Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with Ed James

It’s been two weeks since our last visit to the Decades Library and I’d like to apologise for the unexpected interruption – though someone did contact me to say their TBR had breathed a small sigh of relief! What happened? Well I was having a super busy week at the day job and got half way through Thursday when I realised it was actually Friday and that I’d totally lost track of the days.

Rather than cut someone’s week short I decided to hang off for a week before passing Ed James the Library curators hat.

As ever I am mindful that this could be your first visit to the Decades Library so I’ll quickly explain why we are here. I am assembling the Ulitmate Library of books. I want my Decades Library to only house books which are loved by other readers. Each week I am joined by a new guest and I invite them to add more books to my library shelves. I ask that when they make their selections that they follow two rules:

1 – You Can Choose Any Five Books
2 – You Can Only Choose One Book Per Decade From Five Consecutive Decades.

Easy! Or so it may seem but I haven’t tried to select my own five choices (yet) so I can’t speak from experience.

This week I am delighted to welcome Ed James to my Decades Library. I reviewed Ed’s new book The Turning of Our Bones earlier this week (it’s almost like I try to plan these things) it’s a real corker – great twist on a serial killer story. You can read my review here: https://grabthisbook.net/?p=7166 Over to Ed now – he’s why you’re here today….

I’m Ed James, the writer of *checks notes* over forty police procedural books over the last eleven years. While I’ve worked with some publishers over that time (Headline, Bookouture and Thomas & Mercer), I’m now focused entirely on being an indie author, which gives me much greater control over what I write and publish.And what I do write and publish is a few series set in different locations. The DI Fenchurch books are set on the gritty streets of East London, and further afield, starring a detective whose own daughter was abducted. Vicky Dodds is a single mother solving crimes in Dundee and Tayside, where I grew up. Recently, I merged the eight-book Scott Cullen, three-book Craig Hunter and six-book Cullen & Bain series into Police Scotland, my attempt at a precinct series with multiple starring cops. And this year sees the launch of the DI Rob Marshall series, with THE TURNING OF OUR BONES on the 1st February marking my first new series in seven(!) years, with another three to come this year.

DECADES

FiftiesCOP HATER by Ed McBainThere’s probably a massive article that could be written about this, but in my opinion this book is where the police procedural started. Sure, there were detective books before this and there were books about cops before this, but the genre – as we know it – roots all its tropes in this series. The 87th Precinct novels are set in Isola, as NYC as Gotham or Metropolis are, and had a huge influence on the TV flavour of police procedurals as well as selling a gazillion novels. The series is a tour de force, running to fifty-five books published between this beauty in 1956 until 2005. If I manage anything like that, I’ll still be publishing books in 2061!COP HATER is a sharp shock. A cop dies and Detective Steve Carella leads the chase to find the killer. As more cops die, McBain weaves in other POV characters, all fully fleshed out, and curiously incorporates genuine police documentation (forms, filled out for the fictional case). One of the ways this book is intriguing is in the way the hero, Carella, doesn’t appear in the second novel – what a way to show that this is an ensemble series. The writing is crisp and feels modern, with a few caveats. Also, the first twenty or so are pretty lean 30-40k jobs, so as easy to read in a sitting or two as a Maigret, say. And I’ve read them all.

SixtiesPOST OFFICE by Charles BukowskiOkay, so this might’ve been published in the 70s but it was written in 1969 so I’m claiming that for this decade. Bukowski’s loosely fictional Henry Chinaski is a low-life. His life is grim and the people he associates with even grimmer. He’s an alcoholic and a womaniser. There is nothing redemptive about his story; he gets worse, if anything, and descends in the sequels. But the writing is so spare and propulsive that you want to revel in the misery of late 60s LA. Chinaski returned for all of Bukowski’s novels, save for the surreal PULP, and each has the same grim beauty as this.

SeventiesLAIDLAW by William McIlvanneyOn this side of the Atlantic, McIlvanney’s LAIDLAW lay the roots for Tartan Noir. (Again, arguably, but let’s not have that argument just now, eh?) It’s all here – a driven detective in a gritty city investigating a brutal murder, but what McIlvanney does, that few others have done, is focus on the effect of the murder on the community. This is character over plot and the ripples of the plot throughout them, each rounded out and human. If you analyse it, you see that the titular hero only appears in a handful of the opening twenty chapters – compare that with the modern model of a victim/killer prologue and everything seen through the eyes of detectives, with some latitude for an additional victim to add a ticking clock. His lyrical flourishes are second to none, sharp and precise in their beauty. He could’ve written one of these a year and been rich, but he only finished another two (in 1983 and 1991 vs this in 1977 with a partial prequel completed during lockdown by Ian Rankin) and the success of Taggart on STV could easily have been his. But he chose another path.

