1 00:00:07,133 --> 00:00:10,453 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast 2 00:00:10,573 --> 00:00:14,573 Speaker 1: from News Talks at B. Linda la Plant is the 3 00:00:14,813 --> 00:00:19,213 Speaker 1: Queen of crime fiction. She has fifty novels yep, you heard, 4 00:00:19,213 --> 00:00:21,893 Speaker 1: They're write fifty novels to her name. She's the creator 5 00:00:21,933 --> 00:00:26,053 Speaker 1: of hit shows like Prime Suspect, Widows and Above Suspicion, 6 00:00:26,653 --> 00:00:29,973 Speaker 1: and that there are women on TV solving crimes at 7 00:00:30,013 --> 00:00:33,973 Speaker 1: all is arguably down to Linda, who's always placed determined 8 00:00:34,053 --> 00:00:38,053 Speaker 1: and compelling heroines center stage. Her latest novel, Scene of 9 00:00:38,093 --> 00:00:41,733 Speaker 1: the Crime, introduces us to a new lead detective CSI 10 00:00:41,973 --> 00:00:44,773 Speaker 1: Jessica Russell, as she investigates a case that is not 11 00:00:45,133 --> 00:00:48,653 Speaker 1: quite what it seems. The incredible Linda La Plant is 12 00:00:48,653 --> 00:00:50,773 Speaker 1: with us this morning. Kilda, welcome to the show. 13 00:00:51,733 --> 00:00:52,893 Speaker 2: Thank you very much. 14 00:00:53,573 --> 00:00:56,813 Speaker 1: We are so delighted to be speaking with you because 15 00:00:56,813 --> 00:01:01,013 Speaker 1: you are an extraordinary storyteller. It's curious, though, I think 16 00:01:01,053 --> 00:01:05,013 Speaker 1: you've penned more than fifty books now and with all 17 00:01:05,053 --> 00:01:06,813 Speaker 1: the stories you've told over the year, as you have 18 00:01:06,933 --> 00:01:09,733 Speaker 1: for us a new lead character tell us about seeing 19 00:01:09,813 --> 00:01:12,013 Speaker 1: the crime and detictive Jiska Russell. 20 00:01:13,613 --> 00:01:18,853 Speaker 2: Well, you know, it's quite difficult when you actually are 21 00:01:19,013 --> 00:01:23,693 Speaker 2: slightly pressurized to bring in a new character and even 22 00:01:24,013 --> 00:01:29,013 Speaker 2: more slightly pressurized to make her a woman. And you know, 23 00:01:29,053 --> 00:01:31,613 Speaker 2: I get sick to death of people saying you only 24 00:01:31,613 --> 00:01:35,813 Speaker 2: write strong women, because I don't only write strong women. 25 00:01:36,173 --> 00:01:39,933 Speaker 2: I write a lot of fabulous men. But anyway, what 26 00:01:40,133 --> 00:01:43,573 Speaker 2: happens when I do this podcast you see, which is 27 00:01:43,613 --> 00:01:49,573 Speaker 2: called Listening to the Dead, and it's me meeting all 28 00:01:49,613 --> 00:01:56,093 Speaker 2: the top forensic scientists, anyone connected to crime. And one 29 00:01:56,093 --> 00:01:59,853 Speaker 2: of the podcasts they have this incredible lady come in 30 00:02:00,413 --> 00:02:06,653 Speaker 2: and her name is Patricia Wiltsher. She's very quiet, sort 31 00:02:06,693 --> 00:02:10,413 Speaker 2: of to describe her. She really does look like a 32 00:02:10,653 --> 00:02:17,093 Speaker 2: very very pleasant aunt, very very quietly spoken. She is lethal. 33 00:02:17,733 --> 00:02:21,613 Speaker 2: This woman. I mean, she is a botanist and has 34 00:02:21,693 --> 00:02:25,413 Speaker 2: been called in to some of the most horrific murders. 