#1976book sign-up page

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Every month on Past Offences I gather together blog posts about crime fiction written or filmed in a particular year. Santosh chose us 1976 for September. If you want to take part, you can! When you’ve written your post, just … Continue reading →

Wilkie Collins: The Moonstone (First Period)

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The Moonstone Wilkie Collins First published 1868 in All The Year Round This edition Penguin Classics, 1998 528 pages ISBN: 9780140434088 Source: Past Offences library The Moonstone is one of my favourite books, combining a proper Victorian melodramatic plot with some very funny … Continue reading →

Coming soon to your telly

Leafing through the Sundays at Villa Past Offences, our Devonshire country residence (temporary), I have picked up a number of classic crime TV hints and tips for the autumn and winter. Hover over your video’s record button for the following: If … Continue reading →

A Life of Josephine Tey – an interview with biographer Jennifer Morag Henderson

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Beth MacKintosh – ‘Josephine Tey’ to mystery fans – was born in Inverness in 1896 and died in 1952. The Daughter of Time, her fictionalised enquiry into the life of Richard III, was voted best crime novel by the Crime Writers’ Association … Continue reading →

Partners in Crime – the verdict

OK, so UK readers may have just finished watching the first three episodes of Partners in Crime, based on The Secret Adversary. What do you think? Marks out of ten below, and thoughts in the comments…

Umberto Eco: The Name of the Rose

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The Name of the Rose Umberto Eco First published as Il nome della rosa by Bompiani, 1980 This edition Vintage Books, 2004 592 pages ISBN: 9780099466031 Source: Norwich Millennium Library Read for Crimes of the Century, #1980book. It is November 1327: the story unfolds … Continue reading →

Gavin Lyall: Shooting Script

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Shooting Script Gavin Lyall First published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton, 1966 This edition, Pan Books, 1968 ISBN: 330020595 235 pages Source: Unnamed bookshop, Cromer I found this at a lovely little bookshop at 36 Church Street, Cromer. It appears to have no … Continue reading →

Crime-fiction connections can be found in the strangest places

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I spent the weekend in Sheringham on the Norfolk coast and for the first time ventured into the Shell Gallery. It turns out shell art is not to my taste, but the Minor Offences (aged 5 and 6) absolutely loved … Continue reading →

‘Answering machines feature hugely’ – #1987book round-up

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Every month on Past Offences we choose a year and read a selection of crime fiction from that year. At the beginning of July Col picked 1987 for us, and chose John Lantigua’s Heat Lightning from his Criminal Library, a ‘murder mystery … Continue reading →