MAY DAY ALERT MAY DAY ALERT

I didn´t really know what to post today until I came across Care´s post, Happy May Day´s Eve.

Life is too short to worry. Here are some blue flowers for you to look at while I enjoy the last hours of April in our wonderful garden.

DJ's Bait in the Box # 15

[This week´s box belongs to crimefictionreader, It´s a Crime! (Or a Mystery)]

Meet the gardener of this crime debut, an outstanding stand-alone. (Old? Oh no, the book has just about come of age).

“´I don´t rightly know how to say it´ - she thought she saw compassion in his eyes - ´but it´s got to be told.´

Then tell me,´ she prompted gently. ´I´m sure it can´t be that bad.´ She glanced at Benson, the yellow Labrador, still lying placidly by Diana´s chair. ´Has Hedges been run over?´

He reached out a rough, mud-caked hand from between the folds of the rug and with a familiarity that was quite out of character placed it on hers and squeezed gently. The gesture was a brief as it was unexpected. ´There´s a body in the old ice house, madam.´”

The Rules:
If you recognize the quotation, or if you think you are able to guess who wrote it, please post a comment. Just leave a hint, do not spoil the fun by giving too much away. The book will be reviewed on Friday as usual.

Gæt en bog # 15.
Mød gartneren i denne bemærkelsesværdige, britiske krimidebut, som ikke er en del af en serie. (Gammel – ok nej, den er ikke mere end lige myndig).

”Jeg ved ikke rigtig, hvordan jeg skal sige det” – hun syntes, hun så medlidenhed i hans øjne – ”men det må fortælles.”

”Så fortæl mig det, opfordrede hun blidt. ”Jeg er sikker på, det ikke kan være så galt.” Hun kastede et blik på Benson, den gyldne labrador, der stadig lå fredsommeligt ved Dianas drømmeseng. ”Er Hedges blevet kørt over?”

Han rakte en barket, jordskorpet hånd frem fra tæppets folder, lagde den over hendes og klemte den blidt med en fortrolighed, der slet ikke lignede ham. Bevægelsen var lige så kortvarig, som den var uventet. ”Der er et lig i det gamle ishus, frue.”

Reglerne:
Hvis du kan genkende citatet, eller hvis du tror du kan gætte hvem forfatteren er, så læg venligst en kommentar. Skriv bare et hint til nye besøgende, lad være med at ødelægge fornøjelsen for andre.

Agatha Christie, Murder at the Vicarage (1930)

Cozy Mystery Challenge # 1

I had three good reasons to choose this one as the first in my cozy mystery challenge: it is a real classic, it takes place in a vicarage, and a vicar´s wife plays an important role in it. (See my own vicarage below the review).

As a rule, vicars in British crime fiction are unworldly and impractical, or naïve and boring. But reverend Clement is quite appealing in his total adoration of his unsuitably beautiful young Griselda.

The church warden, tiresome and choleric Colonel Protheroe, is killed when he is going to reveal something to the vicar. A narrow circle of suspects are all gathered in a handful of houses around the vicarage in St Mary Mead.

We are introduced to Mrs Marple through the eyes of Griselda. The kind vicar likes her for her sense of humour, but his wife is more skeptical: “She is the worst cat in the village… And she always knows every single thing that happens – and draws the worst inferences from it.”

The characters are sketched by quick strokes of the pen, and some of the typical ´roles´ in this – as in many other Christie novels – are the gruff ex officer, the spinster, the vamp, the untidy young girl, the naïve or flighty maids, the mysterious newcomer etc.

And of course there is Miss Marple, spinster and private eye by virtue of her observant, or should we say curious, nature. She often works in her front garden with its perfect view of the doings of the villagers, equipped with her binoculars ´for bird watching´. In this first Marple novel she is efficient and perspicacious, but does not appear as sympathetic as in later books.

The police are mainly represented by Inspector Slack, the supercilious type who draws his own hasty conclusions and invariably fails to listen to others. But when everything seems hopeless, Miss Marple takes charge. Fear not, justice will prevail.

See Kerrie´s review on Mysteries in Paradise.


Agatha Christie, Mordet i præstegården (1951)
Cozy Mystery Challenge # 1.

For mig er der mindst tre gode grunde til at anmelde denne bog som den første i min cozy mystery challenge: den er en rigtig klassiker inden for genren, den udspiller sig i en præstegård, og en præstekone har en væsentlig rolle i den. Præster i britiske krimier er som regel verdensfjerne og upraktiske, eller naive og kedelige. Men pastor Clement er i det mindste tiltalende i sin totale tilbedelse af sin ganske upassende smukke og unge Griselda.

Kirkeværgen, den besværlige og koleriske oberst Protheroe bliver myrdet, netop som han vil til at betro præsten et eller andet. En snæver kreds af mistænkte befinder sig alle i de få huse omkring præstegården i St Mary Mead.

Griselda skal til teselskab, og her skal vi møde Miss Marple for første gang. Den rare pastor kan godt lide miss Marple, som ´i hvert fald har humoristisk sans.” Griselda er mere skeptisk: ”Hun er den største sladderhank i byen. Hun ved alt, hvad der foregår, og hun lægger den værste betydning i det alt sammen.”

Personerne bliver hurtigt skitseret, og nogle af de typiske ´roller´ i denne som i mange andre Christie-romaner er den koleriske ex-officer, gammeljomfruen, vampen, den sjuskede unge pige, de naive eller forfløjne tjenestepiger, den mystiske, nyopdukkede fremmede osv.

Og så er der selvfølgelig Miss Marple, gammeljomfru og privatdetektiv, i kraft af sin observante, eller skal vi kalde det nysgerrige, natur. Hun arbejder ofte i sin have, med god udsigt til landsbyboernes gøren og laden, udstyret med sin nyttige ´fuglekikkert´. I denne første Marple-bog er hun effektiv og skarpsindig, men fremstår ikke nær så sympatisk som i senere bøger.

Politiet repræsenteres blandt andet af inspector Slack, den overlegne type, som hellere drager forhastede slutninger og låser sig fast på sin egen opfattelse, end lytter til andre. Men bedst som det hele ser håbløst ud, er Miss Marple selvfølgelig på pletten.

Se Kerries anmeldelse, Mysteries in Paradise, og ´min´ præstegård her under.

Peter Temple & Vegetables

It is probably time to tell you what Peter Temple, or rather his characters, have to say on vegetables in The Broken Shore.

