Speaking to the multi-talented David Huckvale recently about what he was working on, I suspected our amiable conversation might be challenged by his answer. ‘I’m writing a book about Dracula A.D. 1972’, David replied. My review: www.dvdchoices.co.uk

Covering in the FT: Robert Galbraith, Ragnar Jónasson, Kate Rhodes, Mike Ripley, Richard Armitage, Bruce Holsinger, Seishi Yokomizo

I asked Maxim Jakubowski to talk to Crime Time about his excellent new Hitchcock–inspired anthology BIRDS, STRANGERS AND PSYCHOS www.crimetime.co.uk/birds-strang...

What a swell party! The launch for her exemplary Appointment in Paris filled the room with affection for Jane Thynne at Daunts Marylebone, not least from a host of fellow writers.

Covering in the FT: The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith, The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer by Ragnar Jónasson, Deadman’s Pool by Kate Rhodes, Buried Above Ground by Mike Ripley + Richard Armitage, plus Bruce Holsinger, Seishi Yokomizo www.crimetime.co.uk/new-crime-fi...

Covering a new biography of Sidney Greenstreet: 'The British Isles have produced more than their share of exemplary screen heavies and many would make a case for the portly Sidney Greenstreet as one of the most distinctive....' www.dvdchoices.co.uk

The perfect setting to talk to Kathy Reichs about 25 years of the Tempe Brennan series: the Old Operating Theatre Museum in Southwark. In the lively company of Dame Sue Black, plus Capital Crime supremo David Headley and my fellow journos Laura Wilson and John Williams

Covering on Blu-ray Choice: Darkness Visible: The Cinema of Jonathan Glazer: 'The writer John Bleasdale has long been one of the most perceptive and intelligent writers on contemporary cinema, and his new study of Glazer is among his best work...' www.dvdchoices.co.uk

From Dracula and Horrors of the Black Museum to Batman's butler for Tim Burton: l Iook at the film career of Michael Gough in the latest Cryptology (#5)

The ebullient Matthew Sweet is something of a polymath, skilled in a variety of fields, but he may be best known for his proselytising work regarding the cinema. If that were the only string to his bow, it would be impressive enough. However... www.crimetime.co.uk/bookish-by-m...

John Bleasdale suggested I contribute another piece to his invaluable Writers on Film, this time built around my book Italian Cinema -- and four key directors: Fellini, Antonioni, Bava and Argento (plus Leone!). See: open.spotify.com/episode/1z8j...

I asked Paul Waters to Crime Time about Murder in Moonlight Square... www.crimetime.co.uk/murder-in-mo...

Covering on Blu-ray Choice: THE INNKEEPERS/Second Sight, SENSO/Radiance, THE CONJURING/Warners, TALES OF ADVENTURE 5/Imprint, THE HAUNTED HOUSE OF HORROR/88, H.M.S. DEFIANT/Indicator, THE SHOOTIST/Arrow, THE TAMING OF THE SHREW /Indicator, etc. www.dvdchoices.co.uk

I asked Adele Parks to talk to Crime Time about her new book, Our Beautiful Mess: www.crimetime.co.uk/our-beautifu...

John Bleasdale suggested I contribute another piece to his invaluable Writers on Film, this time built around my book Italian Cinema -- and four key directors: Fellini, Antonioni, Bava and Argento (plus Leone!). See: open.spotify.com/episode/1z8j...

Before Nordic Noir took the world by storm, Ole Bornedal had electrified the genre with his amazing fusion of crime and horror Nightwatch – enjoyed providing a to-camera piece for the striking Nightwatch collection (Arrow); I was filmed (and edited) by Ian Mantgani

Contributing a piece on Karloff's The Haunted Strangler for the latest issue of The Fantastic Fifties in the company of my old friend Richard Hollis, Stephen Laws, Stephanie Crawford et al, adroitly edited by Brian J Robb

As a (very) young man I once danced (if you could call my shuffling that!) with Cleo Laine, who sadly has just died. I'd done some minor work on the autobiography of Britain's greatest jazz singer...

