Terry Prone: Multiplicity breeds contempt in the case of books received as Christmas gifts

In early detective fiction the sleuth was a hero but the job description for a detective now dictates they must be flawed

Spoilt for choice: The only thing a reader really needs to know about a writer is if they are alive or dead.

The thing about receiving books during these holidays is that multiplicity breeds contempt. The more you have, the pickier you get.

Five chapters into a thriller and you’re already fed up with the marital/moral/mental health/physical health of the detective.