UPDATE: Since publishing this piece, originally titled 'Death of the Crime Novel', we've been alerted to the fact Ian Rankin was misquoted in the Daily Record. Rather than predicting its demise, Rankin was acknowledging current world events might affect its future, leading readers to opt for a different kind of crime novel.
His original interview can be read here.
We are huge fans of Ian Rankin here at Triskele Books. Really, we are. So his latest interview sparked an interesting discussion between the crime writers among us.
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| Ian Rankin |
"I think this may happen -- a move away from serial killers and bleak dystopian crime fiction towards something with a more comforting message," Rankin tells AFP. "Maybe good will be seen to triumph and ordinary people will overcome crises in psychological crime novels," he adds.
Let's hear from our two resident in-house crime authors JJ Marsh and Gill Hamer.
Ladies, over to you …
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| Latest novel from Gill Hamer |
(GH) I think Jill and myself may be on opposite sides on the fence on this one, but I’ll put my penny-worth in first! I think a thriller is a thriller no matter what goes on in the real world. People will always seek escapism and not everyone wants to escape into a cuddly, idyllic world. Choice is vital.
(JJ) Yes, I'd stand right by that statement: choice IS vital. Crime novels offer an opportunity to experience scary situations vicariously and hopefully see the status quo restored at the end. I think people read crime for different reasons, much like picking up a newspaper. If you want to stare brutality in the face, you can read the headlines (eg, a Karin Slaughter novel). Or if you're in the mood to analyse what brought us to such a point, the politics pages (eg, more like a Robert Harris). Then again, you might just be in the mood for stretching the little grey cells with a crossword puzzle.
(GH) There will always, always be a thirst for good versus evil, goodies versus baddies, and for me there's even more need for that when times are tough. People want to believe good conquers all, crime fiction puts readers into the driving seat and sends them off on all kinds of adventures. I don't think that will ever change.
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| Latest novel from JJ Marsh |
(GH) No matter how bad the world gets, I’ll never turn to romance or science fiction as my choice of escapism! The cold war didn’t stop spy novels. And Trump and terrorism won’t stop people enjoying the thrill of the chase and the excitement of finding out 'whodunnit'.
(JJ) Although I don't think I could write one - they're harder than they look - I do read 'chick-lit' as escapism. I am also keen to read contemporary crime novels which manage to encompass the modern world. But I have never enjoyed an excess of violence and that's unlikely to change.
(GH) There’s such a wide variety of crime fiction out there. I'm not all about the violence and gore. From cosy crime to noir, there's surely something for everyone. I love Agatha Raisin books – you could go so far as call them feel-good novels. Let's not forget the brilliant Beatrice Stubbs too! And I love The Killing, Rebus, Cormoran Strike. I think readers can choose what suits them across the board and there are enough different options out there.
(JJ) Thank you! I think perhaps there's an age factor here. Many of my readers tend to be at the older end of the spectrum, so prefer a little less bloodshed. Whereas I imagine your readership is maybe broader. You're right though, the Gold Detectives series is not all blood and gore. My favourite elements are the locations, the historical connections and the character relationships. Overall, there are trends that ebb and flow but I can't see any visible decrease in the enthusiasm for well-written crime fiction.
(GH) Well, nope, I'm not swayed either. Crime fiction has been a huge part of my life and always with me.
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