I’ve always loved dictionaries – all types. Synonyms and Antonyms. Signs and Omens; Fowlers; Writers & Editors; Quotations and, when I was translating a French erotic novel, a dictionary of French slang. So when I heard about Amanda Lees’ From Aconite to Zodiac Killer A Dictionary of Crime I was eager to add it to my collection! And as a crime writer it was obviously right up my street. After all there could come a time when I really needed the definition for:
Hempen widow – woman whose husband has been
hanged… Watch my next book.
Seriously though Amanda Lees book is
perfect for lovers of crime in books, TV and film. If you struggle with police
ranks and who is more senior, it’s covered here. If you’re confused by
prisoner’s slang, the explanation lies within these pages. Plus there are
comprehensive entries on who’s who in the US police and US slang.
From Aconite to the Zodiac Killer will take you on a canter through the alphabet explaining acronyms and jargon as well as providing a grounding in the justice system, firearms and poisons.
Whether you’re reading, watching or even writing crime, Ms Lees dictionary with prove a valuable companion.
From Aconite to the Zodiac Killer A Dictionary of Crime is available from Amazon and book shops.
Broadcaster, actress and novelist, Amanda Lees appears regularly on BBC radio and LBC and was a contracted writer to the hit series Weekending on Radio 4. She is the author of the bestselling satirical novels Selling Out and Secret Admirer (published by Pan) and has now turned her hand to nonfiction with A Dictionary of Crime published on 23 July by Little Brown.
Hi how lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail
lounge, Amanda. What can I get you at the bar?
A: It’s lovely to see you too. I only wish it wasn’t
virtually. A gimlet, please – for the vitamin C content, of course.
Of course. So where did we first meet in real life?
A: I think it the
first time was at a CWA chapter meeting above a pub. Or was it a book launch?
Anyway, alcohol was involved.
It was and alcohol always seems to be muscling in.
What were your first impressions?
A: That you are every bit as fab, fun and feisty as
your online self.
Those attributes must be our points in common. Any
others?
A: Writing, crime, writing crime, cocktails,
intolerance of idiots… a love of a good time… and no doubt many more that we
have yet to discover. That’s why we need to have that wine-fuelled dinner as
soon as possible (see below).
Absolutely! Tell me about your latest book which I love?
A: From Aconite to the Zodiac Killer: A
Dictionary of Crime is an essential, go-to resource for readers and even
for writers of crime fiction. More than simply a glossary, this is a guide that
provides a doorway into a supergenre, and one that is not just for readers, but
also for the many fans of film and TV dramas, of podcasts, and crime blogs. It
is also an indispensable resource for writers or would-be writers of crime
fiction who want to look behind the crime.
I certainly learned a few new words and definitions. What
are you working on now?
A: The first book in a new fiction series as well as
a standalone psychological thriller. No dates as yet but plenty of publishers
asking to see both so I had better type faster.
What would be your dream panel (at any event) –
subject, fellow panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love
to meet?
A: Of course, I would love to have a one-to-one chat
with Keanu Reeves but I’d probably be stunned into silence so, as an
alternative, I’d love to meet some of the astounding women I am researching,
none of whom I can name as yet. They were brave, brilliant and had brains as
well as beauty. And they could kill with their bare hands and drink any man
under the table.
That’s one I’d love to see! What are you most looking
forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?
A: Sharing a bottle of wine and some great food with
friends in a pub or restaurant. We can chat the night away, be silly, be
ourselves again with no screens in between… just be.
Is there anything lockdown has made you think about/want to do?
A: I have more or
less been locked down for five years anyway, caring for my daughter who was
very ill but is now on the road to recovery. I want to make up for lost time
and travel, one of my great passions. I also want to spend more time in nature
and most especially by the sea. I grew up in Hong Kong and went to school in
Devon, overlooking the sea. I can never be away from it for too long just as I
can never stop writing for too long. Both make me happy and bring me peace.
Well you can keep
writing and I hope you manage to get to the sea soon, Amanda. And I can’t wait
for our proper catch-up in person.
You can find out more about Amanda Lees and her work here and follow her on Twitter @amandalees
