An Impressive Shortlist of Six for the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year Award 2016!!

The shortlist for crime writing’s accolade, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, has been announced.

Celebrating its twelfth year, the Awards feature six titles whittled down from a longlist of 18 crime novels published by British and Irish authors whose novels were published in paperback from 1 May 2015 to 18 April 2016.

The 2016 Award is run in partnership with T&R Theakston Ltd, WHSmith, and The Radio Times.

The shortlist in full:

• Time Of Death – Mark Billingham
• Career Of Evil – Robert Galbraith
• Tell No Tales – Eva Dolan
• Disclaimer – Renee Knight
• I Let You Go – Clare Mackintosh
• Rain Dogs – Adrian McKinty

The award ceremony will be hosted by broadcaster Mark Lawson on 21 July on the opening night of the 14th Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate.

Executive Director of T&R Theakston Ltd and Judge, Simon Theakston, said: “It’s a remarkable shortlist that shows the crime genre shapes our cultural landscape and dominates publishing.”

Congrats to all on the Shortlist, but special congrats to Irish author Adrian McKinty whose latest novel Rain Dogs has been receiving mighty accolades!!!

Rain Dogs has been shortlisted for the 2016 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award and longlisted for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award 2016. Previous books in the Duffy series have won or been shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award, The Edgar Award, The Anthony Award, The Spinetingler Award and The Barry Award.

McKinty has all the virtues: smart dialogue, sharp plotting, great sense of place, well-rounded characters and a nice line in what might be called cynical lyricism ("Rain. Wind. The afternoon withering like a piece of fruit in an Ulster pantry.") If Duffy's relentless patter occasionally makes you feel like you're trapped in a lift with a stand-up comedian, well, those dreary steeples cry out for a little antic distraction. Be warned, though. Rain Dogs is Gateway
McKinty: you won't stop here.
- The Irish Times

Challenged with the second locked-room -- locked-castle really -- mystery of his career, Duffy pursues answers in his usual manner: resolute and incisive until every aspect and angle of the truth shakes out. He is pleasurably full of quips, wry and dry, observing his Daisy-Dukes-sporting neighbor "smoking Benson and Hedges in a way that would have cheered the heart of the head of marketing at Philip Morris," and telling Lawson that their aggravating colleague, Frank Payne, is "as fine an example of nominative determinism as you'll ever get." McKinty captures the mood and flavor of a city perpetually under siege, the life of a detective during wartime [and he] also excels at scene-grabbing set pieces: this novel opens on a terrific one with a massive crowd -- including Bono -- fixated on a visit from Muhammad Ali. McKinty's decision to expand the series beyond the original trilogy has breathed new energy and vigor into his novels: Duffy's not just growing naturally into this larger space, he's taking us right along with him.
- The Boston Globe 

Adrian McKinty is on a roll. His last novel in the Sean Duffy series set during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, Gun Street Girl, has been shortlisted for an Edgar award by the Mystery Writers of America. The latest, Rain Dogs, does not disappoint. The dark humour, the verbal jests, and the seamless insertion of real historical figures and events into the fictional narrative are all superbly sustained...This is clever historical fiction with the bite of social commentary and the joy of a crime series at its zenith.
- The Sydney Morning Herald 

The tension between McKinty's competing love of tight, formal puzzles and loose, riffing dialogue is what makes the Duffy novels such a tremendous joy.
- The Guardian

A classic plot with modern twists...[another] thoroughly engaging crime novel set in Northern Ireland
- The Sunday Times

Last Day to Vote!!!

Today is the LAST DAY to vote in the Dead Good Awards, if you fancy casting your vote. 

The first category is for a series of books, i.e. The Kate Pearson series (hint, hint) and the other categories are for individuals books.

You could win £200 worth of book vouchers, and that can't be too bad!!

Thanks to everyone who voted so far - it's very much appreciated!! 

I will go now and be very quiet......

You can vote HERE

Emerald Noir - Louise Phillips & Paul Perry chat with Nessa O' Mahony!!

Put on the kettle, make a cuppa and tune into this interview with myself, Paul Perry and the wonderful Nessa O'Mahony, where two crime fiction authors chat about all things writing, especially crime fiction writing. Plus, you get a sneak preview of 'Girl Unknown' by Karen Perry (writing duo Karen Gillece and Paul Perry) and 'After I was Killed' my latest novel. I hope you enjoy it!

Click on link here to view....HERE

Crimefest and my Crime Tribe!