35 00:02:26,493 --> 00:02:29,613 Speaker 2: And I'll give you an example of this little quiet 36 00:02:29,693 --> 00:02:34,493 Speaker 2: voice when she said one murder was very interesting because 37 00:02:34,533 --> 00:02:39,253 Speaker 2: they didn't know where the body had been moved or 38 00:02:39,333 --> 00:02:43,213 Speaker 2: come from. She was able to say, you need to 39 00:02:43,293 --> 00:02:47,693 Speaker 2: look for a close proximity of a garden that has 40 00:02:47,733 --> 00:02:52,053 Speaker 2: an air apple and a pear tree. The other thing too, 41 00:02:52,133 --> 00:02:57,853 Speaker 2: you will find two not large small bonfires, one using 42 00:02:58,693 --> 00:03:04,973 Speaker 2: barbecue coals, another one with sticks, and my god, they've 43 00:03:05,053 --> 00:03:10,373 Speaker 2: found exactly that location. I mean, it was exactly as 44 00:03:10,413 --> 00:03:13,693 Speaker 2: she'd describe. And then she went on telling me more 45 00:03:13,773 --> 00:03:19,213 Speaker 2: and more, and every scientist I met that had I 46 00:03:19,253 --> 00:03:24,573 Speaker 2: mean their abilities were blood or their ability was fingerprinting, 47 00:03:25,013 --> 00:03:27,613 Speaker 2: And I mean, you think, well, I've seen fingerprinting on 48 00:03:27,653 --> 00:03:30,053 Speaker 2: every single crime show. They're always out with the duster. 49 00:03:30,973 --> 00:03:34,333 Speaker 2: But the specific ones that how they find them in 50 00:03:34,533 --> 00:03:40,013 Speaker 2: very strange places and matching, and they're all top, top scientists. 51 00:03:40,093 --> 00:03:45,133 Speaker 2: So I thought, what in a murder you could get 52 00:03:45,373 --> 00:03:51,133 Speaker 2: all these scientists together as a team. Because if you 53 00:03:51,293 --> 00:03:55,093 Speaker 2: need a blood analysis to come to say you're looking 54 00:03:55,093 --> 00:03:58,973 Speaker 2: for a right handed person who's using a six inch blade, 55 00:03:59,293 --> 00:04:02,253 Speaker 2: but he's very large, he's over six foot, they can 56 00:04:02,373 --> 00:04:05,893 Speaker 2: describe in detail. What if you could get them, But 57 00:04:06,053 --> 00:04:10,053 Speaker 2: most they're always very busy, so you might have to 58 00:04:10,093 --> 00:04:13,653 Speaker 2: wait two weeks a week before one is available, particularly 59 00:04:13,693 --> 00:04:17,293 Speaker 2: somebody as brilliant as the botanist. And so I thought, 60 00:04:17,333 --> 00:04:21,973 Speaker 2: what if you had a specific team, and when you 61 00:04:22,173 --> 00:04:27,253 Speaker 2: had a really horrific murder, you called them in asap. 62 00:04:28,053 --> 00:04:32,893 Speaker 2: Together they form a unit. So that's the basis of 63 00:04:32,973 --> 00:04:36,573 Speaker 2: the scene of the crime. I have a unit. Now. 64 00:04:36,613 --> 00:04:41,413 Speaker 2: At the head of that unit, I have Jessica. She's 65 00:04:41,493 --> 00:04:44,613 Speaker 2: not particularly you know, people say, is she a bit 66 00:04:44,653 --> 00:04:48,333 Speaker 2: like Jane Tennyson? No, no, no, no, no, she's not. 67 00:04:49,173 --> 00:04:53,533 Speaker 2: What is she really like. She's actually a difficult customer. 68 00:04:54,373 --> 00:04:59,573 Speaker 2: I don't think you particularly warmed to her immediately. She's 69 00:05:00,053 --> 00:05:06,653 Speaker 2: very tough, very sharp witted. And then things like when 70 00:05:06,653 --> 00:05:09,773 Speaker 2: you're writing and kind of giving birth to a new character, 71 00:05:10,293 --> 00:05:14,453 Speaker 2: you grab hold of things that happen. And one of 72 00:05:14,453 --> 00:05:19,573 Speaker 2: the women that I was interviewing on this podcast has 73 00:05:19,613 --> 00:05:26,293 Speaker 2: an ability. She is a locksmith. She can