The Crusher

Today's Cramps title is courtesy of Scotland's weather. Do the hammer lock you turkey necks...

I am supposed to be going through to Edinburgh tomorrow for the CWA Christmas Lunch but, since we are in the midst of Hurricane Bawbag, (which even has its own Wikipedia entry), I may not make it. I'm waiting for Scotland's next hurricane - which will presumably be called Hurricane Fannybaws. It was my day for being at the wonderful Glasgow Women's Library today but, as we watched a streetlamp swaying outside the window, debating whether Glasgow was going to close down, a Swedish bloke came in. "Can I sit in here and read for a while?" he said.

"Well, normally, the answer would be yes, but we might be shutting in a minute," I said.

He looked very puzzled. "Yes, the main library is shutting, too. Is it because of the weather?"

"Yes. We're not very good at weather. You may have gathered that." He went away still puzzled. Poor bloke.

My bus trip home was quite eventful. A guy nearly blew away at the bus stop. Only by hanging on for grim death to the side of the bus shelter did he manage to keep his feet on the ground. Me and the other woman standing in the bus stop looked on with interest and, obviously, complete unconcern. When we were getting on the bus the woman made me sit next to her. Then she leaned over and said "Can I ask your advice?" Oh dear. I said yes, quite nervously. "Can you tell me what's the best way of cleaning my kitchen counter tops?"I assumed that she had mistaken me for some sort of domestic goddess. Then a few minutes later she reached into one of her plastic shopping bags and pulled out a can of Tennents Special Brew. "Ah'm alright when the storm comes. Ah've got maself an aw day breakfast for two quid - black puddin' white puddin' an' some square sausage, and a wee bevvy for later, hen."

Anyway...

Kate Atkinson's STARTED EARLY, TOOK MY DOG makes Time Magazine's Top 10 of Everything lists. And Books and Reviews recommends WHEN WILL THERE BE GOOD NEWS? as a gift idea.

Novelists China Miéville and Denise Mina, and illustrators Mark Stafford and Alice Duke talk about Poe and Lovecraft.

A review of a book about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's letters, There Is No Easter Bunny reviews Craig Russell's LENNOX, and the Las Vegas Review Journal reviews Alexander McCall Smith's THE FORGOTTEN AFFAIRS OF YOUTH.

Helen Fitzgerald guest blogs at Weegie Wednesday.

Shona MacLean does some push-ups at Tony Black's Pulp Pusher.

Ian Rankin talks to Crime Time.

I love these Hilariously Badass Magazine Covers (courtesy of the lovely Bill Crider who always finds such brilliant stuff).

Appeaser of Gangsters and Breaker of Wind

I mentioned last week that I've been involved in making a film for a charity I volunteer with. Well, today was the second day of filming. After last week's antics (which involved appeasing Glasgow gangsters and football hooligans), we thought this week would be much simpler. Unfortunately, this was not to be the case - mostly due to weather this time. We wanted shots from the Squinty Bridge (seen in the photo at the top of the page). By this time, the wind was howling. This would have been fine, apart from the fact that the microphone was picking all that noise up. The speaker for this part was patiently waiting to say his piece but the wind just wasn’t dying down.

“I know this might sound weird, Donna,” said our Director, “but do you think you could go and stand about 5 feet in front of him.”

Ah, my big break. My acting talents were required at last. “You want me just to stand by the railing, wistfully looking out towards the river? Or perhaps I should glide elegantly past him as he speaks? Just tell me what you want me to do. I’ve been studying the great Method actors.”

“Actually, I want you to stand in front of him and act as a windbreak.”

A windbreak? I was mortified. I know the camera’s supposed to add twenty pounds, but I thought that was only if you were in front of it – not within ten feet in any direction. However, consummate professional that I am, I bit back my tears and stood in the required position – trying to look as fat and wide as possible. Apparently, I succeeded – we got the shot – despite the wind I successfully broke. (Not as in “I broke wind”, you understand.)

