Crime Writers Discuss “The Super Sleuth” in Crime Fiction

by Sophy on Aug 1st, 2010

Mike Nicol, author of Killer Country, led a discussion with top SA kriminologists Michael Stanley, Deon Meyer and Margie Orford at the Cape Town Book Fair.

Nicol introduced the krimi-quartet, noting that “Deon Meyer he has too many books for one to remember all the titles”, before addressing the topic of crime fiction’s “super sleuth”. The authors discussed the characters in crime fiction that had influenced the creation of their own super sleuths – all flawed in different ways.

Wit was quick and nicknames were dished out with familiarity. Meyer was quick to note the irony in having crime writers in conversation at the poetry cafe, and expressed concern about “having to speak in rhyming couplets” and Mike Nicol recalled that “the going rate, according to Chris Marnewick (in the audience), is that you can get two copies of Michael Stanley for one Deon Meyer.”

Quote of the hour: “It’s actually obligatory in Cape Town that you go to a wine tasting before you go anywhere near the book fair.” – Mike Nicol

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