Semi-Retired Scientist, Teacher, Writer, Editor, Reviewer & Literary Commentator for Crime, Thriller & Horror Fiction - THIS PAGE IS NO LONGER UPDATED 11/2024
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Articles by Ali Karim
A Literary Lunch at Larry’s with Karen-Mille-James
Bibliophiles enjoy discovering new literary talent especially when in the company of fellow readers, so it was delightful to be invited to lunch at Larry’s Bistro in the National Portrait Gallery, adjacent to Trafalgar Square, London. The occasion was to celebrate the launch of author Karen Mille-James’ novel A Thousand Silent Cries which is released on the 22nd October 2026, from Vinci books.
Computer Science > Data Structures and Algorithms
We provide potential function proofs of the competitive ratios of DoubleCoverage for the hard $k$-taxi problem on HSTs and general weighted trees of bounded depth. Buchbinder, Coester, and Naor (2023) obtained these ratios using time-reverse dual fitting and noted that they did not know a pure potential proof beyond $k=2$.
DATAMARK Named a Major Contender in Everest Group’s 2026 CXM Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment
DATAMARK Named a Major Contender in Everest Group’s 2026 CXM Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment DATAMARK, Inc., a global contact center and business process outsourcing company DATAMARK Named a Major Contender in Everest Group’s 2026 CXM Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment DATAMARK improved its standing across two key dimensions of Everest Group scoring: market impact and vision and capability.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
Before I wrote Pretty Boy Red, I found myself drawntowriting from the perspective of a boy who was not entirely innocent. His name was Troy, the central character from my first novel Shotline. He seemed vulnerable until the moment he became dangerous. To get into his head I had to enter a different mental space, tripping along in a kind of stream-of-consciousness where madness was never far away.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
For years, I have been fascinated by the case of Ruth Ellis, the last woman executed in Britain. A former nightclub manager with platinum hair and a sultry gaze, she was often compared to Marilyn Monroe. On Easter Sunday, 1955, she shot dead her lover, racing driver David Blakely, outside a pub in Hampstead. A jury found her guilty of premeditated murder in twenty-three minutes, and she was hanged at Holloway Prison thirteen weeks later.
The Dashiell Hammett Prize 2026
I am delighted to hear from Rap Sheet’s Jeff Pierce that author Ron Currie has been awarded the 2026 Dashiell Hammett Prize for his novel The Savage Noble Death of Babs Dionne - awarded by the North American Branch of the International Association of Crime Writers. All the books on the nominations shortlist were/are great works, and all of them deserve to be sampled.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
Name:- Abigail Dean Job:- Author Website:- https://www.abigail-dean.com Instagram- @AbigailSDean. Introduction Abigail Dean is a former lawyer turned author. She is the author of three books. Her debut novel Girl A was published in 2021 and was a SundayTimes and New York Times bestseller. She was one of the Observer's best new novelists in 2021, and was shortlisted for the Women's Prize, Good Housekeeping Futures Award in 2022.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
The Richmond Walking & Book Festival will be taking place between the 18th & 27th September. The full programme can be found here. On Saturday 26th September as part of the festival the Peter Robinson Memorial event will take place at Richmond Town Hall at 7:30pm.
Re: GLP-1 RA Plus SGLT2i Versus Monotherapy in MASLD and Type 2 Diabetes: Three Pairwise Target Trial Emulations
No abstract is available for this article. Data Availability Statement Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study. References 1, , , et al., “GLP-1 RA Plus SGLT2i Versus Monotherapy in MASLD and Type 2 Diabetes: Three Pairwise Target Trial Emulations,” Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (2026): 1–20, https://doi.org/10.1111/jgh.70589.
Back to the Future with Jack Jewers
There are some novels that go beyond a purely readingactivity, these rare books immerse the reader so they become an experience.
The King’s IT has its 40th Anniversary
From Kallie Townsend Senior Publicity Manager at Hodder and Stoughton Publishing On 3 September 2026, Hodder & Stoughton will publish a classic hardback edition of IT by Stephen King, with a new introduction by The Duffer Brothers to celebrate its fortieth anniversary.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
Name:- Simon Mason Job:- Author Introduction: Simon Mason is the author of Juvenile and adult fiction. His 2022 novel A Killing in Novemberwhich was the first in his D I Wilkins series set in New Hinksey, Oxford was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger and was a Sunday Times Crime Book of the month along with the second book in the series The Broken Afternoon (2023). In 2024 Missing Person: Alice the first in the Finder series was published.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
Name:- Simon Mason Job:- Author X:- @simonmasonbooks Introduction: Simon Mason is the author of Juvenile and adult fiction. His 2022 novel A Killing in Novemberwhich was the first in his D I Wilkins series set in New Hinksey, Oxford was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger and was a Sunday Times Crime Book of the month along with the second book in the series The Broken Afternoon (2023). In 2024 Missing Person: Alice the first in the Finder series was published.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
Name: - Vaseem Khan Job: - Author and Strategic Alliance Director at University College London Website: - https://vaseemkhan.com X:- @VaseemKhanUK Instagram: - @Vaseemkhanwriter Facebook:- - @VaseemKhanOfficial Introduction Vaseem Khan is the author of two award-winning crime series set in India, and the Q Mysteries, beginning with Quantum of Menace, the first in a murder mystery series featuring Q from the James Bond franchise.
