I meet the best readers in Serbia

British writer Tony Parsons said that it was a challenge to write a new novel about detective Max Wolfe “Murder for the Too Busy”, that he is preparing a book about his dead dog Stan and that he is glad to be back in Serbia, where he has the best readers in the world.

– It was a challenge to return to the series, because I had already written six books about Max Wolff, and then three separate novels. I returned to that world and tried to make it believable again – said Parsons at the International Belgrade Book Fair.

Among the initial catalysts for the creation of “Murder for the Too Busy” were Parsons’ daughter, who bought meals for the homeless with his bank card, as well as the death of British criminal Mickey McAvoy, who was involved in a major robbery in 1983 at Heathrow Airport and was “the only from the gang who did not want to cooperate with the police and betray someone”.

At the beginning of the year, Parsons also published the psychological thriller “Who Was She?”, set in Cornwall, England, which the writer likes very much.

– It is an interesting part of the world. Beautiful, the furthest part of England from wherever you go. It’s a working-class area, it’s hard to make money, but it has beautiful landscapes and beaches. There are many writers who set their novels there, and I feel like a part of a beautiful tradition – the writer noted.

Parsons said that it is nice to return to Serbia, where he first visited when he was only 20 years old.

– Now I am 70 years old and that is exactly half a century, which doesn’t seem possible to me, but it is. It’s great to be back. I’ve been coming every year for the last two decades to promote books and support my publisher, and the only time I haven’t been was during the pandemic – noted Parsons.

According to him, changes can be seen in Belgrade, the city is constantly changing, as are we.

– I am happy to be here, among Serbian readers and in this wonderful city and great country. Here I meet the best readers in the world.

As a former music journalist, who wrote for the influential London weekly “Enemy” (“NME”) in the late seventies, Parsons was asked if he was interested in any genre from today’s music, to which he replied that he was only “excited by old music”.

When asked to make his choice of new vinyl releases, Parsons admitted that the most modern he could think of was David Bowie’s Let’s Dance album.
” from 1983.

– I realized that for me 1985 is the most distant year. It’s new music for me – laughed Parsons.

A special connection with Belgrade

At his presentation as part of the “Atlas described by the sky” program at the Book Fair, Parsons stated that the novel “Murder for the Too Busy” was planned to appear in August, but he felt that the book was not ready, so its release in the UK postponed to January 2025.

Since the Serbian publisher Laguna decided to publish the novel this fall, Parsons agreed, as did his British publisher Pingvin, because they “liked the idea of ​​giving the world premiere to Serbia.”

Parsons recalled his first visit to Serbia 50 years ago, saying that during his trip through Yugoslavia, Belgrade left a special impression on him, and that he felt “a connection like no other city in the world.”