Bodleian Library to publish new P D James
22.05.09 Catherine Neilan reporting in The Bookseller

The Bodleian Library is publishing an inside look at detective fiction written by "queen" of the genre P D James.
Due out on 1st October, as a hardback priced £12.99, Talking About Detective Fiction is "a personal history", which covers the development of the genre from Wilkie Collins and Arthur Conan Doyle to those writing today. The book is also interspersed with personal anecdotes taken from James' perspective as a writer and a reader.

The Bodleian Library had approached James, who has been a friend of the library for many years, after hearing her discussing the genre on the radio.
The Bodleian Library publisher, Samuel Fanous, said: "It's a very personal look at the genre of detective fiction from one of its foremost practitioners . . . The book does so many things—it is a brief history, it casts a critical eye over the genre, it looks at setting the scene from the perspective of the author . . . as well as the future of the genre. "It addresses very interesting questions, such as why detective fiction is still popular, the function of the genre in society, and why it's more popular in some cultures than others."

The Bodleian Library is planning "an extensive marketing campaign", with author events being planned around publication. Details will be announced shortly.
Fanous added: "What she has to say about the genre will be of genuine interest to any of her readers, aspiring authors and lovers of detective fiction generally. She writes with great economy, humour and flair."