EightiesTHE WASP FACTORY by Iain BanksAn absolutely mind-bending debut from yet another author tragically no longer with us. In its short page count, THE WASP FACTORY creates a tiny world, isolated from the rest of Scotland but beautifully realised. One of the few authors who I read absolutely everything by, this and the CROW ROAD are truly national treasures. His sci-fi novels bend the mind in other ways. Curious and economical, debuts don’t come better than this.

NinetiesBLACK AND BLUE by Ian RankinThis was the first police procedural novel I ever read. I picked up a copy my mum had got out of the library and didn’t set it down until I finished. Legend has it that this is Rankin’s breakthrough and you can see why – it’s got the highest of high concepts; Bible John, a real-life serial killer, comes back to hunt down a copycat. While its pages focus mainly on Rebus, that dour but drily witty detective who investigates while his private life is in tatters, the snatches from Bible John’s POV add a dimension that shows the high concept is met by high execution. I won’t spoil it here (even though it did come out almost 25 years ago…) but the twist ending is incredibly brave for a break-through novel and probably contributed to the success.

I’ve read four of Ed’s five selections and I loved each of them. If ever there was a sign that I need to read Charles Bukowski’s Post Office then this is it! Huge thanks to Ed for taking the time to make his selections, any time I get to feature an 87th Precinct book on the blog is a good day!

DECADES WILL RETURN

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July 5

The Dark Remains – Ian Rankin and William McIlvanney

In this scorching crime hook-up, number one bestseller Ian Rankin and Scottish crime-writing legend William McIlvanney join forces for the first ever case of DI Laidlaw, Glasgow’s original gritty detective.

If the truth’s in the shadows, get out of the light…

Lawyer Bobby Carter did a lot of work for the wrong type of people. Now he’s dead and it was no accident. He’s left behind his share of enemies, but who dealt the fatal blow?

DC Jack Laidlaw’s reputation precedes him. He’s not a team player, but he’s got a sixth sense for what’s happening on the streets. As two Glasgow gangs go to war, Laidlaw needs to find out who got Carter before the whole city explodes.

My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join the tour for The Dark Remains. I am also grateful to Canongate for a review copy.

Laidlaw. Is this where it all began? For almost ten years I have been lurking around the fringes of the Bloody Scotland Crime Festival and the names “Laidlaw” and “William McIlvanney” are mentioned at most panels. The McIlvanney Prize is given to the best Scottish crime book of the year. Laidlaw’s shadow looms large over all current writing – that is a legacy to hold in reverence. It is 2022 and a new Laidlaw book is being released to the paperback market. The name McIlvanney is joined by that of Ian Rankin, that duo is a USP beyond measure.

But for many (myself included) Laidlaw is not a character they may have read before now. So does The Dark Remains capture the character of Laidlaw? The book cover states this is Laidlaw’s First Case – will The Dark Remains introduce a new generation of readers to the original books?

I honestly cannot answer either of these questions. Having not read any of McIlvanney’s books I don’t know how well the character of Laidlaw may compare to his original outings. On that front I can say that I adored how he comes across in The Dark Remains. There are quirks in his character, a deep level of thinking and an odd apparent indifference to his family. He commands respect from the low level hoods he meets in Glasgow’s streets and bars and he battles with a boss who clearly hates him. His presence dominates this story and it is magnificent.

Will readers of The Dark Remains pick up the original books? I will be. For years I have promised myself I will read McIlvanney’s books – after reading The Dark Remains I immediately got myself the other books – holiday reading locked in.

But what of the story its-self? Bobby Carter is found dead in an alley behind a pub. Glasgow is divided up amongst rival gangs, each with their own influencial figurehead controlling his troops. Bobby Carter was found in the “wrong area” so was he killed to send a message or did someone over-step their remit and take action into their own hands?

The police know all the players in the city, who owns pubs and bookies, who the dealers report to and where the trusted members of each “family” can be found. But this time nobody seems to be talking but all the evidence which comes to light suggests it may be one of Bobby’s own who sought to end his life. But can the police trust the evidnece or is someone playing them for fools?

Laidlaw is not inclined to take everything at face value. While his colleagues are chapping on doors and seeking witnesses, Laidlaw is talking to people who knew Bobby Carter and people who saw Bobby in places where he should not have been.

The Dark Remains is a terrific read, Ian Rankin has brought McIlvanney’s unfinished manuscript to a delighful and thoroughly enteretaining completion. I enjoyed the characters, the dry quips and the depiction of Glasgow more than I have any police procedural for some time. It flowed with apparent effortless grace and I did not want to leave the world when the story ended.

