Crime Fiction Links of the Week for September 2, 2017

It's time again for Crime Fiction Links of the Week, our weekly round-up of interesting links about crime fiction from around the web, this week with Strike - The Cuckoo's Calling, The Defenders, the Silver Falchion Awards and much more.

Crime fiction in general:

• David Cranmer offers a primer to the George Smiley books by John Le Carrè. 
  
• Tipping My Fedora revists Eight Million Ways to Die, a 1982 Matt Scudder mystery by Lawrence Block. 
• 25 facts about crime writer Martina Cole, who celebrates her 25 year publishing anniversary.
• Louise Penny shares her inspirations for the Inspector Gamache series.
• Alex Clark explores the allure of the vengeful woman in thrillers and crime fiction.
• Margot Kinberg discusses crime novels featuring not quite reliable witnesses.
• Anders de la Motte discusses the popularity of Scandinavian crime fiction.

Film and TV:

• Marina Sofia overthinks Atomic Blonde. 
• The Killing Times shares a preview of upcoming crime dramas.
• Leslie Gilbert Ellman reviews the latest episode of the crime drama Endeavour.
• Charles Bramesco reviews the crime drama The Deuce.

Comments on Strike - The Cuckoo's Calling:

• The Killing Times reviews the first episode of Strike - The Cuckoo's Calling, based on the eponymous crime novel by Robert Galbraith.
• Louisa Mellor reviews episode 2 of Strike - The Cuckoo's Calling. 
• Anneka Honeyball also reviews episode 2 of Strike - The Cuckoo's Calling.
• Tim Dowling reviews Strike - The Cuckoo's Calling.
• Rachel Cooke finds Strike - The Cuckoo's Calling rather old-fashioned, but still prefers it to a period drama abotu Queen Victoria.
• Mark Lawson interviews Robert Galbraith a.k.a. J.K. Rowling about the Cormoran Strike books.

Comments on The Defenders:

• Dave Richards reviews the second half of The Defenders.
• Charles Pulliam Moore, Katharine Trendacosta and James Whitbrook shares six things they liked about The Defenders and four things they didn't. 
• Charles Pulliam-Moore praises the use of colour in The Defenders.
• Renaldo Matadeen explains how the main villain in The Defenders fell flat in the end. 
• Shirley Li interviews Elodie Yung who plays Elektra in The Defenders.
• Marykate Jasper reports that Netflix users are most likely to start with Jessica Jones of all the Marvel shows.

Awards: 

• The winners of the 2017 Ned Kelly Awards have been announced.
• The winners of the 2017 Silver Falchion Awards have been announced.
• Mike Glyer has more on the 2017 Silver Falchion Award winners.
• Rachel Robles profiles Charley Pearson, one of the 2017 Silver Falchion Award winners.
  

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Ayodeji Awosika explains how to stop feeling like a wannabe and turn pro in your writing career. 
• Ayodeji Awosika also shares the undisputed secret to becoming a great writer.
• Nicole Bianchi shares some writing tips from William Faulkner.
• Robin Storey explains why readers and writers love novellas.
• Beth Cato shares some tips for creating an author brand.
• Meanwhile, Damien Walter explains why he avoids any kind of personal branding.
  

  Interviews:

• Criminal Element interviews Roger Johns.
• Radio New Zealand interviews Nathan Blackwell.
• Victoria Goldman interviews Chris Whitaker. 
• Jane Hamilton interviews Craig Robertson. 
• Clay Stafford interviews William Kent Krueger.

Reviews:

• Ash K. Alexander reviews A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas.
• Janet Webb revies Thief's Mark by Carla Neggers.
• Tessa Bryant reviews Betty Boo by Claudia Pineiro. 
• Corrina Lawson reviews Dark River Rising by Roger Johns.
• Craig Sisterson reviews Don't Look For Me by Mason Cross.
  
• Novel Heights reviews In the Month of the Midnight Son by Cecilia Ekbäck.
• Ardi Alspach reviews Fast Falls the Night by Julia Keller.
• Northern Crime reviews Last Ragged Breath by Julia Keller. 
• Northern Crime also reviews House of Spines by Michael J. Malone.
• John Valeri reviews Glass Houses by Louise Penny.
• Doreen Sheridan reviews Muffin to Fear by Victoria Hamilton and tries out a recipe from the book.
• Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Enemy of the State by Kyle Mills. 
• Blue Book Balloon reviews The Real Town Murders by Adam Roberts.
 

Con reports:

• Angela Folds reports about the Killer Nashville conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
• Artist Ruth Singer talks about creating quilts based on Victorian mugshots for an exhibition at the Shire Hall Gallery in Stafford, UK. 

Research:

• Vintage miniature crime scene reconstructions are being restored and will be exhibited at the Smithsonian. 
• Dwyer Murphy looks back at the birth of crime photography in the 19th century.
• Cate Holahan talks about lies and the development of false memories.
• Rob Barker shares some photos of the crime-ridden New York City of the 1970s.

Free online fiction:

• "Marktown" by Noah Dobin-Bernstein at Akashic Books.
• "Three Two-Penny Pieces" by L.P. Melling in Crimson Streets.
• "Ace in the Hole" by John M. Floyd in Flash Bang Mysteries. 
• "Kissing the Shuttle" by E.S. Thompson in Bloody Scotland.

Odds and ends:

• Watch a trailer for Strike - The Cuckoo's Calling.