Luckily, my enormous bulk came in handy at the next location. The Director wanted a shot looking up Kelvin Way. The only problem was that there was an enormous green rubbish bin spoiling the shot. Not your normal household rubbish bin – it was about 6 times the size and really, really heavy. As I wheeled it out of shot towards the side of the pavement, I realised it was on the way towards a parked car, at speed. I would like to say that I threw myself in front of it, but I didn’t. The Director ran up and rescued me.

Anyway, enough of that. The wonderful For Books' Sake reviews Shona MacLean's CRUCIBLE OF SECRETS.

Another one of those lovely mystery book sculptures has mysteriously appeared. Here's a post on some of the recent ones at the Edinburgh Book Festival. And more from the Guardian blog on the Festival.

Irvine Welsh in a sneaky plot to sabotage Hearts? And a trailer for Ecstasy.

Ian Rankin auctions off a character and himself for cancer research.

A review of Val McDermid's VILLAGE SOS on Radio 4, a great interview with her in the Scotsman, and Val wants to make people care when someone dies.

A review of Ray Banks' BEAST OF BURDEN.

Yay! Douglas Lindsay's blog is back after taking a break over the summer.

And, finally, this photo was taken by my partner, at a town in the Buckfast Triangle ("you get used to it").

When I was looking for articles to explain Buckfast to those of you who don't know, I found this brilliant one from the Uncyclopedia. Do read the warning at the top.

I think this photo is brilliant. Someone spent ages getting this display juuuuuuuuuuuust right.

Looking Forward To 2010 - Part 3

Stuart MacBride - DARK BLOOD
Publisher: Harper Collins
Date: April 2010
6th in the Aberdeen set police procedural series featuring Logan McRae. From Harper Collins' website: 'Martin Knox has served his time, so why shouldn’t he be allowed to live wherever he wants? Yes, in the past he was a violent rapist, but he’s seen the error of his ways. Found God. Wants to leave his dark past in Newcastle behind him and make a new start. Or so he says.Detective Sergeant Logan McRae isn’t exactly thrilled to be part of the team helping Knox settle into his new Aberdeen home. He’s even less thrilled to be stuck with DSI Danby from Northumbria Police – the man who put Knox behind bars for ten years – supposedly here to ‘keep an eye on things’.Only things are about to go very, very wrong.Edinburgh gangster Malk the Knife wants a slice of the development boom Donald Trump’s golf course is bringing to the Granite City, whether local crime lord Wee Hamish Mowat likes it or not. Three heavies from Newcastle want a ‘quiet word’ with DSI Danby about a missing mob accountant. And Martin Knox’s dark past isn’t done with him yet…'

Charles Maclean - NIGHT
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Date: February 2010
A psychological suspense thriller apparently. And that's all I can find out about it- sorry.

Shona Maclean - A GAME OF SORROWS
Publisher: Quercus
Date: March 2010
From Amazon's website: 'It is 1628, and Seaton's happily settled life as a university teacher in Aberdeen is shattered by the arrival in town of a stranger carrying a plea for help from his dead mother's family in Ireland. The family has been placed under a poet's curse, elements of which have begun to come true. Reluctantly answering the call, Alexander travels to Ulster, to find himself among a family riven by secrets and long-standing resentments. In the course of seeking out the author of the curse, Alexander becomes increasingly entangled with both sides in the conflict - fugitive priests, displaced poets, rebellious plotters and agents of the king. His life and liberty are threatened as he is confronted with murder within his own family, and he finds the lines between superstition and faith, duty and loyalty blurred to the extent that he begins to question his own identity, and is forced to face up to the destructive power of love.'

Ken McClure - A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE
Publisher: Polygon
Date: May 2010
Eighth in the series featuring Dr Steven Dunbar of the Sci-Med Inspectorate. From Amazon: 'John Motram, a cell biologist at Newcastle University firmly believes that Black Death was not caused by bubonic plague but by an unknown virus. He is excited when Oxford University tell him that they have come into possession of information suggesting there might be preserved bodies of victims from the time of Black Death hidden under Dryburgh Abbey. Motram sees this as an opportunity to settle the argument once and for all. An excavation is mounted but comes to a disastrous end when Motram apparently loses his mind after entering the secret tomb. Dr Steven Dunbar of the Sci-Med Inspectorate is sent to investigate fearing that a new killer virus has been let loose.'