The Dark Remins is one of those rare “must read” stories.

The Dark Remains is now available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-dark-remains/ian-rankin/william-mcilvanney/9781838858810

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November 12

Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with S.G. MacLean

It is time to catch up with my Decades Library again. This week the Decades Curator Hat is passed to Shona MacLean who has selected five new books that she wants me to add to my ever-growing collection of umissable reads.

When making nominations for the books I must add to my Decades Library my guests cannot just pick their five favourite books. I ask them to follow two simple rules:

1 – You can select ANY five books
2 – When making selections you can only select one book per decade from five consecutive decades – this means choices can come from any fifty year span.

Flexing of the rules and name-checking books which narrowly missed out seems to be fairly common practice and Shona has thrown subtlety to the wind to give some nice bonus mentions.

Time for me to step back and let Shona take you through her selections.

S.G. MacLean (Shona) was born in Inverness and grew up in various small Highland villages where her parents were hoteliers. One of five children, she learned to appreciate the virtues of peace and quiet and taking to her room with a good book at a young age. Her own nest of 4 children is about be emptied, which will leave more time to concentrate on the world’s neediest dog. After an M.A. and Ph.D. in History from Aberdeen University, she began writing historical crime novels while the children were bringing themselves up.

She currently has two series in print – The 4 book Alexander Seaton series, set mainly in the 1620s and 30s in the north-east of Scotland, and the 5 book Damian Seeker series, set mainly in the 1650s England of Oliver Cromwell. Her first book, The Redemption of Alexander Seaton (2008) was longlisted for the Desmond Elliot award and shortlisted for the Saltire 1st Book award and the CWA Historical Dagger. All of the Seeker books have either been longlisted or shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger, 2 of them – The Seeker and Destroying Angel winning it, and two – The Bear Pit and The House of Lamentations also being longlisted for the Gold Dagger. The Bear Pit was also shortlisted for the Blairgowrie Festival Book of the Year award in 2020.

Amongst the framed photos on Shona’s bookshelves are two of her late uncle, bestselling novelist Alistair MacLean, who looks over her shoulder with a wry smile.

Instagram @iwritemybike2 Twitter @SGMacLeanauthor

Books available from all good bookshops and uk.bookshop.org/shop/S_G_MacLean

DECADES

Okay, here are my choices. This was extremely difficult because some of my favourite and most influential books were published centuries apart, and others crowding into the same decade. Anyway, I may sneak a couple of them in in the subtext. (There will be asterisks, thus: *). The one book I was absolutely determined to get in was published in the 2000s, so I’ve built my list around that, stretching back from there to the decade in which I was born (1960s). All of these books are high quality reads and well worth a place on the shelves.

So:

1960s: Ellis Peters, A Nice Derangement of Epitaphs

What can I say about Ellis Peters’ Brother Cadfael Chronicles? I first discovered them in my late teens ad I couldn’t believe there were books which combined two of my greatest reading pleasures – History and Crime Fiction. I loved that canny, all-too-human Welsh monk and his wonderfully-recreated C12th world. I still listen to the radio programmes starring the inimitable Derek Jacobi. Ellis Peters was for me the absolute trailblazer of my genre. You’re supposed to pretend you don’t mind about winning awards, but when I started writing, it was my dream to one day win the Dagger that had first been instituted in her honour.

1970s: Reginald Hill, A Clubbable Woman.

Oh, Dalziel and Pascoe – mismatched, again thoroughly human, and brilliant. These books are so well-written, so intricate and intelligent, such consistent page-turners. But I would be lying if I said I’d read the books first. I saw the TV show first – was there ever anyone as magnificently right in a role as Warren Clarke? (although my friend Fiona, who urged me to read the books, assured me he was not disgusting enough). To me, Andy Dalziel has at last found his heir in Mick Herron’s Jackson Lamb.* quietly sneaking in another favourite. In my first year at Harrogate, I was introduced to Reginald Hill. I could hardly believe it, and had nothing remotely sensible to say to him. What a lovely gentleman he was.

1980s: Ian Rankin, Knots and Crosses

I think Tartan Noir is a lazy term, and does none of us any favours, apart from to allow for a comforting kind of kinship when Scottish crime-writers find themselves away from home. Having said that, for me, Ian Rankin broke a mould I hadn’t known existed; several moulds, in fact. Here was well-written, intelligent crime fiction set in Scotland (I’d somehow missed Macillvanney as a crime writer, but happily got him the next time around, and again was lucky enough to meet him at my first Bloody Scotland. “Hello, I’m Willie,” he said, as I tried not to pass out. Another absolute old school gent.) Rankin’s ‘place’ – Edinburgh, and his character John Rebus, breathed reality, breathed authenticity, and were absolutely engaging for it. With no disrespect intended to any predecessors whose work I might have missed, I have the sense that from then on, Scottish crime writing began to build, to be taken seriously, and for that many of us need to be grateful.

