Rowling the Would-be Crime Writer

Now that the story has been picked up by almost everybody it proved a bit more difficult to find the source, but here it is:

The sighting, by the wife of Ian Rankin, creator of Detective Inspector John

Rebus, has sparked talk among the city’s crime writers that she is planning

to apply her populist talent to create the definitive Scottish crime novel.

Rowling, they say, is entering a genre dominated by some of Scotland’s

greatest storytellers from Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Louis Stevenson to

modern bestselling writers including Rankin, Alexander McCall Smith, Iain

Banks and Val McDermid.

Speaking to a reporter at the Edinburgh book festival, Rankin told how his

wife Miranda had seen Rowling “scribbling away in a cafe recently”.

“My wife spotted her writing her Edinburgh criminal detective novel,” he said.

He declined to elaborate on how he knew about Rowling’s new direction, but

conceded he had not discussed it personally with her. He added: “It is great

that she has not abandoned writing or Edinburgh cafes.”

I’ve been saying for years that I thought Rowling would attempt a crime novel next – and I’m also certain I’m far from the only one unsurprised by this bit of soft news (because until it’s completed and published, it’s really speculation, not news.) And should there be an actual book, it’s also certain it will generate a ton of hype, a whole lot of early-week sales and that critics will be sharpening their talons in a way that’s not been seen in quite some time.