this is the 228th in my series of forgotten or seldom read books
Northern Blood edited by Martin Edwards, Didsbury Press 1992 trade paperback, anthology of mystery fiction and true crime articles by the British Crime Writer’s Association
Sent to me by Geoff Bradley, editor of C.A.D.S, this anthology contains 15 stories and articles, original to this book, presented by members of the Crime Writer’s Association.
I’ll admit I’m not much of a fan of the true crime articles, so I gave them a light reading touch, but I enjoyed the fiction stories, each quite different from the other. There’s a good solid line-up of authors here, some I’d heard of and some I hadn’t. Overall, this was an enjoyable book.
Contents:
- Foreword by Nancy Livingston
- Introduction by Martin Edwards
- A Winter’s Tale by Ann Cleeves
- A Sure-Fire Speculation by Robert Barnard
- A Terrible Prospect of Bridges by Chaz Brenchley
- The Good Old Days by Eileen Dewhurst
- The Boxer by Martin Edwards
- Home Ground by Andrew Gardner
- Market Forces by Reginald Hill
- Death In Hard Covers by Margaret Lewis
- Blood Brothers by Peter Lewis
- The Delivery Man by Alan McDonald
- A Quiet Evening at Fountains by Stephen Murray
- The Village Blacksmith Murder by Alan Sewart
- The Manhunt of Dalby Forest by Peter N. Walker
- Where There’s A Will by Barbara Whitehead
- A Reasonable Doubt by Douglas Wynn
Tip the Wink 
Hmm, I thought for sure I’d read this one – I know I had a copy back when I was selling books – but it isn’t on my list. I’ve read a lot of Edwards’ own books as well as anthologies he’s edited. Cleeves has certainly become very successful with two television series based on her novels. I’ve really enjoyed most of the novels and stories I’ve read by Robert Barnard too.
I see this was followed by NORTHERN BLOOD 2 and NORTHERN BLOOD 3.
Geoff sent me NB 2 as well, and I like it even better.
I’ve never seen or heard of NORTHERN BLOOD (or 2 or 3). Sometimes I find books like this when I visit Canadian used bookstores. I’ll be heading over the International bridges after Labor Day when the tourist season ends.
George, I wouldn’t have known about these if not for a comment by Geoff in his ‘zine in DAPA. After my expression of interest, he sent me NB 1 and 2.
These anthos that mixed fiction and essays were big in SF back in the 80s. I liked a lot of these pretty well.
They were, Charles. Personally I can skip the essays, usually, and just go for the fiction.
This sounds like a great anthology, Richard. I am not into true crime either, but the authors sound great, and I might be able to take true crime in smaller doses.
This a solid, older, anthology, Tracy. I don’t think I would have heard of it if I hadn’t seen a comment in an APA.
Now that is a cover!
Yep, a good one.
While I’ve read a bit by most of the fiction writers (whom I recognize as fiction writers), not Too much by any of them yet. I’ll keep an eye out, in the event a copy comes my way.
These do turn up now and then, or I could send.