"It´s likely to be murder. Lives, he´s a cabbage."
"Did you ever ask yourself why they hit on the cabbage? What about the carrot? How about the Brussels sprout?"

Thank you to all of you who played along.


Peter Temple & grønsager
Det er nok på tide at opklare, hvad Peter Temple, eller rettere hans personer, har at sige om grønsager i "Den knuste kyst."

"Det ser ud til at blive til mord. Overlever han, bliver det som grøntsag."
"Har du nogensinde spurgt dig selv, hvad slags grøntsag man mener med det? En gulerod, måske? Eller hvad med rosenkål?"

Tak til alle jer, som legede med.

What Vegetable Are You?

[Min første udgave, på dansk, kan findes her]

I bet you know the kind of thing. What colour are you? What animal are you? What vegetable or fruit are you? You probably just toss something off, but I have had plenty of time to think about it recently. What kind of vegetable am I?

I would really like to be a strong, crunchy carrot. Full of colour and bite, even better raw than cooked, just ready to eat. Or what about a peach? Silky skin in beautiful, coordinated colours and a sweet, succulent core. The kind of fruit you would put in a pretty bowl and display on the table.

Actually, I think I am more like a leek or a celery stick. Long and lanky, bristling wisps on top, and no redeeming bends or curves. No good at using my feeble limbs, and speaking my own cause, that is just not me.

I find myself wavering between the two. Leek or celery, celery or leek? Perhaps my colour of skin can solve the issue? Discreetly, I cast sidelong glances down myself. Would one call the main impression pale green or maggot white? I am finding it still harder to find words for the exact nuances, but they are far from pretty. Neither can I deny there is a stark or importunate smell to me now and then. Don´t you think I know that I have been lying around in this buzzing cold counter beneath the clinical neon tubes for too long?

Most of the time I am just waiting. Once in a while lovely women pay me attention, stroking their life giving hands down my skinny body, dwelling briefly here and there. Some of them wear gloves. I don´t like that much, it creates such a distance between us. Oh, this one didn´t take me with her home either.

I do understand you, sister, I am completely useless, and would just lie about, rotting in your vegetable bin, old and stringy as I am after three months on my back.

What I loathe most of all is when there is more than one of them. When they stand there, discussing my future prospects as if I were not there. If I could just get one word in. Please, someone, couldn´t you just try to listen! All I am trying to say is, “please switch off that bloody machine!”

Awards, Awards, and a Humble Anniversary

DesertRose has overwhelmed me this week by giving me not only one, but two awards.

2009 Friendly Blogger Award
I am going to give this one to Alyce, Dar, Care, Dawn and Jackie – five great book blogs I have not visited or commented on as often as I want to. I appreciate your well-written and inspiring blogs, folks – and I do peep in once or twice a week, whether I remember to tell you or not.

Alyce, At Home With Books
Dar, Peeking Between the Pages
Care, Care´s Online Book Club
Dawn, She Is Too Fond Of Books
Jackie, Farm Lane Books Blog


The Super Comments Award ”You Don´t Say”
"We give and get awards for having a great blog and being a good friend. What I want to award is those people whose comments have meant THE WORLD to me. It takes time to visit a blog and leave a comment ... I wanted to recognize some special bloggers whose comments have made such an impact on me. The “You Don’t Say?” Award is awarded to these special bloggers in hopes that they will pass the award along to 5-10 of their best commenters!"

You can all read here what I should do. I have decided that I won´t ´count my blessings´, however. Instead I want to thank each and every one of you who have helped me make this blog a better place by leaving kind, funny, sweet, inspiring humorous, cheeky or curious comments – and certainly also to you who have just taken the time to say ´hi, I am here´.

Finally, I also want to thank the 3000 people from 61 different countries who have visited my blog over the latest 2½ months. I know you are not 3000 different persons; on the contrary many of you are surprisingly faithful. And I assure you, without you this blog wouldn´t be the same.

Krimi og Arkæologi

Kombinationen krimi og arkæologi går ofte rigtig godt i spænd. Mit seneste eksempel er Kate Ellis´ The Merchant´s House, hvor fundene af en kvinde og et spædbarn fra 1600-tallet udgør en vigtig sidehistorie.

I slutningen af marts anmeldte jeg Tana French, Skoven. Plottet i denne thriller begynder med, at en ganske ung pige bliver fundet myrdet på en ældgammel offersten af en gruppe arkæologer. (Martin Edwards placerer også et lig på en gammel offersten i The Coffin Trail, men der figurerer ingen arkæologier i plottet).

Tidligere i marts anmeldte jeg Mari Jungstedts Den inderste kreds. Her spiller en flok amatør-arkæologer også en vigtig rolle, og én af dem bliver offer for morderen.

Tilbage i december læste jeg Val McDermid, The Grave Tattoo. Bogen er en meget underholdende skipperskrøne, hvor et gammelt moselig og arkæologen River Wilde spiller nogle af de væsentlige roller.

De senest anmeldte er de bedste, men alle bøgerne er bestemt værd at læse.

Læsernes tilføjelser:
Ann Cleeves, Red bones
S.J. Bolton, Sacrifice
Brian McGilloway, Bleed a River Deep
Sharyn McCrumb, Lovely in her Bones + Paying the Piper
(begge fra Elizabeth MacPherson-serien)


Crime & Archeology.
Crime and archeology often go really well together. My latest example is Kate Ellis´ The Merchant House, in which the bodies of a woman and a baby from the 17th century make up an important plotline.

In March I reviewed Tana French, In the Woods. In this thriller, the body of a young teenage girl is found on an old sacrificial stone by a team of archaeologists. (The body on the sacrificial stone was also used by Martin Edwards in The Coffin Trail, but no archaeologists in this book – as far as I remember).

Earlier in March I reviewed Mari Jungstedt, The Inner Circle (Unknown). Here a group of amateur archaeologists play an important role, one of as the victim.

Back in December I readVal McDermid, The Grave Tattoo. In my eyes the story is an entertaining cock-and-bull story in which an old bog find and the archaeologist River Wild play some of the important parts.

The two latest are the best books (three latest if we include The Cipher Garden), but all the books are worth reading.

My readers´ additions:
Ann Cleeves, Red bones
S.J. Bolton, Sacrifice
Brian McGilloway, Bleed a River Deep
Sharyn McCrumb, Lovely in her Bones + Paying the Piper
(both part of the Elizabeth MacPherson series)

NB: what fruit or vegetable are you?

