I like to read crime novels. I think I have read almost every book that Agatha Christie has ever written. I must admit that I rarely watch the TV series and I have never really enjoyed any of the film adaptations. I like to imagine the characters in my head and seeing someone portray them on screen is like watching someone imitate your friends.
Why was Agatha Christie so popular? I don't think anyone ever has the answer. Poirot was, of course, a very strong character and we all had implicit faith in him and his ability to solve the crime. The same goes for Miss Marple. The novels are dated now and yet they don't lose their appeal. I still occasionally re-read Death on the Nile, which I consider one of her best stories. There is not too much gore even if her liking for the use of poison was a bit creepy.
I love rummaging among the books in charity shops. You never know what you will find there. This is how I came to be currently reading Linwood Barclay's No Time for Goodbye. An engaging book, and well written, it is keeping me interested. I see it got mixed reviews on Amazon and most reviewers had the same opinion as me.
What made me write crime fiction? I really do not know. It started with a visit to Killarney while attending a family wedding. The scenery down there is breathtaking in the true sense of the word. Mountains are mysterious - I know, I grew up on a farm where we looked across the valley at the mountains in the distance. My father used to forecast the weather from them. If they stood out sharply against the skyline, it meant rain and if they were enveloped in a haze, it meant it would be fine.
Although my first love is the sea, I also love the mountains, all mountains. They have been there for countless centuries. So that is where my Sergeant Alan Murray stories began.
Which reminds me, time to get back to my laptop.
