The Derry Heir

Yet more Brian McGilloway-related shenanigans, this time over at Suite 101, where they grill Derry’s heir to James Lee Burke to celebrate the upcoming launch of BLEED A RIVER DEEP. Asked about why his series protag, DI Devlin, is such a nice bloke, Brian basically says that his novels are heavily autobiographical, and that if anyone suggests he’s not the mildest-mannered crime writer on the block, he’ll shiv the mo-fo where the cut won’t heal. To wit:

“I’m a crime fan and understand why so many literary detectives are divorced, heavy-drinking mavericks. But I liked the idea of Devlin being different, happily married, not a drinker and that he would try to do his job properly. Also, at the time I wrote it, my wife was heavily pregnant with our first child. I was trying to balance work and a young family and thought it would be interesting to have Devlin doing the same. His mission is as a policeman making his immediate area safe for his own family.”

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