literally tell 74 00:05:26,333 --> 00:05:29,413 Speaker 2: you what tools were used to open the door and lock. 75 00:05:30,573 --> 00:05:34,453 Speaker 2: And she had the most amazing laugh. She was very 76 00:05:34,573 --> 00:05:38,013 Speaker 2: very serious with her tools, at her equipment going on, 77 00:05:38,373 --> 00:05:41,533 Speaker 2: and then somebody said something and she roared with this 78 00:05:41,773 --> 00:05:44,413 Speaker 2: big guttural and I said, oh, I'm going to use that. 79 00:05:44,973 --> 00:05:50,333 Speaker 2: Jessica's got that laugh. So gradually, bit by bit you 80 00:05:50,453 --> 00:06:00,533 Speaker 2: build up. And so Jessica has arrived and she's unusual. 81 00:06:01,573 --> 00:06:05,053 Speaker 2: She's I mean mid thirties because she's very experienced. She's 82 00:06:05,053 --> 00:06:07,933 Speaker 2: a criminologist, psychology, just you name it, she's done it. 83 00:06:07,973 --> 00:06:08,413 Speaker 1: Got it. 84 00:06:09,613 --> 00:06:13,173 Speaker 2: But she is not a police officer, she can't make 85 00:06:13,213 --> 00:06:18,613 Speaker 2: an arrest. So these scientists come together and give clues, 86 00:06:19,093 --> 00:06:23,093 Speaker 2: one clue after another, and it's some of it is 87 00:06:23,133 --> 00:06:28,693 Speaker 2: so surprising because it's forensic or forensic detail, and they 88 00:06:28,773 --> 00:06:32,613 Speaker 2: film when they're working, when they're brought into a murder inquiry. 89 00:06:32,853 --> 00:06:37,013 Speaker 2: And this one is a particularly horrific one because the 90 00:06:37,253 --> 00:06:40,933 Speaker 2: victim is beaten to a pulp and he's in a 91 00:06:40,973 --> 00:06:43,853 Speaker 2: coma and he's got a huge knife stuck at his back, 92 00:06:44,253 --> 00:06:47,213 Speaker 2: and he's like, is he going to live? How long 93 00:06:47,253 --> 00:06:50,453 Speaker 2: has he got he's in a coma? What can we find? 94 00:06:50,813 --> 00:06:56,893 Speaker 2: And it's the awareness of how fast they can move 95 00:06:57,173 --> 00:07:01,573 Speaker 2: through a crime scene and say to the police, this 96 00:07:01,653 --> 00:07:05,773 Speaker 2: is what you're looking for, and that's the key to 97 00:07:06,453 --> 00:07:09,853 Speaker 2: the scene of crime. I can go home now. 98 00:07:11,613 --> 00:07:13,973 Speaker 1: I feel like everyone listening to this right now is 99 00:07:14,013 --> 00:07:17,733 Speaker 1: going to be online furiously trying to buy the book immediately. 100 00:07:18,093 --> 00:07:23,853 Speaker 1: You've solved us completely. You know, you you are quite 101 00:07:23,853 --> 00:07:27,293 Speaker 1: an extraordinary researcher and over the years for your books 102 00:07:27,293 --> 00:07:33,293 Speaker 1: you have interviewed mafia bosses, violent criminal, serial killers sometimes 103 00:07:33,333 --> 00:07:36,893 Speaker 1: so I'm interested in this process and preps through this podcast. 104 00:07:37,133 --> 00:07:39,373 Speaker 1: You know you are able to describe it to us. 105 00:07:39,573 --> 00:07:42,973 Speaker 1: When you're interviewing people, are you looking for a kind 106 00:07:42,973 --> 00:07:46,773 Speaker 1: of psychological analysis so you understand them? Or are you 107 00:07:46,853 --> 00:07:51,133 Speaker 1: looking for those little details? Be it a guttural laugh 108 00:07:51,333 --> 00:07:53,493 Speaker 1: with these you know, a woman with these fine tools, 109 00:07:53,533 --> 00:07:54,453 Speaker 1: what are you looking for? 110 00:07:56,053 --> 00:08:01,973 Speaker 2: Information? Information? Information? And actually, over and over again, I 111 00:08:02,093 --> 00:08:06,093 Speaker 2: keep saying to writers you should listen because I'm asking 112 00:08:06,773 --> 00:08:10,493 Speaker 2: what every writer wants to know. How fast can you 113 00:08:10,573 --> 00:08:14,373 Speaker 2: get a result on this? And it's like, you know 114 00:08:14,493 --> 00:08:19,053 Speaker 2: one person ant he's a geologist, but he's a soil expert. 