1990s: Ali Smith, Like

Oh, do I love Ali Smith! Oh did I go up to her at Ness Book Fest a few years ago and completely fan girl and burble at her about how much I loved her writing and how much it meant to me, and how of all her work it was Public Library and Other Stories that meant the most to me, because it reminded me of my childhood, and our village library in Muir of Ord, and my Dad and all sorts of things? And she told me that her first novel, Like, was the most her, the most about growing up in Inverness. And so I bought it and I read it and I loved her even more. Which is why my choice for the 1990s isn’t, after all, James Kelman and How Late it was, how Late. * see what I did there?

2000s: James Robertson, The Testament of Gideon Mack

Practically any one of James Robertson’s books is the kind of book that makes me think I should give up writing, because I have not a hope of coming anywhere near him as a writer. His ear for dialogue, for the Scots tongue, is perfect. His characters, at times, are the heirs of the finest characters in Walter Scott; Baillie Nicol Jarvie would not find himself out of place in a James Robertson novel. The Testament of Gideon Mack being longlisted for the Booker Prize brought this brilliant writer to greater prominence. I think had the judges understood Scottish literature better, had they read Hogg’s Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner* or Stevenson’s Master of Ballantrae*, then Robertson, with this deep, C21st century dive into the Scottish psyche, would not have stopped at the longlist. I stalked him out of an event at Ullapool once, and thrust the book at him to be signed. We are both on the programme for the Blairgowrie festival in a few weeks time, so I fervently hope he has forgotten this.

Five wonderful books which I am thrilled to add to my Decades Library. I also read the Cadfael novels in my late teens and Dalziel and Pascoe were not far behind. As I worked in the largest bookshop in the Highlands at the time Shona was reading her way through the Ellis Peters books I would like to believe there is a possibility I may have sold her some of the books which helped influence these Decades choices.

Also Muir of Ord Library was MY library when I was a teenager – how lovely to have it remembered all these years later. I can still remember the smell of books which hit you as you pushed open the library door.

DECADES WILL RETURN

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August 20

Decades: Compiling The Ultimate Library with Steven Kedie

My favourite part of the week is when I get to put together the new Decades post. It is my hope that someone will read the selections my guest has made and will discover a new book which they too will fall in love with.

If you have not encountered Decades before today then let me quickly bring you up to speed. Each week I invite a guest to join me and I ask them which five books they want to see added to my Decades Library. I started with zero books back in January and now we have had 150 recommendations – each of which can be seen here: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/GrabThisBookDecades

Choosing any five books just seemed a bit too easy so I added an extra rule which all my guests need to give a little more thought to – you can only select one book per decade over five consecutive decades. This week we have the 1970s to 2010’s and a great mix of titles too.

My guest this week is no stranger to the fun which accompanies reaching out to new guests and assembling a weekly blog post. However, Steven Kedie is very much a fan of music and the Eight Albums website sees his guests chatting through their eight favourite albums. It is one of my favourite weekly reads and I have discovered some great music through following recommendations I found there.

Time to hand over to Steven to introduce his selections:

Steven Kedie is a writer and co-founder of music website www.eightalbums.co.uk, who lives in Manchester with his wife and two children. He spends far too much time running, writing, talking about albums and trying to complete television. All of which get in the way of his football watching habit.

His debut novel, Suburb, due to be re-released this year, tells the story of Tom Fray, a young man at a crossroads in his life – not a kid anymore, not quite an adult yet – who returns home from university to find no-one has changed but him. When he starts an affair with a neighbour, his simple plan to leave home and travel becomes a lot more complicated.

Steven will release a second novel this autumn. Running and Jumping tells the story of British Olympian Adam Lowe and his rivalry with American athlete Chris Madison. The novel deals with the question: What if you had your greatest ever day and still didn’t win?
Details of his writing can be found at www.stevenkedie.com

DECADES

I’m a man of simple pleasures. I like books, music, films and sport. So, when I started thinking about my Decades library choices, I thought I should try and incorporate those things into my selections.
I’ve come up with the below.

All The Presidents Men, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein — 1974

The story of Watergate, told by the men who wrote the stories of Watergate in the Washington Post. The book is more than the source material of the fantastic film that followed. Watergate defined America. And this book – inside account of what it was like to break the biggest political scandal in American history – captures that moment brilliantly.

