Fifteen years ago today. That’s when I started blogging. Two posts on 20^th December 2010 which, to be fair, didn’t say an awful lot apart from why I was trying to start a blog.

Since then, there have been 2445 posts – oh no, another anniversary looms. I’ve reviewed every book that I’ve finished, making 1847 reviews, of which 51 were re-reviews (and one of those was a re-re-review because I’d forgotten that I’d already re-read Paul Doherty’s The House Of Shadows). All in all, I’ve awarded 179 Puzzlies (probably a bit more because I can’t be bothered to go and count the joint winners) and 14 Grand Puzzlies, plus banged on about TV, film and anything else that bothered me. People have tried to wholesale steal my work at least twice – a compliment, I think – and I’ve banged on a lot about the misuse of the term Locked Room Mystery. Oh, Rian Johnson, you could have helped so much with Wake Up Dead Man, except Benoit Blanc kept calling it a Locked Door Mystery, despite the room not even having a door!

Oh, and I brought Brian Flynn back into print – thirteen/fourteen/seventeen books to go, depending on which ones you count…

But I’ve written quite a few summary posts over the years/weeks/two days ago concerning best books, recommendations, etc, so I didn’t want to do that for an anniversary. So instead, let’s look at things to come – or at least things that I’d like to happen. So here are things that I’d like to happen in the next five years.

Finish The Brian Flynn Project

Let’s start with an easy one. There are thirteen Bathurst books left to go which I’m pretty sure will get reprinted over the next few years. As to whether I can persuade Dean Street Press to also do Tragedy At Trinket (a crickety-schoolboy mystery featuring Bathurst’s nephew) or the three Charles Wogan books (featuring former European monarch Sebastian Stole), well, let’s see.

Start A New Project

There are other authors out there that need to be reprinted. Glyn Carr is the obvious one, but there are others still waiting to be uncovered. Hopefully over the next five years, I can find another.

Meeting New Authors

One of the huge delights over my time blogging is the numerous authors who I’ve met. Crime fiction novelists are lovely people – every single one has been a delight – but there are some in particular that I still haven’t got round to crossing paths with. I’m trying to increase my attendance at crime fiction festivals, so hopefully I can say hello and thank you for all the enjoyment to:

• Paul Doherty
• Robert Thorogood
• Nev Fountain
• Victoria Dowd
• J S Savage

And, of course, every other author whose work I’ve enjoyed over the years.

Present At A Conference

Probably needs a bit of effort on my part here, but I enjoyed being drafted in at the last minute at Death In The Dales. I do have vague plans for a couple of author talks – probably only suitable for Bodies In The Library – but if anyone wants some support for a Golden Age panel, feel free to give me a shout.

Get Myself In Print version 1

It’s way past time I put my money where my mouth is. Fifteen years of praise and moaning about what should and shouldn’t be in a murder mystery, so perhaps it’s time to step up and give it a go myself. I do have an idea for a short story so maybe I’ll start there… Maybe…

Get Myself In Print version 2

One of my favourite things – well, two of them – was when Paul Doherty and Michael Jecks dedicated, respectively, Dark Serpent and The Dead Don’t Wait to me for basically reviewing almost everything they’ve written. But am even bigger thrill was when I read Paul’s The Herald Of Hell and read about an extremely obnoxious character called Lebarge. Paul’s told me he didn’t consciously name him after me – we had been corresponding a bit at this point – but even so, it was such a treat. So, authors, the request is out there – if you’re struggling to name a character, no matter how inconsequential or repulsive, feel free to put my name in print. And if you need the name for a mysterious master criminal, The Puzzle Doctor has a nice ring to it…

More Of The Same

This is definitely one promise that I can keep – I’m not going anywhere soon. So more classic crime, more modern mysteries, more reminding people what a locked room mystery actually is…

And finally, thank you all for visiting (apart from #BeijingBot1 and his friends who have messed up my blog stats with their bot-y behaviour). Thanks to all my fellow bloggers for all their support, and to my Golden Age book group for making me read some terrible books (and some excellent ones). Thanks to everyone and anyone who has ever passed this way. As ever, any suggestions, questions or requests are gratefully received – as are free review copies.

Here’s to the next fifteen years!