A Conversation with Sarah Waters in Spain
Shots Magazine recalls Sarah Water’s being awarded the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger by the Crime Writers Association in 2002. The award announcement was made at a reception at the Crime in Store bookshop in Store Street, Covent Garden in London, on Wednesday 30th October 2022. The book was also short-listed for the Man Booker Award. The Ellis Peters judges described it as a dark and subtle novel.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
My books are set in Leeds, Yorkshire, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when this part of the North of England was struggling. My latest novel, The Burning Fears, is set int the latter part of this period – 1982 – when the country was still in shock as the extent of the Yorkshire Ripper’s crimes came to light. At the same time, wide-spread de-industrialisation across the north saw job losses on a massive scale. It was a city far from the renaissance it enjoyed in the 1990s and 2000s.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
When I first set out to write a book, I had no idea what I was letting myself in for. I’d signed up for the inaugural MA in Crime Fiction at the University of East Anglia – the main deliverable of which was to write an eighty-thousand-word crime novel, with very little thought to what that book might be about.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
Behind most authors stands at least one unsung hero. In my case, it’s my husband Dave Pescod. While I write this piece, he’s sitting across the kitchen table from me, reading a draft of my latest crime novel, with a deep frown on his face. I have come to realise during our thirty-year marriage that the frown doesn’t always signal displeasure. Often, it’s just concentration. He’s thinking of ways to help my story to run more smoothly, or a fresh detail to deepen the plot.
John Parker tracks down John Connolly in Spain
John Connolly met up with our Spanish Literary Editor at the Tapa Café in Madrid, Spain - taking a break during his signing sessions at the 2026 Madrid Book Fair. We’d been excited following the release of A RIVER RED WITH BLOOD as John Parker reviewed the book and spoke with the author [archived HERE] earlier this year. John Connolly’s Spanish publisher Tusquets had brought him over from Dublin to promote Los Hijos de Eva (The Children of Eve), which has just been released throughout Spain.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
The Macavity Award is named after Macavity: The Mystery Cat, in T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats! The Macavity Awards are nominated and voted on by members of Mystery Readers International, subscribers to Mystery Readers Journal, and friends of MRI. Congratulations to all! Ballots will be sent out next week to members of MRI, subscribers to MRJ, and to friends of MRI. Look for it in your email. Winners will be announced this Fall. Want to be a member/subscriber, go here.
Stephen King’s crime thriller NEVER FLINCH
To celebrate the release of Stephen King’s crime thriller NEVER FLINCH in paperback, Hodder and Stoughton have kindly offered readers of Shots Magazine three copies in a competition. But first, we wrote last year on the release of NEVER FLINCH – Though the undisputed master of the horror genre, after this latest release perhaps Stephen King will be anointed the king of crime fiction.
Stephen King’s crime thriller NEVER FLINCH
To celebrate the release of Stephen King’s crime thriller NEVER FLINCH in paperback, Hodder and Stoughton have kindly offered readers of Shots Magazine three copies in a competition. But first, we wrote last year on the release of NEVER FLINCH – Though the undisputed master of the horror genre, after this latest release perhaps Stephen King will be anointed the king of crime fiction.
Dean Koontz - Interview
Thomas and Mercer publishing have released two remarkable novels this January that are difficult to pigeon-hole. These two novels were not crime fiction per se, nor horror fiction per se but they were page turners that combined elements of both genres that kept me up way past my bedtime. They also provoked deep introspection. So what were these two books?
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
It’s not a spoiler to say that my new spy-action thriller Octagon contains a nuclear terror threat. The opening pages tell the story of how a disgruntled Chechen scientist, repeatedly passed over for promotion, steals small quantities of highly enriched uranium from the research facility where he works in Russia, storing it at home until he has enough to make an atomic bomb.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
Since the publication of my third novel, I’ve been asked a few times whether or not I believe in ghosts. Once you know the plot of that novel, the question won’t come as that much of a surprise. ‘The Spirit Guide’ is the third in the Variety Palace Mysteries, following on from ‘The Tumbling Girl’ and ‘The Innocents’. The novel opens in London, 1879, where my crime-detecting duo, Minnie Ward and Albert Easterbrook, areinvestigating two mysterious deaths.
