Bristolian publishes first crime thriller If you’re not sure what to buy the book-lover in your life for Christmas, why not consider ‘Wicked Tongue’, written by Bristolian (and frequent Direct Local contributor) Darren Bane. Although it is the eighth title he has published since 2014, it’s his first crime novel. Within the first weeks of publication, almost every review has awarded it five stars. Darren drew on his experiences of spending 12 years working as a journalist and a further 12 years working in the press office at Avon & Somerset Police to give ‘Wicked Tongue’ a realistic tone. Darren describes it as a “character-driven crime thriller” set in an un-named seaside town which is, of course, very much based on Weston-super-Mare, where he has lived for almost 30 years. He explained the story. “A heartbroken man brands his mother a ‘black widow’ at the inquest into the death of his father, who took his own life. “A few days later, his mother is found dead. The post mortem reveals that she died of fright, setting tongues wagging. “Was she killed in retaliation for her husband’s suicide, or is this the start of a serial killing spree?” Darren has previously published one children’s book, a non-fiction book about the first six months in the life of his son who was born three months early, a compilation of imponderable questions, and three full-length comedy novels. So what prompted him to write something considerably darker? “I actually wrote the first three chapters many years ago,” he said. “But I didn’t think I had it in me to complete a crime thriller. I thought it might be too obvious who the killer was, so I just let those chapters collect dust. 26
“I offered to proof-read a crime novel, Kill List, by my friend Vicki FitzGerald. But I ended up not just checking the grammar and spelling, but making some suggestions about the plot here and there, and suggesting some dialogue. “She liked my ideas and said I should try writing a crime thriller, so I shared those three chapters I had written so long ago. Her response was that I simply had to write the rest, so I did. “I’ve been absolutely delighted with the positive response, and quite a few readers have said I managed to keep them guessing about the identity of the killer, which is very satisfying. “Several people have now suggested I write another thriller, so I’m thinking about it, although I’ve got a couple more comedy novels to finish first.” ‘Wicked Tongue’ is available in paperback and digital formats from many on-line booksellers. Full details can be found on his website, www.darrenbane.co.uk