I came across the question "what kind of vegetable" in Peter Temple´s wonderful "The Broken Shore".

He has inspired me to write my own answer, but I will give you time to think about it - and perhaps share your answer.

Come back Monday for the answer to one of life´s great mysteries.

Kate Ellis, The Merchant´s House (1998)

[Denne bog er desværre ikke oversat til dansk]

The book is the author´s debut and the first in the Wesley Peterson series.

The story begins with any mother´s nightmare: a little boy disappears from the front garden. Next the skeletons of a woman and a baby are found among the remnants of The Merchant´s House, a sixteenth century building, by some archaeologists. Third, a woman walking her dog comes across the body of a young woman. And voila, the scene is set for a great crime story.

The story takes place in quiet ´Tradmouth´, Devon. The protagonist is DS Wesley Peterson, “smart, tall, dark brown face, pleasant and intelligent”, who studied archaeology before joining the police force so he prefers his bones dry. He has just moved to Tradmouth, and enjoys the change from London, but is forced to realize that he has brought his marital problems with him.

Wesley is even fully equipped with his own Dr Watson in the shape of Neil Watson, archaeologist and fellow student of Wesley. Neil is very engaged in solving the story of the old skeletons, and obviously enjoys working together with his old friend.

Apart from the modern crime story we get some journal entries, written by John Banized, the merchant of the story, in 1623. A good way of giving the reader some background knowledge for the old case, but the only minus in this really fine debut is that nothing much happens in the first many journal entries.

A recurring theme is parents and children (wanting them, having them or losing them), and the crime case is well planned and carried out all the way through, with nice little tidbits scattered over the pages, together with the very convincing descriptions of the characters.

NB: if you should be looking for Tradmouth, you´d better try this blogpost instead of consulting your maps.

Peter Temple, The Broken Shore (2005)

This crime novel is the first in Temple´s new series about homicide detective Joe Cashin who recently moved from Melbourne to his hometown.

I haven’t read much Australian crime fiction so this was an excellent way for me to approach foreign territory. Temple has created a strong sense of environment, of a ´different´ English language, the countryside and the national character of the ´vegemite eaters´. (Absolutely no offence, just curiosity). Furthermore, the reader learns a lot about the strained relationship between Aboriginals and white Australians, plus the gap between rich and poor.

The protagonist, Joe Cashin, is a likeable cop who cares – maybe too much. Cashin has his own load of ghosts and guilt to see to, but as the story moves on he must also deal with the repeated accusations of police violence and corruption.

Senior Detective Rick Hopgood is thrown in for contrast, the colleague Cashin is forced to cooperate with, an unpleasant macho man with racist attitudes.

The plot does not exactly move at a fast pace in the beginning, but there is a quiet sense of petty crime while we are waiting for something to happen in the case of the old man who was knocked down, and when the story gathers speed, Peter Temple delivers a very satisfactory solution to the crime.

What more can I say? Peter Temple is a great April discovery, and fits in really well with my crime for all theme – just like the book I plan to review tomorrow.

A language comment: to some extent I agree with German and Danish readers who claim the novel does not translate well. By coincidence, I have both a Danish and an English version sitting next to me, and while the Danish translation is good workmanship, it is just not the same, exhilarating experience.

Peter Temple, Den knuste kyst (2008)
Denne krimi er den første i Temples nye serie om kriminalbetjent Joe Cashin, som for nylig er flyttet fra storbyen Melourne til sin fødeby.

Jeg har ikke læst mange australske krimier, så bogen her var en fantastisk vej ind på fremmed territorium. Peter Temple er rigtig god til at skildre miljøet, det anderledes, engelske sprog, livet på landet og Vegemite-ædernes nationalkarakter. Desuden får læseren et grundigt indblik i det anstrengte forhold mellem aboriginals og hvide, samt kløften mellem rig og fattig.

Hovedpersonen, Joe Cashin, er en sympatisk strisser, som er fuld af empati – måske endda mere end det er godt for ham. Cashin har sin egen last af spøgelser og skyldfølelse at bære rundt på, men som historien udvikler sig, bliver han også nødt til at forholde sig til de gentagne beskyldninger om politivold og korruption.

Som kontrast har vi Rick Hopgood, leder af efterforskningsgruppen i Cromarty, den nærmeste større by, en racistisk machokollega, Cashin bliver tvunget ud i af samarbejde med.

Plottet bevæger sig ikke ligefrem hurtigt af sted i begyndelsen, men der er en stille og rolig atmosfære af småkriminalitet, mens vi venter på, at der skal komme en udvikling i sagen om den gamle mand, som blev slået ned. Efter de første kapitler begynder tingene at tage fart, og Temple lever en god og tilfredsstillende løsning på forbrydelsen.

Hvad er der mere at sige: Peter Temple var et dejligt april-fund, og han passer fint ind i mit krimi for alle-tema – præcis ligesom den bog, jeg regner med at anmelde i morgen.

En kommentar til sproget: ved et tilfælde har jeg både en engelsk og dansk udgave ved hånden, og jeg kan godt forstå de danske og tyske læsere, som ikke synes, romanen klarer sig så godt i oversættelse. Den danske oversættelse er af ganske god kvalitet, men den giver ganske enkelt ikke den samme, opløftende oplevelse.

“Har de fået fanget ham?”
”Ikke så vidt jeg ved, mrs Addison,” sagde Cashin. ”Hvor véd de det fra?”
”Fra radioen, min ven. Hvad skal der dog blive af det her land? En mand overfaldet i sin seng, langt ude på det fredelige bøhland. Den slags hørte man ikke tidligere.”

Og så den engelske:
”Caught him yet?”
”Not as far as I know, Mrs Addison,” said Cashin. ”How did you hear?”
“The radio, my dear. What´s happening to this country? Man attacked in his bed in the peaceful countryside. Never used to happen.”

Hmm, der skal vist et længere uddrag til for at forskellene virkelig træder frem. Men min holdning er klar: Peter Temple nydes bedst på engelsk.

Morning Rituals

The task: write a hot text without using the word or synonyms for it. Remember the principle show, don´t tell.

Hardly had she heard the sound of Arnold slamming the door, before she threw the grubby linen in the laundry basket together with her sensible cotton nightie, and put crisp, cool satin sheets on the double bed. A skimpy scrap of silk slid down over her curvaceous figure, her fingers ran through her blonde curls and she had just time to slip back in bed before he rang the bell.

“I am right in here, officer.” Her husky voice crept round the door like a quivering jazz improvisation. “You can leave your shooting iron on the dresser.”

