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The Verb: Crime

Crime

BBC Radio 4 - The Verb, Crime

Ian McMillan and guests explore the challenge of crime writing.

Ian McMillan and guests Val McDermid, Sophie Hannah and Katherine Stansfield discuss crime writing.

Guilty pleasure. Airport novel. Holiday reading.

The language used to describe crime fiction often suggests that there's something throwaway in the ability to craft a gripping story that keeps the reader guessing. There's a suggestion that creating "a page-turner" is something of a lesser skill when it comes to writing. 

Creeping up on that idea from behind and leaving its body in the library, we have three women who know a thing or two about the literature of crime. 

Val McDermid is a powerhouse of popular fiction, with works translated into 40 languages and more than 16 million books sold. She tells us about the narrative techniques she uses to keep us up late reading "just one more chapter" of novels like "Still Life".

Sophie Hannah has been trusted with one of the crown jewels of detective fiction - Hercule Poirot. She tells us about the responsibility of taking on Agatha Christie's beloved character, and about how she switches modes for nail biters like "Haven't they Grown". 

Katherine Stansfield writes the historical crime series The Cornish Mysteries - and tells us about one of the initial efforts to make the crime genre "respectable" - formalised techniques and rules drawn up by a collection of some of the greatest popular fiction writers in the world - The Detection Club. 

Presented by Ian McMillan
Produced by Kevin Core

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