A great recurring character in a series you love becomes an old friend. You learn about their strange quirks and their haunted pasts and root for them every time they face danger. But where do some of the most fascinating sleuths in the mystery and thriller world really come from? What was the real-life location that inspired Michael Connelly to make Harry Bosch a Vietnam vet tunnel rat? Why is Lee Child's Jack Reacher a drifter? How did a brief encounter in Botswana inspire Alexander McCall Smith to create Precious Ramotswe?
In The Lineup, some of the top mystery writers in the world tell about the genesis of their most beloved characters - or, in some cases, let their creations do the talking.
©2009 Otto Penzler; (P)2010 Tantor
"Read It But Don't Weep"
This book should entertain any reader of crime stories or biography or any avid reader for that matter. For an aspiring or working writer...IT'S PURE GOLD!
"Love the backstories on all the different novels!"
This was a terrific read for knowing the back story on so many novels. It really was neat to hear a little bit about so many characters. It was also a great tool to see which mystery I want to pick up next!