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Politics is everything, so it’s said. And it’s everywhere. So it is that contemporary crime novels inevitably stray into its murky waters. Some authors do so warily, others plunge in with relish, but can a novel be too political and turn readers off?
Veteran BBC newsreader George Alagiah knows more about politics than most and has made his fiction debut with the thrilling The Burning Land; Marnie Riches authored a series about Manchester’s notorious gangland as well as two books in a mini-series – Tightrope and Backlash, Doug Johnstone’s thought-proving works ask tough political questions without ever detracting from the thrills; Kate Rhode’s latest series is set on the Isles of Scilly, and has been optioned for TV. Ex-MP turned thriller writer Alan Johnson is in the Speaker’s chair.
Note: Due to unforeseen circumstances, Sarah Vaughan has been replaced by Kate Rhodes, plus Brian McGilloway has been replaced by Marnie Riches.