Whether it’s fiction or non fiction crime writing is always a popular genre in Western literature. This month the reading theme is Crimereads.
Parramatta City Library has many titles in its collection and you can go to our online catalogue to reserve whatever you like, or download an ebook or you can simply come to the library and pick up some books.
Blog: http://readwatchplay.wordpress.com/monthly-themes/april/
Murder is a messy business. The motivations behind committing murder can be complicated. The murder weapon needs to be considered, a pistol perhaps? Or, the ubiquitous blunt instrument? The location and the timing of the murder need to be carefully planned. Witnesses are to be avoided. An alibi has to be constructed. Then, of course, the question of what to do with the body must be answered.
If murder is so difficult, why is it so fascinating?
Crime fiction is the world’s largest genre. One of the reasons for this is that crime fiction writers have so successfully capitalised on the appeal factors of reading: character; language; setting; and story. Many crime fiction readers are very familiar with these appeal factors: the numerous characters from cerebral sleuths who can solve a crime in their living room over a cup of tea (Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle) to weapon wielding heroes who track down villains on foot in darkened alleyways (James M Cain, Raymond Chandler, Peter Corris, Dashiell Hammett); the language of the cultured conversations from the novels of the genre’s Golden Age between World Wars I and II (Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Dorothy L Sayers) to the hard-hitting terminology of forensic procedurals (Patricia Cornwell, Gabrielle Lord, Kathy Reichs) and legal procedurals (Sydney Bauer, John Grisham, Scott Turow); the settings that range from Australian towns and cities (Shane Maloney, Peter Temple, Arthur Upfield) to glamorous locations around the world (Ian Fleming, Patricia Highsmith); and the diversity of detective stories from the classic locked room (John Dickson Carr, Fergus Hume) to modern day military thrillers (Tom Clancy, Matthew Reilly). Crime fiction also covers the continuum of stories that focus on solving the crime (G K Chesterton, P D James, Ellis Peters) to works that explicitly detail criminal acts (James Ellroy, Thomas Harris, Mo Hayder). There is, quite simply, a dead body for every reader.
So, this April read a work of crime fiction. If you are already familiar with the genre try a sub-genre or author you have not read before. If you are new to crime fiction then close your windows, lock your doors and curl up in bed with a killer…
What are your favourite crime related reads? Any films or games? What are the blogs, twitter streams or magazines you read for #crimeread? Any apps which form part of your #crimeread enviroment?
There will be a live twitter discussion on 30 April starting at 8.00pm Australian Eastern Standard Time. 9.00pmNew Zealand Time, 6.00pm Singapore Standard Time, 12.00 noon Central European Summer Time. Note : this is a staggered start to the discussion.
Use the tags #crimeread and #rwpchat as you discuss the reading, watching playing that is your experience of crimeread, so others can join in the conversation too.
Rachel Franks
@cfwriter
四月份儿犯罪类/法律类阅读/侦探小说
谋杀，是一状恐怖的事。杀人动机通常是复杂的，比如，杀人武器、或凶器首先要考虑到，犯罪地点和时间也要事先计划好，当然还要避免被人发现。更进一步的是，还要给自己制造不在场的证据。当然，杀人后还有个怎么样处理尸体的问题。
如果谋杀是如此困难，为什么仍有那么多人以身拭法，或那么多人喜欢阅读犯罪类的书？
你们能找到一些中文中类似的作品吗？
这个月，你愿不愿意阅读一本类似的书？