Stav Sherez

Stav, it was great talking to you at Laugharne last Saturday and I was absolutely stunned that you remembered me and my name! (Remembering names is my memory’s big black hole…) On driving home I remembered I have a spare copy of Lawton’s Black Out, so I popped it in the post for you earlier, to the Catholic Herald, second class. I think you’ll enjoy it. It was the start of my Troy addiction.

To anyone reading this, do lay your hands on a copy of Stav’s The Black Monastery, if you haven’t done so already. It’s a damn good read, cleverly plotted and engagingly written. The sub-title of “paradise can be murder” applies on many levels, including the obvious as it’s a crime novel, but also a reflection on contemporary society, its holiday package travel industry and the consequences of drug dealing. I missed out on reading The Devil’s Playground a few years ago, but I ordered a copy immediately after reading The Black Monastery which proved to be refreshingly original for this avid crime fiction reader.