Knots and Crosses, Ian Rankin— 1987

Ian Rankin’s Rebus series has been part of almost my entire reading life. I can remember the first time I picked up a copy of a Rebus novel, Strip Jack (fourth in the series), at a friend’s house. His mum was reading it. I read the first chapter and was hooked. I had to force myself not to read on because I’m someone who has to start a series at the beginning.

My girlfriend (now wife) was working at the Trafford Centre, so that night, I went early to pick her up so I could go to the bookshop and buy the first Rebus book. I bought the first three. I clearly remember being sat in the car reading Knots and Crosses and instantly knowing I was a fan. As I type these words, eighteen or so years later, the book I’m currently reading is A Song for the Dark Times, the latest in the series.

I run a music website called eightalbums.co.uk (along with a friend, Matt) where we ask people to write about eight albums that are important to them and why. Early on in the site’s life, I approached Ian Rankin, thinking, given his well-documented love of music (a thread that runs through the Rebus novels), he would enjoy the site as a reader. He actually offered to take part and submitted his own Eight Albums entry. The day his entry went out was absolutely fantastic for me personally, with one of my heroes taking part in something I’d created. It also opened up the site to a whole new audience of people. I’ll forever be grateful to Ian for that.

Anyway, back to the book. I’ve chosen Knots and Crosses because it’s the first in the series. And you should always start with the first one.

Friday Night Lights, H.G. Bissinger — 1990

I love books by people who are embedded within a team. There are some fantastic examples over the years: John Feinstein’s A Season on the Brink and the wonderful The Miracle of St Anthony’s by Adrian Wojnarowski, about basketball coach Bob Hurley and his life-transforming high school team.

Sport can often be a vehicle to tell us about the people involved or the society in which they exist. Friday Night Lights is the best example of this concept. Bissinger, a journalist from Philadelphia, wanted to explore the idea of a high school sports team keeping a town together. When he decided to move to a town and experience life through a team, (to quote the opening page): “… all roads led to West Texas, to a town called Odessa.” The town’s high school American Football team, the Permian Panthers, played in front of 20,000 fans on a Friday night.

Through this lens, Bissinger tells the story of a town whose best years seem behind it, of race and class, of what happens when society makes heroes and celebrities of kids (most players are 17), and what the fall out of that is when they stop playing.

The Last Party: Britpop, Blair and the Demise of English Rock, John Harris — 2003

A book from the noughties that is very much the story of the nineties.

I turned 8 thirteen days into 1990 and 18 thirteen days after the decade ended. The ‘90s defines who I am as a person. When it comes to the music I love, no era has influenced me more. Britpop has soundtracked much of my life.

Harris’ book covers a period from ‘94 to ‘98 and looks at Britpop and the rise of Tony Blair and the Labour Party as they went on to win the 1997 General Election. Although the book talks about what a great period it was, it isn’t always a love-in of the era. It doesn’t always look back on it as fondly as my hazy memory does. But it’s a book that documents the merging of music and politics, the change in the country, the excitement and feelings of hope at that time. Definitely (Maybe) one that should be in the Decades library.

The Force, Don Winslow — 2017

This decade’s choice took a lot of consideration. Eight Albums and my own writing has allowed me into a world of creative people I didn’t ever think possible at the start of the 2010. I’ve got friends who have written fantastic books and I probably should’ve done them solid and picked one and talked about how great they are. But the truth is when I think about my last ten years of reading, there’s only one name I kept coming back to: Don Winslow.

I once joked when I grow up, I want to be Don Winslow. I wasn’t really joking. The man writes powerful, thought provoking, entertaining crime books. His Cartel trilogy is an important work that tells the story of the US’s failed War on Drugs. His Boone Daniels series is one of the most entertaining private detective series I’ve read. I could go on. But don’t worry, I won’t.

I’ve chosen 2017’s The Force because it’s a standalone novel. It tells the story of Denny Malone, a star New York detective, and his crew of men who police the streets of New York with their own rules and style. Denny’s story is one of corruption: his own and that of the city he works. It’s a superb piece of crime fiction. Don Winslow is a unique and interesting voice and if someone came to the Decades library looking for a new crime writer to read, The Force would be a fantastic introduction to Winslow and what he’s all about.

I think this week Steven has captured exactly what I love about Decades. There is a “how was this one not mentioned before now?” an “I’ve never heard of that one (but it sounds like something I would love)” and even an “ah yes – that’s a belter, I am glad it was picked.” Terrific choices.

