Author: Cole Sullivan

Posted on by

Five Speculative Thrillers that Have Stayed with Me by Lilja Sigurðardóttir

I’ve always loved books that ask the question: What if? What if society took a different turn? What if technology became more powerful than people could handle? What if the world we know changed beyond recognition? These are the questions at the heart of speculative fiction, and they fascinate me. Having now written my own speculative thriller, ⱯLFA, set in a future Iceland governed by artificial intelligence, I’ve been thinking about the books that have inspired me and stayed with me over the years.

Here are five of my favourites. And because I’m a writer who apparently can’t stick to the rules, I’ve added a bonus author!

1984, by George Orwell

I first read 1984 when I was very young, and I’ve returned to it many times since. It’s one of those rare books that seems to become more relevant with every passing decade. In fact, it could have been called 2026. Of course, the technology Orwell imagined is different from what we have today. But the methods used by those in power to manipulate, control and frighten people are disturbingly familiar. The distortion of truth, the rewriting of history, the constant surveillance. It’s all there. For me, 1984 is a reminder that technology changes, but human nature, particularly the hunger for power, doesn’t necessarily change with it.

Eden Falls, by Ajay Chowdhury

Eden Falls explores the enormous power of big-tech companies and what happens when that power is accumulated on very few hands. Artificial intelligence, technological manipulation and the frightening influence of billionaires are woven into a story that feels uncomfortably close to reality. But don’t think this is some slow, philosophical exploration of technology. Far from it! This book is so suspenseful that you feel you need to read it at 90 miles per hour just to keep up with the action. It is intelligent, frightening and hugely entertaining, so exactly how I like my thrillers.

The Cure, by Eve Smith

What if we could cure ageing? It’s an exciting premise for a thriller, and Eve Smith takes it in fascinating and disturbing directions. The Cure is thrilling, but it’s also one of those books that leaves you thinking long after you’ve finished reading. Why are we so uncomfortable with ageing, both as individuals and as a society? Why do we worship youth? And what might happen if we suddenly had the power to extend human life dramatically? Smith takes these questions and turns them into a thrilling story about inequality, ambition and the consequences of scientific progress.

The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood

The Handmaid’s Tale is another book I’ve returned to several times. What makes it particularly terrifying is something Atwood herself has pointed out: nothing she describes in the novel is without precedent in human history. Think about that for a moment. Although the world of Gilead is speculative, the oppression it portrays is painfully real. And it seems that whenever tyranny takes hold, one of its first priorities is to subjugate women and control their bodies. This is a powerful, deeply unsettling novel, and sadly one that never seems to lose its relevance.

Fault Lines, by Doug Johnstone

This one has a particularly special place in my heart because Doug Johnstone took something very Icelandic and transported it to Scotland: our unpredictable and dangerous geology with its earthquakes and volcanic activity. Doug was inspired by Iceland when writing this novel, and I absolutely love the connection between the main character and the land beneath her feet. When the earth shakes, something is also shifting in her personal life. The physical instability of the landscape becomes a beautiful reflection of emotional turmoil. It is such an Icelandic thing to do – to connect the main character and the living breathing land itself and I loved Doug’s way of doing it.

And a bonus: Louise Welsh

I simply couldn’t write about my favourite speculative fiction without mentioning Louise Welsh. Her Plague Times trilogy is a hugely impressive exploration of a society devastated by a deadly pandemic. But Louise is equally brilliant at more traditional Tartan Noir. I love her Rilke series, set in Glasgow and featuring a gay protagonist. Her writing is dark, atmospheric, intelligent and wonderfully human.

And perhaps that’s what connects all these books for me. However strange, frightening or unfamiliar their worlds might be, the best speculative thrillers are always about people. That’s certainly what I hoped to achieve with ⱯLFA. Because however much our world changes, the things that make us human remain at the heart of every good story and are what engages us as readers.

Lilja Sigurðardóttir is the author of the chilling speculative mystery, ⱯLFA, translated by Larissa Kyzer, and published by Orenda Books on 5th November 2026.

Posted on by

Five Favourite Funny Crime Books by Antti Tuomainen

Rum Punch, by Elmore Leonard

No one writes dialogue like Elmore Leonard, and his novels are mostly that: characters speaking. And doing things that are either dangerous or stupid or both. Leonard’s books were a revelation to me as I was learning to become a writer. I learned so much about how to write in scenes, about descriptions (keep them short), about how the characters are the plot. Rum Punch was filmed as Jackie Brown by Quentin Tarantino. I love the film too. Also, the good guys win…

Miami Blues, by Charles Willeford

I recently reread this one and was delighted to remember how good it really is. The main character, detective Hoke Moseley, is about as far as you can get from, say, Jack Reacher, with his false teeth and all, but he is somehow very sympathetic. But we also come to understand why the psychopath Freddie Fringer Jr is the way he is, even if we don’t necessarily agree with his actions and words. The humour is very dark but somehow true to life. And Miami really comes alive in the novel.

