A Kind of Puritan by
Penny Deacon
pbk out September 04
(Creme de la Crime Books)
at £7.99
The last few years have witnessed the alarming phenomenon of the Incredible
Shrinking Crime Lists as major publishers - Hodder, Macmillan, Harper Collins,
Headline and others - have withdrawn support from a wide range of so-called
'midlist' authors. So the arrival of a new kid on the publishers' block is a cause for
rejoicing, not merely among crime fans, but also for authors. These two books come
from the pens of new writers (Maureen Carter has previously been short-listed in the
CWA's new crime writing competition) and it is good to see a publisher investing in
fresh work that, although definitely contemporary in mood and content, falls four-
square within the genre's traditions. Carter's long, bleak novel traces the investigation
by DS Bev Morriss of the West Midlands police into the death of a young prostitute,
while Deacon's debut, a first person narrative by a character memorably named
Humility, makes extensive use of the author's love of sailing. These are competent
debuts and both the authors and the publishers deserve encouragement.
(
Martin Edwards
- author of the highly acclaimed Harry Devlin Mysteries)
A Kind of Puritan by
Penny Deacon
