Original Sins?

I’m hoping to conclude a deal shortly that will result in two new Crime Writerss’ Association anthologies, under my editorship. The last CWA anthology, M.O.: crimes of method, appeared almost two years ago, and although family and work issues have limited the time I have available for progressing the anthology since then, I’m delighted that a new project is about to take shape.

A number of Dagger-winning authors are already on board, and I’ve already received a brand new story from one of them. I can’t say too much about it just at the moment, but it’s a characteristically witty and clever piece of work from a great entertainer. If other submissions reach the same standard, the book will be marvellous.

One of the great pleasures of editing such a book is the chance to see new work by very good writers before anyone else – a privilege that I value. One tricky task, though, is coming up with a suitable title. My current idea is Original Sins, but if anyone has a great alternative suggestion, (or an idea for the title of the companion volume) I’d be very glad to hear it!

Meanwhile, there has been more lovely reaction to The Serpent Pool. The book, and I, were featured in ‘The Westmorland Gazette’, the Cumbrian newspaper that Thomas De Quincey himself once edited. And further generous reviews have appeared in Shots Magazine and elsewhere, and have included a truly gratifying one from the very prestigious The Literary Review. Here is an extract:

‘Interesting titbits about a former local resident, Thomas De Quincey, skilled evocation of landscape, and a clever plot add up to an excellent read.’