John Creasey New Blood Dagger, you won’t see my thoughts on the novel until later this year.  However, Elizabeth’s day job intrigued me and I asked her what it entails and how it impacts on her fiction writing.  When I was at school, the careers service never mentioned ‘intelligence analysts’ and I’ve not heard it mentioned subsequently.  So, if like me, you are curious to get out of this dark corner and learn more, read on for Elizabeth’s reply...

If you were to contemplate the best day job for a would-be crime writer, what would you come up with? Police officer? Well, that’s a given. Forensic pathologist? Criminal defence lawyer? I’m willing to bet not many people would reply with ‘intelligence analyst’ but that’s because my job is one that has been sadly and persistently overlooked by crime writers and producers of detective drama. The nearest we came to glorious representation on the silver screen was possibly Ben Affleck’s CIA intelligence analyst in ‘The Sum of All Fears’, but to be honest he was a bit more hands-on than we are in real life.

Marika Cobbold recommends a classic and a contemporary novel...

In 2010, at long last, I read Daniel Deronda. Now I can’t get the novel out of my head.
It is a novel of two parts. First there’s the story of the fatally self-absorbed yet entrancing Gwendolen Harleth, a young woman determined to secure her own and her family’s social and financial position in the only way open to a woman of her time, marriage.  But the marriage, and the wealth and position that come with it bring only pain, to her and to others. In her distress she turns to Daniel Deronda as her only saviour as her quest changes into one for the betterment of her very soul.

Then there’s the impressively learned and, for its day, extraordinarily progressive and insightful look at what it means to be Jewish in Britain and in Europe. Here Daniel and the young Jewish singer, Mirah Lapidoth as well as Mirah’s brother Mordecai take centre stage. Mordecai embodies the wandering Jew, forever a stranger, never at home.  Through Mordecai, both Daniel and the reader learn about the origins of Zionism.  Those passages are as relevant today as they ever where, though Mordecai’s vision of ‘a new Judea, poised between East and West - a covenant of reconciliation - a halting-place of enmities, a neutral ground for the East,’ now seems tragically ironic...