Crime!  

Crime and murder are fascinating subjects for the writer.  And thankfully for crime writers, pretty absorbing to the rest of the human race.  It is a part of human nature to what to know: why, who, when, where, and how.  For some the puzzle's the thing.  So whodunits abound.  

More rarely it's why, what motivates the killer?  So we have stories like Patricia Highsmith's "Ripley" where we know who, right from the start.  

Often it's the methods the police use, so Police Procedurals are liberally scattered for the public's perusal.

There are a few different "types" of crime story, with labels such as the afore mentioned "Police Procedurals" and the "Whodunits" but even these can be further categorised into: Cozy,  Hardboiled, Crime-capers, Suspense, Noir, Alternative... and lots more.

At the moment this "pugio" above is my weapon of choice <g>  This one is a representation of a replica Roman dagger that I was lucky enough to be allowed to handle.

The property of a member of The Ermine Street Guard, it felt extremely well balanced and terribly easy to use.  It came in a nicely decorated yet fairly simple sheath hung on a leather belt.  

I also got to handle a "Gladius" a Roman sword (replica) but it wasn't as snug a fit in my hand as the dagger - I could easily have snuck off with that! <gg>  FB

It seemed a little odd when I sat back and looked at my web site and realised that the Crime page had so little on it - especially when I've done the most writing in that genre.  I have one completed whodunit - currently doing the rounds of agents called "Come Thick Night".

I also have a second book in the same series with a motley bunch of suspects.  This second book is currently halfway through and tentatively entitled "The Body in the Cake".

One of my favourites is "A Blunt Instrument" by Georgette Heyer.  This is an author who is better known for her historical romances, but in my opinion "A Blunt Instrument" is one of her best stories.  I like it because it is witty and I also I like the character of Neville Fletcher - the nephew of the murdered man.  He is a disregarder of normal society's values and a likeable personality.

Another favourite crime author of mine is Patricia Wentworth, for her Miss Silver.  The first of hers that I ever read and still enjoy is "Miss Silver Comes to Stay", like the last book this one also has the murder take place in the victim's study.  That seems to be a favourite place among crime authors.  But in my first story, "Come Thick Night", my first victim is discovered in a wood.  Also a favourite place of both crime writiers and real-life killers - usually because of the remoteness of the location.