TUESDAY'S CRIME SPOT ON PHOENIX 98FM

Michelle Ward, Presenter at Phoenix 98FM

Kent and Colin Dexter

Always a pleasure to meet up with Michelle Ward at Brentwood's International Centre where Phoenix 98FM has its new studio.  Today, Michelle was presenting Book Club and I was delighted to discuss books on crime.  My favourite crime writer Colin Dexter came to mind and we chatted about his early books that we eventually saw on TV within the Morse series of programmes.  Colin Dexter was one of our speakers at Brentwood Writing Circle a few years ago and I was his guest when  invited to his home near Oxford when researching a magazine feature.

We also chatted about our other favourite crime writers who had links with Essex, Dorothy L Sayers who lived at Witham, Agatha Chrisite who used villages in the county as settings for her thrillers and PD James (Lady James of Holland Park) whose writing style is always inspirational and who supports our Essex Book Festival. Martina Cole who originated from Aveley was on today's book group menu and her new book is top listed by several local reading groups.

Phyllis James (P D James)