Does she think that male and female crime writers possess signally different identities?
“Not as much, I believe, as they did in the past. Having said that, I am not one of those who subscribe to the belief that women were gentler and men more manly in days gone by. The fact that male and female crime is more homogenous now has far more to do with social changes. Women are now permitted, for want of a better word, to explore violence without attracting negative comments. Men, similarly, may tackle romantic issues. I still believe however, that we (women) have the edge where psychological issues are concerned. We are just that little bit more subtle. But then I would say that, wouldn’t I? (I’m a psychology graduate!) Perhaps because, from a very young age, women are primed to expect fear. How many young men, for instance, are advised to be careful in case their girlfriends ‘knock them about’? Some, yes. But in the quantities that women are? I think not. We are told to be careful if we are going out alone and if we wander at night we are told that it is better we do so eithe
