"Sadistic misogyny" in crime fiction

[TheFoosa]

this article in The Guardian

have to say I agree, some recent books I have tried to read have been incredibly graphic in their decriptions of violence against the (usually) female victim

I agree, but I think even more worrying are the novels and memoirs which depict graphic violence against children.

At least with women writing about violence against women, on some (dubious) level it can be seen as a female writer avenging wrongs - because the perpetrator is usually punished.

But the fact that so many people enjoy reading about violence against children... what that says about our society, I really can't bear to analyse.

Well it's not a genre I read, and I'm rather glad that I don't now.

interesting isn't it - I like crime fiction but I don't read any of the novelists mentioned in the last paragraph of the article. I tend to like the more moody atmospheric crime novels rather than the outright violent ones (though having said that I loved the Dragon Tattoo series though you could argue the violence in that was completely secondary to the story).

I do think the brutally violent novels are sick making. I don't want to be vicariously frightened when I read a novel - I want to enjoy it and get involved in the story and gratuitous violence doesn't do that for me as a main feature!

There's definitely a bit of upmanship with novels atm - who can be worst than the last. Think you get to a stage where people start to think that's the only way to attract more readers but I'm not sure that's right.

i have tried to read both Tess Gerritson & Mo Hayder, but found them both shockingly violent

I found the quote from the publisher that female corpses on the front cover sell books very

It has become less about the twists and mystery of the story and more about the shock factor. Almost as though authors are trying to outdo themselves and the story gets lost in amongst the gore.

Um - can't think of it in Tess Gerritsen books but found Mo Hayder dull. Wouldn't have particularly picked out Reichs or Slaughter either.

LOL at Val Mcdermid being asked to comment - have they read any of her Tony Hill novels?

I read a lot of crime fiction but most of it is the crime solving, the thriller element, the crime happens but there is little dwelling on the actualities of the means of death (assuming it's that sort of crime) - struggling to think of truly violent books as I wouldn't read those - don't do horror in that kind of way. Sur the essence of the article is true but not my experience of the authors mentioned (other than Val)

the worst book I have read recently was The Surrogate

I know that I struggled through the first 2 chapters of one of Elizabeth George's books, reached the point of a youthful corpse (don't want to go into details) and thought, why does this story exist? why am I reading it? and that was my last attempt at a book of hers.

Complicated in her case by the incredible wooden dreadfulness of her crime writing. Which is a shame, because her book 'Write Away' about how to write is excellent.

I enjoy Kathy Reichs' books and really wouldn't refer to them as sadistically misogynistic. I find them intelligent and absorbing, and whilst she details the forensic aspects she isn't gratuitous.

Her 'heroine' certainly works on both male and female victims.