A River Red With Blood: John Connolly talks to John Parker
Few contemporary crime writers have blended noir, horror and literary fiction as successfully as John Connolly. Born in Dublin in 1968, Connolly first worked as a journalist for The Irish Times before turning to fiction, and he quickly established himself as one of the most distinctive voices in modern crime writing. His debut novel, Every Dead Thing, introduced readers to private investigator Charlie Parker.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
The Barry Awards are nominated by Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine. Congratulations to all. The winners of the 2026 Barry Awards will be announced at the Opening Ceremonies of Bouchercon (Calgary, Canada) on October 22, 2026. Best Mystery The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer (Atlantic Monthly) Crooks by Lou Berney (William Morrow) King of Ashes by S. A.
The Zaffre Crime & Thriller Showcase 2026
Mike Stotter and I were looking forward to seeing what Bonnier Books Crime and Thriller Imprint ‘Zaffre’ had in store for 2006/7 – as well as catching up with the Shots Magazine Blogger Ayo Onatade, and our fellow London-based book reviewers. But first, a digression. I met up with Mike Stotter for lunch at a Pizzeria in Fitzrovia, followed by Coffee and Dates at a nearby Middle Eastern café.
The 2026 First Crime Novel Competition
NEW YORK, NY 5/5/26 – Minotaur Books and the Mystery Writers of America introduced the winner of their First Crime Novel Competition at the 80th annual Edgar® Awards Banquet on Wednesday, April 29th, in New York City. The announcement was made by Kelley Ragland, vice president and publishing director at Minotaur Books. The competition winner, Sharon Roth, is a Maryland attorney who also writes as Shannon Taft.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
Penguin presents timeless reads for slower summers: the American Mystery Classics collection is a chance to revisit the great American crime novels that shaped the genre, perfect for fans of golden age detectives, locked-room stories, and mysteries featuring cats.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
In the afternoon I get an unexpected call. ‘My name’s Thórunn and I’m Hörður Sæmundarson’s daughter.’ ‘What do you want from me?’ I ask coldly. ‘I’m here at the hospital and he very much wants to speak to you.’ ‘I was almost dead once, thanks to your father,’ I reply. ‘So it’s understandable that I have no desire to meet him again.’ ‘Dad regrets so many of the things he did before he went through rehab,’ Thórunn replies. ‘He’s a different man today.’ I doubt that.
The Michael Joseph Penguin Crime Party 2026
An annual highlight for the UK Crime Fiction community is PenguinRandomHouse imprint Michael Joseph’s Party. During the proceedings, we are treated to a preview of the upcoming offerings from this important imprint. Invited guests include Booksellers, Authors, Reviewers, Bloggers, Journalists and Literary Champions. Last year, the party was held in The Crypt in St Martins-in-the Field – Click Here for the Shots 2025 Report.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
Congratulations go to the wonderful Mick Herron who has won the 2026 Pepe Carvlho Award which is given every year to an author in the noir fiction category as part of the literary festival BCNegra. More information can be found here. Jo Nesbø’s global bestselling books are coming soon to Netflix. The Trailer can be seen below and the first episode is due to air on 26th March. Not good news – Throughly disappointing to hear that “Virdee” has been cancelled due to lower than expected viewing figures.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
Denise Mina Revealed to be Guest Programmer for Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival 2026 International bestselling crime writer, Denise Mina, is today revealed to be the guest programmer for the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival 2026 which will return to the historic city of Stirling from 18-20 September.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
I’d originally envisioned my new novel, The Persian, to be about a joint CIA-Mossad operation in Iran, but as I tinkered with that it became clear that the more daring and, importantly, kinetic the operation became, the less likely it was that CIA would be involved. For example, when Mossad ran a targeted killing program aimed at Iranian nuclear scientists, the CIA stayed out of the fray. Most often CIA did not even know these operations were underway. So this just wasn’t a CIA story.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
Alex Honnold free-climber scaling the skyscraper in Taiwan - Renaissance Man The Talented Mr Ripley pointed out that BBC Radio 4 referenced British Rock Climber Gwen Moffat on their ‘Rewind’ programme this week.
The Extraordinary Gwen Moffat
Alex Honnold free-climber scaling the skyscraper in Taiwan - Renaissance Man The Talented Mr Ripley pointed out that BBC Radio 4 referenced British Rock Climber Gwen Moffat on their ‘Rewind’ programme this week.