Eight Albums is one of my favourite reads each week. Just looking at the recent guests I spot Tony Kent, Morgan Cry and Simon Bewick – it is my hope I can also persuade all three to take on Decades one day too!

DECADES WILL RETURN

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June 4

Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with Nick Quantrill

If you wanted to assemble a library of the very best books which have been published and you knew you would never be able to complete this mammoth task alone then you would get in touch with booklovers and ask them to help. Well you would do that if you were me because that’s what I have done.

In January I began to assemble the Decades Library. I invite a guest to join me and ask them to nominate five books which they think should be added to my Ultimate Library. I set just two rules which govern the choice of books (sometimes my guests follow the rules)

Rule 1: Choose ANY five books
Rule 2: You can only choose one book per decade over five consecutive decades

This week I am delighted to be joined by Nick Quantrill. I am hugely grateful to Nick for finding time to consider which books should be added to my Library and I was itching to see which books he selected. Nick always lights up my Twitter feed with a combination of his contributions to some amazing interview panels and also his Hull City football tweets – both brighten my days considerably.

Decades

Nick Quantrill was born and raised in Hull, an isolated industrial city in East Yorkshire. His Private Investigator novels featuring Joe Geraghty are published by Fahrenheit Press with the latest being ‘Sound of the Sinners’. Nick is also the co-founder of the Hull Noir crime writing festival.

Nick is on Twitter: @NickQuantrill and online at https://www.nickquantrill.co.uk/

1970s – “Jack’s Return Home” by Ted Lewis

Maybe an obvious choice for a co-founder of Hull Noir, but I can’t ignore the credentials of one of our own. On one level, it’s a timeless tale of revenge told through the eyes of anti-hero, Jack Carter, as he leaves London and heads north to the Humber region to avenge the death of his brother. Of course, we know the tale well due to the film it created, ‘Get Carter’, but read the book and you get a sense of Lewis’s power as a writer. Much like William McIlvanney, Lewis was pioneering something new, something that would stand the test of time. It’s a powerful fusing of the hardboiled American style of crime writing with the social realities of northern England as it started a new decade. Lewis would go on to write a better novel in the form of “GBH”, but this one is undoubtedly a building block of modern British crime writing.

1980s – “Freaky Deaky” by Elmore Leonard

No library of crime writing is complete without some representation for Elmore Leonard, and although Dutch enjoyed a career spanning almost sixty years, the 1980s capture him at his peak. A high standard indeed. As ever, the focus is on the street and the characters you’re likely to meet. Abbot and Gibbs are fresh out of prison and have a score settle, as well as their services as bomb making experts to sell. Things never run smoothly in a Leonard caper, and so it transpires, as they’re tracked by a world-weary cop. Set in Detroit, the site of all his best work, it’s fast, fun and furious with dialogue that sizzles on the page. Often imitated, but never beaten, Elmore Leonard remains the greatest of the greats.

1990s – “Divorcing Jack” by Colin Bateman

I’d stopped reading as a teenager and only rediscovered my love of it in the mid-nineties as I left those years behind. Irvine Welsh was brilliant, as were Nick Hornby and Roddy Doyle, but Colin Bateman was something else. I’d never really understand how edgy and dangerous writing could be, but still remain fun and playful. “Divorcing Jack” introduces us to journalist, Dan Starkey, Belfast his beat. Starkey’s a mess, and after being thrown out by his long-suffering wife, he sleeps with the daughter of an influential politician and opens up a whole can of worms that threaten his life. The start of a long-running series and the basis of a decent film starring David Thewlis, it shows how crime fiction can tackle serious issues from a left field perspective and use humour as its weapon.

2002s – “Exit Music” by Ian Rankin

No library is complete without at least one book by Ian Rankin in it, and such is the consistency of the DI Rebus series, it’s no exaggeration to say you can pretty much pick a personal favourite. Once Rankin and Rebus hit their stride with “Black and Blue”, it’s the gold standard. At the time, “Exit

Music”, was billed as the final Rebus novel, and no doubt genuinely so. As ever, Rebus is thrown into a complex murder investigation, possibly a mugging gone wrong, but it’s certainly no random attack. Whip smart with its social commentary, the city of Edinburgh is the quiet star of the show. And as we now know, there was to be a route back for Rebus.

2010s – “Weirdo” by Cathi Unsworth

Despite being longlisted for the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year, “Weirdo”, feels like the one that got away. Maybe it’s because it’s a rare contemporary crime novel from the writer, rather than the historical work that has made her name, but it’s the perfect meeting point of lived experience and imagination. Set in a fictionalised version of Cathi’s home town, the flashbacks to 1984 and the world of teenage Goths draws on her days as a music journalist. The contemporary time line arguably anticipates the current popularity of claustrophobic small town stories, but also features the chilling life-like characters that inhabit such places, showing how they maintain their grip and power by any means necessary. Throw in murder, corruption and a Private Investigator with something to prove, and you’ve got all the ingredients for a modern classic.

