These two. THESE TWO. Always causing trouble. Can’t take them anywhere. Now they have taken over Liz Loves Books…
**Wanders off muttering**
When Crime Thriller Girl interviewed Daniel Pembrey, author of The Harbour Master
CTG: So Daniel, it came to my attention that you’ve got a book out!
DP: Yes, my Dutch detective novel The Harbour Master, about an Amsterdam-based copper called Henk van der Pol.
Wait, this sounds familiar. *Rummages through files*. I reviewed it this on my blog! –
https://crimethrillergirl.com/2014/10/
You did, very kindly! The first three parts of the story were launched as Kindle Singles (e-book novellas). They were then acquired by No Exit Press and have just been re-launched as a novel-length book. The concluding parts of the story will be available as a second novel-length book, Night Market – soon!
A-ha! And my sources tell me that the book just out is on special offer?
You’re good! Yes, available at an introductory 99p price on Kindle until 8th November. The print book launches November 10th.
The Harbour Master is on offer for 99p here
Your police character seems to like to drink gin, I noted.
Indeed. They call it jenever over there. He likes beer as well. Beer then gin, in that order.
See, my character, Lori Anderson (Deep Down Dead), likes bourbon.
Essential research carried out at De Druif bar in Amsterdam
Which is fitting, for a US-based story.
Thing is, whisky vs. gin. This is a question.
Is it? Gin’s an older drink, and the flavours are far more subtle. I’ve done research –
Excuse me, are you implying I haven’t? *hands to hips*
Maybe we need to resolve at a later date?
In Amsterdam or the USA?
Or we could do sooner in London.
Okay, less flying – that’s good. But in a whisky bar I think.
Let’s get some other crimies along. Rod Reynolds and Michael Grothaus would make excellent companions for this escapade.
Absolutely! All sorted, then?
As a matter of fact it is: January 24th at Milroy’s whisky bar in Soho. Look, I even just put it on the events page of my website! http://danielpembrey.co.uk/events/
Ooh, yes. I see you’re doing a couple of events …
Doing a fab Halloween crime-horror special at Waterstones King’s Road on Tuesday, 1st November. That Susi Holliday is involved, which can only spell trouble. In a good way.
Sounds like a lot of fun. What will you go dressed as?
Regency-era Dracula, the full belt-and-braces. Fangs to riding boots –
*nods* Outfit approved! And you’ve been interviewing some other crime writers, too, I see from your website.
Coming soon to Dead Good Books: Michael Connelly in London
That’s right. My publisher, No Exit Press, arranged some interviews with authors who have been a big influence on my writing and specifically my own cop character, Henk Van der Pol. Michael Connelly was a total inspiration. The interview with Ian Rankin was very special, too, in that – like him – I was a student at Edinburgh University, and the interview happened at the Oxford Bar:
https://medium.com/@CrimeTimeUK/ianrankin-9129e592f9ff#.md327tzdb
Excellent. Have you interviewed anyone else I should know about?
Jilly Cooper?
Jilly! I love Jilly Cooper. She is my absolute guilty pleasure read when I play hooky from reading crime fiction!
Yes, I wrote a piece on Agas in The Field where she explained how Rupert Campbell-Black would use the oven in one of his seductions.
Ah, the fabulous Rupert CB *gazes wistfully into distance* Where can I find this article?!
Below! Just click on the image. The funny thing is, I’ve lived in all these different places – the States (for 10 years), France, Luxembourg, hubby Amsterdam and Berlin, but at heart I do still enjoy mucking around in the countryside. I grew up in a small village beside Sherwood Forest.
Article for The Field about Agas featuring Jilly Cooper
And you like writing features articles?
I do. Not just because they help pay the bills … even novellas take a long time to write and publish, whereas these features articles – written to deadline – are like timed essays by comparison. I find it refreshing. Plus I get to meet all these interesting people.
Like Jilly!
I’ll confess, I do like her. Not just her Rutshire Chronicle books, but her as a person. She’s so full of life. You keep horses, don’t you?
*looks stern* I ask the questions, Mr Pembrey. So what are you reading at the moment?
D’you know, I just finished a great bounty hunter yarn set in the US. Lots of vivid scenes there, and brilliant characters. Just a shame they drink bourbon and not gin.
Deep Down Dead, now out in e-book format (print: 5 January)
Ha! So what are you looking forward to?
Aside from our whisky event now booked in for 24th January?
Yes.
I’d love to see my Henk character turned into TV, one day. Like Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch. The Dutch version of.
Wasn’t Hieronymus Bosch originally a Dutch painter?
He was! You know your Michael Connelly. I’m also looking forward to the second part of the Harbour Master saga, Night Market, plus a standalone novel I’m working on, part-set in Berlin. The working title of this is Shadow Play. It’s a Robert Harris-type thriller switching back and forward between the war years and present-day Los Angeles.
That sounds good. Lots to look forward to then!
For you too … I can’t wait for the next Lori Anderson instalment. When will that be?
Well, I’m currently elbow deep in the first draft of book 2 in the Lori Anderson series – so watch this space!
Fantastic. Well thanks so much for interviewing me, and we should thank Liz, too, for having us!
You’re very welcome, Mr Pembrey. It’s been fun. Cheers!
The Harbour Master e-book will be at the introductory offer price of 99p until 8th November, here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01I4ALTDE/
The print book launches on November 10th. Find out more about Daniel via his website, www.danielpembrey.co.uk