”Are you the little missus who called for help?” He tripped over the threshold with his trousers round his heels and his tongue flopping in his trail. There was no time for sophistication today. She scratched him with her long nails, inhaling whiffs of testosterone while he prowled and prodded, sending his fingertips on an expedition through undulating territory in search of unchartered areas. Like succulent buds they romped between the sheets until they finally lost it and drifted over the edge on a wave of salty sweat and surreal rays of sunshine.

She put him through his paces until he deflated like a threadbare tyre. He opened his mouth, but she held a crimson fingertip to his savaged lips. He was so gorgeous in all his hairy, muscular glory that she wanted to preserve the illusion yet another moment.

”Go and get me a cool drink, will you, Tarzan.” She wafted him out of the bed, determined to keep her oasis of golden, shimmering haze to herself.

Did he really have to trample around like that? Had he lost his way between the bedroom and the fridge? She wasn´t hit by the truth until the crack penetrated her smug self-satisfaction. Through a red drizzle she saw Arnold standing in the doorway, pointing at her.

[Se den oprindelige, danske tekst her - der er ikke tale om egentlig oversættelse her, men en omskrivning]

Dansk nyhedsmeddelelse

Til mine danske blog-venner:

Hvis I skulle opdage, at jeres blog er blevet fjernet fra bloglisten her, er det bare fordi jeg har lavet en dansk blogliste på min Skrive-Blog. Bare rolig, jeg skal nok holde øje med jer!

DJ's Bait in the Box # 14

This week´s novel which is the first in a series was not written “long time ago”, but seen from my perspective, it certainly “comes from afar.”

“The old man was lying on his stomach before the massive fireplace, head on the stone hearth. He was wearing only pyjama pants and his thin naked back was covered with dried blood through which could be seen dark horizontal lines. There was blood pooled on the stones and soaked into the carpet. It was black in the light from a high uncurtained window.

The two medics went to him, knelt. The woman put her gloved hands on his head, lifted it gently. “Significant open head injury, possible brain herniation,” she said, talking to her companion and into a throat mike.”

I was right about the vegemite! Look here: "He spread butter, put on a coal-dark seam of vegemite."

The Rules:
If you recognize the quotation, or if you think you are able to guess who wrote it, please post a comment. Just leave a hint, do not spoil the fun by giving too much away. The book will be reviewed on Friday as usual.

Gæt en Bog # 14.
Denne uges krimi, som er den første i en serie, er ikke ret gammel, og set fra en dansk synsvinkel kommer den fra fjerne kyster.

“Den gamle mand lå på maven foran den enorme pejs, med hovedet oppe på stensætningen. Han var kun iført pyjamasbukser, og hans tynde nøgne ryg var dækket af indtørret blod, men under det kunne man skelne nogle mørke vandrette linjer. Blodet havde dannet en pyt på stenene, og gulvtæppet var gennemblødt. Det virkede sort i lyset fra et højt vindue uden gardiner. De to ambulancefolk trådte hen til ham og lagde sig på knæ.

Kvinden lagde en behandsket hånd om hans hoved og løftede det forsigtigt. ”Tydeligt åbent kraniebrud, muligvis hjernefremfald,” sagde hun, både henvendt til sin ledsager og til en mikrofon hun havde siddende i reversen.”

Jeg havde ret mht den vegemite! Se bare her: "Han kom smør på og derefter et kulsort lag af det salte, næsten bouillonagtige Vegemite."

Reglerne:
Hvis du kan genkende citatet, eller hvis du tror du kan gætte hvem forfatteren er, så læg venligst en kommentar. Skriv bare et hint til nye besøgende, lad være med at ødelægge fornøjelsen for andre.

Telling, not Showing

[Hvis du hellere vil diskutere på dansk, så kig her]

As I have already confessed to my Danish readers why I am so busy right now, it might be a good idea to earn up to the rest of the world as well: I have joined an online writing course.

And why have I made up my mind to tell you? Obviously, I have some sort of sinister motive.
Advantage one: I don´t have to beat about the bush and try to remember whom I told what etc..
Advantage two: I can exploit it, not only on my new, Danish writing blog, but also in here (exploit you, really.)

So what do I need your help for this week, dear reader? I want you to tell me what you think about the principle "showing, not telling".

Who decided that that was the only correct way to write fiction?

When? (my back was probably turned - it usually is)

Why?

And if you should feel inspired to write your own blog posts with discussions, literary examples or authors who are famous for one or the other, please come back and tell me. I really want to know what you think!

Monday´s Morsel

[Desværre, denne bog er heller ikke oversat. Men jeg lover at den næste, som også skal være ugens Gæt en Bog, er tilgængelig på dansk – også fra biblioteket]

Like many other bloggers have tried before me, I have suddenly been struck by real life, and find that I don´t have time to read a book a day and blog about it as well right now.

So what you see is what you get (today):

“The child flung his tricycle aside and toddled, laughing, towards the basking cat. The creature, sensing the impending assault on her dignity, stalked off with her tail disdainfully erect. She squeezed herself through the bars of the garden gate and headed towards some warm and inaccessible hiding place.

The child began to follow gleefully, but the wooden gate was shut fast, secured against his escape into the lane. He pressed his face against the bars of the gate and watched the cat stop to paw a butterfly, then disappear elegantly into the thick hedgerow opposite.

Then a great purring thing, a shiny black bulk, blocked his view of the lane as it stopped by the gate. The car door opened slowly and the driver climbed out, all the time watching the child, who stood and stared, mesmerized by the sight of the stranger. The driver opened the gate and, after looking round, stooped down to the child´s level, offering a hand that held something brightly coloured and desirable.”

Do you like the language and the perspective? So did I.
Do you want to hear more? So did I. This is an appetizer for an upcoming review of my latest find, Kate Ellis, The Merchant´s House. Buy it, read it, or wait to hear what I think about the rest.

I think Cathy, Kittling: Books, was the first blogger to recommend Kate Ellis to me, and I have learned a lot about the author on Martin Edwards´ blog.

And the photo? - my own, taken here in Thy yesterday. It is far from good enough to call it a "Beth Fish", but if you know her blog and her Wordless Wednesdays, you will realize who inspired me.

Skrive-Bloggen

Til danske besøgende vil jeg lige sige, at jeg i øjeblikket deltager i Saxo Forfatterskole (ligesom de fleste andre i dette land, åbenbart). Jeg har selvfølgelig straks taget initiativ til at vi opretter en undergruppe, Krimi-gruppen. Dejlig og underholdende flok, må jeg sige.

