What's your pet hate in books?

[deweydell]

Mine is when the writer foreshadows the action to come like when they say 'she crossed the road carrying her little dog who will get run over by a car in two years time'.

Anyone?

Agree with Expat.

And UnquietDad. Totally bored of London settings, Perhaps the authors think that Londoners won't buy their book unless it's set in their hometown.

With corresponding stereotypes for each neighbourhood, too, UD. How BORING and unoriginal.

I won't even get into the stereotyping of other groups of people from outside London in these London-centred piles of choss.

The typical Scotsman, for example [rolls eyes].

I notice there are never any Scotswomen in this books, much less Northern English women or Irishwomen. Of course not, they can't possibly be as bright, lovely or attractive as London women.

And jobs.

The characters always have jobs which are glam but they never do anything at them.

No one's ever working a till at Tesco or driving a forklift, for example.

Authors come under pressure to write at least one "london-based" book or they are written off as a "regional" writer. So my sources tell me.

I hate it when the characters have a level of middle-class affluence which seems to come from nowhere. Everyone I know who has a nice car, house, furniture etc, works their bloody arse off for them, getting up at 6am to go to work and sometimes working weekends, etc.

I'm going to write one called 'Things about the UK You Never Learn Till You Live Here' and include an entire chapter on London-centricity.

No one ever lives in an ex-local authority flat.

Even though from what I hear these sell for £200,000+ in some London neighbourhoods.

Have you read "Dad's Life" by Dave Hill? That's a London-based novel but quite realistic and non-poncy.

I haven't, UD, because I purposely skip over anything set in London these days as I assume it will be the usual tosh.

I'll give that one a try, though!

here expat

slim literary volumes about serial killers (can think offhand of 3)

I have when the lead character "giggles" especially when they are over 40. All of the mystery heroines I read "giggle". Girls giggle, women laugh.

Anything involving conspiracy theories - like the Da bloody Vinci Code. Or yet another one about the murder of JFK.

detailed descriptions of rape, murder, torture.

I agree, TheChi.

There are many great books out there, and I think part of what makes a great book is when things are left to the imagination - a commodity in increasingly short supply these days.