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Review: This is a dark and fast moving thriller, written in two distinct halves. The first part of the book is narrated by Holly and portrays her hectic lifestyle with gusto. This is a well-rounded description of a young London woman who has life at her feet. Holly's disasters, largely of her own making, are particularly well written. I cringed with embarrassment at some of her exploits. The upbeat and gripping tempo of the book reflects Holly's manic lifestyle. The second half of the novel is narrated by her friend Meg and is much more reflective. It continues the narrative of Holly’s life but looks at her through the eyes of her friend. Gradually we enter classic Nicci French territory as it becomes clear there is a malevolent force aiding Holly’s decline… This brilliant book certainly keeps you guessing until nearly the end. However, what stayed with me was the personality of Holly. Even after all is ‘resolved’ the reader is forced to question the extent to which it is Holly’s personality that brings trouble on herself. Can ordinary people be driven to commit evil acts out of sheer desperation? Reviewed by: S. W. CrimeSquad Rating Questionnaire: 1) How would you describe the kinds of books you write? Psychological thrillers. 2 ) What is your favourite crime read of all time? The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. 3) Would you describe yourself as a Crime fan and if so, which authors do you most admire and why? We’re fans of good books, some of which are crime novels. The best crime novelists, like the best novelists, create their own world: the seedy low-life of Georges Simenon, the disintegrating Soviet society of Martin Cruz Smith, the Gothic horror of Thomas Harris. 4) Who, in your eyes, is pushing the boundaries of crime fiction today – and why? All the best writers push boundaries. For example, the radical collective who wrote under the name, Luther Blissett, showed with their book, ‘Q’, showed that a book can be at the same time an historical novel, a political statement and still be a cracking thriller. 5) Without giving away the plot, which book included your favourite plot twist of all time? Photo-finish between Scott Turow’s Presumed Innocent and Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. 6) What is your favourite movie adaptation of a crime novel? Billy Wilder’s version of James M. Cain’s Double Indemnity (scripted by Raymond Chandler). 7) How do you make it work so well having two writers effectively writing the same novel? What work ethic do you practice to work in harmony and make your novels seamless so that no one can tell who wrote what? It’s a mysterious process to us as well. Before we write, we talk and talk and talk to make sure the same book is in our heads, that we are talking with the voice of the same heroine. But whoever said anything about working in harmony? 8) You have had several novels adapted for the small and large screen. What did you think of the adaptations and which one did you think was like the book? Also, did you play any part in the adaptations? The movie version of our book, Killing Me Softly, was a sad disappointment (though we very much liked the people who made it). We’ve been more pleased with the TV versions of the books. All of them have caught the atmosphere of the books in different ways. There have been some fine performances in all of the adaptations. David Tennant as the villain in the ITV version of Secret Smile was particularly good. 9 ) Where do you see Crime fiction going next? The supposed barrier between crime fiction and ‘literary’ fiction will crumble further. Crime fiction is too good a way of exploring modern anxiety to be sidelined.
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