115 00:08:19,653 --> 00:08:23,813 Speaker 2: So when people are brought out to a crime and 116 00:08:23,893 --> 00:08:27,853 Speaker 2: can remove some soil from a car wheel and tell 117 00:08:27,893 --> 00:08:32,973 Speaker 2: you exactly where it's come from. Sam the footprint expert. 118 00:08:33,253 --> 00:08:37,053 Speaker 2: I mean what he can tell from a footprint. This 119 00:08:37,253 --> 00:08:39,733 Speaker 2: is a you know we always see on all these 120 00:08:39,733 --> 00:08:42,773 Speaker 2: crime show there's a footprint. The next minute they say, 121 00:08:42,973 --> 00:08:44,653 Speaker 2: take a cast of that, take a cast of that. 122 00:08:44,933 --> 00:08:47,973 Speaker 2: Then you see them typically in the white alabasterio to 123 00:08:48,053 --> 00:08:50,253 Speaker 2: get it. Then you see them looking at the cost. 124 00:08:50,773 --> 00:08:55,333 Speaker 2: This man is so observant and are so well trained. 125 00:08:55,773 --> 00:08:58,893 Speaker 2: He can look at never mind getting the plaster cast ready, 126 00:08:59,173 --> 00:09:01,333 Speaker 2: he can look at the print and say, you're looking 127 00:09:01,333 --> 00:09:04,493 Speaker 2: for an added dats you want to size ten. Now, 128 00:09:04,613 --> 00:09:08,253 Speaker 2: what is interesting about this is the where on the 129 00:09:08,373 --> 00:09:12,693 Speaker 2: right hand side of the foot you're looking at somebody 130 00:09:12,813 --> 00:09:16,973 Speaker 2: has a distinct rolling walk and you go, really really 131 00:09:18,133 --> 00:09:22,293 Speaker 2: from a mark footprint. But that is how fast they work. 132 00:09:22,693 --> 00:09:28,813 Speaker 2: But there's also experienced and they need very little encouragement 133 00:09:29,693 --> 00:09:34,733 Speaker 2: to begin to explain, and they are riveting. I mean, 134 00:09:34,853 --> 00:09:39,293 Speaker 2: I'm just absolutely a gog. When again the botanist again, 135 00:09:39,973 --> 00:09:43,293 Speaker 2: you know what she can say from looking where a 136 00:09:43,413 --> 00:09:47,733 Speaker 2: body is, and she can tell from the position of 137 00:09:47,853 --> 00:09:52,173 Speaker 2: grass if it was dragged, walked on how long it 138 00:09:52,253 --> 00:09:55,293 Speaker 2: has been there by the way the grass is leaning, 139 00:09:55,613 --> 00:09:59,693 Speaker 2: and you go, this is amazing. One murder, one murder. 140 00:09:59,773 --> 00:10:04,773 Speaker 2: She actually was another point. She said, this murder was 141 00:10:04,813 --> 00:10:11,173 Speaker 2: not in this and you had detectives thumping around, you know, 142 00:10:12,213 --> 00:10:14,733 Speaker 2: and the ribbons are up, and she said, no, there 143 00:10:14,773 --> 00:10:19,213 Speaker 2: was an oak tree leaf under the body and it 144 00:10:19,333 --> 00:10:22,573 Speaker 2: must have been on the body and there are no 145 00:10:22,773 --> 00:10:26,293 Speaker 2: oak trees in that area. They had to go to 146 00:10:26,413 --> 00:10:29,813 Speaker 2: find an oak tree with a leaf that would be 147 00:10:29,893 --> 