Joanna Swainson

Description

In fiction, I’m looking for complex, larger-than-life characters. I love crime and thrillers at both ends of the commercial / literary spectrum. I also love a good ghost story and accessible speculative fiction, as well as a bit of horror, especially folk horror. Whatever the genre, whether literary or commercial, historical or contemporary, thriller or crime, I’m looking for originality and distinctive voices. I especially like fiction threaded with humour – not necessarily of the laugh out loud kind, it’s often much subtler than that, but you can’t have too many arresting observations and insights. On the non-fiction front, I enjoy narrative non-fiction, especially popular history (and prehistory) and science. I’m very partial to a memoir. I also enjoy nature writing and am interested in folklore.