john harvey murray
Blog
How could I not notice Bristol’s racism in the 1970’s?
Bristol's racism has been in the news a lot Bristol's racism was highlighted by the toppling of the statue of Edward Coulston. Since then we have been told of discrimination official and unofficial over the decades. The bus company refused to employ non-whites until...
We need enquiring minds across society.
What are my heroes enquiring into? Heroes in crime fiction need enquiring minds in order to uncover crimes, injustices, cover-ups, negligence or corruption. I have written about police corruption and its possible relevance to my novel DOWN. Some of the characters try...
How did I create the hero of DOWN?
Why is the hero an elderly man? A hero is usually young and err... heroic. Harry Lawton seems a bit unlikely, but this was not a mistake. I wanted him to be old enough to have served in the War He had to be old enough to have had a grown-up son His being near to...
Why is the cover of DOWN a broken chain?
The cover of a book matters to some readers People say 'don't judge a book by the cover' but many say it's the main thing that attracts them - or puts them off. I have written before about my latest novel, DOWN, but have not mentioned that aspect. Some readers like...
Why is the setting of DOWN important?
The setting of a novel is important for most readers. The setting is the time and place where things take place. In the Accounting for Murder series, I chose the present time and the place was Wales, particularly Cardiff, where I used to live. The principality, the...
Is police corruption fictitious as in DOWN?
Police Corruption is often a theme in crime fiction We writers for print or TV find police corruption or other failings in the constabulary a theme we can't resist. Drama of all kinds tends to be anti-establishment. I have written before about the need for the police...
Why read my new book, ‘DOWN’?
What kind of book is DOWN? DOWN is a crime thriller set in Bristol in the Winter of Discontent 1978/9. An Afro-Caribbean woman goes to a semi-retired solicitor and asks him to open the case of her husband who was hanged for murder in the 1960's. The solicitor has to...
Zero Tolerance? Give it zero!
What is Zero Tolerance? Zero Tolerance is a policy where people apply rules strictly, with no allowances or exceptions. Sometimes particular police forces have such a policy for certain types of crimes, where others might exercise discretion depending on the...
Should we worry? How can we not?
Worry is all the rage. Worry is booming, although so much activity has stopped or reduced dramatically. For most of us there's a lot to worry about. Covid-19 Losing your job or source of income Running out of things you need How will easing Lockdown work? When and how...
How big is your problem?
Any problem can seem bigger in Lockdown A problem that wouldn't have bothered you before can become overwhelming in Lockdown. You can't seem to get away from it. Of course, some things actually matter more nowadays. If your computer or phone, even your TV, stops...
Coping? Are you having a laugh?
Is this a time to laugh? A laugh might not come easily in Lockdown. Perhaps you have read some of my posts on ways to cope. I did not mention it, but I should have. You might chuckle in spite of all the problems or because of them. The worse things are, the more you...
Temper? Bin it, don’t bottle it up
How is your temper coping with Lockdown? If your temper is getting worse, you might find something useful in my last post about relationships in Lockdown. However, there is one thing I didn't say. It's something I learnt after many years of getting it wrong. It's...