A Snowball in Hell, by Christopher Brookmyre

Chris Brookmyre can write anything from science fiction to historical suspense. I chose this book because it’s the first of his books that I read. Almost twenty years ago I was in London, and I just happened to see this book in a bookshop and picked it up. It turned out to be one of those moments where, as a beginning (published) writer, you go, ‘Okay, so you can do this in a book, too’. As I remember, it’s about the celebrity culture, the getting-famous obsession, and in that way, quite ahead of its time.

The Ax, by Donald E. Westlake

The darkest of dark comedies. And one of my all-time favourite crime novels. Burke Devore, a mild-mannered family man, is laid off and, in deepest desperation, concludes that he will do anything to find another job – even if it means killing those competing for the same position. Literally. The Ax originally came out in 1997, but, really, seems to be as timely as ever. Westlake has written many brilliant crime comedies, but this is my favourite.

The Winter of Frankie Machine, by Don Winslow

Not really a crime comedy, let alone a funny book, but Winslow’s style is unique and has that swing. There are comedic moments and episodes and pieces of dialogue, but this is more a straightforward crime novel than the others on the list. Frank Macchiato is a retired hitman and enjoys surfing until one day the past comes knocking – and stuff happens. A great crime novel written with a great narrative style.

Antti Tuomainen is the author of the dark, audaciously funny thriller The Fresh Cut, winner of Finnish Crime Novel of the Year, translated by David Hackston, and published by Orenda Books on 5th November 2026.

Posted on by

Meet the Author: R.W.R. McDonald

Rob McDonald is the author of the award-winning The Nancys series, set in rural New Zealand and featuring characters you’ll struggle to forget! Atmospheric, laugh-out-loud funny, but full of poignant and often dark themes, The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace and The Nancys and the Secret of Tulip Farm are perfect for anyone who loves their crime fiction bright, fresh and original – in fact, bursting with glitter! – and has a soft spot (or obsession) with Nancy Drew. Let’s meet him!

  1. Tell us about yourself!

I’m a dad to two wonderful young women, Queer, Kiwi, grew up on a farm, travelled the world and ended up living in Melbourne, Australia. I’ve always loved writing and reading but for years only ever wrote for myself – until 2016, when I finally took the plunge and joined Faber Writing Academy, Writing a Novel: First Draft. The first time ever sharing my work was one of the scariest things I had ever done. I wanted to burst into flames as my tutor read my work out loud in the group workshop. It also was one of the best things I have ever done. I would not be here answering these questions with Orenda Books without it.

  1. What inspired The Nancys, and how did you come up with the fabulous trio of Tippy Chan, Uncle Pike and Devon?

The spark for The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace came from a line of dialogue from a kid investigating a murder. I wanted to know who that child was, and why she was investigating a murder. From there came Tippy Chan, and then her irresponsible babysitters, Uncle Pike and Devon. Together they formed a secret detective club, The Nancys, that owes its name to Nancy Drew’s fearless energy – and a gay reclamation of the word nancy.

I love group dynamics, and for The Nancys it was important for me that Tippy wasn’t on her own. Part of the trio reason is Uncle Pike is using the investigation as a way to help Tippy process the grief around the loss of her father – using it as a bonding tool (to be clear I am not advocating for this as a parent myself, I think maybe taking your kid on a drive and talking first!).

  1. Tell us about the books!

The Nancys is an adult crime fiction series in the tradition of a whodunnit murder mystery, except all the characters are completely out of control and pay no attention to any rules.

The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace is the first book in the series. It introduces the reader to Tippy, who is eleven and lives in Riverstone, a two-pub town in South Otago, New Zealand – the same town her Uncle Pike escaped from when he was a teenager. Tippy loves her uncle’s old Nancy Drew books, especially the early versions where Nancy was sixteen and did whatever she wanted. She wants to be Nancy and is desperate to solve a real mystery.

Tippy’s chance comes when her mum goes on holiday, leaving Uncle Pike and his new boyfriend, Devon, in charge. When her teacher turns up dead beside the small town’s only traffic light Tippy teams up with her babysitters to form The Nancys, a secret amateur detective club.

The Nancys and the Secret of Tulip Farm picks up four months after the first book. Uncle Pike and Devon are back visiting again when an explosion rocks Riverstone. Again, the Nancys find themselves questioning the truth of what happened that night, and, if they are correct, then a bomber is still on the loose.

The Nancys series is for anyone who’s ever felt outside looking in. At its heart it is about the family we make and the courage required to tell the truth, no matter what the cost.

  1. Nancy Drew is a huge influence on the series. Were you a fan growing up?

I was! And in love with the Hardy Boys. When I was writing the Nancys I delved back into the books and my appreciation for her as a character only grew – brave, glamorous and utterly determined to solve her cases no matter what. A huge shout out and thank you to Jennifer Fisher for her Nancy Drew research and website: nancydrewsleuth.com. A must-visit for any Nancy Drew fans.