Dean Koontz talks to Shots Magazine
Thomas and Mercer publishing have released two remarkable novels this January that are difficult to pigeon-hole. These two novels were not crime fiction per se, nor horror fiction per se but they were page turners that combined elements of both genres that kept me up way past my bedtime. They also provoked deep introspection. So what were these two books?
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
Thomas and Mercer publishing have released two remarkable novels this January that are difficult to pigeon-hole. These two novels were not crime fiction per se, nor horror fiction per se but they were page turners that combined elements of both genres that kept me up way past my bedtime. They also provoked deep introspection. So what were these two books?
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
January 2026 The Cut Up is By Louise Welsh. It's hard to be good when living is expensive. And times are tough on the streets these days. Luckily for Rilke at Bowery Auctions the demand for no-questions-asked cash is at an all-time high, and business is booming. When Rilke hears his old acquaintance Les is fresh out of prison, his inclination is to stay well out of his way.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
January 2026 A special new edition of Agatha Christie's Endless Night. Gipsy’s Acre was a truly beautiful upland site with views out to sea – and in Michael Rogers it stirred a child-like fantasy. There, amongst the dark fir trees, he planned to build a house, find a girl and live happily ever after. Yet, as he left the village, a shadow of menace hung over the land. For this was the place where accidents happened.
Ace Atkins talks to Shots Magazine
I was finalising my ‘Favourites of 2025’ crime and mystery fiction for Jeff Peirce’s The Rap Sheet, when like an unexpected incoming ICBM, Ace Atkins’ EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD landed on my desk from Little Brown UK [via an Advanced Readers Copy from William Morrow Imprint of HarperCollins US]. This changed everything – Sometimes black humour is the only way to cope with the horrors of a possible nuclear war. Ace Atkins delivers laughs aplenty that overlay a terrifying cold war thriller.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
I’ve spent my career as a fresh-faced reporter, a travelling correspondent, an editor, and as an executive responsible for huge media companies. I enjoyed it, and learned a lot; but what I didn’t realise until recently was something else it was training me to be. I had already written a memoir called The Bootle Boy and the research had been easy.
Signet‐Ring Cell Type Adenocarcinoma of the Urachus: A Rare Case
Advanced diagnostics, such as cystoscopy or bladder biopsy, are vital for persistent urinary symptoms. Sharing rare urachal adenocarcinoma cases is key to improving understanding and care. 1 Introduction Urachal adenocarcinoma is a rare type of bladder cancer originating from the epithelium-lined tubular structure known as the urachus, comprising only 0.17%–0.34% of all bladder carcinomas. It typically affects males, aging from 50 to 60 years [1, 2].
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
The first realistic espionage stories I ever read was Somerset Maugham’s Ashenden short stories. The narrator, a writer, trails around the Italian lakes during inclement weather and visits agents who are supposed to be gathering information or intel as we like to call it now. The agents are feckless; they lie and they cheat and the work itself is tiring and often dull. To me, it felt real. It was real, Maugham was recruited to run agents during World War I.
Who is Mason Coile?
Enthusiastic book reviewers often want to tell others when they have enjoyed a book immensely, discovered something special, a narrative that provoked deep thought. EXILES by Mason Coile So what’s this book about? It’s 2030 The human crew sent to prepare the first colony on Mars arrives to find the new base half-destroyed and the three robots sent ahead to set it up in disarray.
with Joe Finder
Written by Ali Karim Home Book Reviews Features Interviews News Columns Authors Blog About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy | Contact Shots Editor
The Noir World of Gerald Petievich
It was in 1985 that I first encountered the work of Gerald Petievich. It was in London’s Leicester Square watching a matinee of the newly released film TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA. It was a movie directed [and co-written] by William Friedkin. I sat transfixed at the screen throughout the film, and right through to the closing credits with the pulse pounding 1980s techno-rock score of Wang Chung. When the curtain came down, I didn’t leave the cinema, but sat in my seat and watched the film again.
I Digress: Ali Karim’s Bouchercon Diary
(This is the second installment in our two-part wrap-up of Bouchercon in New Orleans, September 3-7. Part I can be found here.) (Above) Shots and Rap Sheet contributor Ali Karim prepares to be interviewed onstage by editor George Easter (right) during Bouchercon in New Orleans.
SHOTSMAG CONFIDENTIAL
The first realistic espionage stories I ever read was Somerset Maugham’s Ashenden short stories. The narrator, a writer, trails around the Italian lakes during inclement weather and visits agents who are supposed to be gathering information or intel as we like to call it now. The agents are feckless; they lie and they cheat and the work itself is tiring and often dull. To me, it felt real. It was real, Maugham was recruited to run agents during World War I.
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