00:10:37,053 Speaker 2: in the same condition as the one under the. 148 00:10:35,213 --> 00:10:41,533 Speaker 1: Things like that, you go, what so, yeah, you said, 149 00:10:41,573 --> 00:10:47,093 Speaker 1: Linda that you felt pressurized to have a strong female character, 150 00:10:47,133 --> 00:10:49,613 Speaker 1: you felt pressurized to get the story out. I mean 151 00:10:49,653 --> 00:10:53,813 Speaker 1: you have, I mean done more than almost any modern 152 00:10:53,893 --> 00:11:00,053 Speaker 1: author to elevate strong female characters. Why do you feel pressurized? So? 153 00:11:00,293 --> 00:11:06,653 Speaker 2: Publishers who And it's they always use that expression what 154 00:11:06,693 --> 00:11:09,693 Speaker 2: the public want, whether they want it or not. I 155 00:11:09,733 --> 00:11:12,773 Speaker 2: don't know, I don't think so they don't mind. And 156 00:11:13,213 --> 00:11:19,853 Speaker 2: you know right now because every time my book comes out, 157 00:11:20,093 --> 00:11:24,093 Speaker 2: it's like it's gone from me. It went away six 158 00:11:24,213 --> 00:11:28,333 Speaker 2: seven months ago to get the cover of you of course, 159 00:11:28,573 --> 00:11:32,493 Speaker 2: to ye edit all that. So in the interim, I'm 160 00:11:32,493 --> 00:11:37,653 Speaker 2: already writing something else. And it's very very difficult because 161 00:11:37,893 --> 00:11:41,853 Speaker 2: the one I'm writing now is really tough for me 162 00:11:42,013 --> 00:11:45,493 Speaker 2: because it's the end of a character and a character 163 00:11:45,613 --> 00:11:51,333 Speaker 2: I loved, same name as you, Jack, And that is 164 00:11:51,453 --> 00:11:57,293 Speaker 2: very very difficult. And it's truthfully, you know, one is 165 00:11:58,293 --> 00:12:03,853 Speaker 2: kind of not allowed to really work the way you 166 00:12:03,853 --> 00:12:11,373 Speaker 2: would like to work. Your publishers will tell you time up, 167 00:12:11,773 --> 00:12:17,773 Speaker 2: knock this character off. What's something new? It's quite And 168 00:12:18,213 --> 00:12:20,253 Speaker 2: people keep saying to me, why'd you keep right here? 169 00:12:20,253 --> 00:12:25,013 Speaker 2: You're welker get commission. That's why you know, you've got 170 00:12:25,053 --> 00:12:26,573 Speaker 2: to get a commission to read. 171 00:12:26,893 --> 00:12:30,693 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, Linda. Honestly, it is such a pleasure. We 172 00:12:30,733 --> 00:12:32,613 Speaker 1: could listen to you all day. Thank you so much 173 00:12:32,653 --> 00:12:35,093 Speaker 1: for giving us your time. Congratulations on the scene of 174 00:12:35,093 --> 00:12:36,813 Speaker 1: the crime. We're never going to be calling for you 175 00:12:36,853 --> 00:12:40,853 Speaker 1: to retire or anything like that. We just every story 176 00:12:40,893 --> 00:12:42,813 Speaker 1: you do as yet another blessing. 177 00:12:42,853 --> 00:12:46,293 Speaker 2: So thank you, thank you, Jack, thank you very much. 178 00:12:46,733 --> 00:12:49,893 Speaker 1: That is Linda Laplant. Her new book is seen at 179 00:12:49,893 --> 00:12:52,173 Speaker 1: the crime and all the details are on the News Talks. 180 00:12:52,173 --> 00:12:56,293 Speaker 1: He'd be website for more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame. 181 00:12:56,493 --> 00:12:59,693 Speaker 1: Listen live to News Talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, 182 00:12:59,933 --> 00:13:01,973 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.