This seems an almost perfect mix of titles. We have new books by returning authors and some new authors who are joining the Library for the first time. My thanks to Nick for joining me and taking on the Decades challenge.

As ever you can visit the Library here on the blog and see all the books which have been selected thus far. The Library also allows you to see all my previous guests and visit their posts too. You can start that journey here: https://grabthisbook.net/?p=5113

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March 22

Decades: Compiling the Ultimate Library with Noelle Holten

When I first started blogging I knew I needed people to help me. I could do the reading and I knew what I wanted to say about the books but once you start releasing content into the world you do want to check that the delivery and promotion elements are correct. Also, getting established in the blogging community and Book Twitter needs a wee bit of understanding – I enlisted the help of a few bloggers that I felt were doing what I (one day) wanted to be able to do.

One of these very helpful souls was the CrimeBookJunkie – Noelle Holten. Noelle was supportive, generous with her time and her advice and helped me to shape this blog into the award winning ramble it has become. When I started my Decades project I knew Noelle was one of the booklovers I wanted to have in my team of curators helping to build my Ultimate Library.

A quick recap for new visitors. I am building the Ulitmate Library from a starting point of zero books. I am asking booklovers to help me select the books I should include in the Library. There are just two rules governing their selections…pick any five books…only one book per decade over any five consecutive decades.

Enough from me, you want the books. I will hand over to Noelle and allow her to introduce herself and her work and then she will share her (excellent) selections.

Decades

Hi! My name is Noelle Holten and I live in a small village in North Warwickshire. My author bio states I am an award-winning blogger at www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk and I have won a few awards so I guess that’s true! I am a PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture, a leading digital publisher in the UK, and before this I worked as a Senior Probation Officer (for eighteen years), covering a variety of risk cases as well as working in a multi-agency setting. I have three Hons BA’s – Philosophy, Sociology (Crime & Deviance) and Community Justice, a Diploma in Probation Studies and a Masters in Criminology. My hobbies include reading, attending as many book festivals as I can afford and sharing the #booklove via my blog. In 2017 I started writing my first crime novel and in 2019, Dead Inside – my debut novel with One More Chapter/Harper Collins UK was published and is an international kindle bestseller. It is the start of a new series featuring DC Maggie Jamieson – Dead Wrong and Dead Perfect followed and Dead Secret is now available for pre order.

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I hear Sharon Bairden set the bar for this, so I hope I can meet those expectations. The fabulous Gordon of Grab this Book asked me to pick five of my favourite books, one from each decade over five decades – WTAF? So simple then, right? It’s a lot harder than you think, especially as I just wrote a piece which some of the same books fall into – but I am going to choose different ones because I love so many. So here goes – My range is the 1970’s through to present day and it was tough – but I focused on books that had memorable characters to me – as characters are what keep me hooked on a book/series!

1970- 1980

(Published 1974) Mystery of The Glowing Eye – Carolyn Keene (Nancy Drew Mystery series)

I was a HUGE Nancy Drew fan and this book creeped me right out as I read it on a family trip to our cottage in the summer. I was probably eight or nine, and we had no tv so books were how we entertained ourselves. This book made me slightly afraid of the dark and every time I had to go outside to the loo (no indoor plumbing) I was convinced I saw that damn glowing eye! This book was ahead of it’s time for sure as it touched upon robotics but it is the characters and how they work together that really brings this story and series to life. There was danger, abduction and a good old fashion mystery to solve and I was addicted despite my fear.

1980 – 1990

Pet Sematary – Stephen King (published 1983)

Just thinking of this book sends shivers down my spine. The whole idea of bringing back our loved ones in theory is a nice thought – but what they may return as – well they are better off dead for ebveryone’s sake. I loved the dynamics of the characters in this story – a lovin family find what they think could be their dream home – and then of course…the cemetery for loved pets…a phenomenal read and one of my favourites. As the tagline says: Sometimes dead is better…

1990 – 2000

The Silence of the Lambs – Thomas Harris (Published 1991)

OMFG what can I say about this book that hasn’t already been said. A crime thriller with one of the best serial killers ever created – Hannibal ‘The Cannibal’ Lecter. I have read this book a zillion times and watched the movie just as many times. The sheer fear I had as I raced through the pages was addictive. I wanted to be Clarice Starling and even looked into what I needed to do to become an FBI agent – no joke. She was living my dream! This book has everything – psychological, crime, horror – really set my heart racing. I had always had a fascination with serial killers and loved how this book almost showed the process in tracking and arresting those elusive killers. The characterisation was everything I could hope for and so much more.