If you were staying at the Bristol Marriott Hotel over the weekend, you could be forgiven for thinking you were a delegate at a Star Wars convention, such were the throngs of people bustling through the hotel, each armed with name badges and looking wildly enthusiastic. But it wasn’t Star Wars, it was Crimefest, the international crime fiction convention held in Bristol every May.

With record numbers this year, the festival attracted writers, readers, editors, agents, publishers and bloggers from all over the globe, and with a strong Irish contingent, it has become a date for the diary.

‘Crimefest is an event where I can have breakfast with an Australia author, coffee with an American reader, and at the Gala Dinner, present an award to a Scandinavian writer,’ says Sarah Ward, one of the judges of the Petrona Award. ‘It’s the highlight of my crime fiction year.’

But what actually happens at this festival over four days in May? You have the headline acts, internationally acclaimed writers like Ian Rankin, Anne Holt, Peter James and Hugh Fraser, all willing to share nuggets of their writing process and success, and also happy to chat with delegates during panel intervals, while copious amounts of tea and coffee are drunk.

(Ian Rankin with Patricia Gibney)

Ayo Onatade, Special Crime Reporter at Shots Ezine and associate member of The Crime Writers Association (CWA), puts the success of the convention down to the laid back and fun approach, as well as the panels being well organised. ‘It’s often difficult to decide which panel to attend. Everyone enjoys themselves and there is no demarcation between authors that are taking part, readers, fans, and bloggers who are there. It’s not elitist.’

And that’s the thing about Crimefest that makes it different. You could be chatting to a fellow writer or friend one moment, then find yourself talking all things crime fiction with publishers, agents and editors from around the world, and there are plenty of buzzing conversations with the sharing of contact details - another reason why so many delegates visit each year.

Author C. L. Taylor, familiar to many Irish readers agrees, describing Crimefest as an opportunity to connect with readers and her crime tribe. ‘Many of my friends live hundreds of miles away and it’s often the only chance I get to see them.’

But outside of the many conversations between readers, writers and publishing folk, lots happen here other than panels and headline acts. Along with panels covering everything from Creating Complex Characters to the Psychology of Thrills, there are workshops, quizzes, pitching an agent slots, and one off events - including the re-enactment of the Steve Avery trial (Making a Murder), with Irish author and lawyer, Steve Cavanagh, and Sophie Hannah as Judge.

The Crimefest Awards saw Stephen King, Ian Rankin, Paula Hawkins, Robert Galbraith and Linwood Barclay, compete for victory, whilst the longlists for the CWA Dagger Awards were also announced at the festival. Among them were Irish writers, John Connolly, Jax Miller, Adrian McKinty, William Shaw and yours truly.

Dublin-based crime authors, Paul Perry and Karen Gillece, writing under the pen name, Karen Perry, were both panel members and moderators. Paul says, ‘Crimefest is a great festival where crime writers from around the world meet. Karen and I were on a panel on Thursday called Writing Duos: How Not To Come To Blows When You’re Both Writing The Same Book. Then on Saturday, I moderated Sending Shivers Down The Spine with A.K. Benedict, Jenny Blackhurst, Mason Cross and Kate Ellis. I loved the easy going atmosphere, with time to discuss and share a love of crime writing.’

However, you can’t discuss Crimefest without talking about Bristol. A city, ranked fifth in the U.K., with its riverside cafes and bars, weekend markets and buzzing atmosphere (even on rainy afternoons). It has an appeal all of its own. As crime fiction enthusiasts gathered on the stone steps of the Marriot, amid stunning architecture and cathedrals, with the waterfront only metres away, teenagers played on skateboards in the communal areas, and you got the feeling you were in a city comfortable with itself. Early Banksy art can also be found in the city of his birth, pieces created when he was seen as another kid with a can of spray paint in his hand.

So whether you sign up for a one-day or full weekend pass at Crimefest, you will be transported into a hub of crime fiction, together with festival goody bag and mock syringe pen. Last word of advice, if the popularity of this festival continues – Book early!

DEAD GOOD - Please vote!

Apologies for looking for support again, but it all helps! 

If you enjoyed the novels to date, I'm hoping you won't mind. 

In 5 days the nominations for The Dead Good Reader Awards close - if you vote, you could win £200's worth of books!

You can put the Dr Kate Pearson series in for the 'Tess Gerritsen Award for Best Series' and any of the individual novels (Red Ribbons, The Doll's House, Last Kiss, The Game Changer) in any of the other categories. THANK YOU in advance!

