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Rumor Alert: J.K.Rowling, Crime Writer?

J.K. Rowling
Posted by: Sue
August 19, 2007, 02:33 AM

In a rumor that is spreading like wildfire tonight, many readers have owled about a report in the Sunday Times newspaper claiming that author J.K. Rowling is at work writing a crime novel. This report (similar to previous claims that Jo might someday write a mystery novel) stems from an excerpt from a new profile of Scottish writer Ian Rankin, who lives in the same neighborhood area in Edinburgh as J.K. Rowling, and is quoted in the Times article with the following:

Rankin’s wife spotted JKR the other day “scribbling away in a cafe”, he said last week, speculating whether she was “writing her Edinburgh detective novel”.

The Associated Press is also running with this, and this report has a slightly more definitive quote from Ian Rankin, saying:

“My wife spotted her writing her Edinburgh criminal detective novel,” the newspaper, which was available late Saturday, quoted Rankin as saying.

Rankin, famous for his own police novels set in the historic Scottish city, said he had not discussed the project with Rowling personally, and declined to reveal how he had learned about her plans.It is great that she has not abandoned writing or Edinburgh cafes,” Rankin said.

...

The office of Rowling’s literary agent Christopher Little was not immediately available to comment late Saturday.

Again, while Jo has stated in interviews since the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that she was at work on two things (“one for children, one not for children”), please keep this very much in the rumor category for now. Thanks to all who emailed!

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70 Comments

grett

I really hope that she one day returns to the world of Potter.

Posted by grett on August 18, 2007, 10:36 PM report to moderator
Ashley

wow! that’s so cool! I hope it’s true. A mystrey novel would be awesome!!

Posted by Ashley on August 18, 2007, 10:36 PM report to moderator
Amy S

I don’t know what to think of this!

Part of me reeeeally wants to read a book by Jo that is definitively for adults, to see what she can do when she doesn’t have to watch her tongue all the time – you know what I mean? But then it almost hurts me to think ofher already abandonding the world of HP… not that I wouldn’t expect it, but it’s still saddening.

Though I suppose for now I shouldn’t bother thinking too much of this at all seeing as it’s still 100% a rumor, yeah?

Posted by Amy S on August 18, 2007, 10:45 PM report to moderator
Becky

Part of me still can’t believe that Harry Potter really is over…

A crime novel does sound interesting, though. Based on what we see in the HP series, Jo can really weave in small clues and create intriguing plot lines that could work in a mystery or crime novel. I’ll probably read everything that she ends up writing, just because of how much I’m into Harry Potter, but nothing will be like it again…:(

Posted by Becky on August 18, 2007, 10:49 PM report to moderator
Helios Lightra

Cool. From past experience, she’ll no doubt (if she is really writing a crime novel) write a complex plot that will take everyone for surprise. Everyone whose worried about the end…don’t worry, she promised an encyclopedia…relax…

Posted by Helios Lightra on August 18, 2007, 10:59 PM report to moderator
potions_git

I very much doubt she would go right back into writing so soon after Deathly Hallows. I mean she did say she was taking a break and I would think that she would be taking ful advantage of it instead of focusing on more work.

Posted by potions_git on August 18, 2007, 10:59 PM report to moderator
Kate

awesome!

Posted by Kate on August 18, 2007, 11:21 PM report to moderator
harrmione55

WOOOW…AWESOME…more of JKR ! ! !

Posted by harrmione55 on August 18, 2007, 11:46 PM report to moderator
Erica

Is it really so soon after Deathly Hallows for her? Obviously writing is her passion, a love… and she finished the actual creative writing process for DH a while ago.

For all we know, it is just a journal or writing exercise for her, but I DO think she would be GREAT at crime or mystery… actually, HP could be considered a mystery!

Posted by Erica on August 18, 2007, 11:52 PM report to moderator
Catherine

Wow, I think that Jo would make a fantastic crime novelist. Just think of all the juicy plot twist and detail that she would put into it.

Posted by Catherine on August 19, 2007, 12:03 AM report to moderator
dobby_rocks

She finished DH months ago and to be frank Jo is a writer I can’t see her not writing for a long span of time. If any of this is true she could just be writing for herself for now, and have no plans to get it published anytime soon. It would be neat to read though.

Posted by dobby_rocks on August 19, 2007, 12:08 AM report to moderator
Anthony

As soon as it comes out I’m all over it. I think it’s, to coin a british term, BRILLIANT! It’s quite the natural transition don’t you think?

Posted by Anthony on August 19, 2007, 12:13 AM report to moderator
The_Devoted_Servant

I can’t see her taking THAT much of a break….But I really don’t want to except that Harry is really OVER

Posted by The_Devoted_Servant on August 19, 2007, 12:44 AM report to moderator
Corey

Well, Jo proved she could do plot twists in SS, COS, POA, GOF, and HBP. But not in Deathly Hallows, which should have had the most and the best. It was completely devoid of them.

I trust her in a crime novel though.

Posted by Corey on August 19, 2007, 01:16 AM report to moderator
jmg

untill JKR says anything on her web site. I don’t belive word of it.

Posted by jmg on August 19, 2007, 01:48 AM report to moderator
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