Simon Beckett
Encyclopedia
Simon Beckett is a British
journalist
and author
.
degree in English
, Beckett taught in Spain
and played in several bands before becoming a freelance journalist. He has written for The Times
, The Independent on Sunday, The Daily Telegraph
, The Observer
, amongst others. He has previously written several well-received novels and published his first novel in the David Hunter series, The Chemistry of Death
in 2006; a forensic crime novel. Centred on a forensic anthropologist, Dr David Hunter
, as the protagonist
, The Chemistry of Death was shortlisted for the 2006 Gold Dagger
award. A sequel novel featuring David Hunter, Written in Bone
was released in August 2007 and a further novel, Whispers of the Dead in January 2009. He has previous written several other novels (including Fine Lines in 1994), but these all go conspicuously unmentioned in interviews and on his website.
The books and protagonist were inspired by a visit and series of articles made by Beckett to "The Body Farm
" in Tennessee (Otherwise known as the Forensic Anthropology
Centre, U. Tennessee, founded by the pioneer of modern forensic anthropology, Dr Bill Bass). Having watched - and participated - in "live" exercises involving manufactured crime scenes containing real decaying corpses, and having witnessed the fascinating and arcane sciences employed to ascertain how, when and where death occurred, Beckett was inspired to create a central character who is vulnerable, charming and engaging, while authoritative and knowledgeable regarding "The Chemistry of Death".
He is married and currently lives in Sheffield.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
.
Life and works
After earning a Master of ArtsMaster of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Beckett taught in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and played in several bands before becoming a freelance journalist. He has written for The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, The Independent on Sunday, The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
, amongst others. He has previously written several well-received novels and published his first novel in the David Hunter series, The Chemistry of Death
The Chemistry of Death
The Chemistry of Death is a novel by the British crime fiction writer Simon Beckett, first published in 2006. The novel introduced the character of Dr David Hunter, who has gone on to feature in other novels by the writer....
in 2006; a forensic crime novel. Centred on a forensic anthropologist, Dr David Hunter
Dr David Hunter
Dr David Hunter is a popular fiction character created by novelist Simon Beckett, as the protagonist of his bestselling crime novels. Hunter debuted in 2006 in the novel The Chemistry of Death, followed in 2007 by Written in Bone. A third novel, Whispers of the Dead appeared in 2009...
, as the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
, The Chemistry of Death was shortlisted for the 2006 Gold Dagger
Gold Dagger
The Gold Dagger Award was an award given annually by the Crime Writers' Association for the best crime novel of the year.For its first five years, the organization's top honor was known as the Crossed Red Herring Award....
award. A sequel novel featuring David Hunter, Written in Bone
Written in Bone
Written in Bone is a novel written by the British crime fiction writer Simon Beckett, first published in 2007. It is the second novel to feature Dr David Hunter....
was released in August 2007 and a further novel, Whispers of the Dead in January 2009. He has previous written several other novels (including Fine Lines in 1994), but these all go conspicuously unmentioned in interviews and on his website.
The books and protagonist were inspired by a visit and series of articles made by Beckett to "The Body Farm
Body Farm
A body farm is a research facility where human decomposition can be studied in a variety of settings. The aim is to gain a better understanding of the decomposition process, permitting the development of techniques for extracting information from human remains...
" in Tennessee (Otherwise known as the Forensic Anthropology
Forensic anthropology
Forensic anthropology is the application of the science of physical anthropology and human osteology in a legal setting, most often in criminal cases where the victim's remains are in the advanced stages of decomposition. A forensic anthropologist can assist in the identification of deceased...
Centre, U. Tennessee, founded by the pioneer of modern forensic anthropology, Dr Bill Bass). Having watched - and participated - in "live" exercises involving manufactured crime scenes containing real decaying corpses, and having witnessed the fascinating and arcane sciences employed to ascertain how, when and where death occurred, Beckett was inspired to create a central character who is vulnerable, charming and engaging, while authoritative and knowledgeable regarding "The Chemistry of Death".
He is married and currently lives in Sheffield.
David Hunter series
- The Chemistry of DeathThe Chemistry of DeathThe Chemistry of Death is a novel by the British crime fiction writer Simon Beckett, first published in 2006. The novel introduced the character of Dr David Hunter, who has gone on to feature in other novels by the writer....
(2006) - Written in BoneWritten in BoneWritten in Bone is a novel written by the British crime fiction writer Simon Beckett, first published in 2007. It is the second novel to feature Dr David Hunter....
(2007) - Whispers of the Dead (2009)
- The Calling of the Grave (2010)
Other novels
- Fine Lines (1994)
- Animals (1995)
- Where There's Smoke (1997)
- Owning Jacob (1998)