As a (very) young man I once danced (if you could call my shuffling that!) with Cleo Laine, who sadly has just died. I'd done some minor work on the autobiography of Britain's greatest jazz singer...

In my latest FT roundup: Denise Mina, Liam McIlvanney, Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Peter Swanson, Philip Gwynne Jones, Eva Björg Ægisdóttir, Arnaldur Indriđason

Uncanny London: I'll be talking to the fascinating Clive Bloom (series editor of my books, British Gothic Cinema & British Crime Film) about his new book on Gothic London's uncanny literature and arcane events at National Army Museum. 28 Sept: book here: www.chelseaheritagequarter.co.uk

It's been a good start to the week. Many thanks to @barryf48.bsky.social at the FT. "The Magus of Sicily...invokes Italy’s most exquisite island as a setting for myth and murder. This is Swansea-born Gwynne Jones (who now lives in Venice) using his adopted country in truly evocative fashion.”

In next Saturday's FT: The Good Liar/Denise Mina, The Good Father/Liam McIlvanney, The Art of a Lie/Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Kill Your Darlings/Peter Swanson, The Magus of Sicily/Philip Gwynne Jones, & Eva Björg Ægisdóttir, Arnaldur Indriđason www.crimetime.co.uk/new-crime-in...

Covering THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT & QUATERMASS 2, Val Guest @hammerfilms 4K/ WOMEN IN LOVE, Ken Russell @BFI 4K/HEART OF STONE; @Eurekavideo /WHEN EVIL LURKS; @SecondSightFilm /Three from Indicator : THE HIRELING, THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, THE DRESSER www.dvdchoices.co.uk

Hunted by Abir Mukherjee has been announced as the winner of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2025. www.crimetime.co.uk/hunted-by-ab...

Maigret Capsule Collection: Barry Forshaw, author of Simenon, The Man, The Books, The Films, on a very welcome new publishing initiative from Penguin: twelve hand-picked Maigret mysteries; See Crime Time: www.crimetime.co.uk/maigret-caps...

The Compleat Raymond Chandler: John Bleasdale on the Master of the Hardboiled Detective Novel for Crime Time: www.crimetime.co.uk/the-compleat...

Picked up today's Daily Planet at King's Cross – but perhaps the subeditor should have added some punctuation to Lois Lane's headline?

The 2025 winners of the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Dagger Awards, which honour the very best in the crime-writing genre, have been announced. See link on Crime Time: www.crimetime.co.uk/2025-cwa-dag...

Blu-ray Choice: Coverage & Namechecks: MGM: THE SEAN CONNERY 6-FILM COLLECTION/Warner: LETHAL WEAPON 4K UHD/Eureka: TERROR IN THE FOG/88: THE BLACK TORMENT/Severin: DR WHO AND THE DALEKS/Hammer: SHATTER/Radiance: KILLER COP/Second Sight: THE NICE GUYS dvdchoices.co.uk

Best of Summer Crime in the FT (Urtext): The Woman Who Laughed/Simon Mason; King of Ashes/S. A. Cosby; The Secrets We Keep/M. R. Mackenzie; A Schooling in Murder/Andrew Taylor; The Stranger in Room Six/Jane Corry; The Red Shore/William Shaw + Lisa Jewell www.crimetime.co.uk/the-best-of-...

Karin Slaughter interviewed by Lee Child in Mayfair about her new book, We Are All Guilty Here. The Slaughter/Child badinage demonstrated their long friendship, and the review-proof Lee Child even called me out from the stage as an ‘eminent reviewer’! www.crimetime.co.uk/karin-slaugh...

Enjoyed contributing an essay to The Nice Guys from @secondsightfilms.bsky.social

Best of Summer Crime in the FT (Urtext): The Woman Who Laughed/Simon Mason; King of Ashes/S. A. Cosby; The Secrets We Keep/M. R. Mackenzie; A Schooling in Murder/Andrew Taylor; The Stranger in Room Six/Jane Corry; The Red Shore/William Shaw + Lisa Jewell www.crimetime.co.uk/the-best-of-...

