And it’s the return of the feature that all the cool authors are taking part in – HINT! – namely the Five Books interview. Victoria Dowd kicked things off last month, and the first of, hopefully, three authors this month is J S Savage. John is the author of three novels to date, all fair-play clued mysteries, and a new collection of seven short stories that I’ll be reviewing tomorrow. So, over to you, John.
Please Introduce Yourself
Hello, I’m John. I’m 39, Northern Irish, and I write fair-play mysteries. I have two protagonists: Inspector Graves, a gruff, wise old head who primarily investigates impossible crimes in 1920s England alongside his inexperienced constable, Carver; and Penny Haylestone, a sultry sixty-something woman of mystery who takes the youth of today under her wing, shares her experience, and inevitably stumbles across a locked-room murder or two along the way.
What book inspired you to write crime fiction?
I don’t think there was one particular book. My introduction to the genre was The Mystery of the Blue Train, the book Agatha Christie described as her worst (although it wasn’t). I was in Kandahar whilst serving with the RAF and had just finished reading Tender Is the Night when I fancied something lighter. I picked it from the bookshelf next to me and loved it, then devoured her other work. As for what inspired me to write, I think I started after reading a modern mystery and wondering if I could do better! (I’m a bit of a Brian Flynn)
Which of your own books are you most proud of?
Probably The Mystery of Treefall Manor, because it was my first book. I didn’t know if it would be any good, or whether I could write or had any style, but I persevered. And I think the killer is well-hidden. That said, I think The Riddle of the Ravens is my best book.
Which crime novel should everyone read?
The Black Spectacles by John Dickson Carr because the plot is actually very simple but appears complex. It’s brilliantly constructed. It’s a tale about perception, memory, and lies, all woven together expertly. Carr at his very best! (Just ignore the ridiculous car scene)
What’s your favourite non-crime novel?
The Lord of the Rings. It’s not my genre. I wouldn’t have thought myself interested in wizards or orcs or talking trees, but what a book! It’s incredible. One of the few books I’ve read twice, the only others to fall in that category are The ABC Murders, Hercule Poirot’s Christmas, and The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd.
Please plug your latest book.
7 Deadly Sins is an Inspector Graves short story collection. Although there are only seven stories, it’s a novel-length book, with plenty for readers to get their teeth into. Four of the stories contain impossible crimes, including two locked-room mysteries. I think the real appeal of the collection is the variety of ideas and plots. I wanted to challenge myself, and I think these stories are some of my best work. I particularly enjoyed the challenge of creating a fair-play serial killer mystery, which is hard enough to pull off in a novel, let alone a short story. Other favourites include The 38 Steps, which is a bit of an inverted mystery and sees Graves in Paris, and A Three-Tea Problem, in which Graves plays armchair detective after Carver has done all the legwork. If you haven’t read any Graves before, this collection is the perfect place to start!
Many thanks, John. The review of 7 Deadly Sins is imminent on the blog. I’ve read six out of the seven stories so far, and they are beautifully constructed mini-mysteries. And if you haven’t tried his books yet, I’d urge you to give them a go. His love for the classic mystery shines through his work and they are all clever and entertaining mysteries.
And if you have a mystery book coming out soon, and can think of five books to talk about, then give me a shout at puzzledoctor AT gmail DOT com. And if you’ve a book coming out soon and I’ve already got your email address, then keep an eye on your inbox…
J S Savage Bibliography
