Seen and Done

I see that Philippa Perry is publishing a ‘cosy’ murder story. It features a character apparently based on the Rev. Richard Coles, a neighbour and friend and also of course another celebrity who has written cosy murder stories. Perhaps Richard Osman pops round from time to time?

Now I don’t read detective stories. I don’t want to rant about celebrities using their position to stick their elbows in the faces of more deserving writers. All of these people are clever, talented, and genuinely interesting. But they don’t have to struggle to get their fiction published. Couldn’t they use that opportunity to do something just slightly more ambitious than cosy village murders? Apparently not: it seems they still want to avoid even the most minimal literary risk. Shall we draw on our intelligence and complex life experiences to craft a novel with insight, originality and flair? No, no: what if it flopped? Let’s stay cosy. I suppose we should perhaps be grateful they didn’t all produce more godawful celebrity children’s books.

Really, guys, raise your game, as you are surely capable of doing. Otherwise people might start to think you’re not just greedy and vain, but also terrible cowards.