  1. The books are hilarious, but they also tackle some very serious subjects. How do you strike that balance?

I think you can’t have one without the other, all dark is miserable and not my experience of life. Even in the most difficult circumstances, people find reasons to laugh, sometimes at entirely inappropriate moments. Humour can also be a really useful tool in crime fiction, helping to release tension, give readers a breather and make the darker moments hit even harder. That being said, I never want to make light of murder or a victim’s death. They are all mourned by someone, even if they were awful in life.

  1. You updated the books for the UK and US/Canadian markets. What kinds of changes did you make, and are they very different from the originals?

They follow the same plot and characters but I have worked with the Orenda team on tightening, creating some shorter chapters. They also have funky new covers and titles, as well as prologues and chapter titles, which were fun to write. The titles and chapter titles have been great as an additional homage to Nancy Drew.

  1. Do you laugh when you are writing?

Yes, but always from what my characters have done or said, and not in a maniacal, or I’m so clever way. Lol. It does help me know I’m on the right track (the same if I’m wanting to cry in a sad scene). But my laughing is probably annoying when I’m writing in the library…

  1. What are you reading now and what would you recommend?

Recently read a couple of Australian debuts which I loved, Luke Johnson, King Tide, and Nicholas Timms, The Lineup.

I always recommend Australian and New Zealand crime authors, there are so many fantastic new and established voices to discover. Shout out to J.P. Pomare, my kiwi friend and neighbour in Melbourne. His book 17 Years Later is excellent, and he has a great series set in the US featuring P.I. Vince Reid, a gay ex-cop. J.P. and I recently did a Waterstones Gower Street event together, which was amazing and surreal to be doing an event with him on the other side of the world.

  1. A fun fact about YOU!

I’ve recently become a cat-grandparent to my daughter’s little white cat, Skoochi. Skoochi and my HarryCat do not get on (yet). Being a cat-grandparent means negotiating a lot of time-sharing, boundaries and cupboard extractions…

R.W.R. McDonald is the author of The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace and The Nancys and the Secret of Tulip Farm, published by Orenda Books.

Posted on by

Orenda Books signs Awais Khan’s breathtaking, profoundly moving Where the Light Falls in a two-book deal

Karen Sullivan, publisher of Orenda Books, is delighted to announce the acquisition of World English Language rights, excluding India and Pakistan, for acclaimed Pakistani author Awais Khan’s extraordinary new novel, Where the Light Falls, and a second, untitled novel, in a two-book deal negotiated with Annette Crossland at A for Authors Agency.

Set in contemporary Pakistan, Where the Light Falls follows two young women from vastly different backgrounds, whose lives become entwined in extraordinary circumstances. Nineteen-year-old Sakina lives in a remote village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where tradition dictates every aspect of a woman’s life. Bright, courageous and in love, she dreams of a future of her own choosing, but her determination to challenge the rules of her world places her in unimaginable danger. In Karachi, Amina is a wealthy, educated journalist determined to expose injustice, yet she, too, faces deeply ingrained expectations about marriage, family and her place in society. When their lives collide, both women must find the courage to challenge the futures decided for them, whatever the cost.

Karen says, ‘I have been a passionate admirer of Awais’s writing since we first published No Honour. He has a remarkable understanding of the challenges faced by women in his native Pakistan, and an exceptional ability to explore the injustices they face with compassion, sensitivity and insight. His characters are beautifully drawn, complex and sympathetic, and the issues he explores are both culturally specific and universally resonant.

‘Where the Light Falls is his most accomplished novel yet. Exquisitely written, intensely moving and utterly compelling, it explores some of the most important issues facing women today, including misogyny, trafficking, violence, and the inequalities of class and privilege. But at its heart, this is a story about love, friendship, courage, female solidarity and hope. Sakina and Amina are wonderful characters, both intelligent and determined to make their own choices, and their stories are heartrending, sometimes shocking, but also filled with warmth, humanity and resilience.

‘Moving between the remote villages of rural Pakistan and the bustling streets of Karachi, Awais evokes a vivid sense of place, combining the richness and emotional depth of literary fiction with a gripping narrative. With the power and scope of Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns, and strong appeal for readers of The Covenant of Water and Pachinko, this is a very special novel, with the potential to reach a wide international readership. It’s the sort of book that inspires conversation, challenges perceptions and stays with us long after the final page. We are proud to be publishing Awais again, and cannot wait to share this beautiful, important book with readers.’

Annette Crossland says, ‘The moment I finished Where the Light Falls, I felt it was such a powerful and thought-provoking read, and I am delighted that Karen Sullivan felt as I did, and I cannot wait to see this book become a massive bestseller.’

Awais says, ‘I am absolutely thrilled to be working with Orenda again for two additional books. Karen Sullivan is not just an astute and visionary publisher, but also one of the biggest supporters of diverse voices in this industry. Not one to shy away from thinking out of the box, she really gets books and has published such important and insightful fiction over the years. I can’t wait to see what she does with Where the Light Falls and my next untitled project.’

