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Lee Child scoops hotly-contested British crime award
The tens of thousands of Jack Reacher fans downunder are in no doubt that Lee Child can write a good thriller. In fact, fans worldwide need no convincing.
To date, 50 million Reacher books have sold around the world and one sells somewhere every few seconds. All of the 15 books in the series have been instant, international bestsellers but critical success often eludes crime writers because of what Lee Child calls ‘snobbery’ from some literary quarters.
Child’s thrillers have been shortlisted twice for the prestigious Theakstons Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year Award, and now his gripping 61 Hours has won the top prize for the best crime novel of 2010, beating off crime heavyweight Mark Billingham along with Stuart MacBride, William Ryan, Andrew Taylor and SJ Bolton.
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|  | Child’s award was announced at the opening night of the prestigious Harrogate Crime Writing Festival last Thursday. Now in its seventh year, the award was created to celebrate the very best in crime writing and is open to British and Irish authors.
Simon Theakston, Executive Director of T&R Theakston, and one of five judges on this year's panel, said, ‘All the novels on this year's shortlist were of an exceptionally high standard but 61 Hours was a clear winner. The appeal of the eternal wanderer Jack Reacher is hard to resist as he travels the frozen landscape of South Dakota, fighting the good fight. 61 Hours is a great example of Lee Child's immense talent, and we're thrilled to present him with this much deserved award for the first time.’
A big few months for Reacher fans are coming up. An exclusive, short eBook/audio book is being released worldwide and will be available to New Zealand customers from 15 August through www.whitcoulls.co.nz or www.amazon.co.uk. Called Second Son, the story gives more insight into Reacher’s teenage years as the younger son of Stan Reacher — a tough career US Marine, on duty on a military base in the Pacific.
Then there’s the 29 September worldwide release of The Affair, Lee Child’s much-anticipated 16th Jack Reacher novel which is set in March 1997 ― six months before the events of Killing Floor when Reacher is still in the army. | | |
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