Liza Cody burst onto the scene with Dupe in 1980, the first in a six book series with Anna Lee. Her latest book Crocodiles & Good Intentions was published earlier this year.
In-between, in addition to the Anna Lee books, she has a couple of other series, one featuring a female wrestler, Eva Wylie and the other a homeless woman and her dog - Lady Bag, four standalone novels, a novella and a collection of short stories.
In her time she has been nominated for Dagger and Edgar Awards.
Her website is here.
Dupe (1980)
WINNER OF THE CRIME WRITERS' ASSOCIATION JOHN CREASEY MEMORIAL AWARD FOR THE BEST FIRST CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEARAnna Lee.... young, frustrated, and currently bottom in the pecking order of Brierly Security, Private Investigators.
When the bereaved parents of Deirdre Jackson demand an explanation for the car accident that killed their daughter, Anna is assigned the case. But what seems a dead-end task is anything but.
As Anna moves through London's freezing back streets and uncovers the seedy film world where Deirdre worked, she realises that the girl's lonely death had been the only possible finale to a life fringed by fraud, failure and violence.
"The most exciting crime fiction writer to have appeared for years." Birmingham Post
Bucket Nut (1992)
"A splendid new heroine rampages on to the crime scene to the roar of the wrestling crowd" MAIL ON SUNDAY
SHE'S BIG, with ambitions to be the Women's Heavyweight Wrestling Champion of Great Britain.
SHE'S UGLY, and works as a security guard in a London breaker's yard with two mad, bad dogs for company.
SHE'S BAD, performing odd jobs for a sinister Chinese restaurant owner.
SHE'S SIMPLY "BUCKET NUT" TO HER FANS, thriving on insults and blindly pursuing her goals. But will Eva come unstuck when she lands heavily on the all too dangerous side of a couple of warring racketeers?
I need to try her work, Col. I've heard of her, but hadn't (yet) read any of her stuff. Time I did, and I appreciate the kick in the pants to do it.
ReplyDeleteMargot, I'm the same, I've ignored her work for too long - something I could say about a lot of authors though.
DeleteI read one or two of Cody's Anna Lee books yonks ago, and can remember being quite favorably impressed. I know nuffink about (and don't fancy) her wrestling series, but the Lady Bag series sounds interesting and may have to be investigated.
ReplyDeleteThe second in the Lady Bag series was published earlier this year. I'd be interested to see how you think her stuff compares to the ones you read a long long time ago - assuming you can remember!
DeleteDo writers mature with age and get better, or do they run out of original things to say?
Do writers mature with age and get better, or do they run out of original things to say?
DeleteAs I'm sure Margot will resoundingly agree, they just keep on getting better and better. And better.
That's what I thought.
DeleteWell, clearly I haven't been keeping up with Liza Cody, or looking in the wrong places. I did not know anything about the Lady Bag series at all.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read Dupe in 2016 I looked up anything I could find and did not see anything about that series. Anyway, I now picked up the Kindle of that book, even though you know I prefer a paper copy.
Thanks, very glad to get this information.
Tracy, I'll have to give the Lady Bag series a bit of a closer look. I kind of ignored it, giving preference to these other two series.
DeleteI am like Tracy - I have read Liza Cody before now, the Anna Lee books, but haven't been keeping up. Must try harder...
ReplyDeleteYou're still ahead of me, but I have her and you in my sights!
DeleteNever read Liza Cody before. I will keep an eye out for her books.
ReplyDeletePrashant, you definitely should.
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