Reviews and Commentary


FAME is a wonderful thing; it overrides ability in so many fields of endeavour. But nowhere more so than in the world of publishing. There the principle is simple: names sell. Celebrity is everything. Much to the chagrin of authors who have spent years honing their craft. Facebook “likes”, Instagram followers, Twitter retweets; these are the factors that matter. All else comes a distant second. A post-publication floodtide of appearances on chat shows, news magazine couches and celebrity panels is a given. An extended fifteen minutes of fame to ensure these literary creations (a very loose description) achieve the greatest… Continue reading

Join my ‘Read. Write. Run. Repeat.’ newsletter

Receive regular updates of my reviews and commentary direct to your inbox.

CONSIDERING his prolific output and the frequency of publication, crime writer supreme Mick Herron remained off my radar for an inexplicably long time. Years, in fact. During which time he published numerous much-praised books and won several prestigious awards. How I managed to miss him – or perhaps simply ignore him – I have no idea. Fortunately, the oversight has recently been quickly remedied. And with much enjoyment; often of the laugh out loud type because Herron does a deft act of melding humour and deadly deeds. Both are quick and to the point, no messing about. Keeping the narrative… Continue reading