In this Noirwich Crime Writing Festival 2016 panel, three shining stars of the genre peel back the veneer of domestic bliss to reveal the dangerous underbelly of families, relationships and home lives.
Domestic Noir, a term coined by Julia Crouch, has never been more popular. What makes it such a popular choice for female writers today?
About the writers
Julia Crouch grew up in Cambridge and studied Drama at Bristol University. She has previously worked as a theatre director, playwright teacher and graphic and website designer. An MA in sequential illustration reawoke her love of narrative and a couple of Open University creative writing courses brought it to the fore. She has published four novels: Cuckoo (2011), Every Vow You Break (2012), Tarnished (2013) and The Long Fall (2014). She has been published in Italy, France, Germany, Holland, Brazil and China. Her Husband’s Lover is published in January 2017. Website
Sarah Hilary won the 2015 Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year with her debut, the 2014 Richard and Judy pick Someone Else’s Skin. She followed up with No Other Darkness, proclaimed as ‘riveting’ by Lisa Gardner and ‘truly mesmerising’ by David Mark. Now D.I. Marnie Rome returns.
Someone Else’s Skin marked the captivating start of a dark, compelling series featuring DI Marnie Rome; the follow up, No Other Darkness, was called a ‘mastersclass in developing crime fiction series characters’ and ‘outstanding’. Tastes Like Fear is the third instalment featuring the very memorable strong-willed, smart and compassionate Marnie, who will instantly draw readers into the story. Website
Christobel Kent was born in London and educated at Cambridge. She has lived variously in Essex, London and Italy. Her childhood included several years spent on a Thames sailing barge in Maldon, Essex with her father, stepmother, three siblings and four step-siblings. She now lives in both Cambridge and Florence with her husband and five children. The Loving Husband was published on 1 September 2016.