My Upbringing Was Middle-class But My Parents'

Because I Write A Book A Year, I Always Want To Do One Other Project Every Year That's Stimulating In A Different Way. It Means You Can Be Working But Not Using Up Your Prose Juice, You Know?

I Have Two Children. They Are More Fun Than Anything In The World, And It's More Immediate Fun Than The Hard Slog Of Writing.

There's A Real Emphasis On Being Witty In Scotland, Even In Crime Novels.

I Came From This Very Traditional Background And I Benefited Hugely From Feminism. I Felt Privileged Going To University And Doing A Phd. Most People Of My Background Don't Get To Do That.

People Are Interested In Crime Fiction When They're Quite Distanced From Crime. People In Darfur Are Not Reading Murder Mysteries.