Where the Light Falls will be published by Orenda Books on 25 February 2027, with the second, untitled novel to follow. For more information, please contact Karen Sullivan: Karen@orendabooks.co.uk.

Posted on by

Catherine: A Retelling of Wuthering Heights, and Five Other Novels Inspired by Literary Classics by Essie Fox

When I had the sudden notion of writing a retelling of Wuthering Heights, I did wonder if I might be considered too audacious. Or was I mad … after all, who would dare to change a thing about a book that is considered to be not only a classic, but is undoubtedly one of the most beloved novels written in the English language?

Wuthering Heights is a story that has trapped me in its spell since I was a little girl, when I saw the old film with Laurence Olivier playing Heathcliff, and Merle Oberon as Cathy, That film was somewhat sanitised, but the violence and trauma that feature in the book were soon to haunt my mind as well – when I first read the novel in my later teens; since when with every re-reading I notice something new, always in awe of the genius of the author who was able to imagine such flawed and complex characters, in such an iconic setting.

In my youth, being consumed by the unrequited passion of its central characters, once Cathy had died, I had very little interest in the Heathcliff who lived on, whose barbaric descent into cruelty and despair did not tally with the concept of a brooding lovelorn hero. However, now I’m older, I realise that his obsession with rage and revenge is at the heart of this book, which begins with an orphaned beggar from the streets – with all the trauma and abuse of his childhood degradation resulting in the damaged psyche of the adult who hungers for revenge. Who, even in death, still hungers for the girl he loved.

This is a novel that is thrumming with the supernatural, beginning with Mr Lockwood who spends one stormy winter’s night in Cathy Earnshaws old box bed and sees – or dreams he sees – a bloodied hand grabbing his, and hears a child’s plaintive voice begging for him to ‘Let me in’. It is the vision of this ghost that inspired my own retelling, with Cathy raised from her grave on a night when Heathcliff bribes the sexton to allow him to unearth her buried coffin – then toimagine the events that Nelly Dean had not been present to recount in her narration; hopefully adding new dimensions to those elements that Emily Brontë was unable to explore with such freedom at the time when she was writing, as well as searching for the clues she seeded in-between the lines. The darker subtexts I embellished.

To tackle such a project was daunting, but exciting. Once I’d started, I became entirely lost in the work. And now it’s done I am left in even more awe of the young woman who created such a powerful novel nearly two centuries ago, conjuring a gothic world that seems as vivid and alive as that of the present day. 

But I am not the only author whose passion for a novel has inspired a separate story, and some of those projects are now beloved companion pieces that sit beside the classics on my library shelves – such as the following titles that I highly recommend.

Wide Sargasso Sea, by Jean Rhys, 1966

Now regarded as a classic in its own right, this feminist and post-colonial novel is a prequel to Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. The story imagines the life of Rochester’s wife during the years of her youth spent in the Caribbean, before she enters a loveless and exploitative marriage, and ends up going mad and being confined to an attic. Dealing with issues of slavery and female subjugation, this novel also explores ideas of folklore and magic, but it is essentially a story about grief and not ‘belonging’.

Longbourne, by Jo Baker, 2013

Named after the village in Pride and Prejudice where the Bennet family live out their dramas and romances, this Austenesque retelling imagines that world through the perspectives of the servants employed in the household. As a parallel romance is conducted below stairs, we see the gritty realism of domestic servitude in the 19th century.

Nelly Dean, by Alison Case, 2015

Another homage to Wuthering Heights, this novel tells the story of the servant Nelly Dean, delving into her backstory and offering much more perspective on her actions with regard to the Earnshaws and the Lintons. At times a heartbreaking read, exploring a life of loyalty and sacrifice.

Fyneshade, by Kate Griffin, 2023

Another prequel, and this time the main inspirations are Henry James’ Turn of the Screw, and also Jane Eyre …with the author describing it as ‘Governess Gothic’. Kate Griffin has created the most compelling and black-hearted of gothic heroines; the woman who you’ll love to hate.And for all who are drawn to darker literature and film (with many sprinklings of wit), Fyneshade is one you’re sure to savour.

James, by Percival Everett, 2024

This fiercely clever novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 2025. It takes Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn and retells its events from the point of view of Jim, the friend of Huck who is also a fugitive slave. Historically significant, full of humanity and wit, it exposes the cruelty existing in men’s souls and is at times horrifying, while at others filled with joy. A profound exploration of what it is to strive for freedom.

Essie Fox’s glorious Catherine: A Retelling of Wuthering Heights is published in paperback by Orenda Books on 22nd October 2026.

Posted on by

Five of My Favourite Amateur Detectives by R.W.R. McDonald

I love amateur detectives. I feel they are a bridge for readers to ask themselves what they would do in a situation where they had to solve a crime. They allow readers to solve the crime alongside them, without having any particular specialist knowledge – or, if they do, they share those skills.