VOTE HERE

Edge of their seats!!!

Thrilled to read this review of The Game Changer in the Sunday Independent….

“The intensely personal nature of the malice that runs through this novel will keep familiar and new introductions alike on the edge of their seat throughout, as Pearson is forced to make a deeply traumatic journey of her own to uncover the truth…” 

To Read Full Review Visit HERE

Hiding Between the Covers!

Thank you Brian (aka K19) and top reader, for sending this pic from India!

So far he has sent pics with books from the Great Wall of China, the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and now with the Taj Mahal in India!

I wish I could hide within those covers!! :-)

So excited.....CWA Dagger Award Longlist!!!

I am home from Crimefest Bristol and I'm thrilled to have made the longlist for the CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY AWARD 2016! 

The award is for a body of work, which makes it extra extra special! Also congrats to fellow Irish Authors Adrian McKinty, Jax Miller and John Connolly, longlisted in other categories.....

See full longlist here...http://wwwshotsmagcouk.blogspot.ie/…/cwa-dagger-long-lists.…

Sometimes your heart does a little skip....

Sometimes your heart does a little skip of joy when you get emails like this......

"Dear Louise, I am writing to you to say thank you for such wonderful books, I've just finished the game changer, I couldn't put it down and it's one of my favourite books ever. I'm onto Red ribbons now (have to go backwards!!) and it's another one I can't put down!! I've passed the game changer onto a friend and I know she hasn't left the sofa for 2 days reading it 😊 You are an amazing talent, please keep the books coming, Dr. Kate is fabulous. Thanks again for these fab books."

Expect the Unexpected!

THE GUARDS  (2 Part Series- RTE ) Produced by Barry O Kelly –  Zucca Films

The Guards opens with the sound of police sirens in Dublin city, quickly followed by the breaking down of a door by Garda officers who repeatedly roar, ‘Gardaí, open up,’ to no avail. The target is a flat in the inner city. Behind the door are suspected drug dealers.

The gambit for the programme is the reality of policing in the city with cameras taking to the streets. ‘Expect the unexpected,’ says a female Garda during the opening segment. All of which sets the viewer up for an in-depth look at An Garda Siochana and how they go about their business.

Why these programmes capture the public imagination isn’t new. Viewing danger and being exposed to the dark and murky nature of individuals through our television screens, all within the safety and comfort of our own homes, is certainly a draw. Coupled with this, there are all the police-themed programmes, both documentary and fictional dramas, produced at home and abroad, which sets The Guards up to be a winner. However, quickly into the 1-hour film, some things feel wrong.

The soft sultry tones of the voice-over may have been chosen to avoid turning the programme into a hyped version of reality, but whatever the reason, it contributed to a feeling that the viewer was getting a sanitised, safe and carefully structured reflection of policing in the city. Grey-haired senior police officers sitting in a row viewing on-screen data added further to this sense of being fed selected information instead of getting down and dirty.

If it had been called a documentary on ‘drugs in the city’ it would have succeeded, as we certainly see the arduous life of policing fighting drugs with an endless stream of calls, reports, street observations and incidents that happen in their tens of thousands within Dublin North Central (the location where the filming took place). The police echoed what many others believe, that the vast majority of crimes are fuelled by the seemingly impossible drug epidemic.  ‘What you see,’ one officer said, speaking about drug addicts, ‘is a lesson in how not to live your life.’

The programme starts to turn into something new with the introduction of the beady-eyed, plain-clothed senior officer in charge of nailing the north city drug pushers. He stands in front of a series of wall monitors, each with a different camera view of the streets, looking like a panther about to pounce. You can almost feel the tension in his body and the rush of adrenalin as he takes in the smallest of movements – a dealer putting a ball of heroin into a back pocket, or, if he suspects the police have spotted him, into his mouth. You begin to get the sense that you are really seeing things as they are.

This feeling of reality continues when the dealer is caught and the momentary success of getting another bad guy off the streets is dashed. Despite being convicted of three counts of dealing; the offender gets a suspended sentence. Reality isn’t always entertaining, nor is the message that the work of the police and the follow up judicial system, often fails.

An excerpt of two female officers, one a reserve Garda, being attacked, isn’t easy to watch, but when the officers are praised for returning to duty the following day, it begs the question was the footage chosen for the nature of the attack or because they were female?

