Crime novels are my mind candy. They provide lovely venues for escapism. When one is immersed in a good page turning mystery with lots of twists and surprises the worries of the world can just melt away for a bit. They offer a pleasant distraction.
And there are so many varieties to choose from. Many crime novels feature villains who are sociopaths. There are crime novels where the protagonists are criminals. There are thrillers with cops and detectives and private eyes. There are legal dramas with attorneys and prosecutors. One never knows what to expect next.
Mark Pryor's novel "Hollow Man" opens with a twist. His narrator is a county prosecutor in Texas. This man is a sympathetic character despite the fact that he is a criminal and a sociopath.
The author is a county prosecutor in Texas. The author is a native of England, just like his protagonist. The similarities end there. Pryor is not a sociopath. But he is one heck of a writer.