Criminal Goings On

SATURDAY NIGHT CLASSICS: A PERFECT SPY (1/7) Starts Sat 17 Nov on BBC Four
John Le Carré’s partly autobiographical story of the life of a British double agent starts this week on a Saturday slot for classic drama.
Watch trailer
"When I first began writing, Ian Fleming was riding high and the picture of the spy was that of a character who could have affairs with women, drive a fast car, who used gadgetry and gimmickry to escape." John Le Carré
Which reminds me, what ever happened to the adaptation of Henry Porter’s A Spy’s Life, which was meant to be a BBC production? I think we should know.


Slick and stylish Trial And Retribution will return to ITV1 next year with eight 2x60min films taking the total to a staggering 16 hours of prime-time television for ITV 1. The emotionally charged films are currently in production and shooting at locations across London. Head of Continuing Drama, Corinne Hollingworth said, “Lynda La Plante's Trial and Retribution has gone from strength to strength during its ten years on ITV, and we're absolutely thrilled to be able to give the audience eight more exciting two part episodes in 2008."
After 10 years of crime fighting, battle weary DCS Walker, DCI Conner and DS Satchell return to solve a series of dark and disturbing cases. David Hayman, Victoria Smurfit and Dorian Lough head up the cast with Kerry Fox (Cold Blood, Shallow Grave) joining the team as DI Moira Lynch and David O’Hara (The Departed, Braveheart) as DI Jack Mullins. Other guest artists include Ben Miles (V for Vendetta, Coupling, After Thomas) Jamie Sives (Hallam Foe, Wedding Belles) Michael Nardone (Rome, Low Winter Sun) Tom Ellis (No Angels, Suburban Shootout) and rising star Kierston Wareing, (critically acclaimed at the Venice Film Festival for her performance in Ken Loach’s film It’s A Free World).
The films will be executive produced by series creator Lynda La Plante and produced by Jolyon Symonds (Hustle, Whatever Love Means), who will be teaming up with the best of British writer and director talent. Writers include; Julie Dixon, Dudi Appleton, Jim Keeble and Christian Spurrier and will be working alongside directors; Alex Pilla (Trial and Retribution XII: Paradise Lost, The Best Man), Paul Wilmhurst (Forgiven), David Moore (Sweeny Todd, Wallis and Edward). Tristram Powell (Foyle’s War, Judge John Deed), Benjamin Ross (The Young Poisoner’s Hand Book, My Little Eye) and Jane Prowse (The Commander, Rocket Man)


Denise Hamilton emailed me about a new Chandler book: “I don’t know if you’re aware of a new book about Raymond Chandler, called “The Long Embrace, Raymond Chandler and the Woman He Loved” by Judith Freeman but it’s quite interesting. I walked around with the author seeking Chandler’s LA, and here’s the result.
http://www.laobserved.com/intell/2007/11/raymond_chandler_and_the_woman.php
The LA Times Book Review just put the book on their cover Sunday, which is a big deal. I think it’s quite an extraordinary book, part memoir, part biography, partly a search for old LA, and tries to get at the question: was Chandler a repressed homosexual. Lots of interesting stuff. I hope you can get it in the UK or it will appear there soon.” In fact, it was published in the UK on 6th November by Pantheon Books.

The second Féile Fidelma, an international gathering of enthusiasts of the Sister Fidelma Mysteries, will be held in Cashel. Co. Tipperary , Ireland , from September 5 - 7, 2008. Nearly 100 people from 9 different countries attended the first Féile Fidelma gathering in September, 2006, and the organisers expect a larger number next year. The international best-selling Sister Fidelma Mysteries are written by Peter Tremayne, and have sold in 17 languages and sales earlier in 2006 were said to have exceeded three million copies. They have been optioned for developing for television by a Dublin based production company, have already been broadcast as plays on German radio and issued on audio books in several languages. French readers voted them the best mystery series of 2007. They are set in 7th Century Ireland and Cashel, the ancient Irish town, is the central location setting – hailed now as Fidelma’s `hometown’. Registrations for the event have already begun and are accessible via www.cashelartsfest.com and www.sisterfidelma.com. The registration fee, for three days of lectures and the dinner is US$195 or equivalents. There is a 10% discount for registrations before May 1, 2008.

Those of you who like the true crime genre should read Ben Myer’s Guardian blog entitled Redeeming the true crime memoir. The piece on Noel “Razor” Smith spouting on about his “new mate” disgraced Tory ex-MP, Jonathan Aitken (“a good geezer”)made me smile, as the latter is back in favour with the Conservative party as he took charge of a task force on prison reform within Iain Duncan Smith's Centre for Social Justice to help formulate Conservative policy. Aitken stressed this is not part of a political comeback. Conservative spokesmen pointed out that the task force is independent of the party, even though the organisation is run by Iain Duncan Smith, who is a former Tory leader. What, no Lord Archer as well?

Go behind the scenes on TV’s hottest show with the Official CSI Magazine. Titan Publishing is proud to announce the launch of the brand new Official CSI Magazine, hitting newsstands November 15 2007. Packed with news and interviews from the CSI team, exclusive pictures and behind-the-scenes features, every issue of The Official CSI Magazine will bring you a thrilling insight into the DNA of America’s number one hit drama series.