They are usually characters that we, the reader, feel like we could meet in real life. Maybe be their friend. Ordinary people who do extraordinary things, things we would like to do. And often they are the underdog, perhaps the best type of character of all to root for.

Characters that have either been traditionally sidekicks, secondary, sat outside societal norms of who should be a hero or heroine, or been the black sheep of the family. Unlikely heroes. I love that they come with wit in the face of often grim crimes and in a time of grief. Sometimes inappropriate, often ignoring due process, they are dogged to find the clues and get to the truth. It’s their view on the world, and the access they get by being overlooked that can often be their superpower.

It was with this love of amateur detectives that I came up with The Nancys, a not-so-secret amateur detective club, made up of 11-year-old Tippy, her Uncle Pike and his boyfriend Devon.

And like many amateur detectives, they have a role model: Nancy Drew.

Counting down from five my top five favourite amateur detectives (at the moment).

5. Vivian Slade and Jamie (the waiter)
Amateur, absolutely. Detecting, somewhat reluctantly at first. Vivian is the black sheep even amongst an extended family.

Vivian Dies Again by C.E. Hulse

Put a black sheep in an extended family event, and then put that event into a time loop. Worst day(s) ever. I love Vivian and her detecting partner, Jamie, who are pulled into a murder mystery (her own murder), with hostile suspects to say the least. Vivian is messy and chaotic and the bluntest interrogator you will come across. And the funniest.

4. Miss Jane Marple
Miss Marple walked so Thursday Murder Club could run. One of the original elderly amateur detectives.

‘How can you and I set about preventing a murder? You’re about a hundred and I’m a broken-up old crock.’  – Mr Rafiel, talking to Miss Marple

A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie

An unlikely heroine, described as a ‘fluffy little old lady’, Miss Marple challenged gender and age stereotypes, using these to her advantage by often being underestimated by her foes, to their detriment. It’s always the quiet ones…

3. Professor Eustacia Rose
Professor Eustacia Rose, head of botanical toxicology at University College London, is upfront with ‘I’ve always been better with plants than people.’

Devil’s Breath by Jill Johnson

Although a total amateur when it comes to detecting, it is Eustacia’s technical knowledge that helps drive her investigating, while her people skills, or lack of them, slow her down. Witty, with a Sherlockian crankiness, the Professor needs to track down her stolen poisonous plant collection before more people die. For those of us with academics in our lives, it is a hard relate.

2. Sister Agatha Murphy and Avtar Mehta
A semi-retired Irish nun and a Delhi hotelier form a smoking bond that leads to an investigative duo.

Murder in Moonlit Square by Paul Waters

What I especially love with amateur detectives is the unlikely team-up, and here we have it. Funny, with the beauty of the celebrating individual contrasts and cultures, while finding the similarities – and of course the criminals. The best versions of us.

1. Nancy Drew
My list could not be complete without the girl detective, the OG, and the role model for both my characters, Tippy and Uncle Pike.

The Secret of the Old Clock, by Caroline Keene

Starting in the 1930s, Nancy Drew has spanned generations. Independent, Nancy Drew solved cases with spectacularly little training other than curiosity and tenacity. With her friends in tow and questionable deference to authority, Nancy Drew shows you don’t need to be a professional to solve crime.

Nancy Drew doesn’t wait for permission. She asks questions, follows the clues and keeps going when everyone else thinks she should stop.

It is these qualities that make her the perfect role model for The Nancys. After all, every amateur detective needs a role model. Who better than Nancy Drew?

Tippy and Uncle Pike run with that same curiosity, tenacity and questionable deference to authority, while getting Devon, who has not yet read the books, up to speed. The Nancys are back again, investigating in The Nancys and the Secret of Tulip Farm. Amateur detectives back on a case? It does not get better than that!

Disclaimer: Amateur detecting is not recommended. Please leave crime solving to the professionals.

R.W.R. (Rob) McDonald is author of The Nancys and the Secret of Tulip Farm, book two in the multi-award-winning, funny, moving and dark The Nancys series, published by Orenda Books on 8th October 2026.

Posted on by

Five True Stories I’m Secretly Saving for a Novel by A. J. West

I keep a secret list. It’s a growing, increasingly unwieldy collection of true stories from history that I think might one day become books. Some are famous; some are almost completely forgotten. Some have murders, some have scandals, all have extraordinary people at their heart. Have a look and maybe one of them will inspire you to write the book before I get there in my time machine!

1. The Bisley Boy

What if Queen Elizabeth I wasn’t Queen Elizabeth I at all?

One of the most gloriously persistent Tudor rumours claims that, shortly before Elizabeth’s coronation, the young princess died and was secretly replaced by a boy from the Gloucestershire village of Bisley. The story goes that Elizabeth had been sent there as a child and, when her governess discovered that she had died, a local boy was substituted because nobody dared admit that the future queen was dead. It is almost certainly nonsense. But what wonderful nonsense.

