January Crime round-up

January saw a whole slew of crime and thrillers from authors new and established, from Mary Higgins Clark to Peter Leonard, plus the televison tie-ins of Michael Dibdin’s Aurelio Zen mysteries.

The Boscombe Valley Mystery

The fourth entry in our series featuring Sir Arthus Conan Doyle’s classic creation, the arch sleuth Sherlock Holmes, is The Boscombe Valley Mystery.

It was originally published in The Strand magazine in 1891, the illustrations are by Sidney Paget.

Read an extract from American Assassin

International No. 1 bestselling author Vince Flynn latest fast-paced thriller, American Assassin, is published this month. Download the Prelude.

Read an extract from The Inspector and Silence

Download the first three chapters of Håkan Nesser’s The Inspector and Silence mystery which is published later this year.

The author is talking at UCL’s first Nordic Noir book club meeting on February 3rd.

The January Competition [closed]

Win new titles by Peter Leonard and Lynda La Plante in Bookdagger’s January competition.

Nordic Noir: Shadows in the Snow

On February 3rd, the University College London’s Scandinavian Studies course launches its very own book club, Nordic Noir.

The first meeting will take shape as an investigation into Swedish crime fiction with speakers including best-selling author Håkan Nesse. Come and join the discussion.

A Case of Identity

The third entry in our series featuring Sir Arthus Conan Doyle’s classic creation, the arch sleuth Sherlock Holmes, is A Case of Identity.

Originally published in The Strand magazine in 1891, the illustrations are by Sidney Paget.

The Martin Edwards Column: Parody and Pastiche

For readers with a penchant for a little light humour amongst all that mystery, intrigue and blood, crime novelist, editor and commentator Martin Edwards suggests some ‘spoof-sleuth’ reading matter in his first Bookdagger column of 2011.

Vince Flynn on the origins of Mitch Rapp

International No. 1 bestselling author Vince Flynn reveals the origins of Mitch Rapp, the lethal, CIA-trained killing machine of American Assassin, published this month.

The Red-Headed League

In the second of a new weekly series Bookdagger features Sir Arthus Conan Doyle’s classic creation, the arch sleuth Sherlock Holmes, this week inThe Red-Headed League.

Originally published in The Strand magazine in 1891, the illustrations are by Sidney Paget.

Read an extract from The Shadow of your Smile

Mary Higgins Clark is the author of twenty-nine suspense novels; three collections of short stories; a historical novel, and a memoir. She is the co-author with her daughter, Carol Higgins Clark, of five holiday suspense novels.

Read an extract fom her latest thriller, published this month.

Destination… Murder? Part Two

Faber Editor Katerine Armstrong has gone on sabbatical. As a crime fiction fan she’s decided to explore some of the crime fiction writers – and their characters – that she may encounter on her travels.

Well-read and now very well traveled, this second and final article features Katherine’s favourite authors from Australia and New Zealand…

Destination… Murder? Part One

Faber Editor Katerine Armstrong has gone on sabbatical. As a crime fiction fan she’s decided to explore some of the crime fiction writers – and their characters – that she may encounter on her travels.

This first article features Katherine’s favourite American authors…

A Scandal in Bohemia

In the first of a new weekly series Bookdagger features Sir Arthus Conan Doyle’s classic creation, the arch sleuth Sherlock Holmes, in his first short story adventure A Scandal in Bohemia.

Originally published in The Strand magazine in 1891, the illustrations are by Sidney Paget.