I anledning af skrivekurset har jeg oprettet "Skrive-Bloggen" som et lille skriveværksted. Hvis du er nysgerrig, kan du jo kigge indenfor.

Martin Edwards, The Cipher Garden (2005)

[Denne krimi er desværre ikke oversat til dansk]

Martin Edwards on the theme ´Crime for All´. Review of The Coffin Trail.

“For so many years, to hold the scythe in his hand had made him feel strong. Powerful. The blade could not betray him now. Yet it had such a wicked edge… ´You´ll never do it.´ It might have been a prayer, but he made it sound like a dare. The blade fell and for a split second he understood his mistake. When the metal sliced against his flesh and pain bit into him, he screamed.”

This novel is the second Lake District Mystery. On the first pages we learn how the unfortunate landscape gardener Warren Howe is murdered with his own scythe. He is an unpleasant, middle-aged man who has been busy sowing his wild oats for far too many years, but even though the police have plenty of suspects they are unable to prove that any of them actually hated Howe enough to kill him. Thus the case is taken over by DCI Hannah Scarlett and her cold case team some years later when the police receive an anonymous letter claiming that Howe was killed by his own wife.

Historian Daniel Kind still enjoys delving in the layout of his unusual garden and his father´s life – is that why he thinks of Hannah, his father´s former colleague, so often, wishing she would call him? Apart from sticking his nose in her case, Daniel is on the track of the couple who built Tarn Cottage a hundred years ago and died on the very same day ´of broken hearts´.

Meanwhile Daniel´s girlfriend Miranda claims she is happy to share life with him in the countryside, but perhaps the lady doth protest too much in between running off to London for lunches with publishers who are interested in her lifestyle articles.

It takes time for Hannah to crack this case as the circle of suspects are wont to keep their little secrets to themselves. Consequently another person must die before Hannah succeeds in pinning down the murderer so she doesn´t seem to mind Daniel´s inclination to play the amateur sleuth.

The Cipher Garden is an enjoyable and convincing crime story with added pleasures in the form of the wonderful Lake District environment and the likeable main characters. Lucky for me, I have number three in the series, The Arsenic Labyrinth, ready on my shelf.

See another review on BooksPlease here.

Us Danes Don´t Need No Help!?

Source: Kristeligt Dagblad Saturday 18 April.

I am a Win Win Winner!!!

Oh, did you think I was stuttering?
No no, I just had to get it off my chest. For the first time in my life I am having a real winning streak - four books within three weeks!

First I won Rebecca Cantrell, A Trace of Smoke on Crime Scraps for hard, intellectual work (Norman & Google, there is no need to tell tales)

Second I won Louise Penny, The Cruellest Month on Mysteries in Paradise for my diligent and thorough research.

Third I won L.C. Tyler, The Herring Seller´s Apprentice on Euro Crime for … well, sheer luck, I think.

And finally, I won a book of my own choice for writing the stupidest comment on Farm Lane Books Blog (not quite the way Jackie put it, but I know what I wrote).

So bring on the competitions. I am in! - and there is still plenty of space on my TBR.

My comment:
"Oh, how do I write a comment so short, boring and stupid that anyone can see I am not at all trying to win anything??" (Honestly, what do you think??)

Jeg er en vinder inder nder der ...
Nej, der er ikke ekko herinde, men i løbet af ca 3 uger har jeg vundet fire bøger – nu er jeg vist nok nødt at holde op med den der ”jeg vinder aldrig noget.”

Først vandt jeg Rebecca Cantrell, A Trace of Smoke på Crime Scraps for hårdt, intellektuelt arbejde (Norman & Google, der er ingen grund til at sladre, vel)

Dernæst vandt jeg Louise Penny, The Cruellest Month via Mysteries in Paradise for mit grundige, omfattende research-arbejde.

Tredje gang vandt jeg L.C. Tyler, The Herring Seller´s Apprentice via Euro Crime af rent og skært held, tror jeg. o

Og i dag har jeg så vundet en selvvalgt bog hos Jackie, Farm Lane Books Blog, for at skrive den dummeste kommentar på hendes blog (det er ikke sådan Jackie formulerer det, men jeg ved jo godt, hvad jeg skrev).

Så bare kom med nogle flere konkurrencer. Jeg er klar!

P.D. James, Det du'r piger ikke til (1978)

Forfatteren er formodentlig langt bedre kendt for sin Adam Dalgliesh-serie, men jeg synes, de to romaner med den kvindelige detektiv Cordelia Gray er dejlige og forfriskende. Dette er den første, hvor Cordelia helt uventet ´arver´ det detektivbureau, hun er medejer af, fordi stifteren, Bernie Pryde, begår selvmord (se nedenstående citat).

Cordelia er chokeret, men lader sig ikke slå ud, heller ikke af de mange velmenende mennesker i hendes omgivelser, som hævder, detektivfaget ikke er noget for en kvinde. Hun er nøgtern og jordnær, og når hun kommer på sporet, bider hun sig fast.
Plottet drejer sig om en anset videnskabsmands søn, som har begået selvmord, og da videnskabsmænd har brug for svar, antager han Cordelia til at finde svaret på spørgsmålet hvorfor. Måske vanskeligt nok i sig selv, men hun går til opgaven med stort engagement, og selvfølgelig viser det sig, at sagen er mere indviklet og farligere end som så.

Et morsomt lille kneb: Bernie Pryde er tidligere politimand, og har – selvfølgelig – arbejdet sammen med Adam Dalgliesh, som i hans øjne troner højt oppe på en piedestal. Så P.D. James´ berømte hovedperson svæver hele tiden over vandene, for til sidst at dukke op til en lille styrkeprøve med Cordelia Gray.

Apropos dette trick, som Anne Holt også benytter i Madam President: kender du andre krimiforfattere, som på denne måde bringer hovedpersoner fra forskellige serier sammen?

P.D. James, An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (1972).
The author is probably far better known for her Adam Dalgliesh series, but in my opinion the two novels featuring the female detective Cordelia Gray are nice and refreshing stories. This one is the first, where Cordelia quite unexpectedly ´inherits´ the detective bureau of which she is a part owner, because the founder, Bernie Pryde, commits suicide (see the quotation below).

Cordelia is shocked, but will not be beaten by adversity nor by well-meaning people who claim detection is not a career for a woman. She is down-to-earth, and when she is on the track, she follows it through.