2. The Pink Triangle

There is something unbearably cinematic about the stories that emerged from the Nazi concentration camps – and one in particular has stayed with me: the story of a love triangle involving men imprisoned under the Nazis, where love, survival and betrayal become almost impossible to separate.

The pink triangle itself was the badge imposed on gay men in the concentration-camp system. But behind that symbol were individual lives: people who fell in love, formed attachments, protected one another and sometimes had to make impossible choices simply to stay alive.

3. Anne Askew

Anne Askew’s story is one of those pieces of history that sounds invented until you discover that it isn’t. She was a Protestant writer and poet in Tudor England, a woman who challenged religious orthodoxy at precisely the moment when doing so could get you killed. She was interrogated, tortured in the Tower of London and eventually burned at the stake in 1546. The sheer undaunted audacity of her impresses me. Even after being tortured, she wouldn’t name the people they wanted her to betray.

4. Mary Anning

Dinosaurs! Well, not quite dinosaurs. But you get the idea.

Mary Anning was a fossil hunter from Lyme Regis who became one of the most important fossil collectors and palaeontological figures of the nineteenth century. She came from a poor family and made a living searching the cliffs and beaches of the Jurassic Coast for fossils. Her discoveries helped transform the Victorian understanding of prehistoric life. Naturally, she didn’t receive anything like the recognition given to the wealthy male scientists who studied and published the specimens she found.

5. Parliament Joan

Joan was a journalist and pamphleteer working during the extraordinary political upheavals of seventeenth-century England, around the period of Oliver Cromwell and the creation of the Commonwealth. Parliament was fighting the Crown. The monarchy had been abolished. Political factions were battling for control. Pamphlets and newspapers were becoming weapons. Somewhere in the middle of all this was a woman writing about it all, in spite of huge personal peril. 

History is at its most exciting, you’ll agree I’m sure, when the people living through it don’t yet know how their story is going to end.

So, that’s five of about fifty I have on my list. I wish I could research and write quickly enough to bring them all to life, but alas, my process takes a lot of time and careful attention. Still, which do you think could be my next novel? 

A.J. West is the author of The Deadly Inheritance of Everest Macdonald, a thrilling, dark mystery and adventure, based on the real-life murder of Victorian actor, William Terriss, at the Adelphi Theatre in London. Published on 8th October by Orenda Books.

Posted on by

My Favourite Books by Lars Elling

It was hard to pick just a few, but these definitely stand out.

Ernest Hemingway, The First 49 Stories

I keep coming back to this one. I have an old paperback copy that used to belong to my father. I’ve been through it so many times, yet I always come across a ‘new’ story. Hemingway is much misunderstood. There are many writers who describe the loneliness and detachment of modern life. Hemingway is always connected – to simple pleasures: a rising trout, wild strawberries, and to agony and fear. But never to boredom.

Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

This seminal novel was Hemingway’s prime source material. Always amusing, exciting, disobedient. Always on our hero’s side.

Philip Roth, The Zuckerman trilogy: The Human Stain, American Pastoral, I Married a Communist

Roth has a great sense of humour and plenty of self-irony. These are effectively contemporary history lessons paired with bitter-sweet lamentations about … everything.

Lena Andersson, Son of Svea: A Tale of the People’s Home (translated into English by Sarah Death)

A wonderful account of the political and cultural mechanics behind the Scandinavian social democratic system, its strength and weaknesses.

Olga Tokarczuk, Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead (translated into English by Antonia Lloyd-Jones)

This is marvellous and weird pseudo crime fiction. Funny, too. This reads like Flann O’Brien.

Vigdis Hjorth, Will and Testament (translated into English by Charlotte Barslund)

A painful and interesting novel about the secrets families keep buried and the cost to all involved when they are exhumed.

Lars Elling is the author of the Norwegian bestselling debut novel, The Princes of Pauper’s Pond, translated by Don Bartlett ,and published by Orenda Books on 24th September 2026.

Posted on by

Scottish Folklore in the Annie Jackson Series by Michael J. Malone

Early reviewers of my first novel in the Annie Jackson series, The Murmurs, mentioned how much they enjoyed the Scottish history and folklore element of the book. Which came as a bit of a surprise to me – not the history part, that was very much a deliberate choice, but the folklore element, which flowed from the historical, almost by accident.

Given that this appreciation was repeated in later reviews, and in particular by a publication that reviews for all of the libraries in the USA, I decided that as the series grew, I would lean in to this aspect, and give readers what they clearly wanted. And I’m so glad I did, it has added real depth and a fascinating flavour to my experience of writing the books, one that I hope is passed on to the readers.  

The Baobhan Sith

This Highland legend appeared in The Torments and I came across her by happy accident when I was looking for something else. When I read what she was and suggestions as to how she came about, my immediate thought was: This has to go in the book.

