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Random House US is launching a major advertising campaign in the USA on 23 November, with Dan Brown and other notables from the world of fiction, showing consumers that books make an ideal Christmas present. And I thought well what's good enough for Dan Brown is good enough for me. So, in my own little way I thought I'd beat the drum for the UK. According to a survey in the UK by Deloitte, (one of my former employers by the way) books are desired by 65% of consumers and will be bought as gifts by 63% of people. With retail sales struggling books are still deemed to be good value gifts. So, if you fancy curling up with a Marine Mystery then please go ahead. At £6.99 retail price you could probably pick up a copy for a fiver on line. Unless you pitch for Deadly Waters, or The Suffocating Sea, my two latest marine mysteries featuring my rugged detective Horton, and they are a little more expensive at the moment. Books are always popular gifts at Christmas because they offer such g...

I've just read an interesting article in The University Daily Kansan , the student voice of the University of Kansas, which was brought to me courtesy of the Book2Book web site. It asked the question why so many people are fascinated with the crime/mystery genre. The mystery genre is intensely popular. In the “Library Journal” Random House declared mysteries their most popular audio books. The ever-steady demand for the genre seems odd, given that most mystery novels concern what few people want to think about, claims the article, - death. So why do so many people enjoy reading crime novels? I know from my own reading experience and my reader feedback that what people like is a puzzle to solve, a mystery to pit their wits against, a thrill, lots of action and the psychology of characters. Yes, in fiction justice is indeed served and the results neatly tied up, not like in messy real-life. What do you think? Let me know.