Meeting in South Ken the ever-stimulating Paul Vidich, whose The Poet's Game maintains his impeccable standards (our usual bonding over Graham Greene). In the lively disputatious company of Antonia Senior Andrew Rosenheim, Merle Nygate, Ed Needham Jake Kerridge Ayo Onatade et al

Un bicchiere di vino with Carlo Lucarelli. Wrote in the FT: 'The Darkest Winter -- set in the Bologna of 1944 -- finds the thuggish Black Brigades fighting the SS for control of the city, while the conflicted Commissario De Luca struggles to solve three simultaneous murders...'

Crime-heavy week for me: Carlo Lucarelli Tuesday, Hatchards Authors of the year Party Wednesday (w. crime luminaries) and the CWA Dagger Shortlist announced today – see Crime Time link below.. it's the hardknock life for me keeping up with all this... www.crimetime.co.uk/2025-cwa-dag...

For the deluxe new Hammer package of Shatter (starring Stuart Whitman and the matchless Peter Cushing), I supplied an essay on Seventies Crime Movies. It was a golden era, and Shatter is an entry in a notably fruitful period for the genre... www.crimetime.co.uk/shatter-and-...

'Readers should expect to flinch...' Covering in the FT: Stephen King, Carlo Lucarelli, Karin Slaughter, Vaseem KhanUK, Alex North, SJ Parris,Taku Ashibe, Linwood Barclay...

For the @BFI set of Richard Loncraine's Slade in Flame, I've contributed an essay: Britain and the Beat: UK Pop Music Films in the UK

Covering in the FT: The Darkest Winter/Carlo Lucarelli, We Are All Guilty Here/Karin Slaughter, The Girl in Cell A/Vaseem Khan, The Man Made of Smoke/Alex North, Never Flinch/Stephen King, Traitor’s Legacy/S J Parris, Whistle/Linwood Barclay, Taku Ashib www.crimetime.co.uk/may-crime-in...

On Crime Time, Paul Burke (who is writing his own encyclopaedia on the subject) on the best of current espionage fiction... www.crimetime.co.uk/spy-politica...

I wrote of M.R. Mackenzie in the Financial Times: 'One of the most consistently accomplished writers on the current scene'. I asked him to talk to Crime Time about his new one, The Secrets We Keep... www.crimetime.co.uk/the-secrets-...

Another lively launch for the prolific John Williams; toasting his steaming Heatwave: The Summer of 1976 were such luminaries as Cathi Unsworth, Travis Elborough, louche Sohemians Paul Willetts & Mark Glendinning, ..

Belatedly caught up with exemplary work by my colleagues across the ocean, Constantine Nasr & Steve Haberman, on a concise Roger Corman documentary for the Blu-ray of Day the World Ended (Shout Blu-rays are bloody hard to obtain in the UK - sent to me by Randy Broecker)

Here’s some welcome news. Penguin have undertaken a reissue programme of novels by one of the greatest of American crime fiction practitioners, the matchless Elmore Leonard. The first three titles are Swag, The Switch and Rum Punch www.crimetime.co.uk/three-by-elm...

Covering Sixties Shockers: A Critical Filmography of Horror Cinema, 1960-1969; bookshelves are groaning under the weight of critical tomes (including, I sincerely hope, this writer’s British Gothic Cinema), so is this something unusual? www.dvdchoices.co.uk

I asked Stuart MacBride to talk to Crime Time about his latest, The House of Burning Bones... www.crimetime.co.uk/this-house-o...

@BFI showing of the new Blu-ray of Slade in Flame w. such luminaries as Vic Pratt, Ben Stoddart & Josephine Botting. Spoke to Richard Loncraine (though not Noddy Holder)- about my booklet essay; he liked the approach of talking about all the directors who’d started in pop movies...

Covering new Blu-rays on Crime Time: www.crimetime.co.uk/killer-cop-a... KILLER COP, NINE GUESTS FOR A CRIME, LA HAINE, NIGHT TRAIN MURDERS, SHOOT FIRST, DIE LATER, YAKUZA WIVES & TERROR IN THE FOG: THE WALLACE KRIMI AT CCC