The version I found described how lonely men out in the wilds could call for her, and if they intoned the Lord’s prayer first, this beautiful woman would appear, cure them of their loneliness for one night and give them a carnal (it was suggested) experience they would never forget. However, if they forgot in their lust to qualify their request for company with this prayer, a beautiful woman would appear with flowing, black hair, and a green dress long enough to hide her cloven feet, and she would rip their throat out and drink their blood.

My thinking is that this was a typically Scottish warning around the maxim: be careful what you wish for.

Sawney Bean

Alegend that also appeared in The Torments (man, was I spoiling you with the folklore in that book).

Sawney Bean was a bit of a local bogeyman character when I was growing up, but I hadn’t read into him properly until I decided to use him and his story in my fiction. There’s a cave on the coast, tucked under a headland, some miles south of where I live, before you reach the village of Ballantrae, where many centuries ago Sawney and his wife and family were reputed to have had their lair.

As the legend has it, Sawney, and his charmingly titled wife, Black Alice – reputed to be a witch – were chased out of Edinburgh by the threat of a noose, and wound up on the Ayrshire coast, in a cave only accessible during a low tide, from where they could attack unsuspecting travellers, murder them, loot their belongings and eat their bodies.

Over the years they produced fourteen children, who had thirty-two grandchildren between them – what’s a little bit of incest set against murder and cannibalism? While busily procreating they also managed to prey on 1000 people over twenty-five years, until they attacked one person to many. A man fought them off, the authorities were alerted, a dragoon of soldiers sent to round them up and they were taken to Edinburgh where they were summarily executed. The men were emasculated, their hands and feet chopped off before they were thrown onto a massive fire. Their womenfolk were strangled before joining the men on the pyre.

All very macabre, but is it true? There are no official records of such a mass execution, and the first mention of this story in print was found in an English chapbook – published in the early 1800s, which has led to suggestions that the whole thing was made up to discredit the Scots.

Set against the backdrop of a defeated Bonnie Prince Charlie, tartans and bagpipes being forbidden, and the Scottish ruling classes sending their children to England for an education so they didn’t speak with a Scottish accent, could this have been a form of political misinformation? Plus ça change, eh?

The Werewolf

A theme I decided to use in the third book in the Annie Jackson series, The Howling. (See what I did there?)

But the only Scottish werewolf legend I could find was pretty benign. The Wulver, as it is known, is a human with a wolf’s head – a gentle creature that helps people, rather than setting out to hunt and kill them. This being is said to live in a cave and spends its nights fishing, and he then leaves his surplus catch on the windowsills of the local poor and starving.

Which is all very nice, but not very suitable for a crime novel, so I borrowed from Norse mythology for this book, tapping into the legend around Berserkers.

These were fearsome warriors who would work themselves into a frenzy before battle, borrowing from the strengths and fearlessness of the beasts around them – and in my case this would, of course, be the wolf. If you want to see how that turned out, you need to read the book.

Then…

In my new novel I borrowed once again from local folklore, and I ventured to make up some of my own. In the hills of East Ayrshire, beyond the once bustling mining village of New Cumnock, there are some interesting geological features, amongst which is a series of cliffs called the Black Clints, and the Merry Clints, and between them sits a cave.

As the story goes a giant once lived in the cave, and he was notorious for stealing sheep from local farmers and throwing them off the top of the cliff before eating them.

It is also said that this giant once held a fiddler captive, and even now, if you pass the cave you can hear the plaintive playing of the ghost of this poor musician.

To add credence to the story of the giant, it is said that a minister found a giant’s tooth in the grounds of a local church.

My own contribution to folklore in The Cutting is around a mysterious figure known as The Guardian. His life’s work is to stay patrol the countries Witch Pools and protect the energy that might have leaked into the water from the poor, innocent wretches, as they were drowned. If he senses that visitors to these sites have a kind heart and good intentions, he leaves them alone. But if he judges that the visitor has designs on the energy and power that simmers in the water … well, you’ll have to read the book to find out what he does.

Michael J. Malone’s The Cutting is book four in the Annie Jackson Mysteries series, and published by Orenda Books on 24th September 2026.

Posted on by

My Five Favourite Crime Series by Eva Björg Ægisdottír

I have loved reading crime series ever since I was a teenager. There is something about following the same characters through several books that makes you feel particularly connected to them. More often than not, their development becomes just as important, if not more important, than the crime at the heart of the book (although, of course, that still needs to be exciting!). Following their growth, personal lives and the changes they go through is something I have always loved. They become like old friends who I visit again and again. That is probably one of the reasons why, when I started writing myself, I decided to write a series. When you fall in love with the main character in your own book, one book simply isn’t enough!

So here are five crime series I have loved reading most, not just because of the mysteries at their heart, but because their main characters have become almost friends, and I love visiting them over and over again.

Arnaldur Indriðason – The Erlendur Series

Arnaldur Indriðason was the first Icelandic crime writer to achieve international success, with his books finding readers all over the world. I would argue that his main character, Erlendur, has played a big part in that.

