The Crime Readers' Association

Leigh RussellCRA Writing Tips: Variety in Writing

22nd August 2013

The importance of varying your pace when you are writing cannot be stressed too much. To some extent this will happen naturally through your plot, but you should also use your language to control the...

A Cry for the Cosy- Lesley Cookman

16th August 2013

We’re a quietish bunch in the UK, us Mystery Writers. There’s me and a few others, some of whom cross into historical crime. But we are largely ignored by the media, rarely reviewed (except on Amazon)...

RefusalFelix Francis: The Low Down

2nd August 2013

Writer:  Felix Francis Area:    North Oxfordshire Day job: Ex-physics teacher but now full time writer, and dog-minder  Refusal (Dick Francis Novel) is by Felix Francis. Here, we take a look at both w...

Leigh RussellCrime Writing Tips: The Importance of Character

25th July 2013

Crime fiction is plot driven. Yet however clever and intriguing the storyline, no novel succeeds without strong characters. They need to be credible so readers can believe in them. It is also importan...

Helen-PhiferSaturday Sixers: Six Hours Can Change Your Life

13th July 2013

11:00 It’s a busy day at work today and probably the first time in a few hours that I haven’t checked my e-mails. I have been working with a wonderful editor from Harlequin who I call ‘the lovely Anna...

The Daily Grind: Chris Collett

2nd July 2013

Writer: Chris Collett Workspace: I work in our office (ie. box room) overlooking a leafy street on the Bournville Village Trust. While working, I am closely monitored for productivity by our ageing Yo...

Anya-LipskaAnya Lipska: My top 5 true crime reads

24th June 2013

Anya Lipska, author of Where the Devil Can’t Go, a crime thriller set among London’s Poles, chooses her top five true crime reads. 1. Shot in the Heart– Mikal Gilmore, 1994 In 1977, Gary Gilmore’s dem...

Saturday Sixers: Jane Finnis

22nd June 2013

Pondering the sixty-year anniversary of the Crime Writers’ Association, Jane finds herself wondering: what was I doing in 1953? I’d like to say I don’t recall 1953, it was before my time. But I’d be l...

crimefestCRIMEFEST

28th May 2013

This weekend sees the movers and the shakers, the hip and the happening and everyone in between descending on Bristol for CRIMEFEST. Billed as “the convention for people who like to read an occa...

Month-Long Crime Wave Predicted To Hit UK in June

20th May 2013

National Crime Writing Month is Back! The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Director, Lucy Santos, explains why it would be criminal to miss the UK’s fourth annual celebration of crime writing old and...

Event: Intelligence Revealed

8th May 2013

The CRA loves to give its readers tips on the best crime books, authors and events around. A fantastic event coming up on the 20th May definitely fulfills the criteria of being one of the best events...

CWA Author Paul HarrisonCWA Dagger in the Library, 2013 Long list announced

1st May 2013

Sponsor: Dead Good, The Random House Group The judging panel for this year’s Dagger in the Library Award are pleased to announce the longlist for the 2013 award. Mobeena Khan, who chairs the judges, s...

Crime Writers’ Association Conference 2013

29th April 2013

Once a year members of the Crime Writers’ Association get together, drink, chat, drink, eat, drink, laugh, drink and learn at our annual conference. This year we were in Lake Windermere over the...

CRA review: Lie Still, Julia Heaberlin

25th April 2013

Lie Still is a potent blast of twenty first century Southern Gothic. Julia Heaberlin brings a poet’s craft and conviction to her storytelling, and the characters which populate her fictional Texan tow...

CRA April Giveaway: Never Coming Home

18th April 2013

The Crime Writers’ Association and Crime Readers’ Association are currently gearing up to National Crime Writing Month, which will start at the end of May, and will see special crime event...

Criminal London giveaway

21st March 2013

London as a city has a dark and criminal past – and a new book provides the definitive guide to the capital’s crimes.  From Sherlock Holmes’ Baker Street and Jack the Ripper’s Whitechapel...

Giveaway – win cinema tickets

8th March 2013

From 29 March, the BFI in London will be showing a tribute to John Boorman’s crime classic, Point Blank. CRA readers can now win a free pair of tickets the the film.  John Boorman’s American deb...

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