I have always been in awe of (and, I admit, jealous of) those individuals who are able to take words and develop them into a character. I have wondered: where does the idea for the character come from? the locale? the theme?

In The Lineup a number of outstanding crime writers have answered some of these questions with their accounts of their detectives. Each relates the genesis of his persona. Did you know that Inspector Morse was the result of a rainy day during the vacation of Colin Dexter? Did you ever wonder where Reacher got his name? Or Dismas Hardy? What is the relationship between Spencer and Susan Silverman?

These questions and more are answered here. Reading these crime writers' accounts of their detectives and the creative process behind them increases your enjoyment, appreciation and understanding of their books.