The plot centres around a scientist´s son who has committed suicide, and as the scientist needs answers, he employs Cordelia to find out why. This may be difficult enough, but she sets out to do her job, and of course things are more complex and dangerous than they seemed at first.
An amusing little trick: Bernie Pryde is a former policeman, and – of course – he has worked under the icon Adam Dalgliesh. So P.D. James´s famous protagonist hovers in the background throughout the novel, until he finally appears on stage for a little battle between him and Cordelia.

Apropos of this trick which is also used by Anne Holt in “Death in Oslo”: do you know of other crime fiction writers who bring together protagonists from different series together?

Ann Cleeves on "Crime for All"

(This week´s guest blogger is the well-known British crime fiction author Ann Cleeves . I have reviewed two of her Vera Stanhope novels recently, The Crow Trap and Telling Tales.)

Dorte’s invitation to contribute to her blog arrived while I was in France, at the Neuilly Plaisance book festival. This was quite different from the literature festivals I’ve attended in the US and the UK, more like a fair or a market. Each of us had a table displaying our books, and attempted to engage in conversation with the people walking past. The ultimate objective, of course, was to achieve a sale. From the first half hour it became clear that women should be my target audience. Only two men bought books over the weekend and both those asked for them to be signed for women. The French jackets are quite distinctive, with muted colours, rather beautiful. I asked my publicist if she thought the covers were putting off male buyers. She shrugged: ‘Perhaps, but most book buyers are women anyway.’ It would be interesting to know what Dorte’s readers in mainland Europe make of that view! Is it a generally accepted truth?

The famous Golden Age authors were women writing male heroes. Of course there are lots of exceptions, but Christie’s Poirot and Sayer’s Lord Peter Wimsey were the big names. I could never understand the idea of Poirot; Jane Marple was a sympathetic character, but Poirot held no attraction for me. I wonder if men enjoyed these plot-driven books, the element of the puzzle, more than I did. Peter Wimsey was a different matter entirely. I have yet to meet a man who doesn’t despise GAUDY NIGHT for its sentimentality and lack of structure while I always find myself a little bit in love with the central character by the end of the book.

I grew up reading Sayers and Allingham, so it’s not surprising that I began by writing a male central character and a male central character who was, if not aristocratic, sufficiently wealthy to solve crimes in his spare time. Vera Stanhope grew out of my dismay that heroines, even heroines written by feminists, tended to be young, reasonably good looking and physically fit. It didn’t occur to me that she might pull in a readership that was predominantly female. I don’t believe writers think in that way; most of us write the books we would enjoy reading.

So, why have a male hero for the Shetland books? Again this wasn’t the result of a reasoned plan. I was looking for a Shetlander born and bred, who was also something of an outsider. Perez’s exotic name and Mediterranean appearance – the fiction is that his ancestors were washed ashore from a wrecked Armada ship – work for this theme, but so too does the fact that’s he’s something of a wimp, what his first wife describes as ‘emotionally incontinent.’ Fishing and crofting is demanding physical work. The stereotypical Shetlander is a hard-drinking, hard-working Viking. Perez is sympathetic, rather gentle and doesn’t fit the image. In this too, he’s an outsider.

Looking back at emails from readers over recent months, I’ve received approximately an equal number from men and women. Perhaps that’s because place is so important in the books and landscape doesn’t have a gender bias. It would be interesting to hear what the readers of Dorte’s blog make of that idea too.
Thank you so much Ann Cleeves for taking the time to write this interesting contribution to my April theme. And to my readers: remember to comment on Ann´s questions.


Krimi for Alle
(skrevet af den kendte britiske krimiforfatter Ann Cleeves, som er på vej ud på det danske krimimarked. Hun har foreløbig fået udgivet Sort som Ravnen på forlaget Cicero, og er på vej med Hvide Nætter. Jeg har anmeldt to af hendes tidligere krimier for nylig, The Crow Trap og Telling Tales)

Dortes invitation til at skrive et indlæg til hendes blog kom mens jeg var i Frankrig, som deltager af Neuilly Plaisance bogfestivalen. Det var en meget anderledes oplevelse end de litteratur-festivals jeg har deltaget i i Storbritannien og USA, mere i retning af et marked. Hver af os havde en bod, hvor vi udstillede vore bøger, og forsøgte at komme i snak med folk som gik forbi. Hovedformålet var naturligvis at sælge bøger. Allerede efter den første halve time stod det klart, at kvinder måtte blive min målgruppe. Kun to mænd købte bøger i løbet af weekenden, og de bad begge om at få dem signeret til en kvinde. De franske bogomslag er meget karakteristiske, ganske smukke i dæmpede farver. Jeg spurgte min agent, om hun troede, omslagene skræmte mandlige kunder væk. Hun trak på skulderen: ”Måske, men flertallet af bogkunder er under alle omstændigheder kvinder.” Det ville være interessant at vide, hvad Dortes læsere på det europæiske fastland siger til det synspunkt. Er det en generelt vedtaget sandhed?

De berømte guldalder-forfattere var kvinder, som skrev om mandlige helte. Selvfølgelig er der masser af undtagelser, men Agatha Christies Poirot og Dorothy L. Sayers Lord Peter Wimsey var de store navne. Jeg forstod aldrig ideen med Poirot; Jane Marple var en sympatisk person, men Poirot tiltalte mig ikke. Jeg spekulerer på, om mænd nød disse bøger, hvor plottet og puslespillet var drivkraften, mere end jeg gjorde. Peter Wimsey var en helt anden sag. Jeg har endnu til gode at møde en mand, som ikke foragter ´Peter Wimsey i Oxford´ for dens sentimentalitet og mangel på struktur, mens jeg altid opdager, at jeg er en lille smule forelsket i hovedpersonen ved slutningen af bogen.

Jeg voksede op med Sayers og Margery Allingham, så det er ikke så overraskende, at jeg begyndte at skrive om en mandlig hovedperson, og tilmed en mand som selv om han ikke var adelsmand, var tilstrækkeligt velhavende til at løse kriminalgåder i sin fritid. Vera Stanhope voksede ud af min utilfredshed med at heltinder, selv heltinder skabt af feminister, havde en tendens til at være unge, forholdsvis flotte og i fysisk god form. Det var ikke faldet mig ind, at hun måske ville tiltrække en læserskare, som fortrinsvis var kvinder. Jeg tror ikke forfattere tænker i de baner; de fleste af os skriver de bøger, vi selv ville nyde at læse.

