Blogger's Blag: You either Love them or Hate them but what is it about Tattoos that fascinates the world of Crime fiction? (and a tricky little competition - Guess which crime writer sports this tattoo)

In the criminal world (both fact and fiction I guess)  tattoos can play a significant role whether it’s prison tattoos linking the wearer to a particular gang or allegiance or the tattoo found on a dead body and used to identify the victim.


  Sometimes, the tattoo can identify a perpetrator or provide a clue to the detective solving a crime.  Sometimes they are just delicious works of art that

deserve a mention for their beauty and the skill of execution.

In this article I’m taking a light-hearted look at tattoo’s in the world of crime fiction with specific reference to fiction where tattoos are a significant part  of the plot.  My first has to be…

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The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

The Dragon tattoo in this book has such significance.  It embodies the very essence of Lisbeth Salander’s being.  Her personal tattoos each represent her harsh life experiences and take on such vitality and symbolism – they almost  become  proof of her survival against the unjust system that lets her down at every turn.  But of course we can’t ignore the ominous ‘tattoo’ scene where Lisbeth takes her own revenge on her abuser by tattooing him – disturbing to read, visceral but, I must admit, strangely satisfying.  The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo proves she has ‘fire’.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Girl-Dragon-Tattoo-Millennium-Book-ebook/dp/B002RI9ZQ8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1423136048&sr=1-1&keywords=the+girl+with+the+dragon+tattoo

Original Skin by David Mark

my freshly done peacock tattoo

The second DS Aector McAvoy book takes us into the world of Body Art in a big way.  A serial killer's victims all sport a particular type of back tattoo.  Original Skin takes us into the world of tattooing as an industry and opened me up to the aesthetics of tattoos, in fact this was the book that inspired me to have my first tattoo.  I found it a welcome change from the concept of tattoos as sinister, thuggish and unsightly - here was a crime book that celebrated tattoos and all their beauty (not to say that you can't get some bloody ugly tatts- but mines not).
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Original-Skin-Aector-Mcavoy-Book-ebook/dp/B009P1WDU0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1423135967&sr=1-1&keywords=original+skin

Dead Men's Bones by James Oswald

In this supernatural crime thriller by James Oswald a male body is discovered with every inch of his skin freshly tattooed - takes torture to a whole new level doesn't it?  Scary, creepy and downright worrying, Oswald takes us on a tour of Edinburgh Tattoo Parlours in his search for his supernatural killer.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Mens-Bones-Inspector-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00I9PVKJS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1423135891&sr=1-1&keywords=dead+men%27s+bones

The Grave Tattoo by Val McDermid
Tattoo's on a corpse found in the Lake District take a historic turn when there are links to Wordsworth and The Mutiny on the Bounty.  This is an extravagant exploration of history with a crime writer's edge.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grave-Tattoo-Val-McDermid-ebook/dp/B002RI9P9K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1423135820&sr=1-1&keywords=the+grave+tattoo




The Divergent series by Veronica Roth
In these young adult  apocalyptic thrillers tattoo's are symbolic of the struggle against 'the state'.  They are the symbol of justice and equality.  The main characters Four

and Tris each sport tattoo's representing the elements of each faction as they fight against state conspiracy to win social justice.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Divergent-Trilogy-books-Veronica-Roth-ebook/dp/B00FAI7S16/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1423135720&sr=1-1&keywords=the+divergent+series

Mystery of the Whale Tattoo and The Mark of the Blue Tattoo by FW Dixon & RH Tandy
Even the good old Hardy boy's mysteries involve tattoo's and in a blast from the past we see the nasty old criminal sporting crucial tattoo's that lead the intrepid duo to capture him.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hardy-Boys-47-Mystery-Tattoo-ebook/dp/B002C0XQ70/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1423135659&sr=1-1&keywords=the+mystery+of+the+whale+tattoo


The Skin Collector by Jeffrey Deaver

We know when Lincoln Rhyme gets in on the action that we're into serious Chemistry of Tattoos territory.  In The Skin Collector a serial killer uses poisonous ink to tattoo his victims- charming!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Skin-Collector-Lincoln-Rhyme-ebook/dp/product-description/B00H4EPCSK/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=341677031&s=digital-text

So, conclusions!  ... well clearly crime fiction author's are ever increasingly creative when using body art in their books.   From poisonous inks to autistic girls using tattoos as revenge against her abuser, from symbols of justice and truth to a delve into Britains historic pastures, frombeauty and creativity to torture and maiming and from the supernatural world of torture to the traditional 'bad men sport tattoo's'... rock on Tattoo's Rule

Competition

 Which UK Crime Fiction writer sports these brilliant sleeves?

Email the Author's Name under the subject heading Tattoo competition  to  thecrimewarpblog@yahoo.co.uk  before midnight on 15th March to win this collection of books.  Winners chosen at random.