Simon Kernick in New Zealand this September

It hasn't been widely publicised yet, but Random House NZ have confirmed that British thriller writer Simon Kernick will be visiting New Zealand for an author tour in September. No specific dates or events have yet been confirmed, but the fact that the Christchurch Writers Festival, which is known to me much more welcoming of crime/thriller writing than its counterpart in Auckland, is being held in early September ... well, two and two and all that.

Kernick is a former computer programmer in his early 40s who has been described as "Britain's most exciting new thriller writer". He debuted with THE BUSINESS OF DYING in 2002, and his ninth thriller, THE LAST 10 SECONDS, will be published here in New Zealand in August, just prior to his tour. In 2007, his book RELENTLESS, after being selected by Richard and Judy for their recommended summer reads pormotion, went on to become the bestselling thriller of 2007 (another Richard and Judy choice, Linwood Barclay's NO TIME FOR GOOBYE, did this the next year as well).

Kernick is touted as having talked, during the research for his novels, "both on and off the record to members of Special Branch, the Anti-Terrorist Branch and the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, so he gets to hear first hand what actually happens in the dark and murky underbelly of UK crime."

I have a copy of his eighth book, TARGET, sitting in front of me now, and am very much looking forward to reading it, then meeting him when he comes to New Zealand.

Have you read any of Kernick's thrillers? What do you think? Do you like meeting visiting authors? Attending literary festivals? Thoughts and comments welcome.