Catching the bad guys isn’t easy, nor is putting them away. Whatever the pros and cons of this two-part film are, the viewer is left in no doubt that the dangers on the streets are real, whether they are blood-filled syringes, pushers, or desperate people willing to do desperate things.

Research, research.....

Today's print outs for research!!! #novel5

Unchartered Waters – Distress Signals by Catherine Ryan Howard!

What happens when a person goes missing and there is no evidence of murder? It’s nothing more than an unexplained disappearance, or is it?

That’s the premise for the debut novel from Catherine Ryan Howard, author of the recently published crime thriller, DISTRESS SIGNALS (Corvus).  Here, the potential scene of the crime is an unusual location, a cruise liner where maritime laws have their own distinct idiosyncrasies and the normal rules of investigative policing don’t apply.

When Adam Dunne’s girlfriend, Sarah, fails to return home from a business trip, her disappearance brings up many unanswered questions. Adam meets a series of obstacles, not least of which is the lack of belief from the police, and others, that Sarah hasn’t simply decided to be somewhere else. His unwillingness to accept this puts him on a collision course with a deadly predator, who may have discovered the perfect hunting ground.

Written in clear, crisp prose, DISTRESS SIGNALS, is a formidable debut, with short chapters, adding a page turning quality that will propel the reader forward. Skilfully plotted, with well-paced suspense, each segment pulls you further into unraveling this jigsaw of secrets. A warmth and empathy for the principle protagonist and sundry characters is skilfully woven in this tale, forged with vibrant dialogue that brings each of the main players wonderfully to life. Enjoyable throughout. A perfect holiday read. 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED   

  

Flawed, Steely and Vulnerable - Sunday Business Post.....

THANK YOU Sunday Business Post for picking THE GAME CHANGER in Splendid Summer Reads....and very happy to see it as 1 of only 4 books marked as STAR READS......

"Phillips delivers a terrific, layered storyline and in Kate she develops a realistic, sympathetic protagonist: flawed, steely and vulnerable. The transatlantic nature of the plot elevates the novel beyond the parochial. A gripping detective thriller."

Today is one of those first days!!

Today is the first day any of my books have been part of a discounted eBook promotion!


Both RED RIBBONS & THE DOLL'S HOUSE are available (but ONLY for the next couple of days) at €2.49

VISIT LINK HERE: https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=Louise%20Phillips%20&ac=1&acp=Louise%20Phillips

(p.s. The Doll's House won the Best Irish Crime Novel of the Year)

PLEASE share if you can, or if you fancy a read, do order!!

Homeless Hotel - The Irish Times

HOMELESS HOTEL 

by Louise Phillips

(Published by The Irish Times 26th April 2016)

My name is Keeva. I am seven years old. I live in a hotel with my family because we don’t have a proper home. Some people think living in a hotel is good, but it isn’t. Before we came here, we slept in a car for three nights. When it got dark, we were freezing, and Dad said it was an adventure, and made us laugh. He used to laugh a lot, but he doesn’t do that anymore.

A few days ago, teacher asked everyone to draw a picture of their house. I held a chunky blue crayon tight in my hand, and started with the sky. That bit was easy, then I got stuck. I don’t remember our old house. I only remember bits of it, like the washing machine and other stuff we don’t have anymore. My mind went blank, like the telly, when you turn it off with the remote control, and everything is dark and quiet. I looked at my friends drawing, and I wanted to be like them. I wanted to be anyone other than me.

I understand what ‘ashamed’ means. It means not being as good as everybody else, being different, but not in a nice way. I’d like to be ordinary again, instead of being a homeless person.

I told my sister what happened at school. She said I should have drawn a made-up house, because nobody would know it was a lie, but I didn’t want to.

We don’t have a kitchen in our hotel room. In the mornings I eat my cereal in bed. Then I get two buses to school. It’s a long walk too, and sometimes I’m tired even though it’s early. Mam says we live in a dump, but it’s not really a dump, because the rubbish is put in bins.

There are two beds and a cot in the room. Mam and Dad sleep in one, and I sleep with my sister in the other. My baby brother Sean has the cot. He cries a lot, especially at night. Mam says he’s sick because Dad has him stuck in the room all day, but Dad is stuck there too, especially if it’s raining. The room isn’t big. There is a television, a wardrobe and a small fridge in it. The fridge makes a funny sound, and it used to keep me awake, but that’s fine now.