Pat McIntosh - A PIG OF COLD POISON
Publisher: Soho Constable
Date: July 2010
Seventh in the series set in medieval Glasgow, featuring the Archbishop's investigator, Gil Cunningham. From BooksFromScotland.com: 'Danny Gibson and Nanty Bothwell, rivals for the affections of Agnes Renfrew, the apothecary's pretty daughter, are also good friends. When they both take part in the festive play at the house of Gil's sister Kate, it ends in Danny's death, apparently by poison from his friend's flask. But was it deliberate?'

Shirley McKay - LINES OF INQUIRY
Publisher: Polygon
Date: May 2010
Second in the Hew Cullan series set in late 16th century St Andrews. From the Fantastic Fiction website: 'The year is 1581, and the young St Andrews academic Hew Cullan is unhappy with his life and disillusioned with the law. After his father's death, he is invited by the advocate Richard Cunningham to complete his legal education in Edinburgh as Richard's pupil at the bar. Hew resists, but, later, as he looks through his father's things, he finds a manuscript entitled 'In Defence of the Law'.With it is the promise of publication from the Edinburgh printer, Christian Hall. Hew resolves to deliver the manuscript, and takes up Richard's offer. He is surprised to find Christian Hall is a young widow, the mother of a small child. Hew is attracted to Christian, but as they grow close it becomes apparent that the relationship is fraught with danger. Christian is under attack, culminating in the brutal killing of her nursemaid and the disappearance of her child. As Hew begins a frantic bid to find Christian's son, he suspects links with the murder of a young girl in St Andrews. The truth lies much closer to home.'

My Dad Reviews...The Redemption of Alexander Seaton - Shona MacLean

Just a reminder of my Dad's tastes:

DISLIKES: romance, books that have too much swearing in (I guess that's my Dad not going to read my next book either, then - I thought it was just my Mum I had to keep away from it). Also doesn't like horror, and books with vampires, pterodactyls and the living dead in them. Also, something called an ungoliant. No, I have no idea either - I think my Dad has been at the sherry.

LIKES: thrillers, spy novels, war stories and books with elves in (the elves can swear their little heads off as far as he's concerned). Oh, and maps. He bloody loves maps. If you ever meet him, for goodness' sake don't ask him for directions. Not even to the bathroom.

PREFERS: Philip Marlowe to Miss Marple, Inspector Morse to Homicide.

The Redemption of Alexander Seaton - Shona MacLean
Publisher: Quercus Publishing
Published: May 2009

First Lines:
The old woman lifted her candle the better to observe me.
"You would not think of going out tonight?"
"Aye mistress, I would."
She fixed me with a look I knew well. "On a night such as this, no honest man would stir from his own hearth."
"Indeed he would not, mistress," I said. "But as you have often assured me, I am no honest man." I took down my hat and, bidding her no farewell, I went forth into the remorseless storm."

What my dad says:

This was an awkward book to review. At first I thought it was going to be a contender for a new Olympic sport, "Jumping to Conclusions". After getting hooked into 17th century Scotland I realised there was much more to it. I do not know if it was the author's intention but it appeared to me to be a journey of self discovery by the main character Alexander Seaton.

It tells the story of his efforts to find the reasons behind the death of an apprentice to the local pharmacologist and his daughter. It covers the local troubles with religion, witchcraft, and the prejudices of the times.

Alexander, a priest, failed to obtain a living through a stupid error and the enmity of others. He reluctantly takes the position of teacher to the youth of the town, through his efforts finds out who the murderer is and the method used. Later he is offered a position in the church and so sets out for the tests which will confirm his status.

I found the development of the characters was extremely good, some were likeable and others were easy to dislike.

In all a very easy book to read once you had slipped into the 17th century and forgotten about this one.

Message from me: Dad - you've always been in the 17th century haven't you?