Run Amok
asked
Henry Brock:
Vicious Dogs is set in Toronto. Noir is a genre in which city settings almost become another character in the story (ex. Marlowe in LA). Why do you think Toronto is an important backdrop for the novel?
Henry Brock
To me, Toronto is a rich source of material.
It has (or at least used to have) the nickname "Toronto the Good" yet there are no shortages of horrific crimes committed there. There are racial tensions, a police department with a history of violence, political demonstrations, shootings on the street, a huge discrepancy between the rich and poor (who often live a block apart), drug issues and prostitutes walking the streets. It is also the largest city in Canada and thus a big economic driver.
So looking at that brief list outlined above, you can see how a crime writer like myself could easily come up with storylines that my PI Derek Lasker would get embroiled in. It makes me look forward to future books!
It has (or at least used to have) the nickname "Toronto the Good" yet there are no shortages of horrific crimes committed there. There are racial tensions, a police department with a history of violence, political demonstrations, shootings on the street, a huge discrepancy between the rich and poor (who often live a block apart), drug issues and prostitutes walking the streets. It is also the largest city in Canada and thus a big economic driver.
So looking at that brief list outlined above, you can see how a crime writer like myself could easily come up with storylines that my PI Derek Lasker would get embroiled in. It makes me look forward to future books!
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