Så hvorfor have en mandlig helt i Shetland-serien? Endnu en gang var det ikke ud fra en velovervejet plan. Jeg var på udkig efter en vaskeægte shetlænder, som samtidig var lidt af en outsider. Perez´ eksotiske navn og sydlandsk udseende – sagnet går at hans forfædre blev skyllet i land efter et skibbrud fra den Spanske Armada - fungerer i forbindelse med dette tema, og det samme gør den kendsgerning, at han er lidt af et skvat, eller som hans kone udtrykker det, ´følelsesmæssigt utæt´. Fiskeri og husmandsbrug er krævende, fysisk arbejde. Den stereotype shetlænder er en viking som arbejder hårdt og drikker tæt. Perez er forstående, temmelig mild, og passer ikke ind i billedet. Så også på det område skiller han sig ud.

Når jeg ser tilbage på de e-mails, jeg har modtaget fra mine læsere de seneste måneder, har jeg modtaget nogenlunde lige mange fra mænd og kvinder. Måske skyldes det, at miljøet er så vigtigt i serien, og landskaber taler ikke til noget bestemt køn. Det ville også være interessant at høre, hvad læserne af Dortes blog mener om den idé.

Tusind tak til Ann Cleeves for dette eftertænksomme bidrag til mit april-tema. Til læserne: husk at tænke over hendes spørgsmål, og skriv en lille kommentar.

DJ's Bait in the Box # 13

[The pretty box belongs to Julia, A Piece of my Mind. If you have pretty tins or boxes, you are welcome to send a photo of them to me. They will be much appreciated.]

You haven´t forgotten this quite short British series which is not the one the author is best known for, have you?

“It was a relief to see that there was no need to wait. Bernie was dead. He lay slumped over the desk as if in an extremity of exhaustion. His right hand was half-clenched and an open cut-throat razor had slithered over the desk top leaving a trail of blood like a snail´s track and had come to rest precariously poised on the extreme edge of the desk. His left wrist, scored with two parallel cuts, lay palm upwards in the enamel bowl which she used for the washing-up.”

The Rules:
If you recognize the quotation, or if you think you are able to guess who wrote it, please post a comment. Just leave a hint, do not spoil the fun by giving too much away. The book will be reviewed on Friday as usual.

Gæt en Bog # 13.
Du har vel ikke glemt denne korte, britiske serie, som ikke er den forfatteren er mest berømt for, vel?

“Det var en lettelse at se hun ikke behøvede at vente. Bernie var død. Han lå sammensunken ind over skrivebordet som i den yderste udmattelse. Hans højre hånd var halvvejs knyttet og en åben barberkniv var gledet hen over bordpladen efterladende sig en tynd stribe blod som sporet efter en snegl, hvorefter den usikkert havde lagt sig til hvile på den yderste kant af skrivebordet. Hans venstre håndled, mærket af to parallelle snit, lå med håndfladen opad i det emaljefad som hun plejede at vaske op i.”

Reglerne:
Hvis du kan genkende citatet, eller hvis du tror du kan gætte hvem forfatteren er, så læg venligst en kommentar. Skriv bare et hint til nye besøgende, lad være med at ødelægge fornøjelsen for andre.

Maria Ernestam, Hundens ører (2008)

[Unfortunately, this Swedish thriller has not been translated into English – in my opinion it should be! It is available in nine different languages, however, so you may look for it in Dutch or German, or what about Icelandic or Russian?]

Oversat fra svensk, Busters Öron (2005).

Kun tyve sider inde i romanen kan man læse følgende:

”Det var først i 1950´erne, og overalt omkring os spadserede nydelige mødre rundt i cardigansæt, læggede nederdele og permanentet hår sammen med lige så nydelige børn iført matrostøj. Jeg havde også matrostøj, men var alvorlig og mut og ikke spor omgængelig. Det var helt uantageligt, når min mors barn jo burde have været et lige så kækt tilbehør som en Grace Kelly-taske.

Selv ikke i dag er jeg klar over, om jeg var vanskelig eller ej som lille… Hvad jeg med sikkerhed ved, er, at jeg gradvis forstod, at min mor aldrig ville orke at beskæftige sig tilstrækkeligt meget med mig til at komme til at elske mig, og at kun én af os ville komme uskadt ud i den anden ende af tunnelen. Da jeg var syv, besluttede jeg mig for, at den ene skulle være mig.”

Sikken en spoiler: morder og offer præsenteret lige fra starten. Men hvad skal man så læse bogen for?

1) personskildringerne. Ikke bare fortælleren, Eva, som har lettere ved at forholde sig til roser end mennesker, og som omsider begynder at betro sig til sin dagbog i en alder af 56 år, men også alle hendes interessante venner og bekendte.
2) alle hovedpersonens indledende øvelser, inden hun endelig når så vidt som at slå sin mor ihjel. Advarsel: bogen indeholder barske scener for hundeelskere. Og ved nærmere eftertanke er det bestemt heller ikke alle mandlige læsere, som vil synes om afsnittet om mænd og musefælder.
3) sproget
4) nå ja, og måske for at finde ud af, hvad der får en pige på syv år til at beslutte, at der ikke er andre løsninger end at slå hendes mor ihjel.
5) helheden. Maria Ernestam har skrevet et fantastisk værk, som på nogle måder kan sammenlignes med Barbara Vines vidunderlige Astas Bog på grund af den fascinerende hovedperson og dagbogsstilen, som holder læseren fangen fra første til sidste side.

Cozy Mystery - Hyggekrimi

Skal jeg nu bruge det engelske begreb ´cozy mystery´, eller skal jeg oversætte det til hyggekrimi? I hvert fald vil jeg gerne fortælle, at jeg nu har kastet mig ud i en ny udfordring: læs og anmeld seks hyggekrimier i perioden 1. april – 30. september.

Det er Kris, Not Enough Books, som er vært for denne udfordring, og hvis andre skulle føle sig fristet, kan det stadig lade sig gøre at melde sig til (men man skal nok helst anmelde bøgerne på engelsk).

Det er ikke obligatorisk at lave en liste over bøger på forhånd, men jeg har skrevet mine umiddelbare ideer ned:

Engelske forfattere: Louise Penny, Agatha Christie (Miss Marple), Caroline Graham, A.A. Milne, Peter Lovesey, Alexander McCall Smith, Dorothy Sayers, Ann Cleeves, Martha Grimes, Ellis Peters, Gillian Roberts & Elizabeth Ferrars.

