Not the Oscars 2026 – Part Deux
For the second time this year, we trip down the digital red carpet to deliver the final 7-12 of Not The Oscars 2026 – part deux. The rest of the films which should have been…
Act of Oblivion – Robert Harris
Why should we care? It’s probably the most important question a storyteller needs to answer. It’s particularly pressing when the story relates to events that took place around three hundred and fifty years ago, to…
Pulling crocodile teeth – interview with top crime author Vaseem Khan
Today I chat with successful crime author Vaseem Khan about India, the craft of writing and his highly personal approach to avoiding DIY. Vaseem is the author of two award-winning crime series set in India.…
A plague on both your houses
So now we are visited by the plague, it seems. Plague is an archetype that goes back deep into our histories. Perhaps the most famous plague quote comes from Romeo and Juliet – when Mercutio,…
Word power
Last week, I watched a preview of the new movie Vice – a riveting and at times shocking dramatisation of the life of one of the most powerful men most of us have hardly noticed…
Darkness in the Pacific: Review – Black Water by Louise Doughty
Agents, publishers, books on writing tell you to write about nice characters who grow and learn. Louise Doughty clearly missed that memo. Her characters are troubled, rarely nice, placed in dark situations. Nazi mass killing…
Review: As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning
As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie LeeMy rating: 5 of 5 stars I don’t know anyone who’s opened this book who hasn’t been immediately enchanted by it. Much less famous than Cider…
Historical drama on screen – to write or not to write?
Historical drama is big in TV and film at the moment,but is it a good idea to write one? David Oman sent this question: Hello Charles I’m still enjoying your excellent books, and prefer studying…