His entry begins:I’m about to head off on a US book tour, so I’m catching up with the latest from some of the people I’m going to be in conversation with at the various events. This is an unalloyed pleasure as, aside from being friends, they all happen to be fantastic writers. What, you think I’m going to be friends with writers who aren’t fabulous? So, I’ve hugely enjoyed Laura Lippman’s Wilde Lake and while I would never use a phrase like “transcends the genre” because it’s one that both Laura and I dislike, this is so much more than a crime novel. It felt like a very personal novel on many levels and...[read on]About Die of Shame, from the publisher:
From British thriller master Mark Billingham, a recent finalist for the Crime Writers’ Association's Dagger in the Library Award, awarded to a writer whose work has given “the most pleasure to readers,” Die of Shame is a chilling story of addiction, subterfuge, and murder.Learn more about the book and author at Mark Billingham's website.
Every Monday evening, six people gather in a smart North London house to talk about shame. A respected doctor, a well-heeled housewife, a young gay man . . .they could not be more different. All they have in common is a history of pain and addiction. When one member of the group is murdered, it quickly becomes apparent that someone else in the circle is responsible. The investigation is hampered by the strict confidentiality that binds these people and their therapist together, which makes things difficult for Detective Inspector Nicola Tanner, a woman who can appreciate the desire to keep personal matters private. If she is to find the killer, she will need to use less obvious means. The question is: What could be shameful enough to cost someone their life? And how do you find the truth when secrets, lies, and denial are second nature to all of your suspects?
The Page 69 Test: The Bones Beneath.
The Page 69 Test: Die of Shame.
Writers Read: Mark Billingham.
--Marshal Zeringue
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