Skandinaviske forattere: Anders Bodelsen (Den åbne dør), Else Fischer, Kirsten Holst (Døden rejser med) Maria Lang (Mordet på Landsbykirkegården)

Hvad synes du? Hvilke af forfatterne vil du gerne have en anmeldelse af? – eller har du en yndlingsforfatter/hyggekrimi, du synes skal med på listen?



Cozy Mystery Reading Challenge.
Last week I found this reading challenge via Beth Fish´s blog, and I did not even try to resist the temptation. Thank you, Kris, Not Enough Books, for hosting this one.

The most important Rules:
1. The challenge runs from April 1, 2009 –September 30, 2009 (6 months)
2. The goal is to read at least 1 cozy mystery for each month, so a total of 6. You can read these all in the same month, one per month, or however you want.
3. It is ok to use books that you are already reading for other challenges, however at least 2 need to be specific for this challenge.

We don´t have to make a list beforehand, but here is a list of ideas I jotted down immediately:

English authors: Louise Penny, Agatha Christie (Miss Marple, Murder at the Vicarage), Caroline Graham, A.A. Milne, The Red House Mystery, Peter Lovesey, Alexander McCall Smith, Dorothy Sayers (Busman´s Honeymoon), Ann Cleeves, George & Molly Palmer, Martha Grimes, Ellis Peters, Gillian Roberts, (Amanda Pepper), Elizabeth Ferrars.

Scandinavian authors: Anders Bodelsen (Den åbne dør), Else Fischer, Kirsten Holst (Døden rejser med) Maria Lang (Mordet på Landsbykirkegården)

What do you think? Any of these you´d particularly like a review of, or do you have a favourite book/author which should be on my list?

Guest Blogger on Blog Improvement

I have kept an eye on Peter Rozovsky´s blog, Detectives Beyond Borders, for some time, and one of the things that singles it out in my eyes is his interaction with his readers, both in his blog posts and in his comments. I asked Peter to write a post for me on how to enhance the number of comments (see my own post on the subject here).

These tactics seem to have worked for me:

1) Be interesting. Have something to say, and say it well.
2) Pick your subject and focus on it. That will attract readers interested in that subject. It will also make the occasional off-topic post all the more fun because it will be unexpected.
3) End posts with questions that invite reader participation. If I've written about a particular novel's use of music, for example, I may end the post by asking readers what other books have used music in a similar way. This is especially useful for a blog about books, as it brings blog readers who have not read the book into the discussion.
4) Post comments on other blogs that discuss similar topics. Don't make these mere advertisements for your blog, throw yourself into the discussion . Suggest that readers might also enjoy related discussions on your blog. Include a link to those discussions in your comment.
5) Respond to your readers' comments. Make your blog into a forum for discussion.

Peter Rozovsky, Detectives Beyond Borders “Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home”

Gæsteblogger om kommentarer.
Skrevet af Peter Rozovsky, Detectives Beyond Borders. Noget af det der i mine øjne gør Peters egen blog til noget særligt, er den måde han kommer i kontakt med sine læsere, både via selve blog-indlæggene, og via kommentarerne. Jeg bad derfor Peter om at skrive et indlæg for mig om hvordan man øger antallet af kommentarer på sin blog. Se mit eget indlæg om emnet her.

Disse taktikker ser ud til at have virket for mig:

1) vær interessant. Hav noget på hjerte, og skriv det godt.
2) vælg dit emne, og fokusér på det. Det vil trække læsere til, som er interesserede i emnet. Det vil også gøre lejlighedsvise indlæg, som er udenfor emne, så meget sjovere, fordi de kommer uventede.
3) afrund indlæg med spørgsmål, som indbyder læserne til at deltage. Hvis jeg for eksempel har skrevet om den måde, musik bruges på i en roman, kan jeg finde på at afslutte indlægget med at spørge læserne, hvilke bøger de kender som anvender musik på en lignende måde. Det er særlig nyttigt for en bogblog, da det inddrager læsere, som ikke har læst netop denne bog i diskussionen.
4) skriv kommentarer på andre blogs, som diskuterer lignende emner. Gør ikke kommentarerne til reklamer for din blog, men engager dig i diskussionen. Foreslå at læsere måske også ville synes om en lignende diskussion på din blog. Læg et link til disse diskussioner i din kommentar.
5) Svar på læsernes kommentarer. Gør din blog til et diskussionsforum.

Peter Rozovsky, Detectives Beyond Borders “Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home”

Fra Virkelighedens Verden

I. Julia fra A Piece of my Mind har taget mig. Ja, ligesom da vi legede tagfat som børn. Jeg ´er den´, og når jeg har bragt et naturtro billede af mig selv, er det min tur til at fange dig. Da jeg så Julias besked, sprang jeg selvfølgelig op fra sofaen med det samme, og bad min søn tage et billede. Så hvad du ser er hvad du får: DJ set fra høj søns perspektiv.

Og her er reglerne:
Få nogen til at tage et billede af dig selv. Ikke noget med at kitte og spartle først, snup det bare med det samme.
Vis billedet på din blog, og spring så selv ud og tag en håndfuld nye bloggere.

Mine ofre:
Norman, Nille, Cathy, Jane og Anette
- nu er det jer, der er den, og jeg glæder mig sådan til at se, hvad I finder på.

II. Desuden har Julia læst min anmeldelse af Borkmanns Punkt og stillet et spændende spørgsmål, som fortjener alle mine intelligente krimilæseres opmærksomhed:

”Jeg gad vide hvorfor så mange kriminalkommissærer/detektiver er livstrætte og kun føler sig levende, når de jagter døden før den indhenter endnu et offer?”


Keeping it Real
I. Julia of A Piece of my Mind tagged me for this one. I jumped up straight away and asked my son to take a picture so what you see is what you get: DJ from tall son´s perspective.

Here are the rules:
Take a picture of yourself right now. No primping or preparing. Just snap a picture.
Load the picture onto your blog. Tag some people to play. NO CHEATING!

I have tagged:
Norman, Nille, Cathy, Jane, Anette
- and I am sooo curious to see what you´ll come up with.

II. Furthermore, Julia read my review of Nesser´s Borkmann´s Point and asked me a really interesting question which deserves the attention of all the bright crime fiction readers who visit me:

“I wonder why so many inspectors/detectives are bored by life and only feel alive when they are chasing death, before it visits another victim?”