The Crime Warp

  It's lovely to have Dave Sivers over here on The Crime Warp today ... of course we are maintinaing soical distance, yet despite that, Dave had provided us with a lovely selection of home made scones ... who'd have thought I'd be scoffing scones, drinking coffee and chatting with an old friend wearing my Hazmat suit. So, onto the interview... Liz: Tell us a bit about your current book release, Dave. Dave:  In Ink introduces a new protagonist, DI Nathan Quarrel, and is set in West Hertfordshire, especially the small market town of Tring and the larger town of Hemel Hempstead. It’s a serial killer chiller in which the killer’s MO includes a macabre calling card based on Tarot cards. Liz:  How long did In Ink take to write? Available here Dave: In the past I’ve been a pantser – I’ve known how the book opens, known how it will end, and flown from A to B by the seat of my pants. I found, though, that the first draft probably took longer than ...

Dave Sivers grew up in West London and has been writing all his life. His books include the popular crime series featuring the Aylesbury Vale detectives, DI Lizzie Archer and DS Dan Baines.  The Scars Beneath the Soul  and  Dead in Deep Water  were both top three bestsellers in the Amazon Kindle Serial Killers chart. His next novel,  In Ink , introducing DI Nathan Quarrel, will be published on 15 May. Dave lives in Buckinghamshire with his wife, Chris, and is a founder of the annual BeaconLit festival of books and writing. Over to you Dave. Two books that influenced me. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C S Lewis. I inherited love of story from my mum and quickly realised that primary school ‘compositions’ could be used as an excuse to make my own stories – so I’ve honestly been writing since age six. But it was around that age that a teacher called Miss Jones introduced us to Narnia by reading us a chapter a day. Stephen King talks of the ‘hol...

Ad link to buy I love James Carol's books, particularly his Jefferson Winters' ones, and I wasn't sure what to expect with 17 Church Row as it seemed, from the blurb, to be very different from his previous books. What enticed me to try it, apart from my respect for his writing, was the creepiness of the concept of the book. The idea that when you feel safest, you might actually be most at risk. So here's the blurb: Blurb Three years ago, Nikki and Ethan Rhodes suffered a devastating loss when their four-year-old daughter Grace was tragically killed in a road accident. Ethan, a radio personality, escapes into work, leaving Nikki to care for their remaining child, Bella, who hasn't spoken since that day. Seeking a fresh start, the family moves into a revolutionary new house designed by renowned architect, Catriona Fisher. The house features a state-of-the-art security system, along with every amenity you could dream of. For the Rhodes' this is a chanc...

This series of My Life of Crime is proving to be both delightful and varied. Today's visitor to the blog, John Nicholl, is no different as he reveals the things that influence him in life and in writing.  John Nicholl, an ex-police officer, child protection social worker and lecturer, has written six darkly psychological suspense thrillers, each of which has been an Amazon #1 bestseller.   John’s books are set in the UK and have a strong Welsh flavour. He began writing after leaving his job heading up child protection services for Carmarthenshire. Two books that influenced me Castaway  by Lucy Irvine A true story of adventure and human endurance in the face of adversity. An uplifting and beautifully written book that inspired me to write. The Alchemist  by Paulo Coelho An inspiring story that encourages its readers to follow their true life path. Happiness and fulfilment may be closer than you think. I only began writing five years ...

If you're after disturbing, thought provoking psychological thrillers with a dark edge, then look no further for today we have J.A. Baker on the blog... and she can't be so frightening after all because she brought me my favourite biccy - Tunnock's Teacakes!  Here's a little more about the author, then it's over to her ...  J.A.BAKER was born and brought up in North East England and has had a love of language for as long as she can remember. She has a love of local history and genealogy and enjoys reading many genres of books but is an addict of psychological thrillers. In December 2016 she was signed by Bloodhound Books who published Undercurrent. Her second novel, Her Dark Retreat was published in October 2017 and The Other Mother was published in December 2017. Her fourth novel, Finding Eva was published in August 2018. J.A. Baker has four grown-up children and a grandchild and lives in a village near Darlington with her husband and madcap dog. You find out...