“Who are your favorite crime writers?”
I’ve been alerted by more experienced writer friends to expect this question when I start speaking at events to promote my debut mystery. I’ve also been told that a) my mind will go blank and b) answering this is a minefield.
Conan Doyle is acceptable, as is Dame P.D. James. Agatha Christie is safe, even if she raises a few eyebrows among those who relish modern, ultra gory stories. Donna Leon, she of the wonderful Guido Brunetti series set in Venice, is widely admired for her likeable, self-deprecatory policeman and her ability to publish at least one book a year without becoming stale.
But dig deeper in current crime lit and you’re going to be making choices. If you actually know some of the people you name, that’s cool. But you’d better do the Sarah Palin thing and write the list on your palm because if you leave any of your crime writing friends off the list, you may inadvertently hurt someone’s feelings. How do I mention Cara Black and not Sophie Littlefield? Kelli Stanley and not Simon Wood? David Corbett and not Cornelia Read? Diana Orgain and not Camille Minichino? Louise Ure but not Margit Liesche? I’m already leaving writers off this sample list, which is making me unhappy.
So, I’ll say – and mean it – we are living in good times as far as crime fiction goes. From one end of the spectrum to another, there’s snap, crackle, and pop in the pages of a hundred or more new books every year. Every book offers me something provocative, evocative, or funny to enjoy in the moment.
Who influences my own writing is another question. I’ll try to answer it another time. In the meantime, I’d love to hear from others: Who are your favorites?