Christopher Fowler (1) (1953–2023)

I don't think there could be a finer guide than Christopher Fowler to the back catalogues and backstories of ninety-nine authors who, once hugely popular, have all but vanished from our bookshelves. The stories of the ninety-nine authors are interspersed with Fowler's twelve essays discussing topics such as the now-forgotten novels Walt Disney and Alfred Hitchcock brought to the screen, contemporary rivals of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie who did not stand the test of time, and women show more authors who introduced psychological suspense long before it became a mainstay on the bestseller lists.

Fowler kept me entertained throughout Forgotten Authors with his humor (describing actor Charlton Heston as a "heroic plank" or "Klane's prose is as fast and blunt as a chucked brick") as well as telling readers how he went about digging up information about these authors. I think my favorite is Fowler's chapter about Polly Hope, "Where the Rainbow Ends."

It was always gratifying when he chose a forgotten author that I'd already discovered and enjoyed, such as Australian Patricia Carlon and time traveler extraordinaire Jack Finney, or when he praised a favorite book like Consuming Passions. Of course, the danger in reading a book like this is finding a long list of authors and books you want to read, but isn't that why you pick it up in the first place? No reader worth their salt wants to feel as though they're missing out on literary gems, do they? Did I finish Forgotten Authors with a list of my own? Of course I did, and I'm working on finding copies of every single title on my (rather short) list.

Even though you might not want to read Fowler's book for fear you'll add too many books to your already staggering list, I recommend you do so anyway. Forgotten Authors is filled to bursting with fascinating facts and stories that will add to your knowledge of popular literature. It's fascinating and fun, two things that I always love to experience when I read a book-- and don't you dare miss "A Note on the Author" at the end! show less

This awesome whodunnit set in London and it’s underground world of hidden rivers, waste water, sewers and refugees completely captivated me. Fowler instructs and educates about the physical form of London while dealing with shady characters and contemporary issues, as well as weaving a murder mystery into the mix. My absolute favourite in the Bryant and May cannon

Water, water, everywhere (and probably not safe to drink). Bryant and May's second case as chronicled by Christopher Fowler deals with the forgotten Rivers of London. It begins with the death of Ruth Singh, the sister of a friend of Bryant's. She is found dead in her basement, and the initial assumption is that she simply expired, but the postmortem reveals signs of drowning…in river water. And as if that isn't bizarre enough, more unusual deaths plague the same street. But unusual is all show more in a day's work for Bryant and May.

It's probably taken me about five books to figure out that the mysteries aren't always the most important part in a Bryant and May mystery. This one in particular is best treated as an exploration of the underground Rivers of London (which I always capitalize now because of Ben Aaronovitch's Peter Grant series). For those who are so inclined, there's a wealth of fun facts about the Fleet, the Tyburn and more. There's even some Egyptian mythology as a nice little bonus. I want to call this book immersive, but that is a terrible pun even by my standards. I will say this is a book that requires sustained attention, but it's worth the time spent with it. show less

Having lived the ex-pat life in a Muslim country or two (although only in the poorer, more politically chaotic ones), I was immediately drawn to the premise for Christopher Fowler’s The Sand Men. Fowler’s novel happens to be set in Dubai, one of the richest of the Arab countries - but what even the richest Muslim nations have in common with the poorest ones is a huge divide between the rich and the poor. It is almost as if the two groups live on different planets, and ex-pats thrown into show more the mix do not always handle themselves properly when exposed to such a glaring contrast.

Lea and Roy Brook are in the financial struggle of their lives in London when Roy receives a job offer from a company building several luxury hotels in Dubai. Roy is out of work and the young family is simply hanging on for dear life, so Roy’s acceptance of the job offer is really a no-brainer. But after she has moved into the huge company-housing compound with Roy and their fifteen-year-old daughter, Lea begins to wonder about their decision.

The ex-pat compound has developed a subculture of its own, one that is only remotely similar to anything that Lea has previously experienced. The ex-pat wives, although they are not forced to give up any of their rights, are almost eager to spend their days in mindless cooking classes, ladies groups, and puttering around the house while their husbands do the important work. These women may not be quite of the Stepford Wife variety, but they are most definitely the next best thing. Lea, a magazine writer in her old life, is not content to live that way for the two-year term of her husband’s work contract, and almost immediately, her attitude brings her to the attention of a handful of likeminded spirits – and a few sinister people who want to keep her from stirring up trouble.

The Sand Men is one of those thrillers in which the good guys find it almost impossible to tell the difference between ally and enemy – and as players come and go, Fowler makes certain that his readers face the same dilemma. When a long series of very strange accidents begins to claim the lives of those Lea feels closest to, she senses that time is running out for her. She either has to figure out what is happening and stop it, or she has to run for her life. But whom can she trust?
As Joseph Heller put it in Catch-22, “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.”

The Sand Men provides quite a thriller ride for those able to reach the proper level of suspended disbelief. If you’re willing to go there, this one might be for you. show less