The author of Reeper and Deity tells us what sets his teeth on edge in Crime Ficiton.

1. Gratuitous Violence and Torture

The nature of crime writing means that we deal with some of the baser instincts of the human condition. In real life people are killed, sometimes in shocking ways and while I think it is important that writers reflect and report some of the terrible things people do to their victims it is … Read More >>

Three things I wish to consign to Room 101.

1. Short chapters 

Since I became a serious reader of grownup books, at the age of 11 — in the era when there was no “young adult” fiction, just children’s books and adults’ books — I liked the calm, measured rhythm and length of the novel chapter. I like a long chapter. It’s like a movement in a symphony; it should be of sufficient length so that for a goodish stretch … Read More >>

This month we have asked writer, broadcaster and 2012 Crime Festival Panel chair David Quantick what drives him mad in crime fiction and what he wants to see consigned to Room 101.

1. Unlikelihood Spotters

I appreciate that a detective story should have some basis in reality – the whole business of unravelling a mystery obviously falls apart if the writer just suddenly says, “And the murderer is, I dunno, that bloke over there who just came in” … Read More >>

Until I started writing myself, I would read widely, indiscriminately and unidiscriminatingly. I had no critical faculties whatsoever and I always thought that if I wasn’t enjoying myself as a reader, it was my problem rather than something the author had done.

I just loved reading, that was all.

But, over the past five years or so, I have learned to read as a writer, developing both the ability to identify what doesn’t work and the curiosity to … Read More >>

We ask authors to give us their very own list of crime writing pet peeves and we want you to decide if each one should make it into Room 101!

Our latest feature comes rom David Mark, who appeared in the sell out New Blood panel at the 2012 Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival. David Mark has been a journalist for over fifteen years, including seven years as a crime reporter with The Yorkshire Post in its Hull office. Original Skin is … Read More >>

We ask authors to give us their very own list of crime writing pet peeves and we want you to decide if each one should make it into Room 101!

Our next set of pet hates up for debate comes from Mark Edwards, co-writer, with Louise Voss, of Killing Cupid and Catch Your Death. Both were huge hits when the pair self-published them online, becoming the first UK indie authors to reach No. 1 in both the Amazon Kindle and Amazon Fiction charts. Catch Your … Read More >>

We ask authors to give us their very own list of crime writing pet peeves and we want you to decide if each one should make it into Room 101!

Our second offering comes from the modern day queen of crime fiction, MC Beaton. Her long-awaited 22nd installment to the Agatha Raisin series, ‘As The Pig Turns’ is available now, published by Constable & Robinson. Click here for full information on the brand new book.

So, what are MC … Read More >>

Following Lee Child’s sell-out Room 101 event with host Christina Patterson at this year’s Festival (click here to listen to live clips from the event), ‘You’re Booked’ wanted to carry on the game with a virtual Room 101…with you as the host!

We ask authors to give us their very own list of pet peeves and we want you to decide if each one should make it into Room 101.

Our very first virtual offering comes from Sophie Hannah, author of five … Read More >>