Sunday 22 January 2012

SPOTLIGHT ON: STEPHEN BOOTH

One of Britain's best crime writers, Stephen Booth was born in Lancashire in 1952 but resides in the great county of Nottinghamshire with his wife and a variety of animals.  
Before turning his hand to psychological thrillers, Stephen worked in journalism. His jobs included working as a rugby reporter, a sub-editor on the Scottish Daily Express and Production Editor of the Farming Guardian magazine, plus spells on local newspapers.

Booth’s main crime-fighting detectives, Ben Cooper and Diane Fry, maintain a fascinating and unpredictable relationship throughout a series that has been published all around the world, and translated into 15 languages. Their village of Edendale may be fictional but the real Peak District is as well described and atmospheric as you could wish to read.

Books in the series:

Black Dog (2000) scooped the Barry Award for Best British Novel as well as being nominated for an Anthony Award for Best First Mystery. Black Dog was also named as one of the six best crime novels of 2000 by the London Evening Standard.
"Stephen Booth‘s Black Dog sinks its teeth into you and doesn‘t let you go."
Reginald Hill

A strong contender for the best book in the series.
Dancing With the Virgins (2001) is another Barry Award winning novel.
A young woman is left dead amongst a group of stones similar to Stonehenge, so-called because they supposedly represent maidens who were turned to stone as punishment for taking part in a dance.

Blood on the Tongue (2002)

Blind to the Bones (2003). In this year Stephen Booth won the CWA's Dagger in the Library Award, voted for by librarians as the writer who had given their readers the most pleasure.

One Last Breath (2004), shortlisted for Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award.

The Dead Place (2005), shortlisted for Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award.

Scared to Live (2006)

Dying to Sin (2007)

The Kill Call (2009)

Lost River (2010)

The Devil's Edge (2011)
Dead and Buried (2012)