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Graham Brack

Graham Brack

11/01/2021 by graham.brack

I write crime fiction set in the Dutch Golden Age featuring a reluctant detective who is a lecturer in moral philosophy at the University of Leiden. (I also have a series set in Prague in the near present day.)

The lure of the 17th century to me is that it is a time that begins to approximate to our own.  The language is not that different, there is a definite urban class and many of the structures that we know now – universities and types of business – have come into being. I will allow that reading 17th century Dutch handwriting is not always straightforward, but I had 38 years of training as a pharmacist reading doctors’ prescriptions.

The Dutch setting appealed because the United Provinces had a turbulent relationship with Great Britain then, but also because it is fascinating to see how a small country went in just over a century from being an occupied land to the economic powerhouse of Europe – a transformation that was not without its own problems as Amsterdam grew sevenfold in 120 years with its attendant pressure on land and opportunities for corruption.

I incorporate real historical figures in some of my stories but I hope I deal with them respectfully. I am very conscious that they have no opportunity to reply, but fortunately there are plenty of people with shady reputations and questionable habits so that I do not have to concoct much.

Published works:

Death in Delft

Death in Delft

Untrue till Death

Untrue till Death

Dishonour and Obey

Dishonour and Obey

The Noose’s Shadow

The Noose’s Shadow

The Vanishing Children

The Vanishing Children

The Lying Dutchman

The Lying Dutchman

Murder in Maastricht

Murder in Maastricht

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Historical Writers Association member - Graham Brack

Writes about:

  • 17th Century

Is similar to:

  • Paul Walker

Is located in:

  • Midlands

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