Hi Reader,

Guilty pleasures. Most of us have them, and when it comes to books, some of us just won’t admit to them. Maybe you always fold the cover back on the book so that nobody else can see it. Or you never mention a particular author when someone asks for recommendations. Maybe there’s a whole series you’d never mention to anyone. Ever. But you’ve got it loaded in the cart at Amazon the minute a new title is released.

I’m the ‘big tough cop’, except I’m not. Not really. Yeah, I was a cop for 32 years and I’ve been tough when needed, but that doesn’t entirely define who I am. So, let’s talk about those books we usually don’t mention.

No-judgement zone here. Mostly.

First up, let’s talk about John Sandford’s Prey series. They’re great books and I’ve read most of them. In fact, I’ve just finished book 36, Revenge Prey, and now have to wait until March 2027 for book 37. Lucky there’s so many good authors to keep me occupied until then. I wrote about book 1, Rules of Prey, which was written way back in 1989, in Issue 5.

The lead detective, Lucas Davenport, is a cop who made extra money designing games. He made a lot of money, he drives a Porsche and dresses way better than any of the cops I ever worked with. He also bends the rules when it suits him. And it suits him often. Some of the stuff he does could almost be considered illegal. Maybe. Probably.

Thirty-two years as a cop means I should have a problem with what Lucas does. In real life, he would be buried under a mountain of paperwork and internal investigations. There would be complaints. Lots of complaints. But I’m fine with it.

I’ve never read the Prey series for the police procedure. I read the books because I enjoy them. There’s always a clever killer, a cop who’s more clever, and dialogue that makes me laugh (sometimes out loud!) while he’s in the middle of something quite grim. I like the fact he gets away with stuff I know wouldn’t happen in real life like it happens in the book. I also like the dark humour.

It’s like eating pizza washed down with a Coke. Not necessarily good for you, but you’re going to do it anyway. Because, pizza… and Coke.

The second series of books might surprise you. I’m writing my first crime fiction novel, which is quite dark. The books I read also tend to be quite dark and gritty. But I also like reading cosy mysteries. Go figure.

If you’re not sure what ‘cosies’ are, they’re the much more gentle end of crime fiction. There’s always a sleuth (not a cop, but often ‘assists’ the local police), a picturesque setting and a body that turns up somewhere inconvenient. There’s no killing scene. All the violence happens off the page. It’s alluded to, but not described in any detail. And everything is always resolved by the end of the book. Neat. Tidy. No loose ends. Many of them are set in the English countryside, although not all of them are.

So, cosy mysteries. I like to read T.A. Williams’ Armstrong and Oscar series. They’re all about a retired Detective Chief Inspector named Dan Armstrong, who’s left the London Metropolitan Police and taken up residence in Tuscany, Italy. His sidekick is Oscar, a black Labrador, and together they get to roam the rolling hills, vineyards and historic towns, helping the Italian police solve the odd murder or three.

Sounds like a great retirement plan!

Sometimes, I just want something a little lighter to read. Cosies are good for that. They’re usually a ‘quick read’ and the way they work the surrounding countryside into the stories is always a nice escape.

There seems to be a hierarchy of books. Literary fiction sits on the top shelf and is something I rarely, if ever, read. Crime fiction fits in a few shelves down and the brightly covered books with punny titles, well, they seem to be stacked on the floor, not even in the bookcase. I really don’t understand this, though. Reading is reading. It shouldn’t matter what we read, so long as we enjoy it.

I have to say, the older I get, the less guilty I feel about what I read. If a book keeps me engaged, makes me smile (or shudder), then it’s done its job. Reading is meant to be enjoyed and we should never have to apologise for being happy.

So I’ll keep reading anything that takes my fancy, and I won’t feel guilty about any of them. Well, not much anyway.

P.S. – Your turn. What's the crime read you'd never admit to at book club? A series you can't quit, an author you keep on the bottom shelf, a cosy with a dog on the cover? Hit reply and tell me. No judgement. I've already told you mine.

KEN LYONS Author ​kenlyonsauthor.com​ ​​

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