Crime Novel Critic Geoffrey Wansell Retires After Two Decades
After reviewing crime and thriller novels for nearly 20 years, critic Geoffrey Wansell announced his retirement at the age of 81.
Geoffrey Wansell, a critic who has reviewed crime and thriller novels for the Daily Mail for nearly two decades, has announced his retirement. Wansell, 81, stated that the time has come to conclude his reviewing career.
Over his 20 years, Wansell celebrated the work of numerous authors. He expressed admiration for writers such as Michael Connelly, creator of detective Harry Bosch, and James Lee Burke, known for his character Dave Robicheaux set in the Louisiana bayous. British authors Elly Griffiths, Ann Cleeves, and Val McDermid were also praised, with Ian Rankin, author of the John Rebus series, earning a top pick. M.W. Craven is noted as a rapidly rising talent.
In the thriller genre, Wansell highlighted Mick Herron's "Slow Horses" series and its television adaptation. He also mentioned David McCloskey and Charles Cumming for their spy novels, and C.J. Tudor, whom he described as Britain's answer to Stephen King. King's own "Mr Mercedes" and its sequels were also lauded.
Wansell identified memorable protagonists and unusual settings as key elements of a great crime novel or thriller. He noted Mike Craven's Washington Poe series for its compelling lead and emphasized the impact of immersive settings, citing Ian Fleming's locations in the James Bond novels.
He also voiced a critique of certain trends, expressing weariness with mysteries set on isolated islands or involving deadly reunions of old school friends. Wansell specifically called out Robert Galbraith's (J.K. Rowling's pseudonym) Cormoran Strike series, stating that while the first book was terrific, subsequent installments have become excessively long. He suggested that Richard Osman's later works and James Patterson's collaborations have also suffered from similar issues of overextension.
Looking ahead, Wansell pointed to G.R. Halliday's detective Monica Kennedy and Jo Murray's thriller debut "Dissection Of A Murder" as promising new talents.
Wansell detailed the challenges of his role, receiving between 20 and 30 books weekly and having to make difficult choices about which to review. Over his career, he estimates he was sent around 8,000 books and apologized to authors he could not feature, encouraging them not to give up.
Wansell's final review is available, and the baton is being passed to John Williams, whose first reviews will appear on October 2.