Today my husband offered to visit the library for some up-to-date books. I had begun to think my own style of writing was perhaps a little too formal for today's readers and hoped I could learn something before starting my next magnum opus! When he got there the only authors he could think of were Kinsella and McDermid. All Kinsella's books were out, so he brought home two of McDermid's. I was disgusted to see the title of one of them: 'Northanger Abbey'! Why is it that modern authors need to steal from real writers?Ms McDermid thanks Jane Austen, and says "I like to think there's a quantum universe somewhere where she is getting her own back reimagining (sic)Tony Hill and Carol Jordan"' [two of Ms McDermid's creations]. Myself, I like to think Miss Austen is doing something more worthwhile.