2000 – 2010’s

Fleshmarket Close / Alley by Ian Rankin (published 2008)

Another one of my favourite series – I particularly liked Fleshmarket Close (also known as Flesh Market Alley) because of the setting (the darker side of Edinburgh is brought to life) and how we see a different Rebus and Siobhan to the ones we are first introduced to in earlier books in this series. Issues of racism, illegal immigration, and corruption are all tackled along with so much more. What I love about this book is it is quite complex and the characters complement each other even when conflict arises. If you haven’t met one of the grumpiest, old school detectives going – you really need to as he gets under your skin and you’ll find you will be hooked.

2010 – 2020

Lennox – Craig Russell (published 2010)

I was recommended this series by a friend and fell in love with it immediately. Lennox was born in Glasgow but raised in Canada so when he returns to Glasgow in the 1950’s we see the cultural differences immediately. It’s dark and littered with dry humour and the characters are just amazing. A very raw, gritty, violent and intoxicating read. The author is a master at bringing the reader into the stories – and I’ve been a fan of his work ever since.

My thanks, once again, to Noelle for these marvellous selections. This is the closest I have come to having read all five selections made by one of my guests – I have read four of these books and the fifth is still in my TBR (so close).

You can see all the books which have been added to my Library here: https://grabthisbook.net/?p=5113

Decades Will Return

Category: From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

December 19

The Deathwatch Journal – Ian Rankin

A gripping original story for BBC Radio 4 by award-winning crime writer Ian Rankin, written for the landmark Radio 4 Book at Bedtime.

Saughton Prison, Edinburgh, 1962.

Prison guard Thomas Scott watches over a condemned man sentenced to hang for the murder of his wife.

His prisoner is a guilty man, that’s for sure. William Telfer has done enough bad things in his life. And Scott has been in his job long enough to know that guilty men often proclaimed their innocence right up until the moment the noose was placed around their necks. But as they wait out the days until his execution, Scott begins to suspect that Telfer is innocent of this murder.

An innocent man could be hanged by the neck until dead. And his jailer doesn’t know what to do about it….

To find out the truth, Scott must explore Edinburgh’s darkest corners. And he is running out of time.

My thanks to Helena at Penguin Random House for a review copy of the audiobook.

The Deathwatch Journal was written for BBC Radio 4’s Book at Bedtime and it is perfectly pitched – both for the audience and also for the intended hour of listening.

The story of a condemned man, William Telfer, who has been found guilty of murdering his wife and is sentenced to hang in 1960’s Edinburgh. The story is also that of his guard, Thomas Scott, who spends time with Telfer and begins to question whether his prisoner is really guilty of the crime for which he is due to hang.

Despite being a murder tale there is no graphic violence and not explosive set pieces. We follow Thomas Scott to his work where he will chat with Telfer (who tries to elicit information from Scott to learn more about his guard) and Scott records Telfer’s disposition, activities and diet in a Deathwatch Journal.

As the two men chat Scott becomes less inclined to believe Telfer may be guilty of murder. He starts a private investigation, looking into some elements of Telfer’s trial which left unanswered questions. His digging will cause ripples and it is not too long before awkward conversations will take place with individuals who are quite happy to see Telfer hang.

The story plays out in very enjoyable fashion and the 1.25 hour running time slipped away all too quickly. Away from the prison we get a look at Scott’s personal life and a nostalgic nod to the 1960’s lifesyles and the exciting prospect of a “new town” being built to the West of Edinburgh.

The Deathwatch Journal is narrated by Jimmy Chisholm and his voice lends its-self perfectly to the tale. The tough guys from Edinburgh’s harder days are suitably intimidating. Thomas Scott comes across as an amiable likeable character and Mr Chisholm comfortably manages (where other narrators have not fared so well) to give all the characters their own “voice”.

I listened to the Deathwatch Journal without reading the blurb beforehand and enjoyed the mystery of the tale – the afterward was also an unexpected surprise which made me appreciate the story even more (cryptic – but sorry…no spoilers).

Ideal late night listening and well worth setting aside a couple of evenings to enjoy The Deathwatch Journal.

The Deathwatch Journal is published by Penguin Random House and Licensed by BBC Worldwide Ltd. It is available on CD or as an Audible download here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deathwatch-Journal-Original-Story-Radio/dp/B0759Z6L3G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513640372&sr=8-1&keywords=deathwatch+journal

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