Erlendur is not exactly someone I would befriend in real life. He is an eccentric loner who never seems to make relationships last, is obsessed with missing-person cases, and mostly eats traditional Icelandic food such as sheep’s head. His obsession with missing people is closely tied to his past: he lost his younger brother in a terrible storm when they were children, and the loss has haunted him ever since. He also has a daughter, Eva Lind, who struggles with addiction. Erlendur left her and her mother when Eva Lind was young, but as she grows older, she begins seeking him out again. And yet, there is something so endearing about him, and you can’t help but feel for him. These qualities also make him an excellent detective.

There is a constant sense of dread and gloom hanging over the entire series, while Indriðason paints a remarkably realistic picture of Icelandic society – the perfect-looking surface, but also the darker underworld and the cracks underneath it. Social commentary at its best.

These are the books I read as a teenager. I got one for Christmas every year, and they became part of a Christmas tradition for me, just as they have for so many Icelanders.

Camilla Läckberg – The Fjällbacka Series

Camilla Läckberg’s Fjällbacka series has to come next. I worked in a library in my twenties, and these were some of the most popular books at the time. I became curious and started reading them myself.

They are the kind of books where the characters feel like people you could really be friends with; in fact, Erika and Patrik are the sort of people you would want in your life, and their everyday lives provide a lovely contrast to the often horrific crimes taking place around them. Erika is a writer, mainly writing biographies, while Patrik is a detective. Their different perspectives make them a great pair for telling these stories.

That is one of the things I find so fascinating about Nordic crime fiction: the way good and evil can exist side by side without the world ever becoming simply black and white. The crimes are often morally grey. People are not necessarily evil; they are people who do terrible things, find themselves in terrible circumstances, or make terrible decisions. Okay, there are, admittedly, quite a few genuinely awful people in the beautiful Swedish village of Fjällbacka, which is now known around the world, thanks to Läckberg’s books.

What I love about the series is the way she weaves together different stories from the past and present. The crimes often have a long history, and the characters’ stories gradually become intertwined in a way that feels effortless and compelling. These are truly characters you want to spend a long time with – which is fortunate, because the books are long.

Viveca Sten – The Sandhamn Murders

Much like Läckberg, Viveca’s protagonists are friendly and likeable people, and the stories are set against the beautiful backdrop of Sandhamn, an island in the Stockholm archipelago where idyllic summer days, yachts and a close-knit community provide the setting for some less idyllic events.

Unlike Läckberg’s Erika and Patrik, the main characters – Nora and Thomas – are not a couple, but very close friends. Nora is a lawyer and Thomas is a police officer, so they make a great team when it comes to investigating crimes.

Viveca Sten herself was a lawyer, and her legal knowledge is evident throughout the books. She is also a wonderful storyteller, creating fascinating mysteries while making the setting really come alive. I love being transported to Sandhamn and experiencing the stories through the eyes of the people who live there.

Nora and Thomas also have very interesting personal lives, and just like with Läckberg’s books, it is the characters and their lives outside the crimes that keep me coming back. There is something about returning to Sandhamn, and seeing what has happened to these people since the last book, that I find incredibly comforting

Ann Cleeves – Vera Stanhope

Vera Stanhope is another eccentric loner, as so many great detective protagonists are, except she is very much her own kind of character. Not at all the polished detective, she is an older woman who drives around in an old Land Rover, is sharp and fiercely intelligent, and has absolutely no interest in fitting anyone’s idea of what a detective should look like – or behave.

She gets close to witnesses through her blunt manner, but also through her warm and friendly presence. And often, good food is the best way to get people talking. She is also an excellent judge of character, with a deep understanding of human nature.

I have loved all of Ann Cleeves’s books, but there is something particularly special about the Vera series. The Northumberland setting is so vividly brought to life: the small towns and villages, the wild landscape, the feeling that everyone knows everyone – and the atmosphere that comes with it.

Tana French – The Dublin Murder Squad

I haven’t been reading Tana French for long, but there is no going back now!

She is amazingly talented when it comes to prose and character development. Her characters are immediately layered and complex, and their stories are endlessly fascinating. I was completely captivated by the way she writes and how she manages to draw you in with just a few sentences at the very beginning.

Her books are very different from the Nordic crime fiction I was used to reading, with much more emphasis on psychology – which I absolutely love. She plays with the traditional detective format and takes a much more unconventional approach. Each book follows a different detective from the squad, so it doesn’t quite have the same ‘visiting old friends’ feeling as the other series on this list. Instead, characters who were secondary characters in one book can become the main character in the next, giving you a completely different perspective on the same world.

The creativity and writing style are so extraordinary that, as a fellow writer, they honestly give me a little bit of an inferiority complex.

If you haven’t read these series yet, I hope they take you on a journey to Iceland, Sweden, Ireland and England, and that you come to love these characters as much as I have.

Happy reading!

Eva Björg Ægisdottír is the author of The Last Tenant, the sixth book in the international bestselling, award-winning Forbidden Iceland series,translated by Victoria Cribb and published by Orenda Books on 10th September 2026.