Some people stay in the hotel for a holiday. They have suitcases on wheels. I see them eating food in the restaurant, or watching television on the big screen. We’re not allowed to do that because those things are facilities. There are lots of facilities in the hotel. There is a list on the board in reception: the swimming pool, the sauna and the library. Other things are facilities too, like the magazines and newspapers on the tables, or the brochures in the clear plastic holders at the front door. The toilets are facilities as well, the ones with the brass women and men on the doors.

 At the weekends, because there is no school, I don’t have friends to play with. I used to like playing chasing, but we can’t do that in the hotel.  At first, we went to a park, especially on the days that the room got all hot and stuffy, but that stopped when Dad stopped laughing.

I don’t tell other people where I live, unless I have to. I think my Nana feels the same way, because in the afternoons, when Mam is working, and Nana picks me up from school, she makes me walk real fast, so nobody sees us.

On Fridays, I stay in her flat because she has a washing machine to wash our clothes. Then afterwards, at hotel room, she piles the clean clothes on the coffee table, even though we don’t drink coffee.

We had to get rid of loads of stuff before we came to the hotel, extra clothes, furniture, our cooker, pots and pans, the toaster and hot water bottles too. There wasn’t any room in the hotel for things like that.  

There are big cookers in the hotel, but they are part of the facilities, so we can’t use them. I like my food cold now. Mam says, its months since we’ve had a proper meal. ‘How can you have a proper meal in this dump?’ Dad doesn’t answer. I miss him smiling. I miss Mam smiling too. I hate being sad.

I told Nana about the drawing at school and she didn’t say anything, but squeezed my hand tight.

Yesterday, when we got off the bus, I was bursting to go to the toilet. Nana told me to hold it, but I couldn’t, so we sneaked into reception, instead of going through the door for the homeless people. The toilets with the brass lady on the door are there. I knew we could get into trouble, because the toilets are facilities, but Nana said she’d keep a look out. I washed my hands in all five basins, pressing the pink liquid soap. That made Nana laugh, so I wanted to do it again, but she said there was no point in pushing our luck.

In the corridor, there was a big wooden frame with lots of words on a piece of paper. I wasn’t sure if it was a facility or not, so I asked Nana.

‘I suppose it is,’ she said.

‘Why?’

‘Because it’s belongs to the hotel, and it’s for the guests.’

‘What does it say?’

‘It’s the proclamation.’

‘What’s that?’

‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘What’s a proc-la-mate-ion, Nana?’

‘I told you, it’s not important.’

But it must have been because she did that strange thing with her face, when the lines on her forehead get deeper.

A woman with a baby and a little girl passed us by. They were going to the toilets too. They looked like they were part of the ‘everybody else’, the people who pay to stay in the hotel. Nana pretended we were like them, and that we weren’t in a hurry to get back to our room.

‘Read it, Nana.’

‘It’s very long.’

‘Read it fast then,’ and I squeezed her hand the way she sometimes squeezes mine.

It sounded like she was singing, the words tumbling out so quickly, but near the end, her voice slowed down. I saw a big fat tear run down her cheek before she wiped it away. Mam cries all the time, but Nana doesn’t, so that got me worried.

‘What’s wrong, Nana?’

‘Nothing, sweetheart.’

And, I knew she was lying.

‘Read that bit again, Nana?’

‘Okay.’

I was happy her voice wasn’t cross.

She read the bit about a thing called a republic and something about happiness. Then she got to the bit about cherishing children equally, and I thought she would cry again.

‘What’s a re-pub-lic, Nana?’

‘It’s a place without a King or Queen.’

‘What does cherishing the children mean?’

‘It means making sure they’re okay, cared for, and not left behind.’

‘Why, where does the proc-la-mate-ion want to take them?’

‘It’s not a place, honey. It’s a way of life.’

‘Nana, why did you cry?’

‘I didn’t.’

‘You did. I saw it.’

Then the woman with the little girl and the baby came out of the toilets. The baby looked like Sean. The mother smiled at Nana, and she pulled me close. After they disappeared, we started walking again.

‘Where are we going, Nana?’

‘We’re going to your room.’

‘Will Dad and Simon be there?’

‘Where else would they be?’

‘Will we ever live in a house again, Nana?’

‘I hope so.’

‘I hope so too, because then you, and Mam and Dad, won’t be sad anymore.’

Her grip got tighter, so I kept on talking.

‘And I can draw the house, and Mam and Dad and everything else will be like it used to be.’

‘That would be lovely, sweetheart.’

‘The pro-clam-ate-ion people would like that too, wouldn’t they?’

‘I imagine they would.’