Val McDermid

[scaryfairy28]

Any fans?

Me - love her books! Scary but good.

I got her newest one at the Edinburgh book festival. Can't wait to get it started, jacko vance is back!

I've been reading her books since her first series about Lindsay Gordon.

As well as her books, Val McDermid also does a lot of work with events and supporting other up and coming crime writers. She founded a crime festival in Harrogate and organised the first 3, it's now been going for about 8 years.

I like her - as far as I can tell from reading interviews etc - but tbh I don't think she's a good writer. And the levels of sadistic violence in the Tony Hill novels are quite alarming.

If you ever get the chance to see her at an author event, she is lovely. Very warm, funny and interesting. I have known Val for years, so cannot claim to be unbiased, but she is a treat to meet. I book a lot of authors for events and she is probably the crime fans favourite. I just dont know how she finds the time to do everything

I love her books.

I saw her at Wigtown last year and have all her works. :)

Bridget- maybe try one of her stand alone ones there no where near as violent. I agree they can be quite gruesome she's the only author who I've ever had to skip a bit in a book! She did justify it recently by saying the crimes have to be like that or the unit Carol and Tony are part of wouldn't be dealing with them.

I've read a few of her books but not he Tony Hill ones, I find them too gruesome.. I've jsut finished Trick of the Dark which was good