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Denise Mina
Denise Mina was born in Glasgow in 1966. Because of her father's job as an engineer, the family followed the north sea oil boom of the seventies around Europe, moving twenty one times in eighteen years from Paris to the Hague, London, Scotland and Bergen. She left school at sixteen and did a... show more

Denise Mina was born in Glasgow in 1966. Because of her father's job as an engineer, the family followed the north sea oil boom of the seventies around Europe, moving twenty one times in eighteen years from Paris to the Hague, London, Scotland and Bergen. She left school at sixteen and did a number of poorly paid jobs: working in a meat factory, bar maid, kitchen porter and cook. Eventually she settle in auxiliary nursing for geriatric and terminal care patients.At twenty one she passed exams, got into study Law at Glasgow University and went on to research a PhD thesis at Strathclyde University on the ascription of mental illness to female offenders, teaching criminology and criminal law in the mean time. Misusing her grant she stayed at home and wrote a novel, 'Garnethill' when she was supposed to be studying instead. 'Garnethill' won the Crime Writers' Association John Creasy Dagger for the best first crime novel and was the start of a trilogy completed by 'Exile' and 'Resolution'. A fourth novel followed, a stand alone, named 'Sanctum' in the UK and 'Deception' in the US. In 2005 'The Field of Blood' was published, the first of a series of five books following the career and life of journalist Paddy Meehan from the newsrooms of the early 1980s, through the momentous events of the nineteen nineties. The second in the series was published in 2006, 'The Dead Hour' and the third will follow in 2007.She also writes comics and wrote 'Hellblazer', the John Constantine series for Vertigo, for a year, published soon as graphic novels called 'Empathy is the Enemy' and 'The Red Right Hand'. She has also written a one-off graphic novel about spree killing and property prices called 'A Sickness in the Family' (DC Comics forthcoming).In 2006 she wrote her first play, "Ida Tamson" an adaptation of a short story which was serialised in the Evening Times over five nights. The play was part of the Oran Mor 'A Play, a Pie and a Pint' series, starred Elaine C. Smith and was, frankly, rather super.As well as all of this she writes short stories published various collections, stories for BBC Radio 4, contributes to TV and radio as a big red face at the corner of the sofa who interjects occasionally, is writing a film adaptation of Ida Tamson and has a number of other projects on the go.
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Community Reviews
alwaysbooks
alwaysbooks rated it 6 years ago
Two and a half star rating.Bleak and chilling, based on a real individual, Peter Manuel, dubbed Scotland’s first serial killer. Not a nice man at all and most of the other people in this book weren’t particularly pleasant either. The start of this story is like being thrust into a conversation which...
A Misfit Reader
A Misfit Reader rated it 8 years ago
Hey everyone! So, I'm back with a new post and it's going to be another review! Yay, I'm currently working through my fourth book for the month. So, for today I'll be reviewing "Garnethill" by Denise Mina. About: The Story is about a woman name Maureen O'Donnell who woke up on morning to find h...
Freda's Voice
Freda's Voice rated it 8 years ago
I had no idea this was book 3 in a series until now. That might make a difference in how I feel about it. I just have not been enjoying it as much as I had hoped, or even as much as the praise on the book cover said. Now I know what might have helped contribute... being book 3. Then again, I felt li...
Blondie and Read
Blondie and Read rated it 9 years ago
It was okie.There was a lot of jumping that wouldn't make sense if you hadn't already read the original Stieg Larsson book.There were times when I didn't even follow.... wait.. what happened..?Don't read this book to replace the original. You'll just be confused, which is such a shame since book one...
Blondie and Read
Blondie and Read rated it 9 years ago
Lizbeth!Lizbeth!Lizbeth!Awesome to see this story as a graphic novel. The illustration is beautiful and the interpretation is very well done with minor tweaks to keep it moving.
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