CRIME FICTION FANS IN FOR A TREAT

Three big name crime fiction/thriller writers are visiting New Zealand in coming weeks.

Jeffery Deaver will be here to promote his latest title, The Sleeping Doll, while Kathy Reichs (right) is touring in support of her new title, Bones to Ashes. And from the UK comes David Hewson promoting his 10th novel, The Promised Land.

They are all big author names and should attract a lot of attention.

I haven't read The Sleeping Doll yet, it is in the pile for early attention though, but the cover blurb describes it as a dark & multi-layered psychological thriller about a viscious killer's escape from a high security Cailfornia prison & the deadly task he embarks on once he's free. Typical Deaver stuff.

He has more than 20 novels published, and two collections of short stories. He has won or been shortlisted for many crime fiction awards over the years, and his books always appear on best-seller lists on both sides of the Atlantic.

Kathy Reichs is in real life a world-class forensic anthropologist and the protagonist in this the 10th in the series, Dr.Temperance Brennan, is also a forensic anthropologist working in Montreal. She has a reputation for her uncanny ability to read clues left behind in victim's bones.

I started reading Bones to Ashes last night in bed and got to page 110 before falling asleep. As soon as I finish writing this I'm getting back to it as it is totally compelling and I'm hooked.

People often compare Reichs with Patricia Cornwell but for my money she is street's ahead of Cornwell.

Here are the deatils of her events:

Monday, 17 September (Christchurch)
Event: The Press Literary Liaison
Time: 7pm
Venue: Christchurch Art Gallery, Worcester Boulevard & Montreal Street cnr
Bookings: The Press, 03 379 0940

Tuesday, 18 September (Wellington)
Event: Good Bones NZ Book Council
Time: 7pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre One, Rutherford House, Bunny Street, Thorndon
Bookings: NZ Book Council, (04) 499 1569

Wednesday, 19 September (Auckland)
Event: New Zealand Herald/Dymocks Literary Lunch
Time: 12pm - 2pm

Venue: Hyatt Hotel, Cnr Waterloo Quadrant & Princes Street

Bookings: Dymocks, 09 5208805 or newmarket@dymocks.co.nz

Event: NORTH SHORE LIBRARIES FOUNDATION/WHITCOULLS
Time: 7pm
Venue: Rosmini College, 36 Dominion St, Takapuna
Bookings: Ticketek, 09 307 5000 or http://www.ticketek.com/

David Hewson I know because of his series of five Rome-based crime fiction novels featuring Nic Costa. This new title, The Promised Land, is a stand-alone title and is also in my pile for early reading. He has spoken at many Festivals and before becoming a fulltime author was an arts journalist with The Times & The Independent.


Hewson is speaking at a NZ Book Council event in Auckland:

Tuesday 4 September
Location:
Hobson Room, Jubilee Conference Centre, 545 Parnell Road, Parnell , Auckland.
Tue 4 Sep, 2007 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Book Council members$10.50

Students/unwaged$13.00Non-members$16.00

All three authors have websites - Jeffery Deaver

and Kathy Reichs and David Hewson